The development feasibility of canal oriented development in the arid southwest: Opinions of key stakeholders

Phoenix Arizona is the quintessential polycentric desert city. Built for the car in an extreme climate, the city both lacks walkability and substantial density within the built form that is often found in cities of similar size. Yet within the boundaries of the metropolitan area, 181 miles of canals traverse the built environment, providing an opportunity for walkable nodal development at strategic locations. This unrealized potential offers the city a unique opportunity for mixed-use development within an already-constructed infrastructure, but challenges remain. This paper explores the feasibility of canal oriented development (COD) in Phoenix by analyzing: (1) opinions of key stakeholders, (2) the possibility of place based mixed-use walkable developments along the canals, and (3) the ability to create pockets of density. Results indicate that COD in Phoenix will be driven by commercial development, which entails that municipal investment will be a greater catalyst for eventual success than the regional utility that maintains the canal.