The Tempe Town Lake

The Tempe Town Lake is an artificial lake that occupies a portion of the normally dry riverbed of the Salt River as it passes through the city of Tempe, Arizona. It is a very unique man made water way the city has won numerous awards for environmental achievements such as flood control  Tempe Town Lake is unlike any other property in Arizona. Nowhere else is as close to a major university, five freeways, dozens of acres of public park space and an active, urban downtown. Nowhere else is it possible to enjoy a business meeting aboard a boat or a round of golf with a colleague and be at an international airport less than 10 minutes later. Along with beautiful real properties that are continually being built out.

This history of the lake and the development and the real estate surrounding the lake is a great lession in government and private industry working together for the good a the community.

• March of 1989- Tempe adopted the Rio Salado Master Plan, which represented the culmination of more than 20 years of environmental land planning. Studies of water quality and usage, the Mill Avenue Bridge and ASU recreation ensued and programming began.
• 1995, the City added more staff to the team dedicated to the Rio Salado project and began construction of a mile long bike path along the south bank of the river. The path features public art at a number of spots along the way. The city began the Town Lake design report and completed another financial capacity study and landscape designs for portions of the parks.
  1996 construction drawings are complete for the Tempe Town Lake and the City designated 800 acres of area including the lake as Rio Salado Park.
• March 19, 1997 requests for bids were sent out for the lake construction. The City awarded contacts for construction of the lake on June 12, and groundbreaking ceremonies were held on August 8.
• June 2, 1999-Water from the Central Arizona Project started flowing into Tempe Town Lake .
• July 14, the lake was declared full
• November 7, Tempe Town Lake was opened to the public.
  Effective flood control occurred with the creation of Town Lake. Safety mechanisms exist so that in the event of a flood, Valley residents are protected.

Residential and commercial development is ongoing; with early every section of Town Lake has plans for development.
Hayden Ferry Lakeside won Building of the Year 2003
Playa del Norte on the north side of Town Lake.
Regatta Pointe Condominiums
Edgewater at Hayden Ferry Lakeside
Riverview at Rio Salado, an apartment complex northwest of Town Lake

Today more than 2 million visitors enjoy Tempe Town Lake each year for special events and casual recreation such as bicycling, and picnics.

Comments

[lilah]

in my opinion, the lake doesn't belong there. I remember how tempe looked before that giant puddle of water was added. Tempe/Phoenix is a desert, and city planners should respect the original beauty of the desert....not cover it up with water!