Although the Metro Light Rail makes commuting simple for Valley residents, it has also caused business to roll in smoothly for popular off-campus apartments.
Two apartment complexes along Apache Boulevard, Apache Station at Price Road and La Paloma at Martin Lane, have attracted residents because of their close proximity to the light rail.Both complexes reported an increase in business after the light rail began operating in December 2008. Apache Station opened in 2001, and La Paloma opened in 1984.
“It’s been really great,” said Renae Momforte, human and family development senior and community assistant at Apache Station, referring to the addition of the light rail.
Apache Station, next to the light rail and park-and-ride location, is brimming with students, she said.
“It’s improved business a lot,” Momforte said. “We will have a lot of students who will come to us and tell us they’ve looked into us specifically because of the light rail.”
Nia Pinheiro, district manager at La Paloma, has also seen a change in her community because of the mass transit system sitting outside residents’ doors.
“We hear the ding-dings all day,” she said. “The noise level went up.”
Despite the noise, La Paloma attracts prospective residents and ASU students, particularly those without vehicles, because of the light rail, Pinheiro said.
“We’re really popular to that particular demographic,” she said. “The number of vehicles in the parking lot dropped dramatically.”
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The light rail has caused La Paloma’s amount of visibility to change, Pinheiro said. To those on the light rail, La Paloma can easily be seen, but to those on the ground and in cars, the trains tend to limit visibility.
“If you’re on the light rail you can see that we’re there,” she said. “For walking traffic and driving traffic, it kind of diminished that.”
Joochul Kim, associate professor in the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, said the light rail is a great option for commuters.
“It is the right thing to do,” he said. “Using public transit will reduce traffic congestion, pollution, and also decrease commuting costs.”
Joochul said mass transit gives the city a more urban feel, but he doesn’t believe the vitality of the college town has yet been realized.
“Due to the great recession … many buildings along the light rail stations are empty,” he said.
While many buildings along the light rail, such as Centerpoint Towers in Downtown Tempe, are empty, the units at Apache Station and La Paloma are not.
“The light rail’s been, I think, a wonderful thing for beautifying Apache Boulevard, which traditionally wasn’t the nicest place to be on,” Pinheiro said.
Reach the reporter at ktenagli@asu.edu
