If you were going to build a shopping center next to a dry river bed, over former garbage dumps, Tempe Marketplace would be the result.
The Hastings and Hastings of architecture firms must be responsible for this one: "We specialize in parking lots surrounded by stores. Our idea of curb appeal is big, honking steel signs to attract the eye of people in cars moving 70 miles per hour. We also work with your community to ensure the drive to our facility is not a straight shot. If our shopping center doesn't look significantly dated in 10 years, we haven't done our job."
My family is tired of me mentioning how much I dislike Tempe Marketplace everytime we pass it on the 202.