I imagine it's different in the country or maybe outer suburbs, but I've said on here before how there seems to have been a huge construction and renovation boom in cities. It started around 2001 but didn't get crazy until maybe 04/05, at least that's what I've noticed around here.

I didn't realize how cool it was until it started disappearing, but even in the 90s there was alot of open space (like fields) as well as buildings that had maybe been abandoned some years back, but were still standing. Nowadays if empty lots aren't taken up by new shopping centers or stores, it's usually got a development of "row houses", where they basically all look the same.

Is there still any open fields where anyone else lives? I bet they're just trying to utilize every space possible, which I can understand - but the vacant lots kinda gave the area more character (they were good shortcuts too, lol). I wonder if there were complaints about that, which is why they wanna fill them up as much as possible?

In the early 80s to early 90s I lived in North Phoenix. In the house I lived in from 1982-1985 we had open spaces right across the street from the house for about a half mile south to the main road up until 1984.  The next house I lived in (1985-1986) had open desert right outside the neighborhood subdivision well into the early 90's.

I moved away in 1991 and came back for a visit in the summer of 2000.  The Phoenix area was and still is experiencing "suburban sprawl" from Queen Creek (and Maricopa) (East and South) to Surprise and Tolleson (North/West). 

There's some open land in my subdivision in the 'copa but in a few years I'm guessing that will be gone once the economy and housing market turns around.

BIG YELLOW TAXI

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot,
With a pink hotel, a boutique,
And a swinging hot spot.
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone?
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

They took all the trees and put them in a tree museum.
And they charged all the people
A dollar and a half just to see 'em.
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone?
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

Hey, farmer, farmer, put away that D.D.T., now!
Give me spots on my apples
But leave me the birds and the bees, please!
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone?
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

Late last night I heard the screen door slam.
And a big yellow taxi took away my old man.
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone?
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

Where I live it's almost condoland.

They're building homes closer and closer to the mountain ranges out here now.  :o