Tempe Development Thread

[Upward]

I'd say closing it for 11 days would be the better option than having it cut down to 1 lane while ASU is in session. That would be an absolute nightmare.

[JimInCal]

Some last minute lease issues to be resolved but University Square is proceeding with prepping the site. :tup:

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=80862

The Arches falling in Tempe
By David Woodfill, Tribune
December 19, 2006
Tempe residents will soon bid farewell to a piece of local history. The Arches, a 42-year-old fixture of student life near Arizona State University, will be replaced by a dirt lot buzzing with construction workers.

A group of developers planning an ambitious $500 million development called University Square, featuring condos, offices, retail space and a hotel, will begin flattening the complex on University Drive sometime next week.

The buildings, which are recognizable for their slightly outdated facade of arched windows and faux-adobe “slump block,” has served as a revolving door for chain businesses and locally owned restaurants and shops since its construction in 1964.

Many of its businesses throughout the years consisted of restaurants, coffee cafes and copy shops, all geared to ASU’s student population.

“It’s kind of sad because it’s (had) a lot of student-oriented businesses that have been there serving the campus community,” said Bud Morrison, owner of Tempe Bicycle, which is located in the center.

Morrison, like many other business owners at the center, is preparing to shutter his doors and relocate.

Tony Wall, president of 3W Companies, which partnered with two other developers to build University Square, said his group is negotiating compensation with the remaining seven tenants.

He said the three buildings that make up the Arches, as well as the neighboring Lorenzo’s Pizza Pasta & Cafe at 106 E. University Drive, will be completely vacated by the end of the month.

The developers, who have already begun work on the property, will raze the easternmost building that used to house India Bistro.

“The other three, we expect to take down (in) late February,” he said.

But David Cheren, owner of Dave’s Dog House, said that deadline isn’t realistic.

Cheren said he hasn’t reached an agreement with the developers to quit his lease.

Dimitri Soris, owner of the Pita Pit, said his last day of business will be Wednesday.

Andrea Perez, a hostess at Restaurant Mexico, said she’s not exactly sure when the eatery will close.

She said the owners are opening a new location at Fifth Street and Mill Avenue.

“We have a good following,” she said. “They claim they will follow us wherever we go.”

Neil Calfee, deputy community development manager for Tempe, said other businesses are bound to spring up around ASU to fill the void left by the Arches’ shops.

“The market will find its way,” he said.

“I’m confident of that. It’s just a matter of where,” he added.

Mark Vinson, the city’s architect and a former ASU student, said he has fond memories discussing “the current state of ASU football” at one of many local haunts at the Arches.

Still, he said the buildings weren’t old enough to qualify for historic preservation.

“The center is not what you would call truly historic,” he said.

[sundevilgrad]

The old College Street Deli would be a great location for Dave's Dog House. I remember seeing an article that said they might move the Subway that was located in the Arches Plaza to that location, but I'd much rather see Dave's move in there. I think 3W Companies owns that building too, and that's where they wanted to relocate one of the restaurants.

[sundevilgrad]

Looks like the Mosaic is going forward... :cheers:

Gentle Strength building yields to high-rise plan

Katie Nelson
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 20, 2006 12:00 AM

TEMPE - Stucco siding fell like cardboard Monday and Tuesday with each swipe of an excavation truck's clawed arm.

Chunks of building, shelving and retaining wall clattered to the ground, relegating the old Gentle Strength Co-op buildings to organic food fans' memories.

The aging structures at the intersection of University Drive and Ash Avenue are being ripped out to make way for a 21-story condo complex and a corporate health food store. The demolition taking place this week is the first visible sign to the community that the project is on its way to becoming a reality. advertisement




"Its kind of sad to see it go," said Chris Corwin, who was working at the new Gentle Strength location at Mill and Southern avenues Tuesday. "But it's a dual thing. Everyone is trying to focus on our new future here."

Developers also are scheduled to rip out at least three smaller buildings near University Drive and Forest Avenue in the coming weeks.

The work will clear land for a massive mixed-use building with three towers, called University Square. One of the Arches buildings will be torn down, as will the building that housed the Trophy Den, said Tony Wall, one of the project's developers. The entire block could be cleared as early as February, Wall added.

"Change is change," said Roy Hoyt, a neighborhood activist who lives near the demolition sites.

Hoyt said he remembers patronizing the shops and restaurants in the Arches when he was a student at Arizona State University, and when the Gentle Strength buildings housed a lumberyard. He has mixed feelings about the progress and planned high-rises.

"I'm afraid we're going to see the same phenomenon in Tempe as in central and north central Phoenix where buildings are being torn down and all of the sudden the land becomes too valuable to build on," he said. "We're seeing it happen all over. Developers pay big bucks, and now the market is no longer there, and we get to see vacant land for a decade or more."

That won't be the case at the Gentle Strength site, said Justin LaMar, the developer. Construction is slated to start this summer, he said.



The Mosaic condo is scheduled to have 215 units. The first two floors will be a Whole Foods Market.

[vertex]

:previous: Can anyone living in Tempe get over to the old Co-op, take a few pics, and post them here? I'm unable to, as I getting ready to leave town, and I don't have the time. I did notice that they were about half-way thru tearing it down when I drove by last night.

This is just for posterity...

[sundevilgrad]

I'm planning on getting some updated Tempe shots this weekend and would drive by tonight but the wife's making me do some christmas shopping with her so I don't know if we'll be in the area. I'll definitely get some pictures of the site this weekend, although the building will probably be gone by then.

[vertex]

I'm planning on getting some updated Tempe shots this weekend and would drive by tonight but the wife's making me do some christmas shopping with her so I don't know if we'll be in the area. I'll definitely get some pictures of the site this weekend, although the building will probably be gone by then.

Thanks for the offer, but unfortunately I drove by this afternoon, and it's been flattened. It's an empty lot now for the most part. I'll miss that place.

[sundevilgrad]

Well, I get some pictures of it regardless. I liked Gentle Strength, but I'm really excited about the Mosaic. I wonder how long before they begin excavation?

[vertex]

They said next summer, kind of a long way off. I hope it happens, it would be a shame if the developers still end up trying to flip this property instead.

[sundevilgrad]

Looking at the progress bar graph on the City of Tempe page, it seems that Mosaic is fully permitted and their next step would be construction. It is unfortunate that they are waiting that long to begin, but I think the market in Tempe will help this development along. There's too much stuff going on here to miss out.

[williard]

Sorry, see next posts.

[williard]

deleted

[williard]

As requested, this is a photo of the Gentle Strength taken on 12/2/2006, after the move and before teardown. I took it from the roof of the Centerpoint parking lot.

http://www.fastq.com/~williard/gentlestrength.jpg

[williard]

Photos of my future home! These were taken 12/2/06, during the arts festival.

http://www.fastq.com/~williard/cp1.jpg

http://www.fastq.com/~williard/cp2.jpg

http://www.fastq.com/~williard/cp3.jpg

http://www.fastq.com/~williard/cp4.jpg

http://www.fastq.com/~williard/cp5.jpg

[oliveurban]

^ Nice. Thanks for the photo updates.

[combusean]

In an article about Tempe public safety officials responding to highrise development at a community forum (http://www.azcentral.com/community/tempe/articles/1228tr-highrise1228Z10.html) was this gem of a list: I did not know about 7th and Mill--tho another article indicates a Renaissance ClubSport will be in it. I'm pretty sure 300' is way past the height limit given that it's on Mill directly.


Downtown housing is looking up in Tempe

Here are some of the high-rise condos already in or planned for Tempe:

• Orchidhouse
First upscale condos in Tempe's core.
Highest point: About 100 feet, 7 stories.

• Centerpoint Condominiums
Four-tower condo complex in the heart of downtown.
Highest point: 343 feet, 30 stories.

• Hayden Ferry Lakeside
Four residential towers will be a part of a mixed-use project on Tempe Town Lake.
Highest point: 141 feet, 12 stories.

• University Square
Three-tower, city-block-size mixed-use development.
Highest point: 300 feet, 26 stories.

• Mosaic
Would replace the Gentle Strength Co-op with a Whole Foods Market, plus residential.
Highest point: 235 feet, 21 stories.

• The Armory
Two-tower rental and owner-occupied project south of Tempe Butte.
Highest point: 225 feet, 20 stories.

• Farmer Arts District
Plans to make a new home for Tempe Bicycle and the city's first branch library.
Highest potential point: Four stories.

• Centerpoint on Mill
Replaces existing retail buildings with taller structures with condos on top.
Highest potential point: eight stories.

• 7th and Mill
Mixed-use building proposed for the site once occupied by Long Wong's.
Highest potential point: 300 feet, 25 stories.

• Pier 202
Mixed-use project on Tempe Town Lake on site once occupied by Peabody Hotel.
Highest potential point: 20 stories.

• Onyx
Condo complex on the north shore of Tempe Town Lake.
Highest potential point: 26 stories or 271 feet.

• Tempe Union Station Lofts
Condo complex on Apache Boulevard.
Highest potential point: 10 stories.

• Campus Edge Condominiums
On the site once occupied by Taco Bell and Texaco Star Mart on Apache Boulevard.
Highest point: eight stories.

• 8th Street and Rural
A condo complex next to Tempe's historical Elias Rodriguez house.
Highest potential point: 12 stories.

- Katie Nelson

Source: Tempe and project developers

[sundevilgrad]

Updated Tempe pics...

Looking north to the North Shore development...
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8836/imgp0042zh8.jpg

Had to work Sun Devil Stadium in some how... Looking east from approximately the west end of the Pier 202 development...
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/5199/imgp0040jd8.jpg

Speaking of Pier 202, there was some heavy equipment on sight (i.e. the back hoe in the pic and a huge dozer, along with what appear to be sewer lines), not sure if these are for 202 or somewhere else though...
http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/1614/imgp0044nf6.jpg

Hayden Ferry development, and the Tempe Garage Mahal...
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/4844/imgp0047th0.jpg

Looking south from the Hayden Ferry Lakeside development to Centerpoint...
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/6772/imgp0067eu1.jpg

Centerpoint from the Avenue Communities parking lot (aka McDuffy's)...
http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/1318/imgp0069dv3.jpg

Tower 1 and 2 of Centerpoint...
http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/6659/imgp0071mu7.jpg

Had to work in a shot of the creepy giant bunnies at the Centerpoint fountain...
http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/7784/imgp0073dn4.jpg

Looking east to ASU and the future site of University Square...
http://img490.imageshack.us/img490/5457/imgp0075du9.jpg

The old Hogi Yogi building at the Arches has already been torn down and most of the rest of it is fenced off except for the middle building housing Dave's Dog House and the interim Tempe Bicycle (hard to tell from the pic, but take my word for it)...
http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/2803/imgp0076lj8.jpg

The 30 story Centerpoint tower...
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/1245/imgp0084xt5.jpg

Gentle Strength has been cleared to make way for Mosaic...
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/3071/imgp0086bj8.jpg

And what I thought was the best pic of the day...
http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/8969/imgp0082gb8.jpg

[JimInCal]

Nice update of the goings-on in Tempe sundevilgrad! :tup: Do you really think the giant jackrabbits are creepy??? I've always loved them and hope they will be part of the redo of the Centerpoint complex.

The crane across the way at Northshore is interesting. I wonder what part of the development is going up.

Thanks for the pics! :D

[loftlovr]

fabulous pictures and commentary!
I like the jackrabbits too- they're creepy in deed- but unique...

[sundevilgrad]

The crane across the way at Northshore is interesting. I wonder what part of the development is going up.

Thanks for the pics! :D


The tower crane has been at the Northshore development for months now, and they don't seem to be doing much. The pics of Northshore only show 6 stories, so there isn't much height.

... And yes, the rabbits are creepy, kinda like a giant Alice in Wonderland scene or something (minus the illicit drugs and colors)...

[HooverDam]

I think what bothers me about the rabbits is how thin they are, any rabbit Ive ever seen is fluffy and chubby- those things look like the marathon runners of the rabbit kingdom.

[combusean]

The tower crane has been at the Northshore development for months now, and they don't seem to be doing much. The pics of Northshore only show 6 stories, so there isn't much height.


If you drive closer to the site on Rural Rd you'll see the column work has taken it to the second floor. It has been moving, slowly tho.


... And yes, the rabbits are creepy, kinda like a giant Alice in Wonderland scene or something (minus the illicit drugs and colors)...

Yeah ... it looks like that rabbit has already been down the hole ...

[sundevilgrad]

I was just reading the business section over at the azcentral website and noticed that Mosiac is running a big add on the site. The add looks great, here's the link when you click on it...
http://www.kmlmosaic.com/

[sundevilgrad]

I wonder if the AZ Republic/AZ Central has some type of stake in the Mosiac project (pure speculation)?...

Old co-op buildings in Tempe torn down to make way for high-rise

Katie Nelson
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 3, 2007 12:00 AM


Stucco siding fell like cardboard with each swipe of an excavation truck's clawed arm.

Chunks of building, shelving and retaining wall clattered to the ground, relegating the old Gentle Strength Co-op buildings to memories for organic food fans.

The aging structures at the intersection of University Drive and Ash Avenue were demolished to make way for a 21-story condo complex and a corporate health-food store. The demolition last month was the first visible sign to the community that the Mosaic project is under way. advertisement




"It's kind of sad to see it go," said Chris Corwin, who was working at the new Gentle Strength Co-op location at Mill and Southern avenues during the demolition.

"But it's a dual thing. Everyone is trying to focus on our new future here."

Developers also are scheduled to rip out at least three smaller buildings near University Drive and Forest Avenue in the coming weeks.

The work will clear land for a massive mixed-use building with three towers, called University Square.

One of the Arches buildings will be torn down, as will the building that housed the Trophy Den, said Tony Wall, one of the project's developers. The entire block could be cleared as early as February, Wall said.

"Change is change," said Roy Hoyt, a neighborhood activist who lives near the demolition sites.

He said he remembers patronizing the shops and restaurants in the Arches when he was a student at Arizona State University, and when the Gentle Strength buildings housed a lumber yard.

Justin LaMar, Mosaic developer, said sales on homes are planned for this winter and construction is slated to start this summer, LaMar said.

Mosaic is scheduled to have 215 homes on a nearly 2 acres. The first two floors are designated to be a home for Whole Foods Market.

Flats, townhouses, condos and penthouses and residential amenities will occupy the rest of the space.

[JI5]

I wonder if the AZ Republic/AZ Central has some type of stake in the Mosiac project (pure speculation)?...

Doubtful. Stories about projects like this are usually written by the developers PR department, and sent in to the republic - who makes few if any changes and reprints the story with a reporters name on it. Almost 70% of what you read in the newspaper is gathered this way. SO - if it sounds like an ad, its most likely because the developer wrote it.

[sundevilgrad]

Luxury homes planned for lake
Katie Nelson and Eugene Scott
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 11, 2007 12:00 AM


Two housing developments are proposed for near Tempe Town Lake, near the new Tempe Center for the Arts.

One would bring a whole different level of luxury to the area: New single-family homes. The other would create condominium towers.

"Town Lake Villas" would be a community of eight multimillion-dollar single-family homes. Plans are tentative, said Tom Meissner, one of the project's developers. advertisement




"The luxury market is definitely developing in Tempe," Meissner said.

Preliminary plans show the 4,600- to 5,800-square-foot homes would feature underground parking with space for at least four vehicles, elevators to the homes' upper floors and rooftop gardens with Jacuzzis. According to the developers, the goal is to create a "densely landscaped" ground level that would not have many of the automobile-focused characteristics of a more typical suburban neighborhood.

"You bring all the suburban amenities - good parking, private yard and such - into the middle of the city," Meissner said.

The project would go on a narrow strip of land at 500 W. First St., southeast of the arts center.

The company working to design the plans is Warner Group Architects. It's a Santa Barbara, Calif.-based company. Its architects specialize in luxury homes, resorts and country clubs. One of their projects under way is a home for a member of the Kuwaiti royal family.

Next door, plans for more new condos and townhouses are being developed. Zacher Homes is planning four condominium towers that could reach 25 stories and a row of townhouses. Representatives from the company met with members of the Sunset Riverside Neighborhood Association on Tuesday night, one of the first public unveilings of the project.

Preliminary plans show the "Residences at the Arts Park" would be on the northwestern corner of Roosevelt and First Street. It could feature four towers from 10 to 25 stories, but plans show it reaching no higher than Tempe Butte.

Two of the towers would be significantly shorter than the other two. The three-story townhouses will be on First Street.

Most of the several neighbors in attendance seemed supportive of the project.

"The consensus of the people was that it's attractive and that the reality of the situation is that Tempe is changing," said Bill Butler, who leads the neighborhood association. "We might as well learn to love it."

Neither of the project's developers was willing to talk about prices for the homes, but city officials said they expect the Town Lake Villas homes could cost up to $2 million. The developers behind the Residences at the Arts Park units say the condos will cost about $400 per square foot to build.

Zacher Homes spokesman Patrick Burch said the Arts Park project would also likely set aside some of its units as workforce housing, or more affordable units for people with salaries on par with teachers, firefighters and police officers.




The homes actually sound pretty cool, but I would love to get more info about the 4 towers they're planning! :notacrook:

[HX_Guy]

Roosevelt and 1st St? Isn't that in downtown Phoenix, not Tempe?

[sundevilgrad]

Roosevelt in Tempe is a street that runs N/S between Hardy on the west and Farmer on the east. 1st in Tempe is just south of Rio Salado. So yes, there is a 1st and Roosevelt in Phoenix, as well as Tempe.

[combusean]

Did anyone notice the new tower crane today on on Mill north of the river? It's TALL ... couldn't get a picture of it today but it looks pretty good standing out there.

I have no idea what this project is--it looks like it's slipped under the radar for a while. No mention of it in the official Tempe website.

[Sekkle]

^ I drove by it tonight after reading your post. The construction sign on the fence says it's the Papago Gateway Center, which is shown on the City of Tempe development page (although I think they mistakenly located it at Priest instead of Mill). It is supposed to be 6 stories. Here's an article I found at the following address...

http://www.sddt.com/Construction/notebook.cfm?PublicationDate=2006-07-14

San Diego-based Chesnut Properties announced it has selected Okland Construction to serve as general contractor for Papago Gateway Center, a mixed-use 223,000-square-foot corporate facility that will include the city of Tempe's first speculative laboratory space as well as Class A office space.
Smith Consulting Group designed the six-story facility. The CB Richard Ellis office team of Brad Anderson, Luke Walker, Bryan Taute, Holly Lorant and Bryce Terveen will market the property.
Papago Gateway Center, which breaks ground in October 2006, will also be the city of Tempe's first LEED-certified office building, a distinction earned for sensitive environmental design. A major design feature will be the double skin louver system that wraps the building on the east, south and west, providing substantial shade in an environment where shade is highly needed.
"This building will support the emerging Phoenix Valley biotech community by accommodating startup companies with requirements as small as 1,500 square feet," Chesnut said. "The greater Phoenix area has made remarkable strides in the last three years in the biotech industry with TGen and the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University. The facility is 50 percent laboratory capable."
The center will be the valley's first privately developed speculative corporate office building that holds the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for a "green" building that is environmentally sensitive and has been built in a manner that respects the environment, the health of its tenants, and is highly efficient in its operations and design.
Additional planned amenities include a full-service cafeteria, fitness center, a 900-car parking structure and authentic desertscape with cooling reflective ponds.

Nice to know it's a "green" building. The 900-car parking structure should do wonders to help curb emissions, too. :yuck:

[Sekkle]

.

[Sekkle]

.

[Azndragon837]

Sean, I got your message on my cellphone, ForAteOh is right about the project...it's the 6 story Papago Gateway Center (office building). I do not know why such a tall crane is being used to build a short building, then again, a tall crane is being used right now for the Northshore development on Rural and Playa del Norte. Sorry I didn't return your call, I was in class.

-Andrew

[Sekkle]

From the Tribune a few days ago...

Tempe development surge is building
By Misty Williams, Tribune
January 12, 2007
Tempe could see another three housing developments spring to life in the coming years, as the city’s infill areas continue to expand — mostly skyward — despite its landlocked borders.


A mix of condominiums, townhouses and single-family homes, the projects are part of a surge in development the city’s seen over the past 20 months, said Chris Anaradian, Tempe’s development services manager.

With about $1 billion in construction happening right now, “it’s like day and night” compared to a few years ago, Anaradian said.

Each of these latest projects is in very different stages of planning.

SOTELO: Multifamily housing developer Trammell Crow Residential hopes to break ground on a six-building, 170-unit condo complex in the second quarter 2007.

Located at the southeast corner of Weber Drive and College Avenue, the four-story buildings will sit across the street from Papago Park.

Fremont Investment & Loan provided a $38.8 million construction loan to Trammell Crow for the project, said Jeff Teetsel, Fremont’s vice president and regional manager.

With its proximity to Arizona State University, freeways and the airport, Sotelo will likely attract a number of young professionals, Teetsel said.

It’s conveniently located to downtown Phoenix and Tempe, but owners will also be able to enjoy the park, he said.

“You get a really nice blend,” said Jason Ottman, managing director at
Trammell Crow. “You’re in the middle of everything, but you’re pretty much in a quiet little pocket of the city.”

Starting from the high $200,000s, the condos will have one and two bedrooms and range in size from 900 square feet to roughly 2,200 square feet.

TOWN LAKE VILLAS: Commercial builder Tom Meissner’s first home project — an eighthome luxury development — is in planning stages.

Situated along First Street near Tempe Town Lake, the single-family houses would range in size from 4,500 square feet to 5,000 square feet. Each would have two stories, a third floor with one room and a basement, Meissner said.

The properties would include rooftop gardens and Jacuzzis, as well as underground parking garages, he said.

Meissner said he hopes to create an urban atmosphere with suburban-type amenities — room to park boats and have pets.

“We’re trying to do something that’s exceptional” he said.

He added that it’s too early to talk about home prices, but they would easily cost well over $1 million.

Meissner recently submitted a second draft of plans to the city and is working on marketing studies.

But he’s in no rush to build.

The longtime developer has owned the land since 2000 and said he’ll build “when the market’s right.”

ZACHER HOMES: Phoenix-based Zacher Homes hopes to close a deal next week to buy five acres of land next door to Meissner’s property.

Located on the northwest corner of Roosevelt and First streets, the site is right across from the new Tempe Center for the Arts.

Preliminary plans for the property include four condo towers that could range in size from 10 stories to 25 stories, as well as a number of townhouses, said Patrick Burch, Zacher’s land acquisition manager.

The project doesn’t have a formal name yet and is still in the very early stages, he said.

Two focus points of Zacher’s plan would be leaving a lot of open space so the arts center wouldn’t be overshadowed and creating an art walk that would provide pedestrian access to the center, Burch said.

Zacher has had at least one informal meeting with neighbors in the area but has yet to submit any plans to the city.

“We don’t know exactly what they’re going to allow us to do,” he said. “It’s really not a guaranteed anything.”

There would need to be a good discussion about height before anything was approved, Anaradian said. The city has definite ideas about where tall buildings belong in downtown, he said.

The arts center was a huge investment, so whatever goes across the street will be looked at closely, he said.

“The sky is not the limit on all of these sites in Tempe,” he said.

[combusean]

This was my favorite proposal for the Tempe Arts District. We talked about this a few pages back. (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=2472295&postcount=349). The "Farmer Arts District" won out--100 condos, 100 affordable apartments, 7 stories, 8.5 acres on a skinny stretch of land west of the railroad tracks. I can't wait to see this one finish.

Arts district may bring housing (http://www.azcentral.com/community/tempe/articles/0119tr-fifthandfarmer0119Z10.html)

Katie Nelson
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 19, 2007 12:00 AM


A new form of affordable housing could be coming to downtown Tempe.

Plans for the Farmer Arts District, a development slated to go in just west of downtown, would have a portion of it operating under Tempe's federal low-income tax-credit housing program. Only one other Tempe project has used this affordability program, Elliot Point, a south Tempe apartment complex.

The City Council heard an update on the project during its Issue Review Session meeting Thursday night.

The Farmer Arts District concept is viewed as important around City Hall because the land it will sit on will be a key transition point between Tempe's downtown and the Riverside-Sunset and Maple-Ash neighborhoods.

Right now, the land is mostly brush and parking lot. But the developer who won a public beauty contest of sorts between six contestants has big plans, he told The Republic on Thursday.

"We intend for it to have an iconic presence," developer Todd Marshall said.

His company, Todd Marshall Farmer Arts District, envisions condominiums, retail and commercial space, and parks on the city-owned land between Farmer Avenue and the Union Pacific railroad tracks. The 8.5 acres start at University Drive where Tempe Bicycle store sits, and runs north to Third Street.

The project originally was proposed with only owner-occupied condos. That idea has shifted to include about 100 owner-occupied units, plus more than 100 rental units that would be financed through the tax-credit housing program.

"Because this kind of tax credit precludes full-time students, it will hopefully help the police, fire, health care workers and teachers that we hope would qualify," Councilwoman Shana Ellis said.

"People seem to fear many of these new condo projects will turn into student housing because of investors. This kind of tax credit would preclude that from happening," Ellis said.

The tax-credit program has been around since 1988. It is run by the Internal Revenue Service through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It creates tax credits that are sold to private investors, according to Richard Stone, of the Arizona Department of Housing.

Proceeds from those sales in turn generate funding for the project development. In return for this investment, the government monitors and evaluates rental residents through screening and income requirements for 15 years or longer.

The Farmer Arts Project plans include Tempe's first branch library. According to the plans, a roughly 16,000-square-foot portion of one of the condo buildings would be dedicated to a two-story "urban-style" library. It would be on University Drive.

"Right now we're visioning and dreaming," said Teri Metros, director of Tempe's Public Library. She runs the city's existing 100,000-square-foot library, which serves 143,595 library cardholders.

The library would likely have an emphasis on technology, Metros said, and include computers and wireless Internet connectivity.

The city is examining paying for the facility's operation and maintenance costs with the money it makes from selling the land to the Marshall company, according to Chris Salomone, Tempe's community development director.

The project's highest point has grown. It was four stories when it was presented to council last fall. It now is drawn to be about seven stories.

Tentative plans show the other Farmer Arts District buildings would be scattered throughout the site, with breaks at streets to allow for pedestrian traffic. It also includes wide, tree-lined sidewalks. Marshall said they intend to give the project a pedestrian-friendly feel to help lure people into planned shops and restaurants.

No tenants have been announced for the project. And it's too early to pinpoint a construction start date. But Charles Huellmantel, the project's attorney, said the developer hopes to begin building by early 2008.

[Sekkle]

^ That's GREAT news. I was worried that that strip would end up being a lot like the typical apartment complex-style pieces of shit that are a dime a dozen around the East Valley. It's good to see that there will be a little density and character to it. That should provide a pretty good transition between downtown Tempe and the neighborhoods west of there. Also great to see that it will have some more affordable units. Hopefully they will keep the "pedestrian-friendly" goal in mind and not build some huge monstrosity of a parking garage.

[PHX31]

Is this the same site that Bruder's "Freight _ Tempe" was also proposed (or presented)? That looked pretty cool too.

[combusean]

^ Yup ... there were six competing proposals ... Freight was one of them--it looks like the Farmer Arts DIstrict won out.

[DevdogAZ]

From the Tribune a few days ago...

Tempe development surge is building
By Misty Williams, Tribune
January 12, 2007
<snip>
ZACHER HOMES: Phoenix-based Zacher Homes hopes to close a deal next week to buy five acres of land next door to Meissner’s property.

Located on the northwest corner of Roosevelt and First streets, the site is right across from the new Tempe Center for the Arts.

Preliminary plans for the property include four condo towers that could range in size from 10 stories to 25 stories, as well as a number of townhouses, said Patrick Burch, Zacher’s land acquisition manager.

The project doesn’t have a formal name yet and is still in the very early stages, he said.

Two focus points of Zacher’s plan would be leaving a lot of open space so the arts center wouldn’t be overshadowed and creating an art walk that would provide pedestrian access to the center, Burch said.

Zacher has had at least one informal meeting with neighbors in the area but has yet to submit any plans to the city.

“We don’t know exactly what they’re going to allow us to do,” he said. “It’s really not a guaranteed anything.”

There would need to be a good discussion about height before anything was approved, Anaradian said. The city has definite ideas about where tall buildings belong in downtown, he said.

The arts center was a huge investment, so whatever goes across the street will be looked at closely, he said.

“The sky is not the limit on all of these sites in Tempe,” he said.

I can't imagine anything close to 25 stories being allowed at that site. That's roughly as close to the PHX runways as the Cards stadium would have been (at Priest and Washington) and even a little taller. If the airport is having problems with the height of Centerpoint, which is further south and east, I can't imagine anyone even proposing 25 stories there.

[sundevilgrad]

New artilce today on the Farmer Arts district... Mostly the same as the one posted above, however this on mentions that new renderings have increased the high point of the project from 4 to 7 stories...

Tempe project would offer affordability in city's core

Katie Nelson
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 24, 2007 12:00 AM

A new form of affordable housing could be coming to downtown Tempe.

Plans for the Farmer Arts District, a development slated to be built just west of downtown, would have a portion of it operating under Tempe's federal low-income tax-credit housing program. Only one other Tempe project has used this affordability program: Elliot Point, a south Tempe apartment complex.

The City Council heard an update on the project during its Issue Review Session meeting Thursday night.
advertisement


The Farmer Arts District concept is viewed around City Hall as important because the land it will sit on will be a key transition point between Tempe's downtown and the Riverside-Sunset and Maple-Ash neighborhoods.

Right now, the land is mostly brush and parking lot. But the developer says he has big plans.

"We intend for it to have an iconic presence," developer Todd Marshall said.

His company, Todd Marshall Farmer Arts District, envisions condominiums, retail and commercial space, and parks on the city-owned land between Farmer Avenue and the Union Pacific railroad tracks. The 8.5 acres start at University Drive where Tempe Bicycle store sits, and runs north to Third Street.

The project originally was proposed with only owner-occupied condos. That idea has shifted to include about 100 owner-occupied units, plus more than 100 rental units that would be financed through the tax-credit housing program.

"Because this kind of tax credit precludes full-time students, it will hopefully help the police, fire, health care workers and teachers that we hope would qualify," Councilwoman Shana Ellis said.

"People seem to fear many of these new condo projects will turn into student housing because of investors. This kind of tax credit would preclude that from happening," Ellis said.

The tax-credit program has been around since 1988. It is run by the Internal Revenue Service through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It creates tax credits that are sold to private investors, according to Richard Stone of the Arizona Department of Housing.

Proceeds from those sales in turn generate funding for the project development. In return for this investment, the government monitors and evaluates rental residents through screening and income requirements for 15 years or longer.

The Farmer Arts Project plans include Tempe's first branch library.

According to the plans, a roughly 16,000-square-foot portion of one of the condo buildings would be dedicated to a two-story "urban-style" library. It would be on University Drive.

"Right now we're visioning and dreaming," said Teri Metros, director of Tempe's Public Library. She runs the city's existing 100,000-square-foot library, which serves 143,595 library cardholders.

The library would likely have an emphasis on technology, Metros said, and include computers and wireless Internet connectivity.

The city is examining paying for the facility's operation and maintenance costs with the money it makes from selling the land to the Marshall company, said Chris Salomone, Tempe's community development director.

The project's highest point has grown. It was four stories when it was presented to council last fall. It now is drawn to be about seven stories.

No tenants have been announced for the project. And it's too early to pinpoint a construction start date. But Charles Huellmantel, the project's attorney, said the developer hopes to begin building by early 2008.

[Sekkle]

Another article about Tempe development...
Sports, arts urged near Town Lake
Katie Nelson
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 24, 2007 12:00 AM
Tempe's City Council facilitated a community conversation on Saturday about the future of key land south and west of Tempe Town Lake.

About 80 people gathered at the library for the discussion came to a consensus that the approximately 110 acres should be dedicated to arts and sports.

Afterward, many community members said they were pleased with the meeting's outcome. It helped overcome tensions lingering after a hotly contested process last year when two developers vied to develop some of the land. The process was eventually scrapped, but not before disagreement erupted among artists, the developers, city staff and neighbors.

"I was really pleased," said Nancy Goren, who is a member of the Municipal Arts Commission and lives in a neighborhood south of Broadway Road and McClintock Drive. . "People came with serious ideas and concerns. It was helpful to toss them all out there and try to get the tension relieved."

There has never been such a meeting in Tempe's recent history, Mayor Hugh Hallman told the crowd.

The neighbors and city leaders generally agreed that they want to see some kind of arts community that would encourage interactive and hands-on learning about fine and performing arts, as well as open land that would serve as youth and amateur sports fields and facilities.

Retail and commercial land that would provide services aimed at the athletes and their families could be included, they said.

This would help address a dire need for basketball courts and playing field space for the Valley youths, said George Scobas, chief operating officer of the Valley of the Sun YMCA.

Some participants did raise concerns about the sports concept. There was speculation about potential damage to young ears and lungs from air and noise pollution coming from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

"Who knows when they'll stop adding flights over there," said Mark Lymer, a local architect and Mitchell Park West neighborhood resident.

Moving the Public Works maintenance storage yard at the corner of Rio Salado Parkway and Priest Drive has long been on the council's wish list, despite the project's estimated $16 million price tag.

But the community pushed that idea further into the forefront after local architect and The Lakes resident John Kane voiced the importance of turning the area south of the Priest Drive bridge into an attractive gateway into the community.

Residents nodded their approval at the idea of allowing a developer to build there with some height in exchange for picking up the tab for moving the public works facility.

Hallman and the City Council said the ideas and concepts discussed Saturday would be handed over to several community advisory commissions and council committees to make sure they are honored and implemented.
Again, as noted above by DevdogAZ regarding the site near the Arts Center, I'm not sure how much height they could get in this area, since it's so close to Sky Harbor. I wonder if there are any plans for the NW corner of Priest & Rio Salado. That's a huge lot, but maybe it's owned (or in some way restricted) by the airport (?).

[sundevilgrad]

I was in DT Tempe today and noticed Centerpoint is cruising along. I believe that it was up to the 9th floor already on one tower and they were going to 3 on the other. I'll try to get some pics this weekend for an update.

[Sekkle]

More Tempe stuff. They need to slow down with the developments... We don't even have time to discuss them!

Panel clears Mill redevelopment
Jan. 25, 2007 12:00 AM
A plan to redevelop one of Tempe's most iconic historical sites - the Hayden Flour Mill - moved forward Tuesday night.

Tempe's Development Review Commission recommended 5-2 that the City Council approve the plan's first phase.

The Avenue Communities concept mixes the old mill building with modern architecture and turns it into office, retail and restaurant space. Plans also call for Avenue Communities to improve and expand the trailhead that leads up Tempe Butte, and create a "vertical interpretation" of the old milling equipment so visitors can see how the mill process worked.

Plans include eventually renovating the silos and possibly adding condos and a hotel to the site.

Avenue is also the company behind the 30-story Centerpoint Condominiums.

The proposal will go to the Tempe City Council next for two public hearings.

- Katie Nelson

[Sekkle]

I found this chart as a PDF on the City of Tempe's website. I think it's intended to work as a supplement to the development map that has been posted previously. Hadn't seen this chart posted, though, so I thought I'd throw it up here. I don't know if there is a meaning to the light blue vs. dark blue bars or if they just changed the color to break up the chart. Anyway, I found it interesting...
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/3070/017dr.jpg
It's available at http://www.tempe.gov/business/development_report/

[sundevilgrad]

Thanks for posting 480. City of Tempe does a great job keeping up the information on all of the projects going on. One thing that's a little disappointing to me is that Onyx is still only in the conceptual stage in this updated chart. I thought it was further along than that. Oh well, we'll see.

[DevdogAZ]

Why do some of the projects have bars that just end and others have bars that are outlined out to a certain point and then only filled in to the current level of completion?

[Sekkle]

^ I wondered the same thing. There was no key to what the different lines mean. My guess is that it's the city's (or the developer's) projection of when it will be occupied (they all seem to end in the Occ 200X columns). Maybe they just don't have a good estimate on some?

[vertex]

Tempe updates:

Went on a serial 'shooting' spree this past Thursday. Here are some images of Centerpoint Condos, Hayden Ferry Lakeside, the Light Rail Bridge, and the Tempe Arts Center. I've included some rough panos.

First, Centerpoint. You can clearly see that they are now past the podium levels, and have started the floors for tower 1.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1432centerpoint5a.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1436centerpoint3.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1435centerpoint4.jpg

Here is a better view of tower 2:

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1440centerpoint1a.jpg

damn image host won't retain my pano's original size...

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/centerpointpano3.jpg

Anyway, on to Hayden Ferry Lakeside:

The MASSIVE garage facing Rio Salado drive.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1449lakeside9.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1450lakeside8.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1470lakeside7.jpg

Nice water feature. Can't wait to see it turned on.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1471lakeside6.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1473lakeside5.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1477lakeside3.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1478lakeside3a.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1476lakeside4.jpg

This pavillion by tower 2 is like the Shetland Pony of Dulles International Airport terminals...:jester:

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1479lakeside2.jpg

http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/dulles/Dulles1.jpg


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1480lakeside1.jpg

Meanwhile the Bridgeview building is moving right along...

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/newlakesidebldgpan.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/lakesidepano2a.jpg

A shot of Mondrian from the south river bank.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1468mondrian.jpg

And a parting shot, from the park

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1483lakesidefromthepark.jpg

A few shots of the Light Rail Bridge:

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1484tempelightrailbridge.jpg

A shot of the bridge landing, with the embedded artwork.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1486bridge1.jpg

And a close-up of the artwork.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1485bridgedetail.jpg

The bridge, with the rails being laid as we speak...

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1489lightrailbridgelayingrail.jpg

Anybody know what this building is? It kind-of looks like a headhouse. It's definately part of the project, it's dressed up in the same brick material as the bridge.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1492lightrailbridgewithbldg.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1488bridgebldgclose-up.jpg

Finally, Tempe Arts Center.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1447tempeartscenter1.jpg

I've been harboring a theory regarding the odd shape of the Tempe Arts Center since last fall, when the roof finally started to take shape. I didn't get around to taking some pictures until now.

To me, it looks like the design for this place is incredibly close (in both the profile, and in the way the light strikes it) to Tempe Butte!

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1493tempeartscenterwithtempebut.jpg

What do you think? Is it a match?

[DevdogAZ]

Great pics, Vertex. Thanks for posting them.

[loftlovr]

Vertex- You're the man!
Thanks so much for the update-
I think the Tempe Center for the Arts was meant to match A Mountain- (Tempe Butte) I always kinda thought that.
Maybe I'll email the architect and ask-

Things seem to be shaping up nice in good ol Tempe-
I still worry that there is not enough high paying jobs to support all the high rises- but maybe I'm wrong.
Basically ASU/ Mill Ave and the Hayden Ferry area rock- and all the rest of Tempe is pretty much Mesa.
With all the added people to that core it will be interesting to see how Mill Ave Transforms.
The Hayden Mill redevelopment is one of my personal favorites... mainly because the proposal is so rich in character and cannot be duplicated...

I saw a billboard for Mosaic on Hayden and McKellips the other day... kinda cool...

[JimInCal]

Vertex...nice photo update! Thanks very much. :tup: The pics with the mountains on the horizon show what a beautiful, clear day it was. Next time I'm in Phoenix, I've got to get over to check out Tempe. Great job!

[Azndragon837]

Vertex...very nice job, especially the panos. Tempe is rising fast above the ground, and I am very proud of the city that I work for. It is very exciting to see so many projects come online. In about a year or so, we will have a brand-new skyline. I am stoked! Anyways, great photos!

-Andrew

[Sekkle]

Great photos, Vertex. Thanks for the construction update!

[vertex]

Everyone, thanks for the comments.

There's still plenty of projects in Tempe that I didn't get to, especially when you look at the chart posted by ForAteOh. I didn't have time to check out any of the condos/brownstones being built south of Rio Salado and west of Ash (in the Riverside/Sunset area), and I didn't get anywhere east of Mill Ave.

loftlovr, I'm skeptical about KML Mosaic; they've been talking for over two years now, but all they have to show for it is an empty lot, a name change, and a groundbreaking ceremony that keeps getting pushed back.

BTW, I talked to a couple of people at the Whole Foods at Rural and Baseline about when they anticipate relocating to the 'new' store, and they just roll their eyes. One even said "not in my lifetime..."

Azndragon, do you know anything more about it?

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1448kmlmosaic.jpg

[loftlovr]

I can add a few to the mix-

Here is the view from Northshore/ Grigio lakeside:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7/joelcontreras/Pics6/TTL1.jpg
This is the site of a future project-
Former Club Rio site...
http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/1215ClubRio.html
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0613namwest13.html
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7/joelcontreras/Pics6/rio-1.jpg
Northshore construction:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7/joelcontreras/Pics6/Northshore3.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7/joelcontreras/Pics6/Northshore1.jpg
And Grigio getting close to completion:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7/joelcontreras/Pics6/grigio3.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7/joelcontreras/Pics6/Grigio2.jpg

[vertex]

It's called 'Grigio' now? I thought it was still 'Mondrian'. Oh well, nice pics.

[NorthScottsdale]

If only Phoenix could take a look at Tempe's example. tempe has a lot of damn projects goin up!:tup:

It's called 'Grigio' now? I thought it was still 'Mondrian'. Oh well, nice pics.

vertex, the Mondrian is in Scottsdale. Morgan hotel group bought out the old james hotel on indian school and drinkwater and completely renovated it, and it is now called the mondrian. Very exciting project it will bring a lot of class to downtown scottsdale. i think it should be opening sometime in the next couple weeks

[vertex]

vertex, the Mondrian is in Scottsdale. Morgan hotel group bought out the old james hotel on indian school and drinkwater and completely renovated it, and it is now called the mondrian. Very exciting project it will bring a lot of class to downtown scottsdale. i think it should be opening sometime in the next couple weeks

This development was called Mondrian as well. The james/mondrian hotel you're referring to is probably the reason why they changed the name.

[Sekkle]

Anybody know what this building is? It kind-of looks like a headhouse. It's definately part of the project, it's dressed up in the same brick material as the bridge.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1492lightrailbridgewithbldg.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/vertex_photobucket/tempe/IMG_1488bridgebldgclose-up.jpg



I just checked the Town Lake Bridge construction plans here at work. That building is Traction Power Substation #10. Pretty exciting!!!

[PHX31]

Vertex, nice pics! In one of them you mentioned the "Bridgeview" building underconstruction. Is that the building in Hayden Ferry Lakeside that is going to be right on Rio Salado/Mill that will have some sort of "Spectacular" element to it to celebrate ringing in the new year for the block party (like the ball drop)?

[sundevilgrad]

I believe Bridgeview is the condo tower on the east end of the development.

[DevdogAZ]

Anyone know what's going in the spot right south of In-N-Out, just north of Northshore?

[Sekkle]

^ According to the "Playa del Norte" development plan, that lot is supposed to be office/retail and will be a 2 story building. here's the link.
http://www.tempe.gov/lake/Development/Playa_del_Norte.htm
(See the "Playa del Norte Development Plan" link for the PDF of the layout.)

[sharpie]

Does anybody know where the Le Meridian is going at the Hayden Ferry site? I've seen two different site plans, one has it just west of that huge parking garage, and the other was just east.

[oliveurban]

Does anybody know where the Le Meridian is going at the Hayden Ferry site? I've seen two different site plans, one has it just west of that huge parking garage, and the other was just east.


It is to be built behind--to the south of--the Edgewater Condos, and to the west of Bridgeview. You can see it better here, the small L-shaped parcel H1:
http://www.haydenferrylakeside.com/siteplan.htm

That is the correct site plan. It will back up directly to Rio Salado Pkwy.

[sundevilgrad]

Not to start any rumors, but the last time I was down there it looked like they were doing site prep for the B3 office building. Does anyone know if that is true or not?

[loftlovr]

^ According to the "Playa del Norte" development plan, that lot is supposed to be office/retail and will be a 2 story building. here's the link.
http://www.tempe.gov/lake/Development/Playa_del_Norte.htm
(See the "Playa del Norte Development Plan" link for the PDF of the layout.)

Where the heck is Onyx going?????

[Azndragon837]

Where the heck is Onyx going?????

Onyx is going on the parcel west of NorthShore, south of Playa del Norte, and up against the lake. Currently, the parcel is being used as construction storage for NorthShore. The 26-story tower is still going through the development review process.

For KML Mosaic (formerly Cosmo), I spoke to a friend in class who works for KML, and he told me from what he knows, construction isn't set to begin until spring or early summer. They are waiting on the sale of the condominium units. The building WILL rise, just requires some patience.

As for the Hayden Ferry Lakeside B3 office building, no plans have been submitted yet. Right now, that whole area up against Mill and Rio Salado is being used as construction storage for the B2 12 -story tower. It is B3 that will be right up against the intersection, creating this pedestrian plaza that will guide people into the development. I believe SunCor is waiting on office occupation for B2, and as soon as vacancy rates for B2 dip below a certain percentage, that is when plans will be submitted to start B3.

-Andrew

[JimInCal]

Thanks for the inside scoop Andrew. I wish you could get your hands on an Onyx rendering without getting in trouble. ;)

[Azndragon837]

Thanks for the inside scoop Andrew. I wish you could get your hands on an Onyx rendering without getting in trouble. ;)

Well, I respect the place where I work, and don't want to abuse it...it's a great place to work, the people here whom I work with and for are amazing.

In due time we will all see the renderings, but right now, it's still going through the preliminary process.

-Andrew

[Sekkle]

Article from the Tribune today about Onyx...
26-story condo in works for Tempe Town Lake
By Misty Williams, Tribune
February 1, 2007

A Scottsdale developer announced Wednesday it hopes to begin construction of a 26-story condominium tower on the north shore of Tempe Town Lake early this year with sales opening in March.


Developed by WestStone Communities, Onyx Tower would include 196 condos, ranging in price from the $300,000s to more than $1 million.

The high rise — with its solid black glass walls — would sit near Rural Road and Loop 202.

Units will run in size from 1,653 square feet to 2,368 square feet, and the top five floors will be penthouses, said Marilyn Pfaff, WestStone’s sales manager and marketing director.

Tempe is a hot area for growth right now with new shopping centers, offices and hotels planned, she said.

“Now you need the condos to support all the other growth, so it’s very hot,” she said.

WestStone’s tower is one of a number of planned projects that could bring more than 2,000 condos to the area surrounding the lake, said John Fioramonti with real estate research firm Hanley Wood.

The million-dollar question is which of these projects will be successful or even get built because of the slowing real estate market, he said.

Fioramonti said he’s seen a frenzied rush to build condos during at least three housing market cycles in the 30 years he’s lived in the Valley.

“The bug starts, and everybody starts building condos,” he said. “And then they have way too many condos, and they can’t give them away.”

This time around, though, the argument for more condos may be stronger because it’s the only way to live closer to city cores, he said.

Still, some condo projects will likely be put on the back burner and others will be transformed into office projects, he said.

WestStone’s project will be built but probably won’t find the same kind of success as its Northshore condo development in the same area, he said.

Still in building stages, the 134-unit Northshore project is nearly sold out.

Pfaff said WestStone isn’t concerned about growing competition from other planned condo projects or the housing slowdown.

The developer is working to make the Onyx Tower units more affordable than other luxury products offered, and the lake is a desirable place to live, she said.

It’s close to freeways, the airport and Arizona State University, Pfaff said. West-Stone also is one of the initial groups building in the area.

Five years from now, “that lake is going to be a place you wish you would have bought in,” she said.

The tower will include a rooftop lap pool, bar area for private parties, 10-seat movie theater and conference room.

Construction could start early this year and finish in summer 2009, Pfaff said.

WestStone has submitted initial plans for the project to the city, and the proposal could be considered by the Development Review Commission some time in March, Tempe Planning director Lisa Collins said.

If approved, the project would be considered by the City Council in April, she said. Building height and other issues still need to discussed, but the project generally fits in with the lake area’s master plan, Collins said.

“It’s sort of the vision of the city and the area,” she said. “It’s coming to fruition, so that’s a good thing.”

[nbrindley]

Those do seem to be pretty good prices compared to other high-rise condos proposed around here. 300k+ for 1600+ sqft? not bad at all considering it's location.

[oliveurban]

Thanks for the inside scoop Andrew. I wish you could get your hands on an Onyx rendering without getting in trouble. ;)

I've seen the rendering. If I can get my hands on a scanner, I'll post it. If you go to Weststone's website and sign up for their mailing list (http://www.weststonecommunities.com/the-communities/onyx/contact.php), they'll send you an entire information packet on Onyx, renderings and floor plans included.

[PHX31]

Well, I respect the place where I work, and don't want to abuse it...it's a great place to work, the people here whom I work with and for are amazing.

In due time we will all see the renderings, but right now, it's still going through the preliminary process.

-Andrew


Isn't it public information so anyone could go in there and ask to see it? Why can't you post it here?

[Lehm]

Speaking of Grigio, their website www.grigio.com has some renderings/animations of the interiors if you're into those.


....And Grigio getting close to completion:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7/joelcontreras/Pics6/grigio3.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7/joelcontreras/Pics6/Grigio2.jpg

[Azndragon837]

Isn't it public information so anyone could go in there and ask to see it? Why can't you post it here?

^Because I do not want to. If any of you want to see anything the city is working on, hop on over here and request it, or hunt it down online.

Even though I work for Tempe, it doesn't mean I give SSP special treatment by placing renderings that I have to scan and copy and post. If I feel the need to post information that will be beneficial to the project, then I will. Besides, I would have to do a "public request" as well, since I am still considered a citizen, not an employee with special benefits.

I do not want to abuse my job in any way, basically...not to take advantage of it. I hope many of you understand. Thanks!

-Andrew

[JCarp]

As for the Hayden Ferry Lakeside B3 office building, no plans have been submitted yet. Right now, that whole area up against Mill and Rio Salado is being used as construction storage for the B2 12 -story tower. It is B3 that will be right up against the intersection, creating this pedestrian plaza that will guide people into the development. I believe SunCor is waiting on office occupation for B2, and as soon as vacancy rates for B2 dip below a certain percentage, that is when plans will be submitted to start B3.

-Andrew

If I am not mistaken, all of Hayden Ferry Lakeside B3 has been pre-leased to one large company. B2 should be done in the next few months, and I believe that construction on B3 will shortly follow.

[JCarp]

An image for the new page....

http://www.haydenferrylakeside.com/images/siteplan020606.jpg

[Azndragon837]

If I am not mistaken, all of Hayden Ferry Lakeside B3 has been pre-leased to one large company. B2 should be done in the next few months, and I believe that construction on B3 will shortly follow.

Really? Wow, I did not know that...that is really awesome! Thanks for the info JCarp.

-Andrew

[Sekkle]

^^ Man, that garage is f**king enormous! Too bad they couldn't have done something underground for parking. It will be nice to see B3 get started. That's 10 stories, right?

[PHX31]

B3 will really cap off the entire area (check that, once the mill is developed, that will). But coming over the Mill Ave bridge, seeing the HFL buildings as almost a gateway, and cruising into the heart of Mill Ave will really be cool. ...damn we're geeks...

[JI5]

I didn't even know there was a B3. With all this development in Tempe, are we becoming the Tempe metropolitan area?????

[loftlovr]

http://www.azcentral.com/community/tempe/articles/0201TR-coffee0202.html

Coffee talk: Keeping Mill Ave.'s 'sense of place'
William Hermann
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 1, 2007 12:49 PM

Mill Avenue is not Scottsdale Fashion Square, Paradise Valley Mall or Chandler Fashion Center. And Pam Goronkin says she intends to keep it that way.

Goronkin, a former Tempe City Council member who lives in south Tempe, this fall took over as director of the Downtown Tempe Community, an association of central city property owners and merchants that promotes downtown Tempe. This week she spoke publicly for the first time about where she hopes DTC is going over the next few years.

Goronkin said keeping Mill Avenue's, "unique, wonderful sense of place," in the face of massive downtown development and the opening this year of the Tempe Marketplace shopping center is a top priority.

"On Mill, we have a sense of place, of history, we're real," Goronkin said. "Malls are not bad places . . . I shop at Scottsdale Fashion Square . . . but they are designed, contrived places. Mill Avenue is a public place, the town square, a gathering place and you know you're somewhere when you're here. We absolutely have to preserve that."

Preserving Mill's uniqueness is a challenge, Goronkin admits.

"We have significant owners here from out-of-state who we want to help understand the uniqueness of Mill Avenue," Goronkin said.

She noted that major investors on Mill include Canada-based Avenue Communities, as well as businesses based in Australia, Florida and Las Vegas . . . not to mention Phoenix-based companies.

Goronkin said that despite some key downtown businesses leaving Mill Avenue in the past decade - Changing Hands Bookstore's departure was lamented by many - Mill is still home to "a very significant number of smaller businesses."

"We don't want to lose the little businesses; we need to provide places for them," Goronkin said.

And as big players like Arizona State University and the city of Tempe, as well as various corporations, eat up square footage on Mill, finding a place for small businesses is getting tougher and tougher.

"You find space for those small businesses by developing a decision-making model for development in the downtown that would include off-Mill retail," Goronkin said. "You open up the street grid more and have opportunities for side street retail. Even using alleys is a way to retain small, unique and quirky businesses of all kinds."

Goronkin said that beginning next week, the DTC will begin conducting a "strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats" (SWOT) study.

"That will be an analysis not only of Mill Avenue, but of our regional competitors," Goronkin said. "Then the DTC board's strategic planning team will look at the SWOT analysis and make determinations about next steps - what we must do in the next three to five years to ensure that Mill Avenue fulfills its potential."

Goronkin said that one thing is very clear to her and will guide her as she works with the DTC board of directors and area landowners and merchants.

"It's about retaining balance on Mill," she said. "Residential is important to stabilize the economy. We need room for businesses big and small. It's also a seat of city government. We want the right mix of shopping and entertainment. And we need our share of technology businesses."

Goronkin said that mix adds up to one thing.

"It's a real downtown, a real place, and it's unique in the Valley," she said. "We'll preserve and build on that, but we don't have time to lose. Development is intensifying and we need to get going.".

[loftlovr]

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=83325&source=rss&38;dest=STY-83325

26-story condo in works for Tempe Town Lake
By Misty Williams, Tribune
February 1, 2007
A Scottsdale developer announced Wednesday it hopes to begin construction of a 26-story condominium tower on the north shore of Tempe Town Lake early this year with sales opening in March. Developed by WestStone Communities, Onyx Tower would include 196 condos, ranging in price from the $300,000s to more than $1 million. The high rise — with its solid black glass walls — would sit near Rural Road and Loop 202.

Units will run in size from 1,653 square feet to 2,368 square feet, and the top five floors will be penthouses, said Marilyn Pfaff, WestStone’s sales manager and marketing director.

Tempe is a hot area for growth right now with new shopping centers, offices and hotels planned, she said.

“Now you need the condos to support all the other growth, so it’s very hot,” she said.

WestStone’s tower is one of a number of planned projects that could bring more than 2,000 condos to the area surrounding the lake, said John Fioramonti with real estate research firm Hanley Wood.

The million-dollar question is which of these projects will be successful or even get built because of the slowing real estate market, he said.

Fioramonti said he’s seen a frenzied rush to build condos during at least three housing market cycles in the 30 years he’s lived in the Valley.

“The bug starts, and everybody starts building condos,” he said. “And then they have way too many condos, and they can’t give them away.”

This time around, though, the argument for more condos may be stronger because it’s the only way to live closer to city cores, he said.

Still, some condo projects will likely be put on the back burner and others will be transformed into office projects, he said.

WestStone’s project will be built but probably won’t find the same kind of success as its Northshore condo development in the same area, he said.

Still in building stages, the 134-unit Northshore project is nearly sold out.

Pfaff said WestStone isn’t concerned about growing competition from other planned condo projects or the housing slowdown.

The developer is working to make the Onyx Tower units more affordable than other luxury products offered, and the lake is a desirable place to live, she said.

It’s close to freeways, the airport and Arizona State University, Pfaff said. West-Stone also is one of the initial groups building in the area.

Five years from now, “that lake is going to be a place you wish you would have bought in,” she said.

The tower will include a rooftop lap pool, bar area for private parties, 10-seat movie theater and conference room.

Construction could start early this year and finish in summer 2009, Pfaff said.

WestStone has submitted initial plans for the project to the city, and the proposal could be considered by the Development Review Commission some time in March, Tempe Planning director Lisa Collins said.

If approved, the project would be considered by the City Council in April, she said. Building height and other issues still need to discussed, but the project generally fits in with the lake area’s master plan, Collins said.

“It’s sort of the vision of the city and the area,” she said. “It’s coming to fruition, so that’s a good thing.”

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

And the long awaited rendering!!!

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e7/joelcontreras/Pics6/thpb3heg.jpg

[loftlovr]

This rendering obviously was a preliminary one-
The pool is going to be on the roof (unless there will be two) and the exterior is supposed to be black...

How cool of a project though! -Prices seem good....
C'mon Real Estate market!!
Pick up.... pick up!!

I like how renderings avoid including all surrounding buildings!

[HooverDam]

26 stories is going to look a bit out of place at the location, but thats ok w/ me, density and height are always good news. I really like that they are trying to keep the prices more reasonable and aren't going the "luxury" route. The rendering makes it look nice, nothing groundbreaking or overly exciting, but the black should be an interesting look.


I like how renderings avoid including all surrounding buildings!

They seem to do that a lot, which is obviously because they want you to focus on the project, but I think they'd be well served to also do renderings showing the surrounding buildings. It would give a better sense of density (and in a project like this, Im sure buyers want density) and place.

[vertex]

I like how renderings avoid including all surrounding buildings!

I like the fact that they keep Curry road, but exclude the 202.

"10-lane freeway? What 10-lane freeway?"

[sundevilgrad]

$300K for 1600sqf? Wish me luck as I attempt to persuade the wife into selling our house in north Tempe to buy into Onyx! If these price projections are true, that's great. Though not cheap by any standards, that price range is much more attainable for young professionals who are just starting out.

Also, I love that rendering, but it doesn't look black.

[Sekkle]

An article from the Tribune about Onyx? I just got deja vu. It's like that movie Groundhog Day... Oh shit, it is Groundhog Day!

$300K for 1600sqf?
300k+ for 1600+ sqft?

;)

I agree, though. It's good that they're not all "starting from the low 700s" or something like that. I was in Chicago in the fall and I saw numerous signs for new high rise condos starting in the 200's. I know we've kind of discussed this before and Chicago has a lot bigger supply so the prices can be lower, plus the condos there are likely less spacious (probably not 1600sf anyway), etc. But it's unfortunate that virtually all the high-rise or mid-rise condos planned or under construction here seem to be for people who make well over $100k/year. Hopefully there will be more like this that offer something for those of us who don't quite earn 6 figures.

[NorthScottsdale]

the rendering is probably not what it will look like. its supposed to be completely black. hopefully it does end up being black, that would look cool. however, i just had a thought, an all black building in arizona??!! doesnt sound to economically reasonable to me... oh well at least it would be nice to look at

[PHX31]

the rendering is probably not what it will look like. its supposed to be completely black. hopefully it does end up being black, that would look cool. however, i just had a thought, an all black building in arizona??!! doesnt sound to economically reasonable to me... oh well at least it would be nice to look at


Why not? It would be like having dark tinted windows, which kick ass in the summer sun. I think it would be better.

[NorthScottsdale]

Why not? It would be like having dark tinted windows, which kick ass in the summer sun. I think it would be better.

Have you ever been inside a black car in the summer? tinted windows or not its pure hell until it cools off. i was saying its not economically reasonable for arizona because it costs that much more to keep it air-conditioned in the summer.

[DevdogAZ]

If it's a glass-faced building, then tinting the glass as black as possible will help with the energy efficiency.

If it's some other material that is simply colored black, there will probably need to be additional insulation in the building to compensate for the heat absorption, but I wouldn't say it's "economically unreasonable."

[oliveurban]

It won't be that bad. At different points in my life, I've owned both a black and white car before, and in 110 degree heat with full sun, the difference in the end isn't exactly substantial. It was still hot as hell in the white car.

Also, a few major hotels in Las Vegas do have black (or very dark) exterior window/ glass treatments.

Overall I rather like a little more variety in color.

[Sekkle]

I was in the downtown Tempe area on Friday and Saturday and had my camera with me both times, so here are some pics. Most of these are condos under construction or recently constructed in the neighborhood west of Mill Ave. I wonder how a lot of these developments will age. What will people think of the design in 20 years or so? Some of them (525 Town Lake, Millstone, and Tempe Urban Living in particular) look a little strange in my opinion. In general, though, I'm really impressed with the all the infill projects in the area.

Millstone (between Farmer and Wilson at about 3rd street).
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/4127/millstone1gv1.jpg
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/9505/millstone2sg7.jpg
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/456/millstone3fy3.jpg

525 Town Lake (north side of 1st street, just east of Roosevelt)
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/5801/525tl2se0.jpg
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/180/525tl1kn9.jpg

Regatta Pointe (just east of 525 Town Lake)
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/9863/regattaptmn6.jpg

5th Street Lofts (ne corner 5th St & Roosevelt)
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/4144/5thstlofts2ay5.jpg
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/750/5thstlofts1lx0.jpg

The Brownstones (south of 5th St, east side of Roosevelt)
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/4954/brownstn1rd2.jpg
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/487/brownstn3ft4.jpg
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/2285/brownstn4ty3.jpg
Centerpoint rising in the background...
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/2540/brownstn2la6.jpg

Tempe Urban Living (across Roosevelt from the Brownstones)
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/44/tempeurbanlivingro1.jpg

Dolce Villagio (west side of Hardy at 2nd or 3rd Street)
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/7158/dolce2gz8.jpg
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/8118/dolce1sz2.jpg

Merrion Square (nw corner University & Beck Ave)
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/8928/merrionsq1cv7.jpg
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/6826/merrionsq2as6.jpg

The Vale (se corner University & Beck)
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/1845/valeou9.jpg

Dorsey Place (sw corner Dorsey & University - this one is east of Rural Rd., so not in the same neighborhood as the others)
http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/5306/dorseyplacepb6.jpg

And I took some pics from A Mountain. A lot of them didn't turn out too well because the sun was in an unfortunate spot and my camera couldn't handle it! Here's downtown Tempe, with Centerpoint in the... center (see what I mean about the sun?)
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/4658/amtn2wt6.jpg

Looking southeast from A Mountain with the LRT alignment snaking its way through the ASU area...
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/78/amtn1kb5.jpg

Hayden Ferry Lakeside (featuring Garage Mahal East)
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/6205/hfl2gh4.jpg
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/3263/hfl3fg7.jpg
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/5176/hfl1pp3.jpg
the tower crane in the background is for the 6-story Papago Gateway Center (I think that's the name of it).

That's it. Hope you enjoyed it.

[NorthScottsdale]

i really like the brownstones design. its the type of timeless design, it will never go out of style. also, centerpoint is rising pretty fast isnt it? i was just in tempe last week to see a movie and was surprised at how fast it is rising. go tempe!

[loftlovr]

Awesome pics-
Thanks for the updates!
-I especially like the pics of Hayden Ferry from A Mountain.

[PHX31]

Cool pics For!

I can't believe the amount of infill that is going up in Tempe, epsecially in that neighborhood, most of it has gone in since after I graduated (except I think Merrion Square has been U/C since I was still at ASU back in the day). I agree with your assessment of the developments though, can they stand the test of time?

[nbrindley]

It is amazing that there are so many infill projcts, but it's a shame that about half of them are pretty cheap loking now, let alone 20 years from now.

[DevdogAZ]

I also love the design of The Brownstones. I wish more infill projects would look like that and less of this ultra-modern stuff. I especially HATE the Vale with all those obscene colors.