I was thinking what might be cool is if/when Tempe builds that dam by TCA they could expand the lake eastward. How cool would it to be if the lake went all the way up toward Mesa Riverview. Put Condos and apartments next to it (north side of 202). Soon you will have the Cubs down there and perhaps a big waterpark. Put a bike trail that goes from priest to Mesa Riverview. I know that is in the plans but it will be cool when that is done. How cool would it to be when the wife goes shopping you could rent a boat and fish for a while around those bridges. Also PLEASE put a COSTCO at Tempe Marketplace. Also - why not have the tempe trolly go from Mill to Tempe Marketplace to Mesa Riverview. This area could really be happening in the near future. If they do it right...

^Id definitely like to see the Tempe trolley eventually expand eastward along Rio Salado, out to Riverview for the Cubs/shopping/potential water park would be fantastic.

Also since we're dreamin', I always thought that huge undeveloped land the Indians own on the NW corner of the 101/202 interchange would be an ideal spot for a theme park. Its got great freeway access, is very visible, could interact with the lake somehow, etc.

There is a really cool model to scale in ASU's college of design building (?), its the building where landscape architects have class. Right off of University and Forrest. What Tempe got, compared to what was dreamed up is sad.

It was a project by ASU kids back in the day, from what I heard anyways.

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townn...382c.image.jpg
http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townn...7f33.image.jpg
http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townn...291c.image.jpg

Tempe begins design of veterans memorial
Posted: Sunday, December 5, 2010 10:00 am | Updated: 1:19 pm, Mon Dec 6, 2010.
Garin Groff, Tribune


Tempe is designing the first element of a memorial to veterans that its supporters say is among the most ambitious monuments of its kind in the nation.

The $2.1 million memorial will include 80 metal silhouette panels that represent soldiers of each service through U.S. history. While Arizona has monuments to specific military conflicts, this is likely the only one dedicated to every group of the nation’s veterans, said David Lucier, president of the Tempe Veterans Foundation.

The foundation will raise most of the funding and expects to draw interest locally and nationally because of the monument’s scale, Lucier said.

“I’m a little biased, but I think it’s an easy claim that this will be the finest veterans memorial outside of Washington, D.C.,” Lucier said.

The memorial project at Tempe Beach Park will include restoration of the Ash Avenue Bridge, which is fenced off and deteriorating. The bridge’s top will become a new overview of the Tempe Town Lake, while the inside will eventually become an enclosed museum or visitors center. A large plaza will eventually round out the memorial.

The first phase includes restoring the bridge and creating a walkway between the elevation changes.

Tempe approved about $79,000 last month to design that phase, and the foundation will kick off fundraising efforts in January for the roughly $400,000 project.

The timeline for completing two other phases depends upon the pace of fundraising. Tempe will contribute about $500,000 to the various phases.

The park is already home to the city’s Veterans Day Parade and the Healing Field display, which includes 3,000 flags to honor those who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The memorial field will attract visitors who just want to see it but also those who are already at Tempe Beach Park for other events or features, said Nancy Ryan, Rio Salado manager. She figures it could draw 50,000 to 100,000 visitors a year or more.

The reuse of the bridge and the memorial’s placement within a park is part of Tempe’s strategy of triangulation within open spaces, Ryan said.

“You find three or more things to do in one location and then you keep building,” she said. “You come for one thing and you stay for another. Those types of opportunities bring people back again and again.”

The memorial has been planned for years. The city considered a 32-foot tall metal monument to veterans at College Avenue and Veterans Way, a street that was renamed in anticipation of locating the feature there. But the city searched for a new site in 2006, after concerns over noise from an adjacent transit station. Also, the Gila River Indian Community objected because the memorial would have been at the base of Hayden Butte, which the tribe has considered sacred for centuries.

Lucier said years of proposals for a memorial never led to consensus from supporters, but that the current plan clicked with about 30 community members involved.

“I don’t think that had happened before,” Lucier said.

The bridge improvements will restore a rich piece of Valley history. The Ash Avenue Bridge was begun in 1911, with labor from the Arizona Territorial Prison. It opened in 1913 as the first major highway bridge across the Salt River, but the narrow span was immediately obsolete because it was designed for wagons more than for autos. The bridge last carried vehicles in 1931, when the Mill Avenue Bridge opened. A flood seriously damaged a span of the Ash bridge in 1916, and it was demolished in 1991 because of the cost of repairing the bridge. The remains are on the National Register of Historic Places.

http://www.ahwatukee.com/news/valley...tml?mode=story

Just to clarify...a streetcar is like light rail with the only difference being that it shares the street with cars (no separate right of way) and has more frequent stops, right?

A few other differences:

-- smaller station infrastructure, more like bus shelters
-- single car trains rather than two or three-car trains

I like to think of it as "ultralight rail," and I'm not really sure how I feel about the Tempe plan. Unlike the Central Mesa extension, which will have park-and-rides and extend the reach of the successful 20-mile starter line, this seems more like a little spur built mainly with the hope of catalyzing economic development. I'm always wary of transit projects that focus first on development benefits. Those benefits occur -- just look at Apache Boulevard -- but I see them more as secondary effects after building transit that actually gets people effectively from one point to another.

Of course, it didn't have to be this way. If Scottsdale actually wanted light rail within its borders, there would probably be enough critical mass to support a full-fledged north-south light rail line from the Scottsdale Airpark to Chandler. With Scottsdale unwilling to play, though, Tempe had to go with an option that it alone could support, and the numbers pointed to modern streetcar and BRT over light rail.

I meant specifically if they built a new stadium on the lake as was mentioned in the article. That would leave the current stadium on the butte, so I was just wondering what the planners are thinking. It is such a landmark and great setting I can't believe they would demolish it or seriously consider that. So would they leave it idle or use as a practice field or modified for some other sport? That was basically the gist of what I was thinking.

Lisa Love has said a few times before that ASU football will always be played between the Buttes as long as she's around. If ASU demolishes SDS entirely or does a major renovation (like what Stanford did) and needs another home for a few years they could always play at UofP in the meantime and temporarily move the Insight Bowl back to Chase Field.

Indeed, a LRT line from the Airpark all the way South to Chandler Blvd then East past Chandler Fashion and to Arizona Ave (Downtown Chandler) would've been terrific. Then it could've eventually continued East to ASU Poly & Phx Mesa Gateway and on the North end gone up to Mayo to connect to the Cine Capri, Mayo Clinic, MIM, Desert Ridge & CityNorth.

:previous: I don't know, thats a huge area to cover for LRT that covers some areas that are very suburban if not rural. (ie, south rural rd around Warner Rd).

I fully support LRT, but that would be billions of dollars to basically cover 2 arterial thoroughfares of Chandler Blvd and Rural Rd. Probably better to expand off the starter line in the core, IMO, of course.

This is coming from an ex East-Valley-ite with Tempe, Chandler, Scottsdale roots.

I can't think of much territory along that route that is still rural. I can think of numerous people I know who live in places like Gilbert or Chandler and commute to offices in north Scottsdale. I think there would be more than enough demand to justify a full north-south light rail line to complement the existing east-west one. If only Scottsdale would get over its separatist ways and its outmoded "West's Most Western Town" slogan, we might now be planning such a north-south light rail line instead of setting for modern streetcar over a few miles of Tempe.

As I recall, most of the reason there's all the talk about building a new stadium is because the current SDS is going to become structurally unsound and need to be demolished in the forseeable future. I can't remember the details, but I remember seeing some articles and hearing some talk along those lines. If that's the case, they'll demo the current SDS, not repurpose it. Even if that's not the case, I can't imagine them repurposing the stadium. No other sport would even fill it to half-capacity on a regular basis, what sport could realistically be put in there other than football?

That would be ideal. Maybe not all the way up to the airpark, but at least the Scottsdale Fashion center, running through old-town Scottsdale, by Skysong, by ASU, by the ASU library, and down to Chandler Fashion Center would be a pretty epic light rail line. The south end of the line is decently suburban, but that just means the ROW will be cheap and the development potential is high :D

Id say the most rural areas in the alignment I mentioned are actually out by ASU Poly & Phx Mesa Gateway, a lot of that land is yet to be urbanized.

There are a lot of undeveloped parcels along both the North-South and East-West lines I mentioned, but think of those less as minuses and more as pluses. They're not un-dense lots forever, if the Cities decide thats a future LRT alignment, they can start zoning for TOD now and create mid density areas that will actually heavily use the LRT.

Totally agree except that I would turn east at Elliott Road to Price and then run south to Chandler Blvd. That way you pick up the ASU Research Park, which is already a large employment center in South Tempe and is easily adaptable for TOD projects. The further east extension to ASU Poly would also hit the Santan Village area.

The lots around Warner and Rural are quite large and some of the few remaining horse lots in Tempe. It has a much different feel than most of the rest of the city. I'm not saying that it shouldn't eventually be redeveloped, but I see alot less problems with simply picking up ASU Research than running through an area that is, to some extent, still a little rural.

I'd love to see a multi-modal connection to such a line at Higley/Williams Field on a commuter rail line that would run to DT Mesa/DT Tempe/DT Phoenix but that's thinking WAY outside the box.

^Good call on the ASU Research park, I didn't think of that.

I don't think the idea of a multi modal station at Williams Field/Higley is all that far outside the box. We know MAG already wants Commuter Rail there and the Chandler Blvd/Williams Field alignment seems like such an obvious one for LRT, maybe it'll happen in...50 years.

If Phx-Mesa Gateway Airport does continue to grow and become our version of LA's Bob Hope (Burbank) Airport it'll definitely need a LRT connection...and connection to commuter rail as well. Though since the Commuter rail line doesn't run directly to the Airport people would likely have to take LRT to the Multi Modal hub you mentioned.

ok thanks, that explains it.


here is a photo update on a couple things:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_o9mnJUciFkY/TQ...4/IMAG0107.jpg

sorry a little blurry, taken from the apache and 101 lightrail station.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_o9mnJUciFkY/TQ...4/IMAG0109.jpg

and here is the ASU science building - ITSB IV
(sorry for poor quality/lighting lol)
- front corner at intersection, law on right, biosciences on left, lds behind me.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_o9mnJUciFkY/TQ...4/IMAG0113.jpg

- a back side from the entrace street off rural. biosciences on right, garage on left
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_o9mnJUciFkY/TQ...4/IMAG0110.jpg

SoFa-Connect
 

For anyone that lives in/around or hangs out in the Maple/Ash and Mitchell Park neighborhoods in Tempe, we're launching a new community website (more of a forum, really) to keep people in the loop on events, news, and whatnot.

It's relatively blank now as it literally just went up (and y'all are the first to actually know about it) - but we'll be adding lots of content in the coming weeks as we start to spread the word around the neighborhood.

Check it out and keep it bookmarked if you like to hang out 'round the hood:

http://www.sofa-connect.org

Nice, I am in the Clark Park neighborhood but it all feels like the same area. I will keep up with it.

Thanks

That's awesome! I live at 5th street and Hardy, which I guess is the Riverside neighborhood or something, but thats a cool site to know about. Thanks!

I drove by Hayden Ferry lakeside and noticed a Microsoft sign added to the building by the Mill ave bridge. Anyone know the story behind that. I know Paul Allen's realestate co. bought the Gateway building.

Yeah, it's a little broadly-inclusive at the moment because it's mostly still just me and a buddy digging up stuff we find interesting around the area. Getting all the neighbors to know about it and contribute will be a little more of an on-going process. We added a few things y'all might be interested in, though, regarding the 2011 Tempe Music Festival (or lack thereof), the Mill Streetcar, and all the new public art in our neighborhoods: http://www.sofa-connect.org

This would be kinda cool if they build it. Above Tempe town lake and Rural.

http://www.tempe.gov/planning/Agenda...bor_012511.pdf

wow, would be nice to see something like that happen

Wasn't there a huge project previously planned for the Club RIO site? I've lost track.

Tempe better be careful. The area around the town lake is basically Tempe's final frontier. They need to approve only top notch proposals that will last 50-100 years before redevelopment. My concern is that there really is no connectivity to anything along Tempe Town Lake. It might turn into one large development after another all auto dependent.

This is at least the 2nd megaproject proposed for that site. From what I recall about the first, the second does not appear that markedly different.

Leo - that is a great point. I think Tempe/Developers really need to think about this last open land so that it is a place people really want to be. I was biking around the lake the other day and was thinking how great it would be to have a place to drink a beer and watch the boats/people going by. Perhaps something like San Diego's Seaport Village. I know - vastly different place. Anyways, with the 25% vacancy rates on commercial real estate I don't think we will see anything going up anytime soon. But if it takes 1 year to design/develop and 2 years to build the market may be ready in 3 years? Hopefully. My bet is more like 3-5.

ZAREMBA BACK ON TRACK TO BUY CENTERPOINT CONDO PROJECT IN $30 MILLION DEAL

Tempe - The $30 million sale of the Centerpoint Condominiums in Tempe is back on track after a false start last year. Sources say a venture formed by Zaremba Group in Cleveland, Ohio (Walter Zaremba, principal) was working to close the purchase as BREW was going to press. Although neither buyer nor seller could be reached for comment, multiple sources say the deal could be closed by February 18. The unfinished project is located in downtown Tempe just west of Mill Avenue and east of Ash Avenue between 5th Street on the north and Seventh Street on the south. The two-building complex, which is comprised of partially developed towers of 22 and 30 stories, is owned by a group of investors headed by ML Manager in Peoria. ML Manager, as successor to the defunct Mortgages. Ltd., foreclosed on the previous developer of Centerpoint Condominiums after the company defaulted on $135 million in loans. The sale to Zaremba Group stalled last October after issues surfaced involving liens placed against the property by multiple contractors that worked on the project and title insurance needed to complete the transaction. With those issues reportedly close to being resolved, the Zaremba Group venture will take control of Centerpoint Condominiums. The seller in the cash transaction is being represented by Tyler Anderson and Sean Cunningham of CB Richard Ellis in Phoenix. Steve Gebing and Cliff David of Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services in Phoenix are working on behalf of the buyer. Zaremba Group is believed to be partnering with California State Teachers' Retirement System (CALSTRS) to buy Centerpoint Condominiums. After confirming that it was buying the project in September, representatives of Zaremba Group said the company planned to complete the buildings and rent the units as high-end apartments. Most of the renters were expected to be students from the nearby Arizona State University. In all, there are 375 units targeted for the two towers. The smaller building is 90 percent complete and is expected to be ready for occupancy in September. The larger structure is about 70 percent finished, and will likely be completed in early 2012. There is also undeveloped land targeted for another two high rise towers that is part of the acquisition. In October 2003, BREW reported a company formed by David Dewar and Ken Losch of Trillium Residential in Tempe working to buy the 5.35-acre Centerpoint Condominium site. The Zaremba Group and CALSTRS previously have teamed up to develop and acquire residential and retail properties throughout the country. Zaremba Group/CALSTRS have joined forces to develop other multi-family properties in the Valley. Zaremba Group and CALSTRS are looking for additional multi-family development and investment opportunities in the Phoenix area and other parts of the country. BREW previously reported Zaremba developing The Waterford at Peoria, a 200-unit apartment project at the northeast corner of 83rd Avenue and Thunderbird Road in Peoria, The Waterford at Superstition Springs, a 280-unit apartment complex located near the southeast corner of Power Road and Southern Avenue in Mesa and Barolo Place, a 65-unit for sale condominium project at the northeast corner of Shea Boulevard and 74th Street in Scottsdale. Kent Chantung of Zaremba Group in Scottsdale is the contact on the Centerpoint Condominium project . . . (480) 367-8500. Mark Winkleman is the contact at ML Manager . . . (623) 234-9560. Call the CBRE agents at (602) 735-5555. The M&M agents are at (602) 952-9669.


They must have worked out a deal where they don't have all those mechanics liens to deal with. Good news.

What's the source of this article?

New Times vvvvv


Centerpoint Towers Finally Sold to Zaremba Group; Construction to Finish Project Begins "Immediately"
By Ray Stern, Fri., Feb. 18 2011 @ 5:54PM Categories: News


The Centerpoint Towers in Tempe have finally sold. The buyer, Zaremba Group of Ohio, hopes to have renters living there by August.
​

Welcome to "West Sixth."



The Centerpoint Towers in Tempe have been sold, and construction on the unfinished project will resume "immediately" in order to have occupants living there by August.



Zaremba Group, which came close to buying the towers and five-acre property, closed the $30 million deal today, confirms Mark Winkleman of ML Manager, the successor company to Mortages Limited.



ML Manager settled with the subcontractors who said they were owed $21 million for their work, and the company will attempt to recoup the loss from its insurance company, Winkleman says. He declined to give the settlement amount.



The planned, high-rise apartment complext will be called "West Sixth," a reference to its location at Sixth Street and Maple.



Here's the press release from Zaremba's PR firm:


TEMPE, Ariz. (February 18, 2011) - Zaremba Group announces today that the sale of the Centerpoint development is final and construction will resume immediately on the luxury, urban housing project slated for move-in by late summer. New management brings with it a fresh name for the residential property - West Sixth, a nod to the central address the towers occupy in downtown Tempe.

Located at 111 West 6th Street, the apartments bring an obtainable, sophisticated lifestyle to the Tempe rental market. Phase I of the new West Sixth complex, a 22-story residential tower, will be ready for occupants by August 1, 2011 and will incorporate mixed-use retail and restaurant space on the ground floor. Phase II, a 30-story residential tower, will be completed by December of this year giving the community a total of 375 apartment homes.


West Sixth will augment the Live/Work/Play lifestyle of the predominant student atmosphere in downtown Tempe. The innovative apartment community will include several comforts consistent with fine living including a 9,000 square feet fitness facility complete with a yoga studio, tanning beds and lounge. The resort-style pool area boasts cabanas, fire pits and a barbeque area. Rental pricing is not yet available, but is expected to be commensurate with other area communities.


"West Sixth offers unmatched amenities and will be the pinnacle for urban lifestyle. We are pleased to now move forward mindful that sales of this magnitude and complexity take time to complete," says Kent Chantung, director of residential development for Zaremba Group on the interval from the previous expected closing date in October, 2010. "The added time in the process allowed us to solve lingering issues. With the obstacles resolved, we are now able to deliver a remarkable living environment to Tempe."


Zaremba Group is a national real estate organization based out of Cleveland, Ohio and currently manages three properties in the Phoenix area. Because of their specific expertise in stabilizing distressed housing developments, they have been instrumental in navigating the intricacies of the sale of the Centerpoint project. They will continue to oversee the development of West Sixth to fruition.


"We are cognizant of the past of this project, but are extremely excited to be an integral part of the present and future of Tempe," adds Chantung. "West Sixth represents a significant contribution to growth and construction for the Valley and will expand Tempe's standing as a significant metropolitan destination."



Winkleman says he's elated to see the sale go through, adding that it was the "longest, most complex, contentious" real-estate deal he's ever worked on.

A New Times feature article about the towers in October of 2009 describes how the Centerpoint project went from Mortgages Limited's largest single project to an unoccupied, unfinished eyesore in the aftermath of the lending company's collapse.

Only the smaller tower will be completed initially, and we imagine even that won't fill up that quickly without major rent discounts. Still, the sale is great news for downtown Tempe, which has been plagued by too many empty storefronts as the recession wears on.

Best of all, no double-implosion.

Business Journal has the story too...

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/n...s-finally.html

I walked by Mill and 3rd today and they are working on the old Mills end place. They are doing some heavy renovations. I asked the worker what was going in and he mentioned Encounters? (Orange N) and they will be serving coffee/bagels so it sounds pretty Mills Endish... which is good. It will be interesting to see how they do. There are more lightrail riders so hopefully that will help with the station right there. Between this and the old Centerpoint buildings it has been a good week for Mill.

Centerpoint project sold; summer debut planned
Tempe towers were plagued by setbacks
by Russ Wiles, The Arizona Republic

The delay-plagued Centerpoint residential complex has been sold, with the buyer pledging to immediately resume construction on the two luxury high-rise buildings, convert them to apartments and complete the project so that tenants can start moving in beginning in late summer.

Zaremba Group, a Cleveland-based developer, paid $30 million for the project in a deal with ML Manager LLC of Peoria that closed Friday. Zaremba will give the project a new name, West Sixth, to reflect its location just west of downtown Tempe.

ML Manager is the successor to initial lender Mortgages Ltd., which had extended $135 million in financing on the project. ML Manager was formed to dispose of and maximize the revenue potential from bankrupt Mortgages Ltd.'s remaining assets.

Zaremba had announced plans to buy the project last year but backed out over legal issues focused around liens placed on the property by unpaid contractors.

The twin high-rise project at 111 W. Sixth St. broke ground in 2005, with developer Tempe Land Co. intending it as a high-end condominium complex featuring an upscale retail plaza, restaurants and a winery. When the developer defaulted, the project was taken over by ML Manager LLC and lingered in an incomplete phase, with nearby businesses and residents complaining that it had become an eyesore.

The property failed to sell at a foreclosure auction in April.

The project consists of 22-story and 30-story high rises. Phase I, focusing on the 22-story building, will be ready for occupancy by Aug. 1 and include mixed-use retail and restaurant space on the ground floor.

Phase II, the 30-story residential tower, will be completed by December, Zaremba said. In total, the buildings will incorporate 375 apartments, which is also the number of condominiums that were originally anticipated.

The West Sixth development will feature amenities such as a 9,000-square-foot fitness facility with a yoga studio, tanning beds and lounge. The complex's resort-style pool area will feature cabanas, fire pits and barbecues.

Apartment rental rates haven't been announced.

"West Sixth offers unmatched amenities and will be the pinnacle for urban lifestyle," said Kent Chantung, director of residential development for Zaremba Group, in a statement.

Zaremba, which manages three other properties in the Valley, specializes in stabilizing distressed housing developments.

"West Sixth represents a significant contribution to growth and construction for the Valley and will expand Tempe's standing as a significant metropolitan destination," Chantung said.

Zaremba is a third-generation family business that started as a home-remodeling business in 1920.

----------------------------------------

I like the idea that they've changed the name. Gives it a fresh start.

I guess that American Appeal on Mill closed, which I mostly don't care about, but it sucks that they stucco'd over the old Tempe National Bank building and then left a few years later. The building was an Egyptian Revival style, which is very rare for Phoenix.

I guess AA is struggling lately and closing a lot of stores ( not enough call for vnecks and tights i guess..) but its not great for mill. I do think way overblow the "Mill Ave. is dying" thing, because new places always come in an replace the old, and i actually think its the street is getting better. Z Gallery goes so we get Magic Mushroom, Pizza Uno goes we get Sushi, plus that new Fixx coffee shop is pretty awesome. Sure borders is gone, but they all are now.


http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/jac...ses_on_mil.php

The year of the deep V is over, and only androgenous teenagers can wear their clothes anyway.

haha- and i for one, welcome this new deep V-free world

I don't remember this building... do you have a picture of it before the "renovation", showing the Egyptian Revival style?

http://www.tempe.gov/historicpres/Te...kBuilding.html

These give a fairly good idea, though the pictures arent very detailed. I know i've seen some better photos, but i'll have to track them down.

wow what a shame. Maybe they'll do like that building on Van Buren and Central and eventually pull the stucco off of the facade.

Interesting... they sure didn't do the building any favors. They enclosed the columns/overhang and made it part of the interior.

That is (was) a cool old building. The Phoenix area has a ton of buildings that need facade restoration.

Yeah hopefully someone gets that stucco off of there, but Tempe never should have let them do that in the first place. Of course, that could be said of a lot of things around town.
But it really was an interesting building. That postcard photo kind of shows some detail, with the little Egyptian-style column and the design along the roof.

/\ Yeah, looks like it had some nice details. At least the sign/placard "The Tempe National Bank" still remains.

Lots of new info on the Tempe modern streetcar system is available here:

http://www.sofa-connect.org/connecte...3&t=9&p=38#p38

You can also check updates on Valley Metro's website: http://www.valleymetro.org/metro_lig...ensions/tempe/

I noticed today at the Tempe town lake dam there appears to be new footing for the bridge that will go over the dam. Or at least it looks like it could be a bridge footings...
They have also paved a road that goes down to the dam.

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/9373627.jpg


http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/9373589.jpg

University Square Proposal^^

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/9373335.jpg

The Armory Proposal^^

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/9373029.jpg

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/9373017.jpg

100 Mill Avenue Proposal^^

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/9373116.jpg

Farmers Art District & the Mosaic Proposal ^^




Does anybody know whats going on with these projects?

All of them are long dead along with dozens of other projects Downtown, Midtown, Uptown, Camelback Corridor, Scottsdale, Glendale, Chandler, et cetera.

The Valley got an unfortunate late jump on the last high rise boom, we always unfortunately seem to due to overly conservative developers. By the time the market crashed, we hadn't gotten much built.

^^^^^^^^

Good question. In other news the below article talks about some different companies moving into Hayden Ferry Lakeside II. That is good news. I also noticed today when I walked by the old Mills End place that the new place has brought some of the inside walls down so the new place should have a totally new look. In other news there is still a ton of vacancies in DTown Tempe. Dunkin Donuts moved out:( I thought for sure that would make it with all the college kids nearby - as well as nearby businesses. Are people trying to be healthy all of a sudden :shrug: or maybe just no money for donuts...

http://www.azcentral.com/business/ar...nix-tempe.html


Microsoft has opened an office at Tempe Town Lake.

The company has taken the top floor of Hayden Ferry Lakeside II, the 12-story building at 60 E. Rio Salado Parkway.

About 150 sales, marketing and service employees have moved from Phoenix Plaza, at 2929 N. Central Ave., into 23,535 square feet in Tempe, 1,500 square feet larger than their Phoenix space.

Four other tenants recently signed leases for the building as well. Details aren't being disclosed, but Bryan Taute, senior vice president of CB Richard Ellis, indicated that the soft commercial market helped promote the deals.

The tenants wanted to upgrade their facilities, and they took advantage of landlord willingness to negotiate.

"Even though, for example, Microsoft probably could have renewed for less than they're paying at the new facility, it's less than they were probably previously paying," Taute said.

"It was an opportunity to take advantage of the market and upgrade their facilities. That's probably true for all tenants."

The four other recent leases:

- Citrix Online, subsidiary of Citrix Systems of Goleta, Calif., will occupy 19,919 square feet and will expand its space when it moves in May from Fountainhead Corporate Center. Citrix Online provides the Web conferencing tool Go To Meeting, among other products.

- The New York-based Guardian Life Insurance Co. moved its sales office in November from Airport Technology Center, at 44th and Van Buren streets in Phoenix. It took 8,092 square feet.

- Financial advisers Ronald Blue & Co. of Roswell, Ga., located from Mesa Financial Plaza in December. It occupies 7,842 square feet.

- Solium Capital LLC moved its U.S. headquarters from Southfield, Mich., in August into 6,740 square feet in Tempe. Solium Capital provides software for stock-plan administration.

The building's occupancy stands at more than 90 percent.

The building's owner, New York-based Sumitomo Corp. of America, was represented in the deals by Taute and Brad Anderson, also of CBRE.

Hayden Ferry Lakeside II is part of a mixed-use project of 1.6 million square feet of office, retail and residential condos. Built in 2007, the building was awarded the Energy Star label in 2010 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for operating efficiency



Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/business/ar...#ixzz1FnBdJqfg

:gaah::brickwall: damm that sucks :/ those would of been better then ANY building in downtown Phoenix. Oh well maybe they will come back later?

Does anybody know what is going on at the Newman Center. I walked by there today and everything except the church it self was torn down or in the process of. I didn't see any permit signs for future development. I know they had plans for a dorm or student housing at one point before the market collapse. I figured that it was dead. Is it being build now or something completely different?

From their site:

http://www.asucatholic.org/support_bldg_update.php

This weekend’s “Mass of Thanksgiving” marks the beginning of the “demolition phase”. Early this week you will see a fence go up and the “Center” will officially close. The Newman offices will also begin the move into our temporary offices at 715 E 7th St. (brown building to the west - about 50 yards away). Please bear with us as business activities will be somewhat limited for a couple of days.

Schedule:
Feb. 26 “Mass of Thanksgiving”
Feb. 28th Move Offices
March 1 – 8 Removal of asbestos (ceiling and floor tile).
March 8 – 18th Building Demolition
March 21st Construction expected to start