google maps street view hits tempe
 

Google added Tempe/Phoenix to their street view on their maps, from the looks of the pictures, this was done around April. Going over Tempe Town Lake on Mill you get to see a bunch of people walking around. But for those who dont live near Tempe and want to check it out, this is the next best thing!

^^^ Got a separate thread started for Google Street Views in Phoenix.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=139182

Some actual new news?
 

My question is where is this going? Where club rio is at? Why only 5 stories too, with the cost of the land you would think they would build higher huh?



W Hotel builder in venture to open hip Tempe hotel

Peter Corbett
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 10, 2007 06:12 PM
A California development company that is building the W Hotel in downtown Scottsdale on Wednesday announced a $160 million joint venture to buy and develop select-service hotels in the Valley and elsewhere.

Triyar Hospitality will start with a $25 million aloft hotel in Tempe that it plans to break ground on by the end of October, said Michael Mahoney, Triyar chief executive officer.

The five-story, 136-room "aloft," a new brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., will be built on about 2.5 acres at Rural Road and Loop 202.

"We believe that Starwood has created a unique product (with aloft) that fills a market void," Mahoney said.

Triyar is developing the Tempe aloft in a joint venture with Warburg Pincus Real Estate, a private equity fund with office in North America, Europe and Asia.

The partners hope to acquire other hotel properties in Scottsdale and Phoenix, Mahoney said, adding that an announcement is likely by year's end.

The Tempe aloft will be aimed at younger business travelers looking for a hipper place to stay but at more affordable prices than full-service hotels. Prices will be about $200 per night.

The casual environment of the aloft "is intended to generate a social environment so people don't just stay in their rooms," Mahoney said.

A handful of aloft hotels are under development, and Starwood has about 50 pending locations, including Tempe, Glendale and near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Triyar and Warburg Pincus are not involved in the other Valley aloft hotels.

Triyar's $105 million W Hotel in Scottsdale, southeast of Scottsdale and Camelback roads, is scheduled to open in February, Mahoney said.

What the?
 

OK we all knew that the FAA and Phoenix was going to go after Monti's proposed 26-story building and we've discussed that one, but what the heck are they thinking about the 7th street and Mill project? "The project would need to be no higher than 98 feet tall in order to not be a hazard according to the FAA" does that mean the plane is allowed to take a nose dive after centerpoint condos into the additional 200 feet above 7th street and mill then shoot back up to avoid the University Square?!? Phoenix needs to get over this already geeees!

Planned Tempe high-rises bring warning from Phoenix

Katie Nelson
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 10, 2007 06:06 PM
The height of Tempe's new downtown high-rises is being contested again.

Phoenix aviation Director Danny Murphy sent a letter to Tempe on Tuesday saying that the planned redevelopment of Monti's La Casa Vieja into a 26-story high-rise will be detrimental to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, not far north of Town Lake. And the Federal Aviation Administration is objecting to the height of a planned 26-story Mill Avenue hotel.

The complaints reignite a battle over how high Tempe's buildings should be.



In the past, Phoenix and airline leaders criticized the heights of several high-profile and high-dollar Tempe condo projects and a proposed Cardinals stadium plan because they were in the takeoff paths of jetliners. They contend, among other reasons, that the heights interfere with some emergency takeoff "one-engine inoperative" procedures and that higher Tempe buildings would be bad for the airport because airplanes would have to take off at steeper angles, requiring the plane to carry lighter loads in the form of passengers or cargo to make the climb.

Those height accusations consistently raise the hackles of Tempe officials who argue that no one should have control over their city's building heights but them.

Monti's at issue

Developers intend to convert Tempe's iconic steakhouse, Monti's La Casa Vieja, into a set of high-rises that would preserve the historic adobe portions of the Monti's restaurant at Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway. Investor Tony Wall and architecture firm DFD CornoyerHedrick call the proposed building "One Hundred Mill Avenue."

There would be two main towers that would be 26 stories high, at 300 feet. Plans show they would contain a hotel and condos and a considerable amount of retail space on the ground floor in addition to the restaurant.

Phoenix officials, who run Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, are balking at the proposed height. "The proposed height of this building will adversely impact Sky Harbor Airport, one of Arizona's most important economic assets," states the letter from Danny Murphy, Phoenix's aviation director.

Phoenix officials believe the Monti's building should be no higher than 220 feet tall, he wrote.

Hotel heights contested
Likewise, plans for a 26-story hotel project at Mill Avenue and Seventh Street are being criticized.

Paragon, a company behind Las Vegas casinos, intends to bring a hotel, conference space and condo project in the form of a three-tower high-rise. The Paragon project's location was once the site of Long Wong's, a watering hole and concert venue favored by both Arizona State University students and locals.

The FAA opposes the proposed 306-foot height, deeming the project a "presumed hazard" after conducting a routine, mandatory review. The project would need to be no higher than 98 feet tall in order to not be a hazard according to the FAA, documents show.

The project's architects are reworking the building so that the height won't conflict with FAA standards, according to Michael Rumpeltin, of RSP Architects.

WTF? that makes NO sense. 98 feet? there are buildings all around there that cant be that far off that height limit! FAA is bizarre

Center Point went through all kinds of FAA crap before it was finally approved. These are only early FAA reports.

F**k the FAA. Tempe should build as high as they want.

Dear FAA:

The fucking butte is higher than 300 feet and has never been an issue. Why would a 300 foot building on the opposite side of the butte from the flight path suddenly matter? Will more 3-story condos assist in creating a sustainable, walkable city? Do you work for Fulton Homes?

Fuck you very much,

PhxSprawler

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/alofthotels/index.html

renderings for ALoft

omg....LOL....well spoken

LOL!

Post of the month here. :)

--don

^ agreed!

I believe the Namwest Town Lake project is slated to go on the Southwest Corner where Club Rio used to be so my guess is that this Aloft will occupy the small sliver of land right between the onramp headed East on the 202 and In-N-Out. It goes back a decent way and the only piece I can see in that area that would fit. The only other small piece of land there is slated for Onyx.

According to Tempe's development web site, you are correct. Tempe Dev Web

There is indeed a hotel slated for a lot directly behind and across the street from in-n-out burger. The Onyx tower will be right next to the lake and the scottsdale/rural road bridge

October 11, 2007
W hotel developers have more money, plans
By Donna Hogan
Tribune


The aloft Tempe is the first of four high-end, limited-service hotels pegged to launch California-based Triyar Hospitality's $160 million joint venture with a Warburg Pincus Real Estate fund. While Triyar Companies is based in California, the company owns a significant amount of downtown Scottsdale property and has been a prolific local developer.

Triyar's planned five-story, 136-room Tempe hotel at 951 E. Playa del Norte Drive, north of Tempe Town Lake and east of Scottsdale Road, has been making its way through the city approval process. It is expected to start construction in about a month and be completed in December, 2008, said Triyar Hospitality CEO Michael Mahoney,

It will be one of the first versions of industry giant Starwood's new chain of hip, urban, but not quite as pricey as a W, hotels.

Triyar is already building the Valley's first W, slated to debut February in downtown Scottsdale, funded with the company's own cash.

But the new venture with Warburg Pincus is expected to warp-speed Triyar Hospitality's growth at a time when other hotel projects are foundering because of the national cash crunch, Mahoney said.

"We like these funky times," he said. "We are in a position to take advantage of wobbly deals. People just can't get hotels financed. We, fortunately, are in a position where we can."

The company expects the $160 million to pay for the aloft Tempe and three more similar projects, and there is more money available through the partnership to fund one or two upscale, full-service hotels, Mahoney said.

Triyar is in negotiations for several right now, including new builds and conversions or completions of projects that have lost funding, he said. Those sites are in Texas, Nevada, California and at least one more in Arizona, Mahoney said. He wouldn't say where the local project is or what brand is being considered.

Triyar is high on aloft and element, Starwood's new extended-stay hotel chain, he said.

"But we're not glued to Starwood brands," he said.

Mahoney said he hopes to get as many hotels in the works as quickly as possible while the market characteristics are so favorable for the company.

"Time is the enemy of the developer. We don't earn any money while we are developing," he said.
Freedom Communications / Arizona

Does anyone now anymore about the Namwest project? Have they gotten approval or funding? These really are some slick looking towers. Very contemporaory and would look pretty sleek against the lake. I can also imagine that The Pier should be starting construction soon as they've had all of the necessary approval if I remember right. It seems like the Tempe projects which has incredible momentum have stalled quite a bit. Lots of projects in the works with approval, but very little dirt being moved and progress being made.

I think the projects will get back on track once the market improves somewhat

Hayden Yards
 

Has anyone heard of this Tempe project before?

a speaker at the Central City Village (Phx) planning committee meeting on Wed. referenced this highrise (with illustration) in her presentation about affordable housing ("a mixed use project as a solution for affordable housing" -paraphrased.)

Hayden Yards
 

I believe Hayden Yards is part of the historic Hayden Flour Mill restoration/development plan on Mill Ave. I know separate condos are planed but was not aware that there were any plans for a high rise at that location.

On a side note, the construction office just opened for the Tempe Gateway project. Thats the location at Monti's Steakhouse. Planed are high rise condos, offices and a hotel. Monti's historic building constructed in the 1880's will be saved.