That would suck as an indication of the strength of the office market. But i think residential lining the park would be better. Maybe the homeless would move on with so many people around. They tend to go where they wont be bothered with.

Id be surprised too, its not a huge office, there is a massive amount of competition from additional apts nearby and the sign at 3rd street they have kept clean/new and tis still shows the original office rendering.

Seems like it would cost MUCH more to tear down the old office building and starting from scratch but may be what the financiers are willing to fund at the moment.

Team formed to start construction on Creighton University
 

https://azbigmedia.com/team-formed-t...-park-central/

Plans at Park Central for a large-scale Creighton University project that will help more Arizona physicians train and practice within state lines is currently underway, with new renderings and conceptual drawings showing a glimpse of the future.

Construction on the expansive, two-phased Creighton University Health Sciences Building is slated to start this spring. Plaza Companies will oversee construction on the endeavor, and the local construction team has now been formed. A pre-application has been submitted to the City of Phoenix for the new building.

The addition to one of the city’s most iconic properties will become a training ground for approximately 800 medical students. It will house a four-year medical school, a nursing school, a physical therapy school, a pharmacy school, a physician assistant school and an emergency medical services program.

In the meantime while the campus is being built, Creighton’s College of Nursing has moved its local presence into Park Central, where more than 100 students began their coursework in the new facility on Monday.

The state-of-the-art new health sciences campus, which will rise over a currently vacant parking lot at Park Central in midtown Phoenix, will considerably expand learning opportunities for medical students across the state and region.

“Creighton University is changing the landscape for medical students looking to train and practice here in Arizona, with the goal of enhancing not only learning opportunities for students, but also the quality of medical care patients currently receive in the state,” said Plaza Companies President, CEO and Founder Sharon Harper. “There is a clear, undeniable need to keep more Arizona physicians practicing close to home, and this is a critical step in encouraging change.”

“We are preparing for an exciting new era in Phoenix, one that combines our tradition for educational excellence in the health sciences with our distinctive Jesuit, Catholic mission,” said the Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, PhD, president of Creighton University. “Creighton University has strong connections to the Arizona medical community, and we look forward to expanding our impact by educating many more exceptionally qualified health care professionals to serve the community.”

Plaza Companies and Tucson’s Holualoa Companies are teaming up to redevelop Park Central Mall, which once was the city’s first official large-scale shopping mall. The companies are transitioning the expansive space from a retail center to an almost 500,000-square-foot bustling community hub ideal for playing, working, congregating and celebrating the arts.

Plaza Companies is working closely with Creighton to assemble a team that understands the vision and mission of the university and its commitment to Arizona. Okland Construction has been selected as the general contractor for the first phase of the Creighton University building. Butler Design Group will serve as the architect, and the conceptual and tenant design and improvement architect is RDG Planning & Design.

The Creighton Health Sciences Campus promises to serve as a focal point of education and learning within central Phoenix. The structure will provide students, faculty, staff and the healthcare community with easy access to the amenities at Park Central, two nearby light-rail stations and close proximity to some of Phoenix’s most established neighborhoods. The first two floors of the building will include active learning classrooms and a 300-seat community room that will be available for public use, as well as a 30-seat non-denominational chapel. Upper floors will feature state-of-the-art medical simulation and experiential learning environments.

Construction on the new medical facility will begin this spring and is expected to be completed in spring 2021.

With offices in Peoria, Scottsdale and Tucson, Plaza Companies is a full-service real estate firm specializing in the management, leasing and development of medical office and commercial office properties, technology and bioscience facilities, mixed-use properties and senior housing communities. Since 1982, Plaza Companies has established a proud track record as a competitive, connected and conscientious real estate firm with partnerships throughout the industries it serves. For more information, visit www.theplazaco.com.

Richard + Bauer (same architect as Park Central Mall renovation) just posted a rendering on their Instagram story and it looks amazing!

Agreed! I looked at this project a few months back, I am glad to see it moving forward. One downside is there are no balconies. But maybe a rooftop pool? :shrug:
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7867/...4f162c28_c.jpg
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7837/...9003f5f9_c.jpg

GREAT IMPROVEMENT :notacrook:

Thanks!! Looks awesome...

Very nice!

I like it! Kind of reminiscent of the Mid-century look! :tup:

Those corner bedrooms are going to have awesome views of the mountains to the north.

Anyone know what the price point on these guys are I might want to sell and upgrade lol :cheers:

The old building is probably in bad shape and is no doubt underparked. Who would throw money into an eyesore with problems in a cold CBD office market?

The new building is 5.5:1000. That's almost double old buildings.

If a market like Downtown Phoenix is hot enough for spec office buildings it's probably overheated. And even then, every new tower this era has involved local relocations to get off the ground.

I think the second phase indicates the apartments that are already being built and almost complete across the street. I really like how they built on both sides of the street, wish more apartments being built right now considered this more when buying land, it creates that urban feel. I don’t really like the bridge but guess it could be convenient if you lived there, especially to not have to get stopped by the homeless when you’re carrying groceries from the parking garage.

Pre-apps filed yesterday:

• 11-story parking garage at Park Central. Ordinarily not overly excited about parking garages but given that this one is clearing the way for the Creighton and apartment developments to eat up the rest of the surface lots at Park Central, pretty happy about it
• Development at 332 E. Portland, 'Broadstone Portland, where the SFH were demoed (or at leats I think they were already demoed).

Yep! Exactly where those are! Glad to see our speculation was right. Good location for this to happen with Broadstone already on the South side and Cambria happening across the street.

And with both Creighton and the Apartments expected to open by 2021 the entire south east corner of Park central should be a giant construction site for the next couple of years.

Updated Rendering (there will be two of these buildings):

https://azbigmedia.com/wp-content/up...University.jpg

Speaking of Park Central. Took a stroll around on my lunch yesterday. Man is it looking good. The quality of construction/materials is much better than the AZ renovation. It also has more of a business atmosphere to it now than a typical mall. Looks really good. I can't wait for everything to finish up!

I just wish there was more/better retail. Seems like they were very conservative on the retail. Some of the existing places I hope leave. Nothing wrong with Jimmy John's and Jamba Juice, but I was hoping for something less chainy. None of those make Park Central a destination. Maybe in time.

I wouldnt be too concerned about the retail until the apts and Med school are oppeneing, once there is permanant population (not to mention hundreds fo new apartments open within just a few blocks) more tennants will be attracted

Would be a great spot for a Fox restaurant concept like The Yard, Blancos, Culinary Drop out Etc.

There are plenty of spots to add more retail. The other sections just haven't finished construction yet. But the refresh goes all the way though to the West lot and there's another path in the middle that takes you to the covered section on the North end. The walkways aren't open yet as it's still being remodeled. You can walk around to the other sides of Park Central and look at the sections, but can't walk through them yet as they are still fenced up. There's also Michael's in the covered section. When all is said and done, there will be room for much more retail. I think they will fill this up faster than AZ Center with Creighton coming and the apartments in the near future.