Flagstaff & Northern Arizona Development Thread

kaneui · #1 Posted **Oct 10, 2009, 8:03 AM**

Flagstaff, AZ Development Projects

LATEST UPDATE: February 3, 2019

restored Coconino County Courthouse (1894), San Francisco Peaks, NAU Applied Research & Design Building (2007 - LEED Platinum)
(photos: Kevin Young, Tyler Finvold, NAU)

Estimated 2019 metro population (Coconino County): 147,100
(AZ Employment and Population Statistics)

NAU Capital Projects Report (December, 2018)

City of Flagstaff - Development Status Reports

12-MONTH OUTLOOK

COMPLETIONS
Summer, 2019
The Standard ($52M)

STARTS
Winter/Spring, 2019
Trailside Apartments (111U)
Holiday Inn (103 keys; The Trax at 4th)
Country Inn & Suites (51 keys)

Summer, 2019
Mill Town (340U/1,221-bed student housing)
TownePlace Suites (94 keys)

RECENTLY COMPLETED

January, 2019

NAU Kitt Recital Hall - $15M, 27k s.f. structure connected to Ardrey Memorial Auditorium includes a 255-seat recital hall, rehearsal rooms, music libraries and lobby.
Architect: RSP Architects. Contractor: CORE Construction.
https://nau.edu/auditoria/recital-hall/, https://news.nau.edu/kitt-recital-hall-opening/, https://azdailysun.com/news/local/na...d8f00c60b.html

(courtesy: NAU, Arizona Daily Sun)

October, 2018

BASIS Flagstaff expansion (1700 N. Gemini Rd.) - 30.9k s.f. addition nearly doubling the size of the public charter school built in 2011 includes a new gym, classrooms, playground, parking lot and an upgraded underground storm drainage system. Architect: Carhuff & Cueva Architects. Contractor: Willmeng Construction.
http://www.basised.com/flagstaff/

(photo: BASIS Flagstaff; render: Carhuff & Cueva Architects)

August, 2018

NAU Honors College (NEC of S. Knoles Dr. & W. University Dr.) - $58.8M, five-story, 205k s.f. complex with a 318-unit/636-bed dorm for first-year honors students, 20k s.f. of classrooms and 13k s.f. for academic support space. Developer: American Campus Communities. Architect: Todd & Associates. Contractor: hardison/downey.
http://news.nau.edu/honors-residential-college/

(courtesy: hardison/downey)

Hub on Campus Flagstaff (btw. Mike's Pike St., Phoenix Ave. & Milton Rd.) - 2.4 acres, 3.5-5 stories, 208-unit/591-bed student housing complex with 223 parking spaces and 7k s.f. ground-floor retail/commercial space. Developer: Core Campus. Architect: Myefski Architects.
http://www.huboncampus.com/flagstaff/, https://azdailysun.com/news/business...home-top-story

views along Mike's Pike (L) and Phoenix Ave. (R)

view along Milton Rd. (L), and Phoenix Ave. entrance (R)
(courtesy: Jake Bacon)

June, 2018

Core Services Maintenance Facility (McAllister Ranch on W. Route 66) - $21.5M new public works yard on 22 acres, replacing the former yard on Mogollon St.; includes 62k s.f. in five steel pre-fab buildings, a 22k s.f. administration building and a 3k s.f. fuel canopy. Contractor: Core Construction.
https://azdailysun.com/news/flagstaf...c6176f77f.html

(photo: Ben Shanahan; site plan: City of Flagstaff)

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

The Standard (W. Route 66 and Blackbird Roost) - $52M, 4.8 acre, 248-unit/763-bed student housing complex in 4- and 5-story buildings with 612-space parking garage and 18k s.f. retail.
Developer: Landmark Properties. Architect: Gensler. Contractor: UEB Builders. Expected completion by August, 2019.
http://azdailysun.com/news/local/rou...55f36df1c.html, https://thestandardflagstaff.landmark-properties.com/
Webcam: https://ueb.net/webcam35.html

construction progress - January 30
(courtesy: UEB)

McMillan Mesa Village (N. Gemini Dr., S. of E. Forest Ave.) - 29 acres on three parcels for 128 duplexes, 64 bungalows and 50 single family homes, targeted as workforce housing.
Architect: Jeffrey DeMure + Associates. Contractor: Miramonte Homes.
23 rental cottages in Tract 1A and the 135-unit Bungalows on Gemini apartments are under construction.
http://azdailysun.com/news/local/gov...41c7d9ba4.html, http://azdailysun.com/business/local...339fce325.html, http://www.friendsofflagstaff.org/fi...-mesa-village/

(courtesy: Arizona Daily Sun)

Timber Sky (W. Route 66 & S. Woody Mountain Rd.) - proposed Dark Skies-compliant, master-planned community with 1,300 homes (492 multi-family and 808 single-family) on 197 acres; will include community spaces and connection to Flagstaff Urban Trail System. Developer: Vintage Partners.
Single-family homes are under construction in Phase I of Adora (Block 3A - 35U attached), Aries (Block 7A - 35U) and Orion (Block 8 - 89U).
http://azdailysun.com/news/local/gov...3c0fd7b98.html, http://vintagevp.com/project/timber-sky, http://timberskyhomes.com/

(courtesy: Vintage Partners)

Municipal Courthouse (101 W. Cherry Ave.) - $19.5M, three-story, 40k s.f. building with a 72-ft. clock tower for the city of Flagstaff, including four courtrooms, a jury assembly room, a hearing room and two jury deliberation rooms. Architect: Kinney Construction Services. Expected completion in late 2020.
https://azdailysun.com/news/new-muni...08111b503.html, https://azdailysun.com/news/new-muni...home-top-story

rendering, looking SW; current structure onsite
(render: city of Flagstaff; photo: Arizona Daily Sun)

PROPOSED

Country Inn & Suites (NEC of Butler Ave. & Milton Rd.) - three-story, 51-key hotel to replace the former Knights Inn near NAU. Owner: Mike Patel. Architect: Ryan Smith.
Status: site plan in review; possible construction start in early 2019.
https://azdailysun.com/news/new-thre...b263e2799.html

(courtesy: Ryan Smith)

Trailside Apartments (800 W. University Heights Dr.) - four acres, 111 apartments in three, three-story buildings plus clubhouse and amenities.
Developer: Chason Affinity Companies.
Status: grading permit issued; expected start by early 2019.
http://azdailysun.com/business/local...ef07e7f81.html, http://azbex.com/new-apartments-on-t...-in-flagstaff/

Hyatt Place Hotel (397 S. Malpais Lane) - new 60k s.f, 93-key hotel to be built adjacent to Milton Rd. and NAU. Developer/Contact: Gerald Kesler.
Status: site plan and demolition of existing structure approved.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...8RsLhVUyL5m-ek

TownePlace Suites (2000 E. Route 66) - new 55k s.f., 94-key hotel on site of former Wonderland Motel. Developer: Wonderland Enterprises LLC.
Status: site plan approved by city on December 7.
https://www.flagstaff.az.gov/3374/Development-Approvals

Mill Town (1801 S. Milton Rd.) - mixed-use redevelopment of 17.6 acres with a 340-unit/1,221-bed student housing component, 48.4k s.f. retail and commercial space, 1,163 parking spaces and a pedestrian underpass at Milton Rd. (after a realignment of University Ave. with Milton Rd.). Developers: Vintage Partners, Core Campus.
Status: with rezoning and site plan approved, work will begin to repurpose the former Harkins Theatres for ADOT offices, then the road realignment of University Ave.
http://azdailysun.com/news/local/mil...me-top-story-2, http://vintagevp.com/projects, http://azdailysun.com/news/local/mil...229002005.html

rendering of view along Milton Rd. and pedestrian underpass

site plan with proposed University Ave. realignment/Beulah Blvd. extension; aerial site photo
(courtesy: AZ Daily Sun, Vintage Partners)

NAU Fieldhouse Ice Rink - $4.7M to convert part of existing Fieldhouse to a seasonal ice skating rink for general student use and possible home of the club hockey program; will include a scoreboard, locker rooms and seating for 1,500. Design: Lightvox Studio.
Status: in schematic design phase; selection of DP and CMAR is pending.
http://www.jackcentral.org/sports/ho...97dff0131.html, http://azdailysun.com/sports/local/n...083d3a21b.html

(courtesy: NAU)

Butler & Sawmill apartments (825 E. Butler Ave.) - 238-unit/854-bed student housing complex in two five-story buildings with two additional retail buildings, a 320-space parking garage and 431 additional onsite parking spaces on 14.6-acre site of former Jeld-Wen facility. Developer: Asset Plus Corporation.
Status: site plan approved; rezoning for high-density residential and commercial use in review.
http://azdailysun.com/news/local/uni...home-top-story

site photo across from Aspen Place at the Sawmill
(renders: Asset Plus Corporation; photo: Ben Shanahan)

The Trax at 4th - Phase II (south side of Route 66, E. of 4th St.) - proposed Holiday Inn and Hyatt House hotels. Developer: Evergreen Development.
Status: site plan for 103-key Holiday Inn in review; expected groundbreaking in 2019.
https://images1.loopnet.com/d2/i2TC7...A/document.pdf

(courtesy: Evergreen Development)

NAU STEM Academic/Research Building - $139M, 162.5k s.f. building dedicated to multiple disciplines within the STEM program to be built on the site of Peterson Hall.
Status: initial approval at ABOR September, 2017 meeting; projected construction timeline: August, 2019 - August, 2021.
http://azdailysun.com/news/local/old...e4be3fb6e.html

The Outlook at Glittering Mountain (20 mi. W. of Flagstaff on I-40) - 70-acre mixed-use development adjacent to Twin Arrows Casino to include up to 376 housing units plus 400k s.f. of retail, restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues, to be built in four phases over 10 years. Developer: Navajo Nation Shopping Centers. Architect: Swaback Partners.
Status: $23M Phase I is being delayed due to issues with land ownership transfer, financing, and infrastructure.
http://nnscinc.com/node/47, http://azdailysun.com/news/local/ent...ac64c4ffc.html, https://www.lakepowelllife.com/count...-acre-project/

site plan, rendering
(courtesy: Swaback Partners)

Canyon del Rio (SWC of E. Butler Ave. & N. 4th St.) - 262-acre upscale mixed-use development to include 1,390 single-family and multi-family housing units and 75k s.f. of commercial and retail space. Developer: Canyon del Rio Investors, LLC.
Status: rezoning application under review.
http://www.canyondelrio.com/, http://azdailysun.com/news/local/gov...abfdddea6.html

master plan, commercial/retail rendering
(courtesy: Canyon del Rio)

ON HOLD

Little America expansion (S. of E. Butler Ave. & I-40) - expansion of existing 250-room hotel into a resort/retail/residential/golf community on 537 acres with 1,400 residences, shopping center, second hotel, and golf course.
Status: Regional Plan amendment approved by city in December, 2013; project still needs rezoning and other approvals.
http://azdailysun.com/news/local/gov...a4bcf887a.html

expansion site plan
(courtesy: city of Flagstaff)

kaneui · #2 Posted **Oct 10, 2009, 8:09 AM**

I'll now be updating my SSC Flagstaff thread here on SSP, but any prior posts other than the project list will remain there. Anything outside of Flag should probably be posted in the existing Northern Arizona thread.

Tempe_Duck · #3 Posted **Oct 10, 2009, 8:21 AM**

Hey I know that NAU Distance Learning Building. My company is doing all the low voltage wiring for it. It looks pretty impressive in the building designs. Internet and TV's everywhere in it.

kaneui · #4 Posted **Oct 10, 2009, 8:29 AM**

Looks like the train horn noise will finally be put to rest in Flagstaff:

Here is a rendering of the pedestrian approach to the railroad tracks at Beaver and San Francisco streets.
The city of Flagstaff received the go-ahead for its plans to quiet train horns at the in-town railroad crossings
using directional horns and pedestrian "barriers" like this rendering.
(render: Arizona Daily Sun)

Train horn silence OK'd
State regulators approve Flagstaff's plan, although no starting date is set

By JOE FERGUSON
Arizona Daily Sun
October 09, 2009

The last hurdle to silencing the horns of up to 120 freight trains passing through Flagstaff each day was cleared Thursday afternoon. The Arizona Corporation Commission voted unanimously to allow the city and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway to begin installation of safety equipment at each of the city's five at-grade railroad crossings in coming months. Once the equipment is in place, the horns can be silenced. The commission halted construction in late April after commission staff learned the city had proceeded without ACC approval. The agency referred the matter to administrative law judge Sarah Harpring, who recommended approval of the city's plan last month and sent the matter to the commission for a final vote. The chairwoman of the Arizona Corporation Commission, Kris Mayes, said despite some missteps in the past by city staffers, the plan should go forward. The city failed to notify Amtrak of pending changes and sent reports to the wrong person at the ACC. "I am fully in favor of quiet zones," Mayes said. "I think the people of Flagstaff deserve this."

NOT OFFERING PREDICTIONS
However, just when residents will actually hear the last of train horns through town is unclear. Officials with BNSF and the city said they need to confer before setting a new timetable. With several major delays in the project since he took office in January 2008, City Manager Kevin Burke said he would no longer speculate on when the quiet zones would be in place. "I've stopped offering predictions," Burke said. When the commission stopped the work in April, regulators feared the installation of the directional wayside horns, which would replace the sounding of train horns at two of the crossings, might confuse train engineers before the plan was implemented. But during the commission meeting Tuesday, commissioners focused heavily on the pedestrian safety measures for the two downtown crossings at Beaver and San Francisco streets.

PEDESTRIAN BARRIERS MISSING
Judge Harpring had said that although there are no physical barriers currently at the downtown crossings for pedestrians and bicyclists, the crossings are considered safe because of the 110-decibel blast from the train horns. She said making the two crossings silent has the potential to make the crossings less safe. But the proposed pedestrian measures along Beaver and San Francisco still meet the standards that the FRA have established. The city plans to install an archway and signage to alert pedestrians of oncoming trains. This would be in addition to warning bells and flashing lights already in place at the crossings, but no barriers.

Mayes said she was skeptical the planned enhancements would be enough to stop pedestrians. "We really don't know for sure whether these two crossings are as safe as they should be," Mayes stated. Mayes pushed city staffers to explain why the Council chose an option that wasn't recommended by the advisory team formed by the city that had expertise in railroad safety measures. Other suggestions would have put wayside horns, four-quadrant gates and pedestrian mazes downtown. Randy Whitaker, the senior project manager for the city, said the option chosen by the Flagstaff Council City was one of five possible scenarios for meeting the standards set by the Federal Railroad Administration. "All five scenarios are safe," Whitaker stated.

NO CHANGES REQUIRED
A majority of the Flagstaff City Council voted against putting wayside horns at the downtown crossings because of their proximity to business, restaurants and downtown residents. The four quadrant gates were nixed by the Council because of the high cost of installing them -- roughly several hundred thousand dollars per crossing. His answers did not convince Mayes, who noted FRA officials never even came to Flagstaff. "I really think it is pretty darn simple to get federal approval for quiet zones," Mayes said bluntly. In the end, Mayes and the other commissioners did not require the city to make any changes to the current quiet zone plan. However, the regulators are expected to review the two downtown crossings once the quiet zones have been implemented.

FEDERAL AUTHORITY PRE-EMPTED?
BNSF didn't oppose the city's plans or the commission's approval, but its lawyers said Thursday that the federal government has pre-empted state regulation of the sounding of train horns. Replacing the sounding of a train horn with a trackside horn amounts to state regulation, said Patrick Black, a Phoenix lawyer representing the railroad. However, the commission's decision adopted a hearing officer's conclusion that the commission has authority over the matter because of its railroad-safety authority over equipment at crossings. Black said he didn't think it would appeal the commission's finding. Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway is a subsidiary of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., which is based in Fort Worth, Texas.

Countdown to quiet zones

2004/2005 -- City begins a feasibility study of quiet zones.

2005 -- Federal Railway Authority issues final guidelines for establishing quiet zones.

2005 -- City forms advisory panel for quiet zones, hires a outside company to begin design work.

2007 -- Flagstaff City Council approves a two-tiered plan: Wayside horns for east Flagstaff and no horns in downtown Flagstaff.

2008 -- A newly elected City Council elects to re-examine previous Council's decision after eastside residents petition, but eventually reaffirms existing decision.

Jan. 2009 -- City starts 60-day review period, submits plans to various parties, including the Arizona Corporation Commission.

March 2009 -- Construction of quiet zones begins.

April 2009 -- City submits application to the ACC.

May 21, 2009 -- ACC orders city, BNSF to stop all work on quiet zones crossings.

May 31, 2009 -- Eastside resident Walter Robertson submits letter to ACC citing safety concerns over the city's plans.

July 8, 2009 -- Administrative law judge instructs all parties to submit their own inventory of the safety measures in order to weigh various risks at each of the crossings to pedestrians and crossing vehicles.

Sept. 22, 2009 -- The Administrative law judge recommends the city be allowed to proceed with a its plan to modify the two eastside crossings and install wayside horns.

Oct. 8, 2009 -- The ACC approves the city's plans for quiet zones.

HooverDam · #5 Posted **Oct 10, 2009, 3:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaneui

I'll now be updating my SSC Flagstaff thread here on SSP, but any prior posts other than the project list will remain there. Anything outside of Flag should probably be posted in the existing Northern Arizona thread.

Personally I dont think we need a N. Az thread AND a Flag thread, theres probably just not enough going on up north to necessitate both.

Leo the Dog · #6 Posted **Oct 10, 2009, 3:27 PM**

Anyone else think that Flagstaff shouldn't build anything new on lands not previously developed?

Considering that AZ has very few tree covered alpine climate zones, I'd rather see Flag turn into a dense little mountain town, rather than sprawl outwards to the national forest borders.

combusean · #7 Posted **Oct 10, 2009, 4:52 PM**

^ The list kaneui compiled says there is.

oliveurban · #8 Posted **Oct 10, 2009, 5:07 PM**

I'd vote for this new thread to become the sticky. Maybe merge the older "Northern Arizona" thread with this one (not the other way around), and changing the name of it to "Flagstaff and Northern Arizona," or something... ?

Regardless, I'm glad Kaneui did this. I've always followed his extensive Flagstaff thread on SSC wishing he'd put his energy into a similar one over here.

kaneui · #9 Posted **Oct 11, 2009, 7:35 PM**

Newly proposed form-based zoning codes aimed at preserving downtown Flagstaff's historic character would be incentivized with eased parking requirements and streamlined approval processes:

A few new buildings line Aspen Avenue in an artist's rendering of what downtown
Flagstaff could look like in the future if a new, optional zoning is passed for the city's urban core.
(render: Opticos Design)

New code shows good Flag form
Reaction is largely positive to the rollout of a new approach to zoning in Flagstaff that emphasizes form over function

By JOE FERGUSON
Sun Staff Reporter
Sunday, October 11, 2009

Steve Vanlandingham was one of 30 residents who spent their Friday night listening to city planners and hired consultants propose a new type of zoning for downtown Flagstaff. The downtown property owner was an unlikely person to spend any time inside Flagstaff City Hall -- he swore off any redevelopment of his properties more than a decade ago. He said dealing with the city's planning staff had become extremely frustrating as they were resistant to any of his plans. "I literally threw up my hands in 1997," Vanlandingham said. "I just had enough."

But something about a new type of optional zoning the city is planning for downtown, along with the Southside, Old Townsite and north downtown neighborhoods, was enough to change Vanlandingham's mind. He said the proposed form-based codes, which focus on the shape, mass and look of buildings rather than the underlying land use of the property, was appealing. Many developers have long complained that the city's current planning process is relatively arbitrary -- that every city planner interprets the city's codes differently.

NO MORE ONSITE PARKING

Roger Eastman, the city's zoning code administrator who is overseeing the overhaul, said the form-based codes will encourage incremental changes in the city's urban core while preserving its historic character. He uses the former home of Odegaard's Sewing Center on the corner of West Aspen Avenue and North Beaver Street as an example of how the new zoning could work. The commercial building is a bit of a throw-back to older zoning requirements, with setbacks and onsite parking. Under the new proposed zoning codes, which have not been approved by the Flagstaff City Council, a developer could conceivably erect a three-story building covering most of the property, including over the existing parking lot, in exchange for following the form-based codes. The current zoning would not allow for such a large building because the owner would likely need to provide for more on-site parking, not less.

But Eastman said a form-based code would not require on-site parking if the downtown parking plan includes a parking garage. He said the city can offer incentives like less parking, smaller setbacks and a streamlined approval process to encourage developers to use the form-based codes. Eastman points out that even if the proposed zoning is approved by the City Council, it would be entirely optional for property owners. A state law passed in 2006, better known as Prop 207, has made the city of Flagstaff reluctant to rezone private property without the owner's consent. The law requires cities to compensate property owners for any value lost due to new regulations. Property owners could continue to use the underlying zoning already in place for any development plans, Eastman said.

HISTORIC CHARACTER PARAMOUNT

Charlotte Welch, who lives north of downtown, sees the proposed form-based codes in an entirely different light. The retired planner remained suspicious of the city's intent, contending the city was far more interested in redeveloping downtown Flagstaff than it was in preserving its historic character -- one of the city's stated goals for the new zoning overlay. "All they were talking about is tearing [historic properties] out," Welch said. "We will lose what we have." Welch's biggest concern is that any new development will lead to new commercial businesses in the neighborhood she lives, which she has fought to protect. Last year, she led the fight against the city's plan to allow downtown employees to park temporarily in the neighborhood.

Eastman said Welch's concerns were misplaced, saying the overlay would strengthen protections against building new commercial structures in Welch's neighborhood. "There will be no new commercial building in her neighborhood," Eastman said. "The intent of the form-based codes is to build upon the historic character of the neighborhoods downtown."

CONSULTANTS TO FOLLOW UP

Eastman said the consultants will give a follow-up presentation to several city commissions as well as the City Council in a few months. The presentation will incorporate the suggestions from the more 300 people who attended a series of public meetings held last week. After the preliminary draft has been discussed and reviewed by city staff and members of the community, the consultant is expected to prepare a finalized version to be reviewed and voted on by the city's Planning and Zoning Commission and Council.

kaneui · #10 Posted **Oct 14, 2009, 6:27 PM**

A rebuilt Lumberjack Stadium will be part of a new $106M Health and Learning Center at NAU, expected to open in fall, 2011:

Heavy equipment operators do demolition work on Lumberjack Stadium
on the campus of NAU. New work on the stadium and the area around
the stadium will be taking place over the next year.
(photo: Josh Biggs)

Lumberjack Stadium being razed
By JOE FERGUSON
Arizona Daily Sun
October 14, 2009

Crews began tearing down Lumberjack Stadium this week to make room for the new Health and Learning Center. The $106 million project will replace the 40-year-old Fronske Health Center, renovate and expand the 20-year-old Recreation Center and replace the 49-year-old stadium when completed in the fall of 2011. One of the first construction subcontracts issued by the Phoenix-based general contractor, Mortenson Construction, went to Dickens Quality Demolition, also of Phoenix. The contract, estimated to be worth under $1 million, will employ 23 people for roughly the next two months.

Jane Kuhn, an associate vice president, said NAU encourages the selection of local contractors whenever possible. As for the demolition contact, Kuhn said she did not know if there were any local demolition companies. But Todd Sleeper, the owner of Flagstaff-based Eagle Mountain Construction, said his company could have done the work. He said he discussed the demolition contract with Mortenson Construction, but ultimately decided against submitting a formal bid. The strict requirements to meet the green building codes for the Health and Learning Center, he said, made it difficult for him to place a competitive bid. One stipulation, Sleeper said, would have required his crews to separate out the steel from the rubble of the former stadium. Ron Wilson with Mortenson Construction said his company has already given several contracts to local firms, naming Flagstaff- based Ignace Brothers Drywall as one example. Wilson added he has received 43 bids from local subcontractors but has not yet completed its hiring process. He said the next phase will be to pour the concrete foundation and erect the steel frame for the new facility this December.

The construction has already closed off a large parking lot next to Lumberjack Stadium, reducing the number of parking spaces on campus by 230, said Kuhn. Nearby streets won't be immediately affected, said Kuhn, but a different project in several weeks will close off the north end of San Francisco Street on campus. The construction bond will be paid back primarily through students fees. Students are currently paying $290 a year, but the fee will increase to $500 a year by the fall of 2011. The new Health and Learning Center is expected to be open in the fall of 2011.

Tentative project timeline for the Health and Learning Center

Oct. to Dec. 2009: Demolition of Lumberjack Stadium, clean-up

Dec. 2009 to April 2010: Pouring of foundation, steel frame built

April 2010 to Nov. 2010: Bricklaying, installation of drywall and windows

Nov. 2010 to August 2011: Plumbing and electrical work, as well as site work (landscaping, pouring of parking lot)

And another related article:

NAU construction project to create 2,500 jobs, generate $7.3 million in tax revenue
Inside NAU
October 13, 2009

Construction crews began razing Lumberjack Stadium on Tuesday as part of a project that will create about 2,500 jobs and generate more than $7.3 million in city and state tax revenue. Northern Arizona University’s Health and Learning Center, funded in large part through student-approved fees, will add more than $51 million in labor wages to the state’s economy during the 21 months of construction. The 270,000-square-foot facility is expected to open in August 2011. A new and improved Lumberjack Stadium also will be rebuilt as part of the project. The university is planning a groundbreaking ceremony for the project on Oct. 22, when alumni return to campus for Homecoming activities that week. “Construction is one of those areas that can help boost a sagging economy,” said NAU President John Haeger, who is an expert on economic change in America. “I’ve said before that you can’t just cut your way out of a recession. By investing in jobs that will bring positive change to campus, we are helping our students while also benefitting our local and Arizona workforce.”

The Health and Learning Center will replace the 40-year-old Fronske Health Center, renovate and expand the 20-year-old Recreation Center and replace the 49-year-old stadium. It will include two floors of much-needed classrooms and an integrated service center providing physical health, mental health, recreation, intercollegiate athletic facilities, a café and social gathering space. The $106 million project also encompasses the recently opened recreation fields, volleyball courts and facilities on south campus. As with the fields project, the Health and Learning Center will be built to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards of the U.S. Green Building Council.

“The increase in construction-related jobs is particularly welcome in this economy since the construction sector typically pays among the highest average wages when compared with jobs in other industries,” said Ron Gunderson, NAU professor of economics. “The project will not only increase jobs in the private sector, but the expenditures for goods and materials in the local area also generate increased sales tax revenues for the city of Flagstaff. Sales tax receipts in most of the local sectors have been significantly reduced over the past year due to the economic slowdown, so the addition of an expected $1.4 million in new city sales tax revenues will be a welcome addition at this time,” Gunderson said.

The university has worked closely with the selected contractor, Mortenson Construction, to encourage participation of area subcontractors, according to Jane Kuhn, associate vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. “Mortenson ran a series of ads in the Arizona Daily Sun during the month of May and sponsored a meeting, with assistance from the Northern Arizona Builders Association, inviting local subcontractors to participate in the project,” Kuhn said. “They also reached out to the local subcontractor community through a calling campaign that began in early May. While the contractor is working diligently to solicit local participation, state procurement law requires acceptance of qualified low bids.”

Mortenson already has received 43 bids from local subcontractors but has not yet completed its hiring process. Five other projects slated on campus, which will be funded differently, also will provide an economic stimulus for the city and state. The projects are part of the legislative Stimulus Plan for Economic and Educational Development, or SPEED, which would be funded primarily through future Arizona Lottery revenue deposits. Budget challenges have delayed the projects, which have been approved by the Arizona Board of Regents and received favorable review by the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Capital Review. They include critical upgrades of the Liberal Arts building, the former Inn at NAU and the North Union as well as improvements to the north campus plant and utility delivery. The Skydome project will address issues related to access for people with disabilities and fire- and life-safety concerns. It is estimated that the SPEED projects will create 1,500 jobs with a labor income of $31.3 million. The combined city and state tax revenue is estimated at $4.6 million.

Lumberjack Stadium to get total makeover

This rendering of the new Lumberjack Stadium shows seating for 1,000 sports fans.
The stadium will be an integral part of the new Health and Learning Center. Both are
slated to open in August 2011.
(render: NAU)

Lumberjack Stadium is being torn down, but like a phoenix, it will rise again. Originally built in 1961, it is going away to make way for a newer Lumberjack Stadium that will seat 1,000 sports fans comfortably and serve as an integral part of the new Health and Learning Center. The new stadium will have more room for concessions and include a new press box and space for athletic teams and public facilities. The rebuilt stadium will house facilities for women’s soccer and golf and men’s and women’s tennis, including locker rooms, training facilities, meeting rooms and offices. The stadium upgrade will include replacing the track turf, and lighting around the field will be Dark Skies compliant. Original Lumberjack Stadium dedication plaques will be put on display in the athletics area lobby of the new facility.

kaneui · #11 Posted **Oct 22, 2009, 2:10 AM**

Rather doubtful that the Snowbowl owners will sell, but it's probably the only way the Navajos can stop the snowmaking:

Navajos want to buy Snowbowl
By FELICIA FONSECA
Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, October 21, 2009

The Navajo Nation wants to buy the Arizona Snowbowl ski area to stop snowmaking on one of the tribe’s most sacred mountains.

The Navajo Nation Council voted today to consider legislation that would allow the tribe to negotiate with the partners who own the ski area. The Navajo and several other tribes fought in court for several years to stop the Snowbowl’s plan to use reclaimed wastewater to make snow. The U.S. Supreme Court turned down the tribes’ final appeal in June, and the resort’s owners plan to begin adding the snowmaking equipment next year.

The tribes consider the San Francisco Peaks where the Snowbowl is located to be sacred. The Council could take a final vote on the legislation later this week.

More on the Snowbowl's plans: http://www.arizonasnowbowl.com/news/snowmaking_qa.php

Buckeye Native 001 · #12 Posted **Oct 28, 2009, 9:41 PM**

kaneui, are you an NAU student or someone with familiarity with the university? Is the new health center going to replace Fronske?

kaneui · #13 Posted **Oct 28, 2009, 10:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeye Native 001

kaneui, are you an NAU student or someone with familiarity with the university? Is the new health center going to replace Fronske?

If you read post #10, it states that the new health center will replace the existing Fronske Health Center.

Buckeye Native 001 · #14 Posted **Oct 29, 2009, 4:22 AM**

I suck at skimming, apparently.

kaneui · #15 Posted **Oct 30, 2009, 8:49 PM**

Subcontractors have largely been cut out of the $106 million Health and
Learning Center construction project at Northern Arizona University.
(photo: Jake Bacon)

Locals losing campus contracts
Despite receiving 43 local bids, the Phoenix-based general contractor for the $106M Health and Learning Center at NAU has hired just two local subcontractors.

By JOE FERGUSON
Arizona Daily Sun
October 30, 2009

NAU officials are touting the $106 million Health and Learning Center construction project as a boon for the sagging local construction industry. Over the course of 21 months, the project will create an estimated 2,500 jobs, officials say. But despite receiving 43 bids from local subcontractors, most of the contracts so far have gone to Valley-based firms, not local companies. A representative for the Phoenix-based general contractor Mortenson Construction, which is in charge of the project, confirmed that only two contracts have gone to Flagstaff-based firms: Auza Construction and Ignace Drywall. The news has left several local businesses that were qualified to bid on the construction contracts wondering why most of the contracts were primarily given to out-of-town firms.

BOYER METAL BOXED OUT

One of the local bids came from Ron Boyer of Boyer Metal Company. He said he was disappointed in the process, saying he learned only after going through a lengthy pre-qualification process that Mortenson had opted to use a highly unusual bidding process. It essentially barred his company from formally bidding on the project because Boyer Metal didn't receive the top score as part of the interview process. Mortenson Construction had asked only the company with the highest rating, a Phoenix-based contractor named Interstate Mechanical Corp., for a formal bid. It was then compared to prices offered by three independent estimators. The contract was worth up to $12 million, according to Boyer.

This is different than how most bids for state contracts are typically handled. Usually, the top prequalified companies are asked to submit their bids, with the lowest bidder typically getting the contract. Boyer said he has never seen such a process in the decades he has worked as a heating and air conditioning contractor. Ron Wilson with Mortenson Construction, said the process might be unusual, but it is legal under Arizona law. Both NAU and Mortenson separately sought legal advice to ensure that the process was following state guidelines for issuing contracts, Wilson said.

WASTED EFFORT

But what happened next is what was even more confusing. Out of the blue, Boyer Metal was asked directly by Mortenson to formally bid on the contract. It turned out that Interstate gave an initial bid that was deemed to be too high by Mortenson's estimators. Gary Dial with Dial Mechanical Company, which partnered with Boyer Metal on the bid on the Health and Learning Center contract, said he immediately started work on drafting a detailed bid. "We just dropped everything for a shot like that," Dial said. He said this company's share of the contract would have been worth as much as $1 million, roughly twice the size of the typical job for Dial Mechanical. Working on the bid late into the night over the weekend, the two companies were abruptly told the following week that they didn't need to submit a bid after all. Mortenson Construction had allowed Interstate to submit a new, lower bid. The two local companies have a long history with NAU, building countless buildings on the Mountain Campus. Recent projects worked on by both firms include the High Country Conference Center and the Applied Research and Development building at NAU.

JOBS ALREADY FILLED

Another local contractor, N.J. Shaum & Son, opted not to bid on the Health and Learning Center. The owner of the electrical contracting company, Frank Patton decided after pre-qualifying to bid on the project that the short time frame set by Mortenson would be next to impossible for his company to meet. However, Patton believes that Mortenson was never really interested in hiring local subcontractors. He said in the weeks after Mortenson awarded the contract to another Phoenix-based firm, he saw ads encouraging local firms to apply. So he called. He was told the contracts were already awarded. Two weeks later, he saw the same ads again. He again called and was told again that the electrical contractor had been picked. "To me, that was a sham," Patton said.

SOME CONTRACTS LEFT

Wilson of Mortenson said that although most of the major contracts have been awarded, a job fair to be held today at the High Country Conference Center would be inviting companies to bid on contracts for weatherproofing, temporary security services and site cleanup. The Health and Learning Center will replace the 40-year-old Fronske Health Center, renovate and expand the 20-year-old Recreation Center and replace the 49-year-old stadium when completed in the fall of 2011.

kaneui · #16 Posted **Nov 6, 2009, 6:09 PM**

Busses line up at the new Mountain Line transfer station east of the Flagstaff
Mall. The project was paid for with Federal stimulus dollars.
(photo: Jake Bacon)

Bus route expansion on hold
Despite a 35 percent drop in sales tax revenue, Mountain Line will not cut basic service.

By HILLARY DAVIS
Arizona Daily Sun
November 06, 2009

Tax revenue projections haven't gotten any better for the city's transit system, but they haven't gotten any worse. At the same time, a stimulus boost of more than $4 million is helping with some one-time capital projects in Flagstaff and the Mountain Line system's cousins in the Verde Valley area. Mountain Line, which runs daily buses through Flagstaff, will continue almost all of its current services as managers continue to adjust to lower tax collections that will delay most voter-approved system improvements until 2011, about a year later than originally planned.

In March, Jeff Meilbeck, general manager for the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority, said that a 35 percent dip in projected local sales tax revenues for Mountain Line remains in place. Initial five-year projections calling for $30 million in total tax revenues for the period to fund basic services, along with more and newer buses, dropped to $20 million. He said this week that those figures still hold, based on first-quarter returns, and that Mountain Line is on track to meet those adjusted goals. "It feels like we've hit bottom and we're going to be able to hold onto our ground, and climb out from here," he said.

The only service cutbacks at this point: No buses on Thanksgiving and Christmas days. Meilbeck said Mountain Line has only operated on these holidays for the last two years, but ridership ended up being too low to justify running all routes and paying employees working that day double-time. The two-holiday blackout will save $20,000, he said, and officials might have eliminated the Thanksgiving and Christmas service even if the economy hadn't soured. A pay freeze is also in effect for all NAIPTA employees, and drivers have experimented with not idling at transfer centers to save fuel and cut back on emissions. Meilbeck said NAIPTA is legally bound to use its tax collections as directed by the voters, even if operations is feeling a pinch. For example, money raised for new buses cannot be re-directed toward operations.

STIMULUS BUYS BUS, BEAUTIFICATION

Transit authorities have instead been seeking new revenue sources, such as grants. Federal stimulus money has already added a third hybrid-electric bus to the fleet. The new bus, which cost $540,000, has been in service since October. Heather Dalmolin, NAIPTA internal services manager, said another local project would be a $200,000 beautification of the transfer center at the Flagstaff Mall. The additional shelters, benches and landscaping should be done within six months, she said.

Outside of Flagstaff, the Verde Lynx system will begin seven-day-a-week commuter service between Cottonwood and Sedona starting Monday. Verde Lynx also picked up two, 25-seat buses, costing $180,000 each. In Cottonwood, a new, totally solar-powered administration and maintenance building for the local transit system should open this month. That was made possible by $2.8 million in stimulus funds. Dalmolin said if NAIPTA had applied for stimulus relief a little later it could have qualified for a revision that allowed agencies to spend a portion of the grant money on operations. But the stimulus funds are one-time allocations, "and we have to set a system up that's built on one-time funds," she said. Mountain Line itself had more than 1 million boardings last year, and Dalmolin said she expects about 1.1 million this year, a 10 percent increase. In September, there were 99,300 boardings, a new monthly ridership record, she said.

EXPRESS ROUTE GRANT GROWS

Money that should be renewable, the local tax collections, are still coming in, but not as heavily as first thought. That doesn't mean Mountain Line will abandon its improvements that voters handily approved in May 2008 Meilbeck said. They'll just take longer. He said Route 7, which has connected west Flagstaff, Woodlands Village shopping centers and Sunnyside for about a year, is one of the most popular routes and isn't going away. He said Route 7 was the main component of the promise to expand routes, but with the eventual implementation of the next top priority, the Mountain Links express service connecting downtown, Northern Arizona University and Woodlands Village, more service would reach further west into Flagstaff, such as the Railroad Springs subdivision.

A federal grant for the Mountain Links line still requires another layer of assurance from NAIPTA to the Federal Transit Administration -- the local system must show it has the financial capacity to run the line. But Meilbeck said NAIPTA has several months yet to do that, and the government hasn't rescinded its offer. The grant has since grown from $5.7 million to $6.3 million, which Meilbeck said was a sign of confidence. He said he wants to have Mountain Links running within two years. Another grant, worth about $4.4 million, would help purchase hybrid buses. The matching grant would leverage sales tax revenue; Meilbeck said he'd always assumed federal assistance would pay for half of Mountain Line's hybrid buses. The proposition passed last year that maintains basic service was once expected to rake in $3.4 million year. That's now down to $2.4 million. But Meilbeck said he was confident that lower revenues wouldn't significantly alter back current offerings. "I would say Mountain Line's ability to provide the existing service long into the future is solid," he said. "We anticipate no additional service cuts at this time."

kaneui · #17 Posted **Nov 8, 2009, 8:25 PM**

John McCain and other AZ politicians in Washington are now pressuring the U.S. Forest Service and Dept. of Agriculture to grant the Snowbowl permission to build their snowmaking facilities:

Snowbowl construction still in limbo
A cabinet deputy secretary has reopened talks with tribes and delayed issuing a work permit, despite pressure from Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick and Sen. John McCain.

By CYNDY COLE
Arizona Daily Sun
November 08, 2009

Some members of Arizona's congressional delegation -- including U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Flagstaff -- have asked: When is construction going to start at Snowbowl? The agency now in charge of that decision is not giving any clear answers. Instead, it says it is attempting to forge a compromise between tribes and ski area owners. U.S. Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl first wrote the Department of Agriculture in June, asking for a timeline on when the agency would allow construction to start at Arizona Snowbowl. The Department of Agriculture, which includes the U.S. Forest Service, is now functionally in charge of the decision to allow or prohibit construction at Arizona Snowbowl. The authority comes after a federal appeals court denied tribes' religious complaints over plans approved by the Forest Service to use reclaimed wastewater to make snow and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the decision. Managers at the Coconino National Forest are not taking any of the required next steps that would allow construction to start at Snowbowl, saying they are in a holding pattern on the issue until they receive word from Washington on what to do.

'APPRECIATE THE COMPLEXITY'

In response to the June letter, the senators received an apparently noncommittal response from Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan in August, with no proposed timeline or permission. "I have reviewed this matter with fellow policy leaders in the U.S. Department of Agriculture," she wrote. "In doing so, I have come to appreciate the complexity and array of issues associated with the Arizona Snowbowl's planned improvements." The letter continued: "In the interest of finding a successful outcome to the situation on the San Francisco Peaks, I have held discussions with representatives from the Arizona Snowbowl and the affected Tribes to explore opportunities to address their interests and resolve this situation in a mutually beneficial manner," she wrote. Merrigan is an environmental planner by education who was appointed earlier this year by President Obama. An advocate of organic farming, she formerly helped draft organic food labeling rules for the Agriculture Department.

The president of the Sierra Club has asked Merrigan to re-think approving snowmaking at Snowbowl. Without permission to proceed, Snowbowl may not be able to begin construction next spring in time for upgrades to be in place for the 2010 - 2011 ski season.

BAD PRECEDENT

McCain, Kyl and Kirkpatrick sent another letter on the same topic to the Agriculture Department on Oct. 8, stating that withdrawing federal approval for this project now would be bad for Snowbowl and for others, too. The letter gave a brief history of the court battle and said the last communication "leaves the unmistakable impression that the Department has no plan to release" the permission Snowbowl needs to proceed with construction. "Arizona Snowbowl has spent an estimated $5 million over eight years working through Forest Service procedures and the legal and administrative appeals process," read the letter signed by McCain, Kyl and Kirkpatrick. "Nevertheless, it appears that the Department is seeking to indefinitely delay or outright cancel the [project's approval], which would be disastrous for Arizona Snowbowl and would establish sweeping precedent for all other permittees on Federal lands who pursue the administrative process for project approvals." Sen. McCain issued a press release on the topic, calling on the agency to explain the delays. Kirkpatrick's office did not issue a press release.

UNELECTED BUREAUCRAT

McCain also questioned the deputy chief of the U.S. Forest Service about Snowbowl repeatedly during an Oct. 28 House subcommittee hearing, becoming slightly more assertive in his questioning as the deputy chief responded that he would pass along McCain's concerns to his staff. "Well, I appreciate your nice words, and I really do," McCain said to Deputy Chief Joel Holtrop. "But how does anyone, much less an unelected bureaucrat -- in all due respect -- take it upon herself to say that here's a decision by the United States Supreme Court, which all the constitutional requirements were fulfilled, and she's not going to act? In other words, her words were, 'We have it under consideration.' What gives the deputy secretary of Agriculture that kind of authority, not to move forward after the issue has been resolved?" Merrigan's office did not grant an interview Thursday or Friday.

kaneui · #18 Posted **Nov 14, 2009, 6:20 PM**

With basically one way in and out, there are no easy answers for winter traffic congestion at the Snowbowl and adjacent snowplay areas:

Cars cram the parking lot at the Wing Mountain snow play area off Highway 180 last winter.
(photo: Jake Bacon)

Winter gridlock a worry
Officials propose posting signs, broadcasting warnings and giving tourists maps with alternate routes through Flagstaff.

By LARRY HENDRICKS
Arizona Daily Sun
November 14, 2009

What can be done to turn a winter traffic nightmare into just a fitful dream? More than 30 people met this week to begin coming up with a unified emergency plan to deal with traffic congestion through town to the Highway 180 corridor where tourists come to play in the snow. The best answer is trying to direct motorists to different routes through the city during snowy weekends until alternative snowplay areas on different roads can be developed. "We don't have the infrastructure to totally alleviate the problem," said Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll of the Coconino County Sheriff's Office. But, he added, if government and law enforcement agencies in the area work together, they might be able to manage the traffic to a point where tourists and residents alike won't have to wait three to four hours in traffic to get through town.

Last year, Driscoll said Highway 180, a two-lane highway meant to handle about 1,000 vehicles an hour during peak travel times, was having up to 5,000 estimated vehicles on it filled with people wanting to play in the snow. "This has been a long-term problem that we've been dealing with," said Lt. Jim Gerard of the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Four of the region's snowplay areas are along the Highway 180 corridor -- Arizona Snowbowl, Nordic Center and Wing Mountain and Crowley Pit sledding parks. Combined, they have a total of about 2,000 parking spaces. That leaves about 3,000 more vehicles left to park along the side of a road that has a speed limit of 55 mph. Families play -- even have tailgate parties -- precariously close to the road, said Sheriff Bill Pribil. A "perfect storm" for disaster, Gerard added.

Driscoll estimated that the congestion is mainly limited to holiday weekends after big snowfalls - perhaps 20 days a year at most. But during those times, the congestion through the city on Humphreys and Milton, already heavy during peak travel times, frustrates tourists and residents alike when the roads become bumper-to-bumper parking lots. Complicating matters, Gerard said, are the budget problems facing all agencies in the state. Staffing is not adequate to put people in the field to manage the traffic congestion along the highway. For DPS, the main focus is on Interstates 17 and 40. Highway 180 takes a back seat during snowy conditions. Lt. Ken Koch of the Flagstaff Police Department said alternatives to having officers managing traffic at intersections is necessary -- for instance, signs directing people away from Humphreys Street and South Milton Road to the Butler or Country Club exits.

The group discussed putting roadblocks on Highway 180 to manage incoming and outgoing traffic, but Gerard said such a measure would only move the congestion closer to the city. Signs to alternative routes will likely not be as effective as hoped because tourists on their way home generally only know one route to get home and will be uncomfortable taking an alternate route. Maps with directions for the alternative routes could be handed out at the snowplay areas, suggested J.R. Murray of the Arizona Snowbowl. The Visitor Center could be a repository of information about snowplay areas and alternatives for tourists coming into town. Karen Malis-Clark of the U.S. Forest Service said renting a low-wattage AM radio frequency for the winter months would allow agencies to inform tourists coming into the city of any congestion problems on Highway 180 and even direct them to alternative sites to play in the snow. Also possible would be to bus people to the area, but the feasibility of doing so hasn't been explored. Murray and Pribil both stressed that tourists shouldn't be deterred from coming to Flagstaff to play in the snow because many businesses depend on the commerce during the winter months.

What would fix the problem, the group discussed, would be alternative snowplay areas on different roads -- off Lake Mary Road, or Highway 89A. Additionally, more lanes on Highway 180, or an alternative route to the snowplay areas already established, would help. But those options require governmental action, the group concluded. Recently, the Flagstaff City Council decided to not move forward with a proposed snowplay area on the east side of the city at Country Club Drive on North Highway 89. A detention basin in the area became an impromptu snowplay area for people last winter. Parking issues soon arose and began to affect residents' quality of life. The Council decided to fence the area off to prevent people from using the basin as a snowplay area.

kaneui · #19 Posted **Jul 23, 2012, 8:57 PM**

The recent renovation of NAU's historic North Quad removed the McMullen Circle roadway and parking lot and added more grass, trees, and sidewalks, making it more suitable as an outdoor event space:

North Quad view looking west towards the Gammage Library building (1930), with Old Main (1894) to the left.
(photo: Peak Engineering)

kaneui · #20 Posted **Nov 15, 2009, 12:15 AM**

Once a bustling commercial center in the 1960's and 70's, N. Fourth St. in east Flagstaff is looking to come alive again with new businesses and a city redevelopment plan in the works:

North Fourth Street in Midst of Renovations, Reinvestment
Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce newsletter
November, 2009

The North Fourth Street commercial corridor is going through something of a renaissance. Several businesses have opened or relocated to the East Side thoroughfare in the past year. A police office opened in one of the strip malls in July, giving law enforcement an increased presence. Consultants studying plans on renovating the area will release their first draft report in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, a steering committee of business and property owners has begun meeting to determine if a Property & Business Improvement District (PBID) should be established in the area. Flagstaff City Council Member Coral Evans, who head the Sunnyside Neighborhood Association, says the increased interest in Fourth Street can be attributed in part to the opening of the Fourth Street overpass three years ago. "People now come through Fourth Street on a daily basis," said Evans. "They can see the possibilities. The possibilities are huge."

One store that captured those possibilities is Odegaard's Sewing Center, which moved from the corner of Beaver Street and Aspen downtown to Fourth Street this past year. "I think it's great here - the people are great and the location is great," said owner Van Odegaard, who was able to almost double his space from 2,700-square-feet to about 5,000 with the move. Additionally, he said, he has more parking at the Fourth Street location, and it's easier for customers - particularly those from out of town - to find his store without having to wind through one-way streets. Stan Pierce, vice president and general manager of KOLT Country/The Canyon/The Wolf, also cited more space and better parking when talking about the radio station's move earlier this year to Fourth Street. "We felt that side of town was growing," he said, "and we wanted to be one of the anchors in that growth."

New businesses were not all the changes that 2009 brought to Fourth Street. In July, residences and businesses welcomed the addition of a police office on the strip. The office is not a substation - it's not manned - but according to Sgt. Matt Wright, it has a call box, and serves as a location for police officers to type reports and use the telephone instead of going back to downtown. "The store front is not about having police officers sitting there," said Evans, "but you see them all the time now, on bike or on foot all over the area. It keeps them here instead of going to Sawmill Drive." Evans also noted that one of the immediate benefits after the office opened in July was the dramatic decrease of so-called "street alcoholics" loitering by Fourth Street businesses.

Other changes on tap for Fourth Street include the first draft of a report by design consultant Otak on Fourth Street redevelopment. City Architect Karl Eberhard said the study actually synthesizes previous reports on the area done in past years, such as the East Flagstaff Focus Future 2009 and the Sunnyside/Fourth Street study. "They were primarily policy documents, not concrete plans," said Eberhard, who added the Otak report would have more specific recommendations of what changes should be made on Fourth Street. The first review of the Otak recommendations will occur later this month or in early December, Eberhard said.

Additionally, a steering committee begins meeting this month to determine if the corridor should become a Property & Business Improvement District. If the property and business owners on the street decide to form a PBID, it could levy a fee to contract for services or capital improvements not being provided by the city. Evans said that examples of these improvements could be enhancing beautification efforts, event planning, strategic planning, business retention efforts and working on filling vacant properties in the corridor.