Tucson Development Thread - Page 153

andrewsaturn · #**3041** Posted **Jun 7, 2012, 7:59 PM**

I think a regional sports master plan is what we need in hopes of getting some sort of stadium for a professional sport team in the future. However, the designer of the plan is charging $150,000 for the job. It's expensive for Tucson but to be honest, the guy is a Tucson resident who graduated from the UA and should cut Tucson some slack on the price since he knows Tucson is due for a modern multi-purpose facility anyways. But the good news is Marana is also interested in it and would pitch in some funding for the plan.
Pima County in talks for a regional sports plan
By Becky Pallack

The Pima County Sports and Tourism Authority is negotiating with a stadium designer to draw up a regional sports master plan, potentially to be ready to make a pitch to voters for funding next year.

Before the authority can hire someone to create a plan, however, it has to come up with the money to pay for it. The authority has only $12,200 in cash and no guaranteed funding source.

The authority was created in 2008 as part of a plan to save baseball spring training in Tucson. Then, in 2009, Gov. Jan Brewer signed a law that says voters will decide whether to pay higher taxes to benefit sports facilities.

Continue reading here:
http://azstarnet.com/news/local/govt...9c844adb2.html

Ted Lyons · #**3042** Posted **Jun 7, 2012, 11:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaneui

We'll take two out of three, but it's unfortunate that the Pioneer Building (the third finalist) wasn't funded in this round, although a significant facade restoration to that structure will require a lot more money than maybe the owners were ready to put out.

Yeah, The Pioneer has gone unmentioned so far AFAIK. All along, it was known that their restoration would primarily be privately funded as the cost was going to far exceed $180k. My hope is that all the parties know that the planning process is going to take so long that it would be pointless to include them in this round.

clintjreed · #**3043** Posted **Jun 8, 2012, 9:08 PM**

Does anyone know what the construction next to O'Malleys is for?

BTW, I've been following this forum for a couple years now and love it. I love seeing new growth and development in Tucson. Hopefully I can contribute soon. Keep up the good work.

andrewsaturn · #**3044** Posted **Jun 9, 2012, 3:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by clintjreed

Does anyone know what the construction next to O'Malleys is for?

BTW, I've been following this forum for a couple years now and love it. I love seeing new growth and development in Tucson. Hopefully I can contribute soon. Keep up the good work.

I'm not sure. I looked using google maps street view and it looks like it has been fenced off since before the 4th ave underpass was renovated.

andrewsaturn · #**3045** Posted **Jun 9, 2012, 6:25 AM**

Here's a video on the construction of the joint court complex on Tool and Stone aves.

http://www.kvoa.com/news/crews-work-...ct-foundation/

andrewsaturn · #**3046** Posted **Jun 9, 2012, 6:48 AM**

I read an article at Inside Tucson Business website that says Tucson's economy is having a difficult time recovering. Some interesting facts I found was that according to the article Arizona added 75,000 jobs since August 2010. However, most of it was in Phoenix which took a whopping 69,400 or about 93% of those jobs. Tucson only added 800 jobs! That's so awful! Also, it mentions that Tucson metro is sitting at around 991,000 people and is expected to grow 1.8% by 2015 and 2016. On the plus side, restaurant and bar sales are expected to increase to 5.1% since going to 3.8% in 2011.

http://www.insidetucsonbusiness.com/...a4bcf887a.html

kaneui · #**3047** Posted **Jun 10, 2012, 7:34 PM**

Built in 1891, Arizona's oldest standing structure of higher education gets another facelift:

Old Main in July, 1891, and in 2012
(photos: Arizona Historical Society, Mamta Popat)

UA's oldest building to get $13 million major makeover
By Carol Ann Alaimo
Arizona Daily Star
June 07, 2012

When you're more than a century old, gravity isn't your friend. Neither are sun, wind and rain, all of which have taken a toll on a beloved icon at the University of Arizona. Old Main, the original red brick edifice at the center of campus, has sunk in spots. Its roof, footings, and some columns, porches and structural beams need replacing, all of which will cost about $13 million.

Officials hope to raise the cash through donations, said Bob Smith, who oversees design and construction for UA facilities. "This is our most treasured old building," Smith said. "We want to restore and reconstruct it as closely as possible to its original form." Once the lone structure on campus, Old Main has seen several renovations since it was built in 1891, two decades before Arizona became a state.

For full article: http://azstarnet.com/news/local/educ...c14e030f8.html

Locofresh55 · #**3048** Posted **Jun 11, 2012, 7:30 AM**

Good to hear....but damn...the Marist Building is still crumbling like it belongs in Kosovo. I hope someone steps in for that poor building.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaneui

Built in 1891, Arizona's oldest standing structure of higher education gets another facelift:

Old Main in July, 1891, and in 2012
(photos: Arizona Historical Society, Mamta Popat)

UA's oldest building to get $13 million major makeover
By Carol Ann Alaimo
Arizona Daily Star
June 07, 2012

When you're more than a century old, gravity isn't your friend. Neither are sun, wind and rain, all of which have taken a toll on a beloved icon at the University of Arizona. Old Main, the original red brick edifice at the center of campus, has sunk in spots. Its roof, footings, and some columns, porches and structural beams need replacing, all of which will cost about $13 million.

Officials hope to raise the cash through donations, said Bob Smith, who oversees design and construction for UA facilities. "This is our most treasured old building," Smith said. "We want to restore and reconstruct it as closely as possible to its original form." Once the lone structure on campus, Old Main has seen several renovations since it was built in 1891, two decades before Arizona became a state.

For full article: http://azstarnet.com/news/local/educ...c14e030f8.html

kaneui · #**3049** Posted **Jun 11, 2012, 9:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Locofresh55

Good to hear....but damn...the Marist Building is still crumbling like it belongs in Kosovo. I hope someone steps in for that poor building.

The Downtown Tucson Partnership put out a Request for Interest (RFI) in February for developers or business owners interested in fixing up/occupying the Marist College, but not sure if they got any serious responses. Even with all the government funds and tax credits available for historic restorations, it will still be an expensive job in relation to the size of the building, and it won't stay standing forever if action isn't taken soon.

http://www.downtowntucson.org/2012/0...lopment-ideas/

Ritarancher · #**3050** Posted **Jun 11, 2012, 6:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewsaturn

I read an article at Inside Tucson Business website that says Tucson's economy is having a difficult time recovering. Some interesting facts I found was that according to the article Arizona added 75,000 jobs since August 2010. However, most of it was in Phoenix which took a whopping 69,400 or about 93% of those jobs. Tucson only added 800 jobs! That's so awful! Also, it mentions that Tucson metro is sitting at around 991,000 people and is expected to grow 1.8% by 2015 and 2016. On the plus side, restaurant and bar sales are expected to increase to 5.1% since going to 3.8% in 2011.

http://www.insidetucsonbusiness.com/...a4bcf887a.html

I think the economy took a little longer to rebound and I don't Tucson got as many pink slips as Phoenix. I'm pretty sure that 800 number doesn't include the new casino del sol hotel, costco, or anything new here. But things look good here. Jim Click is hiring 30 new workers and the Police department is hiring 150. Phoenix did take a lot of jobs though

. We really need to split into new states, Baja and Alta Arizona.

Ritarancher · #**3051** Posted **Jun 11, 2012, 6:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted Lyons

http://www.downtowntucson.org/2012/0...y-high-school/

Sorry about the size and quality of the Chicago Store picture.

The Chicago store is an eye sore. I think it would just be best to relocate the Chicago store to the retail level shops at Plaza Centro. The lot the building is on is a good spot for a highrise.

technical · #**3052** Posted **Jun 12, 2012, 8:55 PM**

I'm a newbie in this forum also. So excuse my 'inexperience'.
Here skyscraper's facebook , http://www.facebook.com/skyscraperpage . I got this when I registered a few weeks ago.

It's nice to see Tucson moving forward with the construction developments. Glad I discovered this site. Hopefully, I can contribute someday.

I wouldn't mind refurbushing that Chicago store as long as they add more floors. The rest of the one or two floor buildings downtown would just be waste of precious real estate IMHO.

Tucson isn't that big in land size. I drove both ends of speedway one early sunday morning and it only took me about 30 minutes. So building taller buildings would just make sense ANYWHERE in Tucson.

nickw252 · #**3053** Posted **Jun 13, 2012, 12:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ritarancher

The Chicago store is an eye sore. I think it would just be best to relocate the Chicago store to the retail level shops at Plaza Centro. The lot the building is on is a good spot for a highrise.

That is the most short-sighted comment I've ever heard. Tucson (and Phoenix) has torn down so many of its already limited supply of historic buildings, it can't afford to lose more. Anyway, this is Tucson for F's sake, there aren't developers knocking on our doors to build high-rises. Even if there were, there are plenty of locations to build without tearing down existing buildings.

And IMO it is far from an eyesore. I'd take the Chicago Store building any day over most of the garbage that's being built today.

Patrick S · #**3054** Posted **Jun 13, 2012, 4:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ritarancher

I think the economy took a little longer to rebound and I don't Tucson got as many pink slips as Phoenix. I'm pretty sure that 800 number doesn't include the new casino del sol hotel, costco, or anything new here. But things look good here. Jim Click is hiring 30 new workers and the Police department is hiring 150. Phoenix did take a lot of jobs though

. We really need to split into new states, Baja and Alta Arizona.

I hope you're kidding about the Baja AZ thing. It's not a good idea. Look, I'm a (very) liberal Democrat, and our state government is a joke and an embarrassment, and it can't be good for trying to lure large companies to the state, but the whole idea of Baja AZ is silly. Where I'm from in Southern Illinois there is resentment with northern IL, especially the Chicago-area, which dominates the state politically, economically and culturally. There's been jokes and small-talk about forming their own state (and I've even heard Chicago has thought about doing it too), but it's foolish. The Phoenix metro area has 4 times the population of the Tucson metro and is much wealthier (the average personal and household income is much more in Phoenix than in Tucson). Without the economic engine of Phoenix we'd be broke in Baja AZ within 5 years. Phoenix is going to dominate politically (we can only hope that the area becomes more liberal), but we can get more money down here from the state by encouraging places like Vail to incorporate and to annex places like the Foothills. Since the state doles out money to places based on population of incorporated areas, and the Tucson metro has approx. 33% of its population in un-incorporated areas compared to around 10% in Phoenix, this would help our fortunes down here.

technical · #**3055** Posted **Jun 13, 2012, 12:32 PM**

Looking at the renderings of the refurbished Chicago Store, the south end will still have covered windows. There could be a planned building, probably in the works, at that parking lot besides the store.

And looking at Kaneui's excellent skyscraper page site of new developments,http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...&postcount=788, I can't help but wait to see that Monier Apts finish. Nice.

kaneui · #**3056** Posted **Jun 13, 2012, 5:45 PM**

Within a few months, we should see steel rising from the new Joint Courts Complex:

(photo: Sundt Construction)

Concrete pour lasts 8 hours
Arizona Daily Star
June 12, 2012
http://azstarnet.com/business/local/...34366301b.html

A big concrete pour - one of Tucson's largest, says local construction giant Sundt - took place downtown over the weekend. From about midnight to 8 a.m. Saturday, "crews placed 3,553 cubic yards of concrete for the foundation of the new Pima County/City of Tucson Joint Courts Complex," Sundt Construction Inc. said in a news release. "That's about 440 cubic yards of concrete per hour." A second, slightly larger pour is set for June 29 to complete the foundation for the seven-story building, being built by Sundt.

In 2004, voters approved $76 million for the complex near Stone and Toole avenues that's now expected to cost $130 million. The shortfall kept the project on hold, but county officials - faced with crowded courts - decided to proceed with construction of a shell building until money to finish it is identified.

andrewsaturn · #**3057** Posted **Jun 13, 2012, 11:30 PM**

Yes I agree, Kaneui's Tucson development page is excellent! Revisiting the page not since long ago, there are lots of great developments still in the works like the new UA environment phase 2 project that will be just awesome for sixth street. I am liking how we are filling in old parking spaces or vacant corners with developments. Also, I noticed that Arizona stadium has almost finished the new north end-zone seats! So are fans going to be able to sit in them this fall while they are constructing the office part behind it?

BTW, drove past Craycroft and Broadway, and they are currently taking down that eye sore of a shack on the old Mervyn's plaza.

Ted Lyons · #**3058** Posted **Jun 14, 2012, 2:20 AM**

FORS is working on the bar Rialto Theatre plans to put in on their northeast corner.

southtucsonboy77 · #**3059** Posted **Jun 14, 2012, 8:51 PM**

That actually looks pretty classy.

southtucsonboy77 · #**3060** Posted **Jun 14, 2012, 8:55 PM**

I took a detour on my way to No Anchioves today and took a peek at the North Endzone project at AZ Stadium...the full bowl seating definitely is an upgrade over the horseshoe + bleachers look...my buddy and I were impressed...Can't wait for football season.