ASU/UofA Downtown Phoenix construction thread

[DesertRay]

Originally Posted by azcats

Block funding would give the university greater flexibility of how they want to spend the money - once they get it. Wouldn't be the pressure to allocate it specifically to the individual students need. Like maybe, a better student/teacher ratio - instead of cramming 1,000 students into one class! While living in California, I saw a lot of asu recruitment ads. Lot more money from out-of-state tuition.

That pipe-dream is 15 years old. In 2008, the state of Arizona wiped away 50% of the state support of ASU, and not a dime of it has come back. Doesn't matter that inflation continues. Arizona essentially wrote off their commitment to higher education (doesn't matter that they like to dictate tons of asinine things, and complain and sue if ASU gets around it). The recruitment from Cali and international students subsidizes Arizonan students (as does those large courses). ASU has been growing leaps and bounds and is financially really strong.

[azcats]

https://www.arizona.edu/financial-update...yiB9gvL_p3V1yqoHAEyuCkMO6p9h-XbLR7DO0OUM

[azcats]

The media knows how to distort, cause trouble, and excitement. The UofA has a $2.7 billion dollar a year budget...they have some issues they need to correct - and straighten out. Hopefully, they will learn and grow - to make them smarter and leaner. The private sector constantly has to do this. The UofA attracted $954 million in the 2023 fiscal year for research, alone. That is more research dollars than asu was able to attract - and asu has twice as many students...on four campuses...in a metro area five times that of Tucson. Some of you are trying to make a bigger issue than it is. No one is immune. asu had to drop swimming, tennis, and wrestling in 2008 until they straightened it out - and got their budget back on track. Ironically, UofA won the National Championship in men's and women's swimming in 2008.

https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2022/08/22/arizona-state-men-swim-program-survived-after-2008/

Sometimes you have to shake things up (and wake some people up) to keep these bureaucrats back on their toes.

[azsunsurfer]

Originally Posted by azcats

The media knows how to distort, cause trouble, and excitement. The UofA has a $2.7 billion dollar a year budget...they have some issues they need to correct - and straighten out. Hopefully, they will learn and grow - to make them smarter and leaner. The private sector constantly has to do this. The UofA attracted $954 million in the 2023 fiscal year for research, alone. That is more research dollars than asu was able to attract - and asu has twice as many students...on four campuses...in a metro area five times that of Tucson. Some of you are trying to make a bigger issue than it is. No one is immune. asu had to drop swimming, tennis, and wrestling in 2008 until they straightened it out - and got their budget back on track. Ironically, UofA won the National Championship in men's and women's swimming in 2008.

https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2022/08/22/arizona-state-men-swim-program-survived-after-2008/

Sometimes you have to shake things up (and wake some people up) to keep these bureaucrats back on their toes.

"Just like the private sector" those people need to be fired for gross negligence... If I were the AG I would indict them for mismanagement of public funds.

[azcats]

Originally Posted by MiEncanto

That design/build might get scrapped for a DBB given their current financial woes!

...the city of Phoenix and the state of Arizona will see to it. See below:

The University of Arizona Health Sciences Center for Advanced Molecular and Immunological Therapies will draw an estimated 150 companies to the Phoenix area over the next decade, generating more than 20,000 jobs — 7,500 in the biosciences, the rest supporting that work — while boosting economic activity in Arizona by at least $3.9 billion.

https://giving.arizona.edu/news/cami-future-health-care

Regarding the UofA's current budgetary issues - that is headline news and a big concern to a lot of folks:

I haven't been down to the UofA campus in nearly 10 years - but, I bet I could go down there - walk around the campus - not knowing what's what and who's who - and eliminate $200 million in waste - in 1/2 day. You know the powers to be there could do that - blindfolded - in 20 minutes. In the process step on many toes - cause an uproar amongst the unions and the entrenched "sacred cows." It would cause headline news - and all hell would break loose. I could probably do the same thing on the asu campus - being I was there in Sun Devil Stadium just 2 1/2 weeks ago.

[azcats]

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

"Just like the private sector" those people need to be fired for gross negligence... If I were the AG I would indict them for mismanagement of public funds.

I don't disagree. See my post above - regarding unions...entrenched "sacred cows"...and, I will add - "company" politics. Half this country is one big government bureaucracy - the other half - is working their — off paying for it - and getting very little in return.

[MiEncanto]

Robbins announced last night he fired the CFO. Interestingly the interim is the ABOR exec director, John Arnold, which makes sense because he used to run the state budget office. But also it seems like a convenient way to insulate both institutions from further criticism... but that's just me being a bit cynical I suppose.

I watched the hearing because I care a lot about UofA and I was impressed with how frank President Robbins spoke on the issue. He said we have a problem and the primary issue is deficit spending: we are spending more than we take.

I couldn't believe that they didn't really have a central budget mechanism at UofA but individual budget teams in each department who are not connected through a single system, all of which they are changing. So one unit could be overspending while the others have no idea. And they also has some academic based scholarships for nonresidents on auto-pilot meaning kids were overdrawing that fund with no governor.

Hiring and international travel freeze plus they are cutting all "nonessential capital projects" so we'll see what that means. They say resident AZ students will not be impacted.

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by DesertRay

Arizona essentially wrote off their commitment to higher education

A little hyperbolic

[azcats]

. Hiring and international travel...

International travel?!? Who and what were they doing? Jetting off to Paris for lunch?!?

[MiEncanto]

Originally Posted by Obadno

A little hyperbolic

Agree. A billion dollars per year isn't exactly "ignoring" the universities. Sure, they don't get what they want but which public university around the US is satisfied with their state investment?

[azcats]

Originally Posted by MiEncanto

Robbins announced last night he fired the CFO. Interestingly the interim is the ABOR exec director, John Arnold, which makes sense because he used to run the state budget office. But also it seems like a convenient way to insulate both institutions from further criticism... but that's just me being a bit cynical I suppose.

I watched the hearing because I care a lot about UofA and I was impressed with how frank President Robbins spoke on the issue. He said we have a problem and the primary issue is deficit spending: we are spending more than we take.

I couldn't believe that they didn't really have a central budget mechanism at UofA but individual budget teams in each department who are not connected through a single system, all of which they are changing. So one unit could be overspending while the others have no idea. And they also has some academic based scholarships for nonresidents on auto-pilot meaning kids were overdrawing that fund with no governor.

Hiring and international travel freeze plus they are cutting all "nonessential capital projects" so we'll see what that means. They say resident AZ students will not be impacted.

Varying degree - all these government entities - there is so much waste and b.s. If the average taxpayer really knew what is being done with their tax dollars - there would be a lot of different outcomes at election time. I spent 26 years dealing with local municipal governments in the L.A. basin. I witnessed plenty. I don't want to see it anymore. We so blindly trust & live in denial...remember some 12-13 years ago in Bell, CA? Just 10 miles from downtown L.A.? Yet, it continues to happen. As an alum of the UofA - I just want to see victories and successes. That is why I come onto this website - to see the "new and improved." I like the UofA president, too. Or, I certainly don't dislike him. But, they got caught with their pants down...and he will just have to deal with this - and get through it. That's why he is getting paid the big bucks. He is lucky that the football team demolished and embarrassed asu - and the basketball team is #1. You don't think that improves his standing with alums - it does.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companie...d=263c4230f17b4c568f6b3c7343bae4f0&ei=42

[DesertRay]

Originally Posted by MiEncanto

Agree. A billion dollars per year isn't exactly "ignoring" the universities. Sure, they don't get what they want but which public university around the US is satisfied with their state investment?

Nah. I'm being accurate. Just tell your debtors that you're just gonna pay half of what you did, forever, and see what they say. Arizona is Constitutionally obligated to keep education "free," and they gutted it in 2008 by cutting the support in half all at once and has refused to raise it by a dime since then. It was, by far, the worst in the USA. Meanwhile, the bills for policing, prisons, highways, etc. has risen by many multiples.

But, yeah. Hyperbolic. What do the younglings say? "OK Boomer"?

[combusean]

Guys,

Please watch the tone of voice.

This thread isn't supposed to be a political debate about how the State of Arizona funds universities because that will never end.

If somebody has specific information about this building wrt its construction costs, financing, etc, please provide it.

Anything else is off topic for here, please use one of the general threads or start another thread.

Thank you.

[DesertRay]

Originally Posted by combusean

Guys,

Please watch the tone of voice.

This thread isn't supposed to be a political debate about how the State of Arizona funds universities because that will never end.

If somebody has specific information about this building wrt its construction costs, financing, etc, please provide it.

Anything else is off topic for here, please use one of the general threads or start another thread.

Thank you.

Aye Cap'n.

[ASU Diablo]

Wow ASU is moving fast on this! They could start admitting students by 2026!

https://kjzz.org/content/1869509/asu-makes-progress-toward-establishing-new-medical-school-could-admit-students-2026

Arizona State University is making progress toward establishing its new School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering. ASU is officially an applicant with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the accreditation body for medical schools.

Dr. Sherine Gabriel, ASU Health executive vice president, said the new medical school could get preliminary accreditation by 2025 and start admitting students in 2026.

“That will mean provisional accreditation in 2028 and the inaugural class graduating in 2030, which is when final accreditation happens," Gabriel said. "So it is a very long process, but we are well on our way.”

ASU has also launched a nationwide search for the school’s first dean and held consultations with similar schools across the country.

"Our medical school is not going to be traditional," Gabriel said. "It's going to have embedded within it, engineering, AI, data science and also a strong thread of humanities. One of the central tenets of ASU is the fusion of disciplines, and we are fusing all of those disciplines to create a unique, new curriculum."

ASU announced the launch of the school in June 2023 as part of a larger Arizona Board of Regents’ effort called the AZ Healthy Tomorrow initiative. “Barrow and Phoenix Children’s [Hospital] have already agreed to be our educators for neurology and pediatrics respectively and we have a number of others that have agreed to rotations and electives," Gabriel said.

[Obadno]

What is the proposed lot for this building again?

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by Obadno

What is the proposed lot for this building again?

Downtown site hasn't been announced yet. Given the timeline, wouldn't surprise me if the inaugural class of medical students (Fall 2026) began classes in another ASU building while the medical school is under construction or close to finishing up.

[azcats]

Originally Posted by ASU Diablo

Wow ASU is moving fast on this! They could start admitting students by 2026!

https://kjzz.org/content/1869509/asu-makes-progress-toward-establishing-new-medical-school-could-admit-students-2026

...they all say, "...we are unique" - don't know how many times UofA says that they are "unique" ...on their many different medical school(s) websites. The tricky thing about getting an accreditation - you have to have something to be accredited - before getting the green light! They MAY get a preliminary "Ok" to get something going - then, down the road - after putting together some programs, etc., they may string asu along an extra year or so - demanding this or that - before saying, "Ok, we approve..." Time will tell. The whole process takes longer than you think. It will never be over. There will new developments from time to time. Most of it depends on money being secured and raised. It seems every six months - the UofA announces a new "center"...or, new "program...or, new "unique" discipline. NO other university in the country has it. They just announced that. HA! How did we all live this long without it?!? I have no clue what this CAMI is they are going to build along 7th St. - but, the building is going to look really "unique" and interesting! Crow is going to do everything he can to keep the "fire" and passion going on this. ASU never got over being snubbed in the early 60s - when the UofA was awarded the state's first med school. And it really looked bad 20 year ago when the UofA was awarded the state's 2nd med school - in asu's backyard!

This initial building for asu: Is this just conceptual? Or, is this the actual building? Is there funding in place for it? A location? Groundbreaking time frame for building it? It could be 3...4...5 years before this initial building is built. The Tucson UofA medical school campus is massive compared to the UofA Phoenix campus. However, Tucson had a 40-year head start. Barrows and Phoenix Children's also partner with the UofA/Phoenix - along with seven other institutions.

https://phoenixmed.arizona.edu/partners/clinical

Along with the initial buildings from 20 years ago on Van Buren...and the Trans G building on 5th St. - UofA seems to have 7th St. locked up with the 10 and 7 story buildings and the Cancer Center. where is ASU going to build their campus:

https://phoenixbiosciencecore.com/news/c...nix-bioscience-core-master-plan/01/2024/

https://architizer.com/blog/practice/materials/arizona-cancer-center/

Now, they're going to squeeze this one in, as well, along 7th St:

https://phoenixbiosciencecore.com/news/smithgroup-mccarthy-builders-selected-for-cami/12/2023/

So much has been built in the last 20 years between 7th St. and 7th Ave - south of McDowell! 2004 seems just like yesterday! Can you imagine how it will look 20 years from now?!? Well...some of us will be around to see it! HA!

[az_daniel]

it's a concept, not what the building will look like. last i heard, a site has not been selected and there is no architect yet.

[azcats]

https://phoenixmed.arizona.edu/campus

Two minute You Tube video of the Phoenix Bioscience core. Also, downtown Phoenix...and up Central.

Real clear and bright - I guess done by a Drone. Nice. Wish it had more of the view/ skyline - less of the needles and microscopes!

How difficult to have some young person take a drone and update it? This video doesn't have that new glass 30 story tower on the corner of 5th St. and Van Buren at the Arizona Center.