Tempe Development Thread

[bwonger06]

not THAT bad looking plus there needs to be a pharmacy by ASU. Girls gotta get their pills renewed

Wish is was a little bit more like the subway parking but whatever.

[JAHOPL]

345-Foot Building at Centerpoint Tops Sister High-rise

Garin Groff, Tribune, February 7, 2008

A 30-story condo tower has become the East Valley's tallest building, nabbing that distinction from a sister tower that set a record of its own just nine months ago.

The second tower of Centerpoint Condominiums in downtown Tempe has reached 345 feet.

By comparison, the first tower is 258 feet. Hayden Butte stands at 332 feet.

Builder Avenue Communities celebrated the milestone Wednesday, trying to convince the public the views are just as grand as what it plans on the ground floor.

The first level will have a trio of restaurants.

The eateries include an on-site winery, a market and a third emphasizing organic food. Avenue principal Ken Losch said he visited 43 projects across the continent and couldn't find any concept that includes as many features as this project.

"We will have people coming from all of the country to see this," Losch said.

The first restaurant will open in September, with all three open by November.

Avenue is still putting the glass shell on the towers and expects condo dwellers can move into the first tower this spring. The second tower is about six months behind.

About 25 percent of the condos in the first tower are reserved, Losch said.

He acknowledged the troubled housing market but said he figures a federal economic stimulus package will boost the real estate market within months.

The restaurants and other amenities - like a pool, two private theaters, in-house spa, demonstration kitchen and full-time resident chef - will make it easier to sell once they're in place, Losch said.

"When this place opens, tell me this place isn't going to sell itself," he said.

Studio and one-bedroom units sell in the mid-300s, and larger units can sell for more than $1 million.

Two others towers are planned on the site, totaling about 800 condos.

The towers have generated criticism they're too tall or that more density will clog already busy downtown streets.

Tempe architect Stu Siefer said the city hasn't done enough to manage the traffic increased density will bring.

But Siefer, once behind the bulk of downtown redevelopment projects, said he likes the architecture and knows downtown needs residents who will create a customer base to support more stores.

"A downtown is about retail," Siefer said. "What great downtown doesn't have retail?"

Mayor Hugh Hallman has long argued downtown was too reliant on restaurants and nightclubs, which can have short life spans.

Condos will create a permanent base of customers for a more diverse mix of businesses that will make the city's economy more stable, he said.

He noted the towers sit on what had been housing decades ago.

"They're re-creating that neighborhood, that sense of community," Hallman said.

[vertex]

Originally Posted by JAHOPL

345-Foot Building at Centerpoint Tops Sister High-rise
"They're re-creating that neighborhood, that sense of community," Hallman said.

G@d damn, sometimes I just want to drill a hole in Hugh Hallman's head, just to let all of the stupid run out.

"We had to destroy the village in order to save it..."

[plinko]

345' makes it the 13th tallest building in the Valley. Nice!

[KEVINphx]

What kind financing must have been in place to get these things built with only 25% reservation on the FIRST TOWER?

Interesting, not too good of a sign for the housing market in downtown tempe though?

[PC2001]

I was told I can move in my unit around May or June. With only 25% reserved I wonder if my HOA fees will increase. That sucks!

[loftlovr]

You won't have to worry about HOA fees going up-
The developer pays for unsold units until they are sold....
It is in their best interest to keeo HOA fees low and affordable and attractive to prospective buyers.

[ciweiss]

I saw some excavators sitting near the Pier (202?) site. Looks like they might start clearing that area out. That is pretty cool if so. I love the look of that project. Hopefully they will keep the design. That area is going to be pretty cool. Especially with Tempe Market place across the street. CVS looks like they will start building soon. What a waste of space. They should have a least made it 2 stories to continue continuity. Anyways. There are some rowhouses going up on Farmer. By the RR tracks on Macayos. I thought I read they are starting at 600K. I wonder how many people will be buying these places at those prices. No activity on Mosaic yet. I can't wait till I have that nearby Whole Foods. They should level that eye-sore Circle K kitty corner at the same time. The lightrail stop is coming along pretty good at 3rd and mill. They will probably be done in a few weeks. Between that and the new USAir building that will be a cool intersection. I wonder what Tempe Mission Palms will do with that parking spot by A mountain. Anyway, I will get off my soap box.

[bwonger06]

is onyx officially dead?

[tempedude]

Originally Posted by bwonger06

is onyx officially dead?

I don't think so...there were banners and signs and a rendering at the site as recently as 3 weeks ago for Onyx.

[flyer84]

Condo project adds Phoenix Suns star to resident roster
February 21st, 2008 · Post a Comment · posted by mistywilliams
Phoenix Suns center Amare Stoudemire recently announced plans to call Lumina Tempe - a luxury, high-rise condominium project in the works near Sun Devil Stadium - home when it opens in a few years.

The $200 million project will include a 220-room hotel and 245 condos in two 15- to 20-story towers at Fifth Street and College Avenue. Construction on the development was slated to begin late last year but, like many condo projects, has been delayed as the housing market continues to struggle.

San Diego-based developer Constellation Property Group said it’s currently in negotiations with banks to secure construction financing, a task that has become increasingly difficult with skittish lenders tightening standards. Constellation said it expects to finalize financing details in the next six to eight weeks.

...So it looks like Lumina Tempe is possibly gaining a little more momentum. They expect financing for construction to be in place within 6-8 weeks so does this mean we will see some digging in a few months?? Perhaps the publicity of the project from this article will help boost sales a little too. I always walk to the Towers on 6th St. and everytime I walk by the Lumina sales center there is never anyone in there so I always worried if it was going to happen or not. Lets hope this is a good sign that things will start soon.

[tempedude]

I snapped a couple of pictures around Tempe this morning when I was out for my workout. I upped the resolution on my cell phone camera, so hopefully the pictures will not be a grainy as I have posted in the past.


Has anyone ever seen this much water moving through the Salt River system this consistently ever? I mean the water has been spilling over the dam like this for a month or better. (I was chatting with an Arizona/Phoenix old-timer and he said he had never seen anything like it in his years here, and this is one of the wettest winters on record for the area).


An interesting perspective of the Bridgeview Condos at Hayden Ferry.
(don't remember if anyone has ever posted a pic of them from this angle)

[Cranetastic]

Didn't Amare purchase a 44 Monroe penthouse?

[SethAZ]

There is a sales office for Mosaic on the SE corner of Hardy and University. The office has been there for a while and there has been a big model of the tower inside, but today was the first day that I have ever seen the sales office open. Maybe I've just never noticed it before, but I thought it was a good sign nonetheless.

[Azndragon837]

Originally Posted by tempedude

I snapped a couple of pictures around Tempe this morning when I was out for my workout. I upped the resolution on my cell phone camera, so hopefully the pictures will not be a grainy as I have posted in the past.


Has anyone ever seen this much water moving through the Salt River system this consistently ever? I mean the water has been spilling over the dam like this for a month or better. (I was chatting with an Arizona/Phoenix old-timer and he said he had never seen anything like it in his years here, and this is one of the wettest winters on record for the area).

\

We had a more wet winter back in 2004-2005. The Salt River had water moving through from late December all the way until late March. It was one whacky winter. I have no clue where I placed my photos, but maybe Don might have some? I am glad this one was wet too, cleans out the air.

-Andrew

[flyer84]

I have posted a thread in the photos section with a lot of pictures of Centerpoint and Mill Ave. Here's the link.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=3380808#post3380808

[PHXguyinOKC]

what are they building on the lot directly north of the light rail station??

[tempedude]

Originally Posted by PHXguyinOKC

what are they building on the lot directly north of the light rail station??

umm..there are a few light rail stations in Tempe....however, I am pretty sure which station you are speaking of (the one at 3rd and Mill Ave.) That development would be the Tempe Gateway Center, which is office space expansion for US Airways and includes retail and additional office space for lease I believe. The main building will be somewhere around 10 floors or about the same height as the existing US Airways building and has a similar design.

[ciweiss]

I just got a letter from OPUS on the US Air/Tempe Gateway development. They said there is going to be huge construction going on including alot of trucks hauling material. They give the dates Mar 3 - May 1 so it appears as though this thing is on the way up Very cool. With so many of the projects on hold it is nice to see one on its way. Also - they are going to be painting my Hayden Square condo's. That will be nice for the area. Hope the colors will fit in with the neighborhood. It looks like Mill and 3rd will be a nice area. Especially when the light rail starts rolling through.

[vwwolfe]

In the March/April edition of the AAA Highroads Magazine, there is an article about the renovation of the flour mill.

This paragraph caught my eye.

"The renovations will pair a restoration with a glass and steel addition that will sit atop the existing structure. Avenue's first phase of development includes office, restaurant, and retail components. In homage to the buildings roots, a bakery that mills its grain on-site is also in the works. More retail spaces along Mill Avenue will follow. A trailhead for Hayden Butte has been slated in the plans. Construction on Phase one is expected to begin this summer."

There was also a rendering of the project. I don't have a scanner to post it thought.