Tempe Development Thread - Page 110

HooverDam · #**2181** Posted **May 11, 2009, 5:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ciweiss

Heres some news on a possible future development off of Forest and 7th. Building looks kinda cool.

http://www.urbanrealtyaz.com/Blog/Downto...Vue_on_Forest_Luxury_Student_Living.html

Thats very nice looking, I especially like this bit:

Quote:

One of the “green” features covers the parking garage. The 4 story, above grade parking structure is covered by a wire mesh which will be watered to promote vine growth. This will provide a natural disguise for the parking garage as well as green shade for the parked vehicles.

Ive always been surprised that more parking garages don't do this. It always seemed like an obvious solution to making them look less obnoxious.

PHX31 · #**2182** Posted **May 11, 2009, 5:57 PM**

7th & Forest... that would be a good location. That area just needs some infil to make the swath from College to Mill, north of University, pretty cool and maybe urban.

I noticed on the blog you posted it is going in on the southeast corner of 7th & Forest. There is already that older strip of decent retail there (not great, but at least it fronts the street and has some unique shops in it). Will they be tearing that out, or, HOPEFULLY, will they put it just east of the southeast corner on that huge surface parking lot? It would be another case of one step back and one step forward if the project was planned for that lot with the retail buildings. Rather than tearing down to build, I hope we can build on an empty lot!

Edit: In fact, upon further inspection, there are some huge recently cleared fenced lots in the area (not on the south east corner, however). It would be so frustrating if more was torn down to build this new building, rather than putting it in on the empty areas.

Urbanite · #**2183** Posted **May 18, 2009, 12:50 AM**

Just to clarify our blog post ( http://www.urbanrealtyaz.com/Blog/ ) posted earlier regarding the new high rise planned for the corner of 7th & Forest... it will be located at the South East corner of 7th & Forest where there now sits an empty building. (The retail space used to house an art store.) The rendering of the high rise is from the perspective of someone standing on 7th Street just West of Forest and looking at the corner.

While the 7th & Forest development will be marketed as student housing, the tenants will not be required to be students. So, I imagine some of the more adventurous, younger graduates might find it an appealing option?

The empty lots which are on the adjacent South West corner are still planned as "University Square"- a high rise, mixed use development consisting of hotel, convention center, retail and restaurant. (http://www.universitysquaretempe.com/)

Let me know if anyone has any other questions regarding that development or any others around Downtown Tempe.

PHX31 · #**2184** Posted **May 18, 2009, 12:56 AM**

I wasn't aware that the retail on that corner was unoccupied. I remember the art store, but I think there are more units and tenants still there. I seem to remember seeing people and open stores about a month ago.

Either way, it's a shame that there will be more demolition prior to construction, even if the retail building is nothing special.

Sonoran_Dweller · #**2185** Posted **May 18, 2009, 1:11 AM**

There is still two tenants in that building. There is some sort of comic book shop and a hair salon.

Urbanite · #**2186** Posted **May 18, 2009, 11:00 PM**

Absolutely right. There are a few tenants still there. Grooming Humans Salon, Mai Island Grill, Pop Culture Paradise, and an ASU information center to name a few. There will be retail space available on the first floor of the new development if the business owners negotiate to stay.

shae marks · #**2187** Posted **May 20, 2009, 3:06 AM**

A developer building a $100 million project on the northern shore of Tempe Town Lake has slapped the city with a lawsuit.

Gray Development Group alleges that Tempe cost the company "tens of million of dollars" because the city failed to "fast track" the project, according to the complaint filed in Maricopa County Superior Court on Jan. 6.

"The City broke its promises, breached its contractual obligations and failed to act fairly and reasonably toward the Plaintiffs. . . . Because of the City's wrongful actions, the Plaintiffs have incurred millions of dollars of damages including increased expenses, lost opportunities and lost profits," the lawsuit states.

Tempe's lawyer said she expects that the city and developer will patch things up. It's important to keep the project on track, said City Attorney Marlene Pontrelli.

"We have a great working relationship with Gray, and we think we will be able to come to a solution that's mutually beneficial to both parties," Pontrelli said.

Several calls to Gray Development Group officials were not returned Thursday. John Moshier, the company's attorney, said his client has not authorized him to comment.

Mondrian Tempe Town Lake is a 523-unit development that will include apartments and condominiums. It's scheduled to be completed in March.

According to the lawsuit, project negotiations began in 2002, when the apartment market was in the post-Sept. 11 doldrums. The project took so long that the real estate market recovered, which forced the developer to pay more. Delays also led to higher design and loan costs, the suit states.

combusean · #**2188** Posted **May 20, 2009, 3:13 AM**

^ That is way, way, way old.

Jsmscaleros · #**2189** Posted **May 20, 2009, 7:46 PM**

Word - and please post articles with the publish date so I don't waste my time reading "news" from years ago.

TAZ4ate0 · #**2190** Posted **May 22, 2009, 12:20 AM**

Hi all. I have been following the Phoenix area development threads for quite sometime. However, I thought I would finally introduce myself. Right now I don't have anything new to report on development in Tempe; but, I would like to share some recent photos I have taken from the downtown area and by the lake.

I hope to get on over to Apache Blvd. and post some construction update photos as to everything going on around there soon.

Hopefully all the legal wrangling over Centerpoint will end soon, so the project can get the rest of its financing and move on to completion.

Looking towards Papago Park and Camelback Mountain from the newly opened section of the park along the Salt R. near the TCA.

A long range shot of downtown Phoenix from Tempe Town Lake.

Sonoran_Dweller · #**2191** Posted **May 22, 2009, 12:27 AM**

Welcome.

Love this one:

Quote:

Originally Posted by TAZ4ate0

combusean · #**2192** Posted **May 22, 2009, 12:40 AM**

I always marvel at being able to see the downtown Phoenix skyline from Tempe Town Lake ... it only reminds me what could have been if the Rio Salado project were ever fully materialized.

Beautiful shots. I don't think I've seen any of those vantage points on here before.

Welcome to the forum

TAZ4ate0 · #**2193** Posted **May 22, 2009, 9:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by combusean

Beautiful shots. I don't think I've seen any of those vantage points on here before.

Welcome to the forum

Thank you

combusean · #**2194** Posted **May 30, 2009, 1:09 AM**

Coffee Plantation in downtown Tempe to close Saturday

16 comments by Dianna M. Náñez - May. 29, 2009 03:50 PM
The Arizona Republic

Quote:

Through tears, a Tempe Coffee Plantation worker said the Mill Avenue store was closing Saturday.

The shocked worker said she had learned of the closure Friday morning.

Store Manager Cody Peck said the longtime coffee shop that has served generations of downtown Tempe regulars would serve its last cup of coffee tomorrow.

The store is open today until 9 p.m. and shuts its doors permanently tomorrow at the same time.

Sonoran_Dweller · #**2195** Posted **May 30, 2009, 1:28 AM**

Fuck Tempe Marketplace...they are the reason for all the Mill Avenue businesses closing.

Why do people go to that glorified strip-mall over Mill, it makes no sense. Do they want to live in a suburban hell hole?

SunDevil · #**2196** Posted **May 30, 2009, 3:41 AM**

I had my first ever Chai latte at Coffee Plantation, also, now where am I supposed to meet up with people on Mill?

I mourned the loss of College Street Deli, then they took Julio's Too, Harkins Centerpoint, and now Coffee Plantation. Hell, I miss Borders not being there.

exit2lef · #**2197** Posted **May 30, 2009, 4:42 AM**

Coffee Plant on Mill was one of my first hangouts when I moved to Phoenix 20 years ago. It declined after founder Joe Johnson sold it, but it's still a shocker to hear it's closing tomorrow.

PHX31 · #**2198** Posted **Jun 2, 2009, 10:16 PM**

Another RFP is being put out by ASU for the design and development of an ASU mixed-use building on College Avenue, north of University... this would be north of the dorm building that was discussed earlier on this page of the thread... the map of the future location is here:

http://www.asu.edu/purchasing/bids/pdfs/170903_Block12Map.pdf

ASU is asking for proposals to include a 150,000-200,000 SF office building that would have approximately 25,000 SF floorplates, which would act to consolidate all the office space ASU is leasing around downtown Tempe. There will be an integrated parking structure (and probably surface parking as well), they want retail uses on the bottom along College Avenue, they are hoping to get LEED silver certification, and the Birchett House on the SW corner of the block is not to be disturbed/not a part of the project.

This could be in design in the next few months (RFPs due in a little over a month)... and assuming funding isn't pulled, College Ave could get upgraded very nicely and be that much closer to being fully connected to University/5th Street/the LR College Street Station/Sun Devil Stadium.

Sonoran_Dweller · #**2199** Posted **Jun 3, 2009, 3:22 AM**

It seems like a huge lot for just one building.

TAZ4ate0 · #**2200** Posted **Jun 3, 2009, 5:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunDevil

I had my first ever Chai latte at Coffee Plantation, also, now where am I supposed to meet up with people on Mill?

I mourned the loss of College Street Deli, then they took Julio's Too, Harkins Centerpoint, and now Coffee Plantation. Hell, I miss Borders not being there.

Yeah. I'm really missing College Street Deli too. It was a great place to grab a quick lunch and a really good sandwich. Also very sad to hear that the Coffee Plantation has closed.

p.s. - I have a lot more pics from around Tempe on the way. I just need to find the time to finish sorting through them, and find the ones that I want to post. What I am trying to do is present pictures of Tempe that are from a different perspective and are unique to what has been previously posted here on this forum. I hope.