Tempe Development Thread

[rocksteady]

Originally Posted by PHX31

It is definitely a cool project, but I don't understand your comment regarding Phoenix struggling. Phoenix is the leader in adaptively reusing old houses and buildings for restaurant purposes. I can think of dozens of them in Central Phoenix that are great and constantly busy. With many more on the drawing board and under construction.

PHX, I think he means Phoenix struggles in general to connect all the things that Tempe is so far doing fairly right. Retail, restaurant, residential, business and making things more urban and pedestrian friendly. I don't think he was citing restaurants specifically for what Tempe is doing well.

[Jjs5056]

Phoenix might have Tempe beat in terms of the sheer number of adaptive reuses they've completed or are planning, I think PHXFlyer waas referring to the big picture. Soon, College will be yet another walkable, urban street in downtown Tempe in addition to Mill, along with several side streets like 6th. The projects in Phoenix, while great, are completely disconnected. There aren't any walkable boulevards or pockets that give a true urban vibe aside from parts of Roosevelt.

Tempe has also managed to keep everything on a human scale, with small, walkable blocks, unlike Phoenix who continues to develop massive super locks that destroy the street level.

That's not to say Phoenix isn't doing its own part- there are several great things happening and a lot of talented people trying to make change. It just seems like those folks are working against th city, whereas it feels like the city of Tempe plays an active role in all of these great developments.

[Spitfiredude]

State Farm is now vertical over Rio Salado (by about 20 feet). Looks like the progress on this project is fast paced. I can imagine that the first phase will open by early-mid 2015.

There are some lifts and different equipment on site of USA Place. This could be for removal of lights. Also, I noticed they were taking soil samples the other week in multiple areas.

Block 12 facade is almost finished. I will take pictures of this project and Hanover today and post them.

Not much has changed for Hanover…been 3-4 months now..just not a rush for them I suppose. I mean they do have 24 months, so whatever. It does look as if there is going to be at least one level of underground parking, but I'm not sure.

[Jjs5056]

So cool.

I started following development just after the crash, so have been so used to watching all proposals fail, that it's shocking to me to see everything happening at once and so fast.

State Farm and USA Place are real game-changers. This won't be just a college town anymore. But, the progress between Rio and Uni can't be understated, either: Marriott, Block 12, Hanover, Farmer Studios, Encore, The Hub; nor the continued decrease in vacancies along Mill.

Now, damn it, if USA Place doesn't bring a grocer in finally, I'll lose it! Though, its kind of a crappy location after all this wait.

Also, not sure it was posted, but Nordstrom Rack is building a new store at TMP, and according to this, there might be a new VZW built, as well: http://www.tempe.gov/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=22885

Nice to see the land filled, but I hope one day, with the help of the streetcar, TMP can somehow become more urban. It's really too bad they didn't develop the southern part more along the lines of Scottsdale Quarter, with faux streets and such.

[Spitfiredude]

Block 12, *Note that there is brick on the project, which is making the facade look much better and tie in with the rest of campus. Would be nice if more brick was used, but not complaining. The window shades are very cool looking:







University House signage (yes permanent and lights up at night):




Front of El Hefe:



SLOW progress on Hanover Project (yes that is a food truck in the second image, looks like those protesting workers got what they wanted haha):

[Jjs5056]

Thanks. Will be interesting to see how the final Commons fills up. I think it was originally intended to have retail space... I wonder if it'll be a "real" restaurant or more of a student cafeteria? Hoping for the former to tie into the new restaurants across the road.

And, of course, I'm always anxious to know what phase 2 will be. Hoping for a private residential tower, but know that's unlikely. Probably classrooms or a dorm.

[Jjs5056]

So, the Commons is set to open in August, and in conjunction, ASU/Tempe are planning to have Phase 1 of the streetscape plan completed. The plans actually look really cool, even though this phase only covered 6th-7th street. They're using fast-growing shade trees throughout, an interesting mix of hardscape materials, and are still deciding whether there will even be lanes at all or if it will just be shared space to allow bicycles to move around traffic, etc.

I can't quite tell what the idea is for the intersections, but they look cool and are being design with the idea that the road will be closed for events.

What makes me happiest is that by the end of summer, there will be hardly any dirt or concrete fronting College. The Annex and Commons will be complete, and part of this streetscape phase is converting the lot north of the Commons into a public plaza with a massive shade structure. The plans mention/show "future retail" that I hope isn't too future, because one article references ASU wanting to bring in higher end retail and I think that'd be great to diversify downtown shopping options.

http://floorassociates.com/portfolios/college-avenue-urban-streetscape/
http://documents.tempe.gov/sirepub/cache/0/rc4h0c45ac0wanbg3izousns/1735882601302014095659759.PDF

[Spitfiredude]

Originally Posted by Jjs5056

So, the Commons is set to open in August, and in conjunction, ASU/Tempe are planning to have Phase 1 of the streetscape plan completed. The plans actually look really cool, even though this phase only covered 6th-7th street. They're using fast-growing shade trees throughout, an interesting mix of hardscape materials, and are still deciding whether there will even be lanes at all or if it will just be shared space to allow bicycles to move around traffic, etc.

I can't quite tell what the idea is for the intersections, but they look cool and are being design with the idea that the road will be closed for events.

What makes me happiest is that by the end of summer, there will be hardly any dirt or concrete fronting College. The Annex and Commons will be complete, and part of this streetscape phase is converting the lot north of the Commons into a public plaza with a massive shade structure. The plans mention/show "future retail" that I hope isn't too future, because one article references ASU wanting to bring in higher end retail and I think that'd be great to diversify downtown shopping options.

http://floorassociates.com/portfolios/college-avenue-urban-streetscape/
http://documents.tempe.gov/sirepub/cache/0/rc4h0c45ac0wanbg3izousns/1735882601302014095659759.PDF

Great find..I love the chinese evergreen elm they're using. That will look real good. I love that ASU diversifies the trees and plants. It makes campus look much nicer having some foreign trees than having a ccrap ton of palo verdes. Gives ASU some uniqueness.

[Tito714]

Also it looks like they finished the shade/solar structure over by Gammage, I have the pictures on my phone but don't know how to upload them on here. I really hope they don't leave the ground filled with gravel, it looks terrible.

[Spitfiredude]

Originally Posted by Tito714

Also it looks like they finished the shade/solar structure over by Gammage, I have the pictures on my phone but don't know how to upload them on here. I really hope they don't leave the ground filled with gravel, it looks terrible.

I upload them to my computer, put the image on facebook (where only I can see it), then right click and open image in new tab. You should be able to use that URL.

[HX_Guy]

This is super easy for hosting pictures: http://postimage.org

[combusean]

There's also imgur.com, which is very reliable.

[TempeSilverFox]

Hey guys!
I haven't posted in a while- was in India for a couple of months for work. Just wanted to thank everyone for the great information and posts you all have added! Things are sure interesting and active here in Tempe huh?
I went for a bike ride this morning around downtown and the Lake- wanted to share some pictures I took.

Here are some of Argo at Town Lake:







Looks like there will be a driveway off of Rio Salado Parkway to enter Argo:



Here are some pictures of the State Farm project:





I can't wait for Postinos to open in the old Art Annex building!



They are already working on it! (Postinos!)






I sure wish this cute little house at Forrest and Seventh Street could be re-purposed or used as part of an adaptive re-use project- like House of Tricks...





Aricheteckton's expansion looks GREAT!:

[PHX31]

Great pics, thanks! If I'm not mistaken, I think I read that the little white house is older than it looks and was at one time a Victorian, but was renovated in the 20s or 30s.

[Leo the Dog]

Originally Posted by PHX31

Great pics, thanks! If I'm not mistaken, I think I read that the little white house is older than it looks and was at one time a Victorian, but was renovated in the 20s or 30s.

What a gem!

[MegaBass]

Nice photos Spitfiredude and TempeSilverFox. University Towers and Fulton parking structures are going to be great vantage points as College Avenue Commons completes, Art Annex and streetscape go underway.

[MegaBass]

Originally Posted by TempeSilverFox

Hey guys!

I sure wish this cute little house at Forrest and Seventh Street could be re-purposed or used as part of an adaptive re-use project- like House of Tricks...

Harrington-Birchett House per Tempe

Built in 1895 and originally owned by J.W. Harrington, the house was acquired in 1904 by Mattie Birchett. Her son, Joseph T. Birchett, married Guess Eleanor Anderson that same year and, together with Mattie, the family occupied the house until around 1920. Joseph retired from the Birchett Brothers store, and his mother Mattie died in 1925. The house served briefly as a rental property until the 1930s, when it was re-occupied by Joseph and Guess Birchett. Joseph was the director of the Tempe National Bank, as well as mayor of Tempe from 1912 to 1914.

PERSONS

Guess Anderson Birchett was born in San Antonio, Texas on March 28, 1881 and arrived in Tempe in 1903; a year later, she married Joseph T. Birchett outside the Benjamin B. Moeur home. She began her studies in ornithology in 1940 and eventually obtained special licenses allowing her to care for birds at her home. She often shared her knowledge of birds in publications such as the Western Bird Banding Magazine, as well as local newspapers. From 1940 until 1970, the Harrington-Birchett House was designated an official federally-recognized bird sanctuary by the Fish & Wildlife Bureau. She also was an ardent public speaker and frequently shared her knowledge of birds with local students of all ages. She played a role in the founding of Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Gardens and served as a charter member of the Tempe Woman’s Club.

Known colloquially as the “bird-lady” among local residents, Guess was the sister of Honor Anderson Moeur, wife of Arizona Governor Benjamin B. Moeur. Her and Joseph purchased the former J.W. Harrington homestead that year because of its proximity to her sister’s home on 7th Street; thus, the two siblings were veritable neighbors throughout their lives. In 1971—the one hundredth anniversary of Tempe’s founding—Guess was named the Centennial Queen. She died in 1979 at the age of 98.

ARCHITECTURE

This house is an unusual example of remodeling during the historic period to transform a house’s stylist character completely. The Harrington-Birchett House was remodeled in 1931 from Victorian to Tudor Revival.

The house represents an excellent example of Period Revival styling. The core of the Harrington/Birchett house was built in 1895 as part of the J.W. Harrington homestead. The original house was a single-story brick Victorian cottage built by the Goodwin Brothers, whom Harrington commissioned to undertake construction. The building was remodeled in 1931 into a Period Revival style house with English Tudor qualities, including enclosure of the porches, as well as sheathing the brick with stucco.

Tempe Tourism site mentions the property is owned by ASU. Rehabilitation as offices is planned.

[PHX31]

/\ thanks!

[azsunsurfer]

I was having breakfast at Chompies this past Saturday morning and I noticed the lot to the east has already been fenced for that apartment complex. There was heavy equipment and everything on site already! It looks like this one should go pretty quick too.

[MegaBass]

College Avenue Commons from Fulton Garage (h/t ASU Business-Finance)

Was driving down Apache today Gracie's Village is almost done. Plus whatever is being built north of Mekong Plaza.