Phoenix Development News (3)

[nickw252]

There's a permit to demolish the 2 floor apartment building for the Union on Roosevelt:

[floc34]

The New York-style deli is based in Los Angeles, but will open its first Arizona location on the first level of the Collier Center in downtown Phoenix at the corner of Washington and Second streets.

Founded by Tommy Cassella, a former Valley resident, Tommy Pastrami features a line of overstuffed sandwiches, as well as hot dogs, chili, soups and salads.

Cassella started his deli in 2005 and operates two stores in the Los Angeles area. The Phoenix restaurant will be the company’s third. The approximately 1,700-square-foot deli also will serve as the burgeoning chain’s regional training center for eventual franchise and additional company-owned locations, said Don Pijut, who leads franchise development for Tommy Pastrami.

“Tommy wanted to get back to Phoenix and this is a great way to do it,” Pijut said.

With a daytime population in excess of 65,000, Pijut said it made sense to debut in downtown Phoenix.

“The awareness will be a lot greater in downtown than if we put it out in Goodyear where it’s kind of isolated,” he said. “Everybody has a reason to go downtown at some point.”

Tommy Pastrami will employ between 10 and 15, Pijut said, and is slated to open in late June or early July.

Word of the new deli comes only weeks after Paradise Bakery closed its doors at the Collier Center.

The Collier Center is in the midst of a renovation spearheaded by RED Development.

“We are pleased to be working with the Collier Center’s owner to refine the building’s amenities and shape a new merchandise mix,” said Mike Ebert, Managing Partner for RED Development. “We are looking forward to bringing some of the same energy we’ve established at CityScape to Collier Center.”

RED declined to share the cost for Collier Center upgrades.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/blog/...bizj_national+(Bizjournals+National+Feed)

[floc34]

Say “DuPont Circle,” and most think of the famous roundabout in Washington, D.C. A street by the same name surrounds an undeveloped lot inside the block between the Hohokam Expressway and Washington, Van Buren and 44th streets. Trillium Residential LLC plans to fill that space with a 297-unit, $40M apartment complex.

The residential complex will be the residential component of Washington Park complex, a mix of offices, the Airport Aloft Hotel, McDonalds and a pair of convenience stores. Trillium 44 will have nine 4-story buildings and a four-level parking garage. The project was designed by MVE & Partners and will be built by Summit dck LLC.

A spokesperson for Trillium said that the company is awaiting HUD approvals, and plans to start construction shortly thereafter—hopefully in the second quarter. With the spring groundbreaking, the first units will be ready for leasing in third or fourth quarter 2015.

Summit pulled five permits from Phoenix for residential buildings 1, 3, 4, 8 and 9, and the $14.9M, 458-space, four-story parking garage. The 193 units in the first phase are in buildings of 40 to 45 units, and the main building including the leasing office, fitness center and 24 units.


http://azbex.com/trillium-to-build-40m-297-unit-apartment-at-washington-park/

[nickw252]

Originally Posted by floc34

Say “DuPont Circle,” and most think of the famous roundabout in Washington, D.C. A street by the same name surrounds an undeveloped lot inside the block between the Hohokam Expressway and Washington, Van Buren and 44th streets. Trillium Residential LLC plans to fill that space with a 297-unit, $40M apartment complex.

The residential complex will be the residential component of Washington Park complex, a mix of offices, the Airport Aloft Hotel, McDonalds and a pair of convenience stores. Trillium 44 will have nine 4-story buildings and a four-level parking garage. The project was designed by MVE & Partners and will be built by Summit dck LLC.

A spokesperson for Trillium said that the company is awaiting HUD approvals, and plans to start construction shortly thereafter—hopefully in the second quarter. With the spring groundbreaking, the first units will be ready for leasing in third or fourth quarter 2015.

Summit pulled five permits from Phoenix for residential buildings 1, 3, 4, 8 and 9, and the $14.9M, 458-space, four-story parking garage. The 193 units in the first phase are in buildings of 40 to 45 units, and the main building including the leasing office, fitness center and 24 units.


http://azbex.com/trillium-to-build-40m-297-unit-apartment-at-washington-park/

It's nice to see that area filling in given that it's right by a metro station but unfortunately the area has little hope of being a nice mixed use and urban area. It's full of nothing but suburban style office parks and hotels.

[PHX31]

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/loca...town-phoenix-super-bowl-central/6571009/

I REALLY hope Hotel Monroe gets done.

[nickw252]

Downtown Phoenix will be a major hub for Super Bowl XLIX activities next year.

The Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee and Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton announced today the downtown area will be home to Super Bowl Central, featuring concerts, street fairs, beer and wine gardens and family activities. The events will cover 12 city blocks and could attract as many as one million visitors.

“We are thrilled to be providing extensive and engaging events and activities that will showcase the energetic and vibrant culture of Arizona to fans, sponsors and media alike,” said David Rousseau, chairman of the Arizona Super Bowl group.

The National Football League will be based out of the Hyatt Regency Phoenix and 5,000 members of the media will based at the Phoenix Convention Center. NBC and the NFL Network will also have broadcast headquarters downtown.

The NFL will also have VIP hospitality events at the Cityscape development downtown.

Super Bowl XLIX will be played at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, 15 miles west of downtown Phoenix.

The Valley’s bid to grab the Super Bowl touted more events downtown as well as utilizing the Metro light rail system.

Arizona Cardinals President Michael Bidwill voiced frustration last month with the city of Glendale and hotels near UOP Stadium. Some of those hotels had not yet blocked off rooms for big game.

Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers and other city officials want regional or state financial help for security for the game. Weiers said earlier this month it could cost Glendale as much as $3 million in security costs for the game. It cost Glendale $2 million when UOP Stadium hosted the Super Bowl in 2008.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/...x-not-glendale-will-be-epicenter-of.html

[PhxER]

Here's a sneak peak of what the super bowl activities could look like downtown.

• Video Link

[ASUSunDevil]

Interesting article. Hopefully we see a new office tower Downtown (preferably east of CityScape) soon.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/...skyline-is-growing-emptier.html?page=all

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by ASUSunDevil

Interesting article. Hopefully we see a new office tower Downtown (preferably east of CityScape) soon.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/...skyline-is-growing-emptier.html?page=all

This story seems simplistic in its conclusion that buildings with less parking are less desirable. Of course, the reporter completely ignored the offsetting factor of both Midtown and Downtown being near light rail and major bus routes. That's disappointing but not surprising given that she's ranted on Twitter about not liking restaurants that use mandatory valet as a way of making due with small parking lots. A better article would have looked at the total picture of rent, parking, transportation, and walkability. My guess is that Midtown is less desirable than Downtown because there is less in terms of clients, restaurants, etc. within walking distance of any given tower in a linear skyline.

[combusean]

Transit and walkability can't be more than 10% in midtown--even with light rail access. That doesn't make a dent into towers that have half the parking they need.

[ASUSunDevil]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

This story seems simplistic in its conclusion that buildings with less parking are less desirable. Of course, the reporter completely ignored the offsetting factor of both Midtown and Downtown being near light rail and major bus routes. That's disappointing but not surprising given that she's ranted on Twitter about not liking restaurants that use mandatory valet as a way of making due with small parking lots. A better article would have looked at the total picture of rent, parking, transportation, and walkability. My guess is that Midtown is less desirable than Downtown because there is less in terms of clients, restaurants, etc. within walking distance of any given tower in a linear skyline.

The first paragraph of that article is about as misleading as it gets. Beyond that, I thought there was some interesting information.

My point was mainly referencing the Collier's lot that has been considered for an office tower and the statement that "downtown’s empty space fell slightly to 15.6 percent — one of the lowest in the Valley. Bonnell said 16 percent vacancy or lower is considered healthy for most submarkets, and that’s when new construction starts to get discussed."

[Jjs5056]

Originally Posted by BLeagues

There's a group proposing to build a 70 some unit condo development on North Central between the Artisan Lofts on Central condominium complex and the Spaghetti Factory restaurant.

I was able to see some preliminary drawings. But could not take any pictures of the planned development. Its a five story building with the bottom floor being the parking garage. A courtyard (above the parking garage) will face the current courtyard of the Artisan Lofts community. The parking and homeowner entrance of the building will be off of Central ave. Their will be one and two bedroom units with a price range starting around $175k going to the upper $300's.

The developers, from Chile, (I forget their name) hope to begin construction before the end of 2014.

The group has been to city hall with their proposal already.

That's great news. That lot is a huge hole breaking the connection between downtown and midtown so it'll be nice to see it filled; it's also very close to Hance Park, and the more density, the better. Curious to see this ground level. Surely, a lobby/leasing would take most of the space, not the garage itself?

Speaking of midtown, any news on:

1. McDowell and Central
2. Central and Virginia: this lot is fenced with a sign re: a zoning meeting but I can't find details.

Midtown is picking up steam- love the new 'Mod' restaurant added onto Thomas and Central. Midtown would be a totally different place if every tower made that effort to addressed Central. Hopefully, some 5-story infill hits the northern of downtown soon.

[HooverDam]

Originally Posted by Jjs5056

Midtown is picking up steam- love the new 'Mod' restaurant added onto Thomas and Central. Midtown would be a totally different place if every tower made that effort to addressed Central. Hopefully, some 5-story infill hits the northern of downtown soon.

Note: Mod isn't a restaurant. It has a small coffee bar, but we went in and checked it out. Its a pay by the hour/day/month co-working kind of space.

[bwaynoh]

I noticed some of the scaffolding was taken down at the Arizona Center along 3rd St this weekend. No drastic changes. It appears the stucco was redone and painted. I know they have also been working on all the flagstone walkways (which are looking way better) in addition to the landscaping and fixing a lot of the lighting. From what I've heard, they are basically refreshing the property by fixing up items such as the landscaping, lighting, plumbing, stucco, paint, etc.

[Jjs5056]

Yes, just drove by yesterday to see what was going on. The photos turned out horrible, unfortunately, but aside from a better paint job, they did extend the corner bakery's patio out to the sidewalk and cut through the wall to run it south on 3rd a bit more than before. They're doing the same to Hooter's at the other end, so that the outdoor seating isn't obstructed by the columns and is much larger.

There was still scaffolding up in the center of 3rd by the loading dock pull-ins, so I was hoping they might have been doing some interesting signage at the least, if not somehow engineering doors for Subway and Cafe Roma at best.

The other area still under construction was the office space next to AMC, but that's probably uneventful modifications for ASU's lease.

Overall - looks better and I'm glad they went one step further than just paint by doing actual construction to extend the patios. Those will do at least a bit to help lessen the dead space along 3rd and make each entry more inviting. But, that dead space is still there and that, along with the disastrous way it addresses Fillmore, will continue to be wasted opportunities for visibility and attraction to what is a really nice looking place to shop and eat downtown.

[HooverDam]

If you didn't go to the ReInvent PHX launch last night you missed a cool event. I highly recommend everyone who posts here go check out the ongoing 2 week charrette, its VERY IMPORTANT.

Here's the schedule.

The meetings in the day are a bit more technical. The events in the evening are meant for a more general audience. The design team will be there all day during the week and you can stop in at any time to give feedback, look at what they're working on, et cetera.

Please make it out to these meetings, thanks

[PHX31]

/\Where are the meetings? I don't see an exact location.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by PHX31

/\Where are the meetings? I don't see an exact location.

Rotunda of the Phoenix Financial Center, northeast corner of Central & Osborn.

[dtnphx]

Hoover, is this the March 24th announcement you mentioned a bit back?

Interest in Phoenix warehouse district rises
Eugene Scott, The Republic | azcentral.com

In the past six months, interest in Phoenix's Warehouse District along downtown's southern edge appears to be growing.

The Pressroom, an event and concert venue capable of hosting more than 1,000 people, opened last month. Mars Hill Church, a Seattle-area megachurch, launched its Phoenix campus with more than 700 people in the Bentley Projects, an art gallery and event space, a month earlier. And the City Council recently approved zoning for the Ball Park Apartments, a 276-unit community.

Mayor Greg Stanton mentioned the area last week in his State of the City address.

"We're finding new, productive uses for older buildings by waiving fees and adjusting permit policies," he said. "Adaptive reuse projects are taking off, (like) the Warehouse District, where Arizona State University's Herberger Institute of Design has given new life to the community."

But some say the city has not done enough to preserve older buildings and that the city, which is facing a nearly $38 million budget shortfall, is too quick to support projects that will destroy the few remaining such structures.

"It's a complicated problem. In fairness to the city, they are underfunded, but somehow they are able to pull money out of their (behinds) when they need to," said Michael Levine, who has renovated several downtown warehouses. "No more demolition, no more excuses."

Phoenix's Warehouse District

ASU art student A.J. Nafziger carries a painting in front of the School of Art in Phoenix's Warehouse District, 605 E. Grant St.(Photo: Mark Henle/The Republic)

The warehouses were constructed along rail lines in Phoenix's early days, when supplies and merchandise arrived by railroad.

The area known as the Warehouse District generally spans just south of the downtown core from Seventh Street to Seventh Avenue and Grant to Jefferson streets.

The Warehouse Character Area is much larger area that weaves in and out of the section immediately south of the downtown core. It is sometimes as far north as Madison Street and as far south as Hadley Street and goes from Seventh Street to Seventh Avenue, according to acting Planning and Development Department Director Alan Stephenson,

Fewer than 60 historical buildings remain in the character area, Levine said. Dozens of them have been torn down over the past three decades to make room for condominiums, US Airways Center and parking lots, he said.

"I'm trying to save Phoenix from itself," Levine said. "You can't have historic preservation if there's no buildings left to save. It's black and white. The buildings have to be saved."

City leaders have recently prioritized urban revitalization projects in some of downtown's more high-profile areas, including adding bike lanes, planting more trees and installing more public art.

"Compared with the rest of the city that needs beautification, there's way too much focus on the downtown core to begin with," Levine said.

Comparable projects aren't needed near the warehouses, Levine said. He simply wants to see the buildings protected and not sold to the first developer with the biggest check.

"I'm not asking for any streetscaping — just stop the demolition," he said. "The buildings will outlast any of the bad landscaping and streetscaping the city can do. That, I'm confident in."

But preserving the Warehouse District's privately owned buildings is not necessarily easy for the city, said Jennifer Boucek, director of the non-profit Preserve Phoenix.

Voters passed Proposition 207 in 2006, which supporters say prevents cities from taking private property for third-party private development merely to increase tax revenue and requires cities to justly compensate property owners when government regulation devalues private property.

But preservationists say the proposition has paralyzed cities, preventing them from taking private property for historically preservation out of fear of lawsuits by property owners claiming that eminent domain has devalued their property.

"If you look at how interested people are in historic preservation, I think many would be surprised to know that they voted in something that makes it almost impossible for the city to protect its heritage," Boucek said.

There are privately owned warehouses now eligible for preservation that the city likely will not try to save, Boucek said.

"With the Warehouse District, it is a great shame that Phoenix did not act more aggressively in the years before Proposition 207 was enacted," she said. "Because development of that district could have been so beneficial for the overall development of downtown."

Other neighborhoods in and bordering the downtown core, such as Evans Churchill and Grand Avenue, have been more successful in preserving their buildings because residents and property owners united to mobilize their efforts at City Hall, Levine said.

The various property owners in the Warehouse District often seem to work against one another, Boucek said.

"I don't know why a group hasn't come together in that district," she said. "It may be because a lot of the people who purchase there are just land speculators who are waiting for the day to do something more lucrative with the property."

Levine said it's hard to come together when different people have different interests. While some of his peers say they want to preserve buildings, others would allow them to be demolished for the right price.

He hopes the area's successes help decision makers see the economic value in preserving the district's buildings.

"You just have to hit people over the head time and time again," Levine said. "The buildings are always worth more standing than they are in a pile of rubble."

Ryan Welsh, lead pastor of Mars Hill Phoenix, said his church originally opened in the Warehouse District to be close to downtown but has since come to see its intrinsic value.

"We really love it," he said "And we're very open to the possibility of buying something down there long-term now that we're there."

[HooverDam]

[QUOTE=dtnphx;6511543]Hoover, is this the March 24th announcement you mentioned a bit back?

No, like I said, the public roll out of that is being pushed back. I'm not sure until when, that's TBD. Gotta get a lot of big Valley stakeholders on board first.