Tempe Development Thread

[TempeSilverFox]

I just went to my first spin class at the new Tempe Madison on Farmer! If you're in to spin, you MUST check it out! The "Party on a Bike" studio is bad ass!!! The sound system is incredible and the lights are really energizing! The time flew by and I feel great! I live just to the west on First Street so I rode my bike over and back too.
I forget the name of the breakfast place that they said is coming next door - maybe it was "Over Easy?" I can't remember...
Here is a link to the Tempe Madison's website!

http://themadisonvibe.com/

[nickw252]

The apartments to the west of Marina Heights are progressing. You can see in the Marina Heights Construction Cam that they have dug out for the foundation.

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by nickw252

The apartments to the west of Marina Heights are progressing. You can see in the Marina Heights Construction Cam that they have dug out for the foundation.

I noticed that as well. Damn the height, but good for more population along Rio, should benefit the area with new residents. At least it's finally moving forward.

Do you think they will use a tower crane?

[Classical in Phoenix]

They will hopefully help with non-office hour ridership once the streetcar project is up and running.

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by Classical in Phoenix

They will hopefully help with non-office hour ridership once the streetcar project is up and running.

Speaking of which, any update on this at all?

[MegaBass]

Tempe expanding opportunities for biking and walking along Rio Salado Pathways

A handful of path projects in Tempe and neighboring cities will expand opportunities for people to bike, walk and run along the Rio Salado, connecting Tempe Town Lake, major recreation and entertainment centers, and previously inaccessible riparian habitat areas. As part of Tempe’s commitment to building one of the best bicycle and pedestrian systems in the country, the city will add more than two miles of shared use pathway along the banks of the Rio Salado along with two underpasses – one beneath Priest Drive and one beneath the 101-202 interchange – over the next several months.

On the west end of Tempe’s Rio Salado pathway system, a new 1-mile section of pathway is set to open in early 2015 along the south bank from Priest Drive to State Route 143 at the Tempe-Phoenix border. The scenic path, which runs atop the river levee, is a 10-foot wide concrete surface that will include the iconic, artist-designed Rio Salado light poles and a safety railing. In addition, Tempe will begin construction in early 2016 on a bicycle and pedestrian underpass beneath Priest Drive, connecting sections of shared-use pathway on both sides of the street.

On the east end, the city and the Arizona Department of Transportation began work in mid-October on a 1.25-mile section of pathway extending from the city’s east border with Mesa to McClintock Drive, where it will connect with four miles of existing path that runs along the Rio Salado and Tempe Town Lake. The Rio Salado East Shared Use Path is being built along the top and in the side of the river levee, with views into the riparian areas in the river channel bed.

“This is one of the most beautiful riparian areas in the entire state,” said Maureen DeCindis, transportation planner with the Maricopa Association of Governments. “Completion of this path will provide non-motorized access to this previously inaccessible habitat that’s so rich with plants and wildlife.” DeCindis, who is also a long-time Tempe resident and avid bicyclist, has been advocating for the project for several years.

The east pathway will connect Tempe Marketplace and Mesa Riverview, two of the East Valley’s strongest retail and activity centers. The project includes a 10-foot wide concrete path, art elements, lighting and safety railings, as well as an underpass beneath the 101-202 interchange. The City of Mesa plans to begin work next year to extend the path further east to Dobson Road, providing access to Wrigleyville West, the Chicago Cubs training facility set to open in spring 2015.

Total cost for Tempe’s new pathway sections and underpasses is approximately $4.5 million, with the vast majority of the funding coming from federal grants. For more information, visit www.tempe.gov/bike.

Any word on the progress of The Grand (1010 Lemon)?

[MegaBass]

[IMG]http://media.bizj.us/view/img/4194161/screen-shot-2014-10-28-at-124250-pm*600xx1348-900-308-0.png[/IMG]

DriveTime corporate HQ heads to Tempe

The new corporate headquarters for DriveTime Automotive Group will be the third of five Class A office buildings in Liberty Center at Rio Salado.
The deal for a build-to-suit 96,000-square-foot office means construction will start before the end of the year. When completed next November, DriveTime plans to hire 300 new employees, bringing its headquarters Arizona workforce to more than 550. Christopher Piper, marketing communications manager at DriveTime says the company has around 1,550 employees in Arizona.
Two other buildings were already developed in the business center with Salt River frontage west of the new Tempe Town Lake dam. The 1.2 million square foot office park has one completed office building, a second under construction and a planned industrial/flex building at Priest Drive and Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe.
The new building will be designed and built to U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program Silver certification standards. Its features include 16-foot open ceilings, an atrium lobby, LED lighting and six parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of leasable area.
In meeting LEED standards, 20 percent of the building's materials will come from recycled content – including concrete, steel, aluminum and drywall. A November 2015 completion date is proposed.
DriveTime has a Mesa Operations Center with 900 employees, six dealerships across the state and a Phoenix-based inspection center.
The architect for the building is Butler Design Group, the interior architect is Phoenix Design One and the general contractor is Wespac Construction. Fred Darche of Lee & Associates and Tom Adelson of CBRE represented DriveTime and Brad Anderson and Mike Strittmatter of CBRE represented Liberty in the transaction.

[PHXFlyer11]

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/...is-to-bejoined-by-200m-mixed.html?page=2

As I said before, this looks to be the most real of many of proposed projects. This would be a great addition, although I don't think we were fans of the initial renderings. I'm sure the final product will be first class. IDK why he says Third Avenue instead of Third Street in the article....

Shouldn't we be hearing something on USAplace? I really hope they break ground on schedule in Dec then we have this Monti's project starting in Summer next year.

[Jjs5056]

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer11

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/...is-to-bejoined-by-200m-mixed.html?page=2

As I said before, this looks to be the most real of many of proposed projects. This would be a great addition, although I don't think we were fans of the initial renderings. I'm sure the final product will be first class. IDK why he says Third Avenue instead of Third Street in the article....

Shouldn't we be hearing something on USAplace? I really hope they break ground on schedule in Dec then we have this Monti's project starting in Summer next year.

USAPlace changes stories every time; we'll see.

As for Monti's, yes - this should be the real deal, given the low vacancy rate, interest in the office space already, and the Kimpton name signed on for the hotel.

I can't say I'm a fan of the design. It's integrated well in terms of meeting the street and connecting to the light rail, providing retail, etc. But, those are some deep buildings; it's going to create a massive wall of glass from the 202 and bridge, and the front facades look like OCPE, IMO. Could be a lot more imaginative.

I am also suprised to keep seeing hotel and residential towers designed so boxy in AZ; elsewhere in the country, tall and thin is the new trend and it would be nice to see something sleek like that developed at some point.

Overall, a nice endcap to the skyline, great linkage between the lake and central portion of Mill, and another sign that Tempe is more than a college town with the addition of a Kimpton brand.

[azsunsurfer]

Montis looks nice as it is! Great addition to that part of Mill....now if only the Mill could be redeveloped along with the Mission Palms redevelopment....

One of the developers of USA Place passed away recently, not sure how this will effect the project?

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

One of the developers of USA Place passed away recently, not sure how this will effect the project?

When was this? I didn't hear about it anywhere....

I see they added a rendering to the Monti's article! looks awesome!

[Jjs5056]

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

Montis looks nice as it is! Great addition to that part of Mill....now if only the Mill could be redeveloped along with the Mission Palms redevelopment....

One of the developers of USA Place passed away recently, not sure how this will effect the project?

I agree that the Mill has to be developed next. I am sure the city is thinking the same. I wonder what the odds are of the Palms ever doing anything on their lot? Think they'd ever at least sell off a portion?

Don't you think the Monti's buildings are awfully imposing from the north? I like the contrast between the glass and the podium, and the main facades. I just wish they were thinner and sleeker. But, it's a definite win overall.

EDIT: Sorry, my perspective was jacked up. I didn't realize we WERE looking at them from the north. Much better.

[azsunsurfer]

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2014/10/23/real-estate-developer-jeff-arnold-dies.html

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2014/10/23/real-estate-developer-jeff-arnold-dies.html

Wow. Sad. For some reason I recall seeing the wife's name mentioned more in the articles on USAplace. Not sure if she was driving it more or was just more of the external facing person.

[Spitfiredude]

Those two buildings are pretty well designed. The design of the Kimpton hotel looks kind of like the Westin in DT Phoenix. As far as the USA Place developer situation, it is unfortunate. However, with all due respect...this may give some motivation to get the project completed...sort of leaving that legacy.

[nickw252]

The corner of Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway across from the Tempe Town Lake park is getting a new tower.

Hayden House Tempe LLC, closed on a 2.5-acre parcel on the southwest corner to preserve the Hayden House – home of Monti's La Casa Vieja – and integrate an edgy, mixed use urban development.

The partners paid $16.9 million for the land, which is a square foot cost pegged at near peak levels for the first time since the recession.

The 280,000-square-foot Class A office and 274-key hotel will break ground in mid-2015 by veteran mixed use developer Douglas Wilson Companies. The development includes 17,000 square feet of complementary restaurants and retail space.

The twin towers will rise from a combined pedestal with the 16-story Kimpton Hotel – owners of the trendy Palomar Hotel at CityScape in Downtown Phoenix – on Mill Avenue and the 15-story office building set between the hotel and former U.S. Airways headquarters building on Rio Salado Parkway. The pedestal includes combined amenities for use of both tenants and hotel guests. A walkway to the Third Avenue light rail station is part of the development.

"This is the front door to Tempe. We saw a challenge and opportunity," said Wilson Chairman and CEO Douglas Wilson. "We came into the project knowing that we could meet Tempe's desire to preserve the historic Hayden House and see a unique, mixed use development."

"Downtown Tempe and Tempe Town Lake are exciting places to be right now, with many developments under construction and proposed," said Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell. "The intersection of Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway is a key place in our downtown because it connects the vibrancy of Town Lake to the busy atmosphere of Mill Avenue."

Wilson said that the historic nature of the property, the Hayden family's original homestead on the banks of the Salt River, provided a unique chance to do something very special.
Wilson Cos. has developed similar projects, including preservation of a historic Fox Theater in San Diego as part of its Symphony Towers project. The company brought in its long-time design firm, Denver-based Shear Adkins Rockmore Architects, together with general contractor Hensel-Phelps. Phelps is also one of the investor partners in the project.

"Tempe is about the hottest submarket," said Cassidy Turley broker Brent Moser, executive managing director, and leader of the broker team on the project. "Its vacancy rate, depending on who you talk to, is between 3 and 5 percent. That's down from 25 percent just 18 months ago."

The currently unnamed development is a speculative office project, but there is significant interest.

"We have tenants interested in taking nearly half the office building," said Douglas.

The hardest part of the deal, said Moser, was bringing buyer and seller together at a near-peak price for the land.

With the mid-2015 groundbreaking, the construction on the development will be completed by 2017.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/...-to-bejoined-by-200m-mixed.html?page=all

[HX_Guy]

Damn you Tempe!

[azsunsurfer]

http://www.brewaz.com/content/index_stor...e_num=XX&issue_num=43&issue_date=October 31, 2014

Boom.

[dtnphx]

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

http://www.brewaz.com/content/index_stor...e_num=XX&issue_num=43&issue_date=October 31, 2014

Boom.

Great to see the development, but GODDA**IT, why do they all have to look EXACTLY the same. Efficient, but damn boring. This has got to be the 10th or more rendering of projects that look like they all drawn by not the same company but the same person with the same pen!

[exit2lef]

I'm detecting a lot of hand-wringing from friends in historic preservation circles over the Hayden House / Monti's plan, but I see it as a sign of success when the air rights over historic structures become valuable.