Phoenix Development News (3)

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by pbenjamin

??

McDowell and Central has had a building on it for a couple years now but it was an empty lot or vacant buildings for god knows how long before 2015

[Sunsfan87]

Preapp submitted for Central and Adams Hotel https://apps-secure.phoenix.gov/PDD/...ype=PlanReview

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by Sunsfan87

Preapp submitted for Central and Adams Hotel https://apps-secure.phoenix.gov/PDD/...ype=PlanReview

That’s the burger project. It would be awesome if this one got built. Fingers crossed

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by Sunsfan87

Preapp submitted for Central and Adams Hotel https://apps-secure.phoenix.gov/PDD/...ype=PlanReview

Nice!!! I loved the renderings for that project. It would be awesome if this was built.

[Obadno]

No idea U-haul was expanding its HQ, more good stuff for midtown.

https://azbigmedia.com/real-estate/c...ty-in-phoenix/

Above: U-Haul International is ready to break ground on a multi-million dollar conference and fitness center, which is set to be the showpiece of its ongoing campus expansion in Midtown Phoenix.
CONSTRUCTION | 11 minutes ago | AZRE
U-Haul International is ready to break ground on a multi-million-dollar conference and fitness center, which is set to be the showpiece of its ongoing campus expansion in Midtown Phoenix.

The two-story, state-of-the-art facility will be stationed along Roanoke Avenue between Central Avenue and 3rd Street, just east of the U-Haul corporate towers. It is scheduled for completion by December 2020.

U-Haul has been headquartered at 2727 N. Central Ave. since 1967 and employs more than 4,000 Arizonans.

“This project is an investment in our Team Members, an investment in our future, and an investment in the City of Phoenix,” U-Haul Chairman Joe Shoen stated.

CAREERS: SEARCH U-HAUL JOBS

The convenience of a 54,208-square-foot exercise complex on campus will make it easier for many Team Members to keep their ambitious New Year’s resolutions.

It will house the U-Haul recruiting department; wellness program team; a medical clinic; conference area; professional development rooms; locker rooms on both levels; a full-size basketball court; a two-lane track; cardio and weightlifting equipment; a spin studio; yoga and group fitness rooms; sports leagues; personal training; and functional training.

The groundbreaking ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. Tuesday. U-Haul leadership and Councilwoman Laura Pastor are set to attend.

The Dec. 10 event will coincide with a holiday version of the monthly Midtown Farmers Market hosted by U-Haul, with 20 local vendors serving lunch items and goods. There will be a spirit shop, games, a photo booth and more for Team Members to enjoy before and after the ceremony.

“This is an exciting piece of our expansion – one that directly addresses the needs and initiatives of our team,” added Jessica Lopez, U-Haul Chief of Staff. “The work space is needed to accommodate our growth. The workout component aligns with our Healthier U program, which empowers our Team Members to reach their peak wellness.”

The U-Haul Healthier U program was employed in late 2015 to address Team Member wellness across four scopes: health, mindset, nutrition and fitness. The program has incorporated: gym and personal trainer reimbursements; nicotine cessation assistance; registered dietitian plans; health fairs; farmers markets; healthy meals and vending on campus; an online health portal; U-Haul Active Day for group fitness events; and more.

In September, U-Haul added the “You Matter” program to address the mental health of Team Members and their households.

The U-Haul Conference and Fitness Center is the most ambitious piece to the wellness puzzle thus far, while reaffirming the company’s desire to recruit the best and brightest Arizona professionals to stay in-state.

“This is an attractive benefit to anyone who is career shopping. It will rival or exceed the best facilities that companies can offer their employees in Arizona,” said Latasha Causey, U-Haul Director of Recruiting. “This is like an early Christmas gift. It’s a great time to be part of the U-Haul family.”

Carhuff Cueva Architects, LLC is general contractor for the project. U-Haul is partnering with Premise Health® for its medical clinic.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by Obadno

No idea U-haul was expanding its HQ, more good stuff for midtown.

https://azbigmedia.com/real-estate/c...ty-in-phoenix/

Late again Obadno. I mentioned this about a year or so ago. Thanks for the update though

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

Late again Obadno. I mentioned this about a year or so ago. Thanks for the update though

Ah but this has a rendering and a groundbreaking announcement so at least it gave us some new info unlike my last report.


But if you know about this project what else does the expansion entail?

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by Obadno

Ah but this has a rendering and a groundbreaking announcement so at least it gave us some new info unlike my last report.

But if you know about this project what else does the expansion entail?

Just giving you fluff to continue Fawd's joke

But I think that's about it as far as I know. 2 story fitness center with medical clinic and wellness center. Unfortunately, it will only be for U-Haul employees. Too bad it's not an open fitness center for the public. Now that I think about it, I think it was nearly 2 years ago when I mentioned it? I'm surprised it's taken this long to break ground.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Not development per se, but potential development down the road, so posting here. The misconception about not enough parking is complete bunk. There is still too much parking Downtown and any new office building is sure to include more parking with a garage or podium.

Phoenix Wants New Office Buildings Downtown

By Christina Estes
Published: Monday, December 9, 2019 - 5:05am
Updated: Monday, December 9, 2019 - 9:34am

Construction in downtown Phoenix is bringing new apartments and hotels, but there’s a key development area that’s missing.

Downtown needs new office space, according to the city’s Economic Development director. Christine Mackay said in the last five years, the office vacancy rate has fallen from 30% to 10%, or about 1.3 million square feet of space.

“The product that’s left is kind of an older, obsolete product. It’s not a product that companies are looking for today,” she said.

Mackay told the city’s Workforce and Economic Development Subcommittee that her team is working on ways to encourage developers to build new office space. When a company considers downtown and then chooses another location, Mackay said they ask why.

“The biggest thing that we found is the fear of lack of available parking, the lack of available floor space, but then the misperception about our workforce and the affordability of being able to be in the market,” she said.

She said her research department has analyzed data that shows a robust workforce, and they’re sharing that information with brokers and others involved in choosing locations.

Source: https://kjzz.org/content/1344221/pho...dings-downtown

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

Not development per se, but potential development down the road, so posting here. The misconception about not enough parking is complete bunk. There is still too much parking Downtown and any new office building is sure to include more parking with a garage or podium.



Source: https://kjzz.org/content/1344221/pho...dings-downtown

Yeah I think thats crazy ive never had a problem with parking downtown and it does not sound like Quicken has had any issues with its employees.

[pbenjamin]

Originally Posted by Obadno

McDowell and Central has had a building on it for a couple years now but it was an empty lot or vacant buildings for god knows how long before 2015

You lost me when you said "still are vacant".

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by Obadno

No idea U-haul was expanding its HQ, more good stuff for midtown.

https://azbigmedia.com/real-estate/c...ty-in-phoenix/

More on the U-Haul expansion. Apparently a 5 -story "mobility center" is also in the works. No mention on the exact location of the 5-story building.

U-Haul plans further Phoenix campus expansion, starts work on fitness center

U-Haul International Inc. is beginning construction on a new fitness complex and conference center as a part of a midtown Phoenix campus expansion.

The new 54,208-square-foot building will include the company’s recruiting department, wellness program team, medical clinic, basketball court, two-lane track, cardio and weights equipment, sports leagues and fitness classes. The building, directly south of the company’s headquarters on Central and Roanoke avenues, is scheduled to open in December 2020.

“If we take care of our team, we take care of our customers,” said Jessica Lopez, chief of staff for U-Haul. “We listen here to what our team members’ needs are, and this will be another wonderful asset here.”

Lopez said applicants for new jobs will see the new building first, because it will house the recruitment department, so potential new hires will see the amenities U-Haul has to offer.

Overall campus expansion plans have been in the works for years, Lopez said. The company bought the land for the gym and conference facility, which will be directly east of the company’s headquarters, three years ago. Chasse Building Team is the project's general contractor, and Carhuff Cueva Architects is the architect. The building will cost more than $10 million to develop.

According to real estate database Vizzda, Amerco Real Estate, the parent company of U-Haul, closed on the 2.75-acre parking lot directly south of the U-Haul towers for $7 million at the end of November. The company previously bought the two office buildings behind the towers, which has provided more office space for the company’s growing employee base.

As another piece of the campus expansion, Lopez told the Business Journal U-Haul plans to open a “smart mobility center” at the midtown campus, which will be five-stories tall and include storage, electric vehicle charging, car share, truck rental and other services.

The company has five other smart mobility centers open around the country, but the Phoenix center will be the flagship, Lopez said. That center is about two years from opening.

Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...expansion.html

[Obadno]

I think its all going in parking lots behind the existing towers along Roanoke

[ASU Diablo]

Some quick tidbits from The Urban Phoenix Project newsletter that just hit my inbox.

• Their appeal of the variances True North is seeking for their 7-story parking garage will be heard on Jan 9th
• Also, looks like the RAA is appealing True North's proposed alley abandonment for the new tower mentioned a couple of pages back (site of the former McKinley Club)

[azsunsurfer]

More should be in the Scottsdale sub but I am guessing this won't help with Downtown Phoenix's need for more office space....

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...roject-on.html

I guess they have the advantage that they don't saddle their developers with high property taxes..although I don't know how collecting property tax works on Tribal land, I assume they have an advantage?

[PHX31]

A few items from driving around downtown/midtown Phoenix before and after a meeting:

1. the sign at The Stewart/Snooze doesn't look as bad as I thought. It appears it will at least be lit with neon or fake neon. Still not as good as if they restored it back to the original sign and got it rotating again. Check out what it once was: https://youtu.be/JWLqOTgp-U0?t=551 Can't tell me that wouldn't be the most incredible thing in DT Phoenix if that was restored to its original glory.

2. The elevator core for X is up to about the 5th or 6th floor.

3. A little under the radar but almost nearly as awesome as the fact that Barro's Pizza will be going into that building at Central/Virginia - they took down that horrendous billboard that was blocking half of the old building. It always annoyed me that the it hid a pretty cool historic little building in an area that has lost most of them. Luckily this one is gone! I'd love to what deal was made to get it removed.
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4766...7i16384!8i8192

I always thought billboards had easements on property and stay in perpetuity. It's like when central Phoenix met its demise in the 70s-90s, billboards were the only way to get some money, that's why there are so many of them.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by PHX31

A few items from driving around downtown/midtown Phoenix before and after a meeting:

1. the sign at The Stewart/Snooze doesn't look as bad as I thought. It appears it will at least be lit with neon or fake neon. Still not as good as if they restored it back to the original sign and got it rotating again. Check out what it once was: https://youtu.be/JWLqOTgp-U0?t=551 Can't tell me that wouldn't be the most incredible thing in DT Phoenix if that was restored to its original glory.

Thanks for posting the vid. That sign was fantastic looking!

Originally Posted by PHX31

3. A little under the radar but almost nearly as awesome as the fact that Barro's Pizza will be going into that building at Central/Virginia - they took down that horrendous billboard that was blocking half of the old building. It always annoyed me that the it hid a pretty cool historic little building in an area that has lost most of them. Luckily this one is gone! I'd love to what deal was made to get it removed.
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4766...7i16384!8i8192

I always thought billboards had easements on property and stay in perpetuity. It's like when central Phoenix met its demise in the 70s-90s, billboards were the only way to get some money, that's why there are so many of them.

I've always hated that billboard. Thank god they took it down!

[PHX31]

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

Thanks for posting the vid. That sign was fantastic looking!



I've always hated that billboard. Thank god they took it down!

https://youtu.be/JWLqOTgp-U0?t=386

I'm pretty certain the original "Studebaker" and "Stewart Motor Company" sign panels (likely in porcelain) are still there under all the other signs, even under the old Circles skin. It looked like it was thicker than it would have originally been, and there would have been no reason to take it down when Circles came in, just plaster it over the top. Maybe someday we'll see it again.

EDIT:

Last thing on this sign. It looks like there used to be a bird attached to the sign. What is that?
https://youtu.be/JWLqOTgp-U0?t=1060

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by PHX31

https://youtu.be/JWLqOTgp-U0?t=386

I'm pretty certain the original "Studebaker" and "Stewart Motor Company" sign panels (likely in porcelain) are still there under all the other signs, even under the old Circles skin.

Man, wouldn't that be cool if they could have got the rotating floor working. Eating at Snooze would be so much fun with the floor rotating!

[PHX31]

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

Man, wouldn't that be cool if they could have got the rotating floor working. Eating at Snooze would be so much fun with the floor rotating!

They didn't? I thought that was another thing they were going to do.

Just another example of Phoenix and Phoenix developers not being all in for awesomeness. Just OK will do just fine.