Phoenix Development News (3)

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

I appreciate that Quiktrip has a culture that they take pride in their stores, although I know some "inner-city" locations are less than stellar -that's a result of the demographics of the area and not the company itself. The employees are always working to keep the place clean and always are nice. Much better than those disgusting Circle Ks.

I know a QT store manager, and I agree that the culture encourages clean, well-maintained stores. I just wish they’d accept contactless payments (e.g. Apple Pay) at the gas pumps — not just for convenience, but because it’s one less surface to touch. Circle K accepts contactless at some locations, but only if the pumps have recently been upgraded.

[azsunsurfer]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

I know a QT store manager, and I agree that the culture encourages clean, well-maintained stores. I just wish they’d accept contactless payments (e.g. Apple Pay) at the gas pumps — not just for convenience, but because it’s one less surface to touch. Circle K accepts contactless at some locations, but only if the pumps have recently been upgraded.

Agreed! I went in one day and had left my wallet in the car and I asked if they accepted Apple Pay and they didn't. Get with the times!

[biggus diggus]

Originally Posted by gymratmanaz

Costco colors have BLUE and QT are RED....... there, political now. LOL.

well done. Maybe the do nothing costcocrats will wake up some day.

[azsunsurfer]

Originally Posted by biggus diggus

well done. Maybe the do nothing costcocrats will wake up some day.

lol

[gymratmanaz]

We did it!!! What can we politicize unnecessarily next? LOL

[Code5]

I miss when this chat was about cool highrise concepts and stuff getting built, now it's all politics and sadness!

That was a joke....

[gymratmanaz]

I am still amazed and thrilled with the progress and continued announcements of construction during these times. DAMN!!!!!!!!

[Jjs5056]

I can't believe anyone could ever see Goodwill moving into the stunning DeSoto as a good thing. That building was redeveloped in the same era as the teardowns of the Madison and St. James and other atrocities. With none of the current residential units open, it pulled enough business to survive for some time with multiple rooms of local eateries, drinking options, a mezzanine with loads of potential... the fact that an obvious surface lot was used instead for a patio was something unconceivable back then.

A nightclub would have been a baby step backward; it's sad how many amazing historic structures in the WH District are only viewed from 9-5 by office employees. The Market brought so many different people inside for so many reasons, and then held events to foster a sense of community. It never fulfilled its original promise of bringing florists, butchers, etc. inside, but everyone is salivating over Fry's and its concrete wall frontage, so that would have failed anyway.

A club would still bring people inside a historic site, add nightlife close to other late-night activity, built a cluster with other clubs (old Amsterdam strip), added dance/music to an arts area, etc. It made sense. But, a Goodwill? Of course the patio will be parking. Why wouldn't it be? I always thought a Buffalo Exchange would be great in the Circles building, or the Punch Bowl building. So, a Goodwill in the latter - or the dozens of other underutilized anti-urban structures around DT - would have been a great addition. DT needs retail badly. But, this is just not a good fit whatsoever.

I hope the autoshops on Garfield, VB/2nd Ave, and VB/3rd Ave end up with a better fate than Circles and now DeSoto. The layouts have such awesome potential- a restaurant and bar connected by a breezeway or beer garden... a restaurant connected to a dessert bar... anything but a Goodwill. Sigh.

[ASU Diablo]

My Public Records Request came through for the RFP for the current site of the First American Legion Post on 723 W. Polk Street.

Recommended proposal is a 4-story 94 unit building, which is underwhelming to say the least...of course, this hasn't been voted and approved by City Council yet.

Looks like there were only 2 proposals submitted and looks like the one from Gorman & Company was disqualified for whatever reason. This was a 205-unit, coming in at 7 stories.

Cardinal Proposal (Recommended Proposal):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kwX28epWBcvIQ2rM_IeHt5XhI3-2nTtT/view?usp=sharing



Gorman & Company
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TvJY-ge-ETJtjViPJPL0e825gLYeL4Sq/view?usp=sharing

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by ASU Diablo

My Public Records Request came through for the RFP for the current site of the First American Legion Post on 723 W. Polk Street.

Recommended proposal is a 4-story 94 unit building, which is underwhelming to say the least...of course, this hasn't been voted and approved by City Council yet.

Looks like there were only 2 proposals submitted and looks like the one from Gorman & Company was disqualified for whatever reason. This was a 205-unit, coming in at 7 stories.

Cardinal Proposal (Recommended Proposal):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kwX28epWBcvIQ2rM_IeHt5XhI3-2nTtT/view?usp=sharing



Gorman & Company
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TvJY-ge-ETJtjViPJPL0e825gLYeL4Sq/view?usp=sharing

The City of Phoenix continues to boggle my mind sometimes

[Code5]

Originally Posted by CrestedSaguaro

The City of Phoenix continues to boggle my mind sometimes

I think there's a few of us who should run for city council in this forum.

That 4 story apartment is very underwhelming. And it only has 94 units? Yeah, that'll solve Arizona's housing crisis.

The 7 story complex should've been the obvious choice. SMH.

[combusean]

Originally Posted by CrestedSaguaro

The City of Phoenix continues to boggle my mind sometimes

I'd like to figure out why Gorman got disqualified when they have a long history of doing affordable projects.

The other project preserves the original building which is probably a win. The building is extremely old for Phoenix.

[Obadno]

Simplest answer is usually the correct one: The 4 story proposal knows the right people.

Phoenix has become a big city now, corruption will be endemic

[azsunsurfer]

That^ Plus I would say maybe the City doesn't want that much concentrated affordable density given all the market rate product going up across the street. It reminds me of the affordable project going up on 7th St. and Southern.

[combusean]

Oh please. Baseless speculation. Gorman has been building in Phoenix for years and the developer that won is a newbie.

Again, they were disqualified for some reason. If there was favoritism they'd appeal it.

[biggus diggus]

I have a friend who has bid on a few RFPs in Phoenix (and lost) and it's a combination of contacts, track record, financial backing, and what you ask for. It gets political but also the finances are in play.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by combusean

Oh please. Baseless speculation. Gorman has been building in Phoenix for years and the developer that won is a newbie.

Again, they were disqualified for some reason. If there was favoritism they'd appeal it.

I suspect you may be right in the fact that the chosedn proposal integrated the original structure. But still, the Gorman proposal should have been the obvious choice even without preserving the building. Also, the city should have specified that the building needed to be preserved in the RFP details (or did they?). I'm sure Gorman would have been able to work it in if it was a required component.

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by combusean

Oh please. Baseless speculation. Gorman has been building in Phoenix for years and the developer that won is a newbie.

Again, they were disqualified for some reason. If there was favoritism they'd appeal it.

Spot on. I think you're the only one that caught on when I had mentioned that Gorman proposal was DQ'ed for whatever reason.

And I just heard back from the City as to why. Although they may have a long and successful history of building affordable projects here in the Phoenix Metro area, their time keeping and administrative skills must — LOL The reason they were DQ'ed was because they submitted their proposal late by 3.5 hours

All public corruption conspiracy theories set aside, wonder if Gorman wins had they submitted their proposal on time? Also, wonder if the City should just sit on this and then re-issue the RFP at a later time? Like I mentioned in my original post, only 2 RFPs were submitted...might get a better response in the future?

Originally Posted by CrestedSaguaro

I suspect you may be right in the fact that the chosedn proposal integrated the original structure. But still, the Gorman proposal should have been the obvious choice even without preserving the building. Also, the city should have specified that the building needed to be preserved in the RFP details (or did they?). I'm sure Gorman would have been able to work it in if it was a required component.

From the RFP:

The Desired Project should:
1. Create an appropriately dense, infill, mixed-use redevelopment project that capitalizes on the Site’s prominent urban location. The final, negotiated project must include mixed-income residential and:
a. Incorporate an interpretative feature documenting the history of the LukeGreenway American Legion Post No. 1 and either the flagpole currently located on the Site or a comparable flagpole.
b. Provide 3,000 SF of improved space for community support services for veterans, which will be included in the transaction resulting from this RFP as a 99-year deed restriction or leasing requirement.
2. Provide an innovative and high-quality design that creates functional and appropriate transitions to buildings adjacent to the Site. Ideally, the project will serve as a transition between urban uses to the east and south and the singlefamily residential to the northwest as well as the Grand Avenue Arts District.
3. Preserve elements or portions of the larger building existing on the Site.

[combusean]

2. Provide an innovative and high-quality design that creates functional and appropriate transitions to buildings adjacent to the Site. Ideally, the project will serve as a transition between urban uses to the east and south and the singlefamily residential to the northwest as well as the Grand Avenue Arts District.

The Gorman proposal doesn't do this either. If you read the RFP of the winning project, they worked the height out with neighbors. It's no accident it's 3 stories on the north.

So they're late on the project and miss key points on the RFP. That's a recipe for disaster even if they did get it on time.

The Gorman project if selected would have been fought tooth and nail by locals as well. You'd hear from the Grand Avenue art people coming out in droves, allied with the poorer local residents/NIMBYs in the single family homes, allied with historic preservationists, allied with crying older veterans reminiscing about the building. The only people that care about the Gorman proposal are a faction of urbanists.

With all the 4-7 story schlock going up I'm not going to miss a similar project.

[Mr.RE]

Anyone who works/live in or near downtown have any pictures of the following?:

Kinect
X Phoenix
Battery
Adeline (Hines)
Link Phase 2

Ive been trying to make it down there but live farther away. Any photo updates of progress would be hugely appreciated!!