Phoenix Area Low- and Mid-Rise Development Thread

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by combusean

I've hated that vacant lot for a while. I think it would be a missed opportunity to not have that be a high-rise site, however.

Not like it'll ever get built, it being an RFP and all.

The patchwork nature of the entire area of midtown from Thomas to the canal is actually kind of insane. Not sure how the neighborhood ended up this way but it has amazing infill opportunities, and a lot has been built in the last 5 years but there is still a Looooong way to go.

Like this: https://goo.gl/maps/6mWxP3TYPFiyvjhH8

is only a few blocks from this: https://goo.gl/maps/KUL4HfA11yg26pYm6

...how??? The entire stretch of Indian school from i-17 to SR51 needs to be flattened and rebuilt.

[combusean]

For the Midtown outer reaches closer to Central I would suspect that area has been subject to the same bad zoning and land speculation that ravaged Evans Churchill. Just poking around the area by the RFP site in the Assessor for example you see people trying to assemble parcels.

For that area east of 7th St I think there's been some small gentrification over the years (maybe just nurses on their way to treat Iraq vets at the VA), but it seems that it's been hampered by lack of purpose and identity and stuck in this endless transition waiting for *something* to kick it off.

I think I called some of that area Longview on my neighborhoods map and that was just grasping at straws.

It's not the midtown core, it's not the uptown core, and it's not close enough to the Biltmore/Arcadia to warrant investment like those areas have turned around further east. Nor is it urban enough to compete with better positioned developments and it's geographically challenged, hemmed in by the fence of the Country Club and a mile of car dealerships and all the other mega land uses that would even make someone nearby long for a strip mall. Steele Park is too big, hot, gross, for anyone to want to be near it, and Indian School Rd itself and the general lack of infrastructure adds to that doom loop. Even a HAWK signal on Fairmount and 7th St would break up some of the monotony.

What a planning and development quagmire indeed.

[Obadno]

Steele-Indian school park could really use a revamp. Especially since its surrounded by a freaking fence cutting it off from the neighborhoods around it.

There is just so much wrong with the area as you pointed. It's bizarre; decades of poor design and zoning decisions piled up.

Even the VA is absolutely hideous and borderline oppressive to the 7th street corner.

[combusean]

I don't think Phoenix will ever touch that park because of what they've put into it and what it represents and the purposes it serves.

I suspect the fences are so they can close it up at night and otherwise secure it... they really market it as a place for events which explains the dearth of activities you might otherwise see at a park that size like a baseball diamond or soccer pitch. Maybe it's overdue for Phoenix to get with some of the local high schools like Central and make those facilities available for public use after school hours.

I kinda wish they'd revamp The Central Park idea because it's so frustrating seeing such a huge and important piece of land rot. Nobody will ever need 850,000 sqft of office there for example.

[az_daniel]

as someone that lives in the area between thomas and indian school off of 16th street, there are a lot of glaring problems - a lack of grocery stores and public parks, it is sort of close to light rail but not really, etc.

there are also a lot of good urban bones around here - the canal, architectural diversity, lots of small businesses, income mix, small lot infill activity, and a patchwork of historic districts - and it is a community that seems intent on expressing itself but has not really figured out what it is and what it wants to be. so, I can vouch for the fact that there is not a clear identity to the area, and the 51 also cuts through what was clearly once a much better connected area.

[ASU Diablo]

Can anyone remind me if we ever got any renderings for the proposed multi-family apartments at the old Milum Textile redevelopment? I see it as an upcoming agenda topic next month for the RAA.

[combusean]

I vaguely remember a site plan but definitely no renderings. Good catch on the meeting though.

[ASU Diablo]

7-story building w/ 238 units and both historic buildings will remain. Also, looks like a small paseo will also cut through the development.

Love the color scheme as well as it matches the old building off 7th Ave.



Link to the latest Site Markup PDF.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/179yAVKrXvUUL9j3-8PAQhwco9Nz_mJYh/view?usp=share_link

[Chestnut1]

A couple of things I saw that were submitted to the City:

1) A pre-app for the SWC of Central and McDowell. This was at one time supposed to be a mid-rise with a Whole Foods. I'm not sure that's still the plan, as there was no description provided.

2) Preliminary building plans for "Uptown Apartments" at the vacant parcels between the Phoenix Coding Academy and the Indian School Park entrance off of Central. At one time, this was going to be suburbanish looking townhouses and even went through a rezoning for that. But I guess it's now apartments. I'd assume it's form has changed, but once again, no description.

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by Chestnut1

A couple of things I saw that were submitted to the City:

1) A pre-app for the SWC of Central and McDowell. This was at one time supposed to be a mid-rise with a Whole Foods. I'm not sure that's still the plan, as there was no description provided.

2) Preliminary building plans for "Uptown Apartments" at the vacant parcels between the Phoenix Coding Academy and the Indian School Park entrance off of Central. At one time, this was going to be suburbanish looking townhouses and even went through a rezoning for that. But I guess it's now apartments. I'd assume it's form has changed, but once again, no description.

Good find on Item #2. I remember this project having a bunch of pushback from the neighboring community. Think even Phoenix New Times had published an article on it maybe? Hopefully this new apartment development addresses Central Ave better and better interaction at the street level.

I think that was one of the main gripes w/ the Townhome project and it being completely walled off with a big fence around it.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by Chestnut1

A couple of things I saw that were submitted to the City:

1) A pre-app for the SWC of Central and McDowell. This was at one time supposed to be a mid-rise with a Whole Foods. I'm not sure that's still the plan, as there was no description provided.

2) Preliminary building plans for "Uptown Apartments" at the vacant parcels between the Phoenix Coding Academy and the Indian School Park entrance off of Central. At one time, this was going to be suburbanish looking townhouses and even went through a rezoning for that. But I guess it's now apartments. I'd assume it's form has changed, but once again, no description.

The one on SWC and McDowell was last proposed to be a 250' tower with a retail paid large enough for a grocer, but I never heard that it was proposed to be a Whole Foods.

The 2nd development for Uptown Apartments is now called Parcvue and has changed to a 5 floor development with a massive 2-level garage taking up nearly half of the lot on the North end. It's an improvement over the townhomes, but I think it could still have been done much better. Architect is CCBG. I'll post the renderings I have shortly.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Renderings as promised. Kinda hard to conceptualize the layout, so I added the map. The orange square on the map will be the apartments and the red square will be the 2 level garage. At least the garage will be somewhat hidden from Central. But I would rather have a 3 level garage with a couple of additional floors of residential on top. Hopefully, this improves.

[PHX31]

Originally Posted by ASU Diablo

7-story building w/ 238 units and both historic buildings will remain. Also, looks like a small paseo will also cut through the development.

Love the color scheme as well as it matches the old building off 7th Ave.



Link to the latest Site Markup PDF.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/179yAVKrXvUUL9j3-8PAQhwco9Nz_mJYh/view?usp=share_link

This is great that most of the historic buildings are remaining. I can't tell exactly from the site plan, but it appears the sign is staying as well. I hope that's the case and I imagine they would want to preserve it (at least the sign structure).

If we get the development on the NEC of 6th Ave & Fillmore going (can't remember the name) and the Toll brothers project. This area of northern Van Buren will start looking really great.

[combusean]

What a strange project to have a separate garage from a 5 story building. The separation makes some sense as there's an easement but to have two completely separate structures is weird.

[az_daniel]

Originally Posted by CrestedSaguaro

Renderings as promised. Kinda hard to conceptualize the layout, so I added the map. The orange square on the map will be the apartments and the red square will be the 2 level garage. At least the garage will be somewhat hidden from Central. But I would rather have a 3 level garage with a couple of additional floors of residential on top. Hopefully, this improves.

this is such a unique site - there are not many opportunities to build with park space on two sides. I wish it engaged the park a bit more thoughtfully. Maybe the city can get the space between the lot and this project cleaned up a bit and turned into something useful.

Interestingly the building shown at 4331 and 4333 on that map no longer exists. It was demo'd sometime late last year or early this year - never even noticed until i looked at the site on street view.

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by PHX31

This is great that most of the historic buildings are remaining. I can't tell exactly from the site plan, but it appears the sign is staying as well. I hope that's the case and I imagine they would want to preserve it (at least the sign structure).

If we get the development on the NEC of 6th Ave & Fillmore going (can't remember the name) and the Toll brothers project. This area of northern Van Buren will start looking really great.

Good catch about the sign staying. Just reviewed the Site Markup doc and it is indeed staying.

Think you meant SEC. And yeah it's The Fillmore Phase 2. Which reminds me, what is the hold-up w/ this project?

[TJPHXskyscraperfan]

Originally Posted by az_daniel

this is such a unique site - there are not many opportunities to build with park space on two sides. I wish it engaged the park a bit more thoughtfully. Maybe the city can get the space between the lot and this project cleaned up a bit and turned into something useful.

Interestingly the building shown at 4331 and 4333 on that map no longer exists. It was demo'd sometime late last year or early this year - never even noticed until i looked at the site on street view.

I noticed that too. Hopefully the complex wraps around the garage right there and hides the garage. Be nice to see some retail too!

[combusean]

There's nothing for the complex to wrap around there. It's bordered by the two parcels on the east and west side and easements on the north and south. The garage there will look ridiculous until development catches up and it'll still be ridiculous from the north elevation.

I honestly hope it doesn't pass design review.

[Obadno]

Looks like the affordable housing project at third and Osborn is about to start. Fence is up

[combusean]

Third and Osborn? Do you mean 3rd St and Portland? There is a project and 3rd Ave and Osborn but it's market rate.