Phoenix | Astra Towers (2 towers) | 541 FT | 44 Floors & 425 FT | 30 Floors - Page 11

CrestedSaguaro · #**201** Posted **May 11, 2021, 5:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diamonddave

I quess they probably have the right, since they we break ground first. Do we know how long thier Astra has been in the works?

Theirs was originally called Kensington Tower. Been in the works for a couple of years. But I still feel the developer is slapping Phoenix in the face on the name. I don't see it as a coincidence.

MMDelon · #**202** Posted **May 11, 2021, 6:03 PM**

I am still kind of baffled that Astra if built will be Phoenix's tallest tower. It feels about 10 to 12 years overdue. I am happy with all the development going on downtown but I do feel we have a long way to go. Hopefully when Astra gets build next year the next wave of towers in downtown will be 300' plus.

Diamonddave · #**203** Posted **May 11, 2021, 9:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrestedSaguaro

Theirs was originally called Kensington Tower. Been in the works for a couple of years. But I still feel the developer is slapping Phoenix in the face on the name. I don't see it as a coincidence.

I kinda agree about not a coincidence is there any history of bad blood between the two developers. Maybe one has beaten out of a RFP or something.

biggus diggus · #**204** Posted **May 11, 2021, 9:23 PM**

I would be pretty surprised if a developer in Salt Lake City cared about a developer in Phoenix and vice versa. I googled "astra apartments" and it looks like there are buildings named astra all over the us and the world.

TJPHXskyscraperfan · #**205** Posted **May 12, 2021, 8:02 AM**

It’s sad we have to even be in the same breathe as Salt Lake City. With a metro population higher than Seattle and Denver and a little below ATL, Houston and Dallas, we should have towers going up all over midtown, Biltmore and beyond!

Mr.RE · #**206** Posted **May 12, 2021, 4:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJPHXskyscraperfan

It’s sad we have to even be in the same breathe as Salt Lake City. With a metro population higher than Seattle and Denver and a little below ATL, Houston and Dallas, we should have towers going up all over midtown, Biltmore and beyond!

Population is one thing. Having a deep enough renter/buyer pool to afford high rise prices is another which we lack compared to those other markets.

xymox · #**207** Posted **May 12, 2021, 4:56 PM**

Eh we’re getting there. Here’s a pic I took this weekend of downtown skyline from I-10E:

The gaps are filing in. In fact, driving south on Central from Indian school - even though its not a canyon of 700ft towers, the density has improved significantly recently. I was particularly impressed with the north end of downtown - Derby, etc are certainly helping a lot. But I think this all probably means that taller towers are just around the corner as demand for being in downtown/midtown rises and land becomes a bit more rare.

Next cycle.

Classical in Phoenix · #**208** Posted **May 12, 2021, 10:13 PM**

I don't know where the council is in the GPLET process with Astra, but I just got another text telling me to urge the council to vote no.

biggus diggus · #**209** Posted **May 12, 2021, 10:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by xymox

Eh we’re getting there. Here’s a pic I took this weekend of downtown skyline from I-10E:

The gaps are filing in.

If you're so inclined take a hike up Shaw Butte or North Mountain. I have a picture in my office I took up there over a decade ago, the difference especially from that angle is unbelievable.

TJPHXskyscraperfan · #**210** Posted **May 13, 2021, 6:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.RE

Population is one thing. Having a deep enough renter/buyer pool to afford high rise prices is another which we lack compared to those other markets.

I don’t know about that though. I mean, you can’t buy a house for less than a half million dollars in Arrowhead? Idk how that is different from say Houston? Everyone talks about how cheap Texas is and they have towers going up like crazy. Of course high rises is another thing but still. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy with the development downtown but I can’t imagine building something higher that these 5 or 6 story towers couldn’t be happening in Midtown yet.

CrestedSaguaro · #**211** Posted **May 13, 2021, 2:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Classical in Phoenix

I don't know where the council is in the GPLET process with Astra, but I just got another text telling me to urge the council to vote no.

Remember that Empire requested a GPLET for Stewart which the council denied and it was built anyway. Aspire was also built without one. I don't think a GPLET rejection will stop Astra. It may delay it until construction material prices come back down or they will make changes to the design to bring down costs. I'd be ok if they scrapped phase 2 and just built the new tallest. Either way, Empire seems pretty dedicated to build in Phoenix and I think Astra will go up no matter what.

combusean · #**212** Posted **May 13, 2021, 3:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJPHXskyscraperfan

I don’t know about that though. I mean, you can’t buy a house for less than a half million dollars in Arrowhead? Idk how that is different from say Houston? Everyone talks about how cheap Texas is and they have towers going up like crazy. Of course high rises is another thing but still. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy with the development downtown but I can’t imagine building something higher that these 5 or 6 story towers couldn’t be happening in Midtown yet.

Midtown doesn't have *that* much going for it--it's not an area wealthy people want to be.

Houston and Phoenix aren't that far apart in prices, but there's really not that many high-rise development companies working in Phoenix. Nearly all of the developers putting up towers in Houston are based in Houston. The zoning there doesn't hurt either because as far as I can tell there aren't any height or density limits.

Having companies like Aspire is great, but Phoenix would look completely different if it had a Hines or someone else like that based here.

MMDelon · #**213** Posted **May 13, 2021, 8:52 PM**

That's very true combusean. I just hope the next wave of high rises test those height limits. I was looking at Nasville which is way smaller than Phoenix but has 15 proposed towers of 400' or taller. Most of them not being done until 2023 or later but that shocked for a city like Nashville.

combusean · #**214** Posted **May 13, 2021, 9:13 PM**

The current wave of towers did in fact test the density limits set by Urban Form, and many had to get spot-zoning text amendments to proceed. That process, in my mind, is needless, sloppy, and crazy. Text Amendments should not be issued for individual projects except in extreme circumstances.

TJPHXskyscraperfan · #**215** Posted **May 13, 2021, 10:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by combusean

Midtown doesn't have *that* much going for it--it's not an area wealthy people want to be.

Houston and Phoenix aren't that far apart in prices, but there's really not that many high-rise development companies working in Phoenix. Nearly all of the developers putting up towers in Houston are based in Houston. The zoning there doesn't hurt either because as far as I can tell there aren't any height or density limits.

Having companies like Aspire is great, but Phoenix would look completely different if it had a Hines or someone else like that based here.

Midtown is surrounded by pretty wealthy communities. Encanto, the million dollar homes on Central north of Camelback, Phoenix Country club to the East. I think midtown is great and should turn into Wilsire in LA like it was set out for. Or Atlanta’s type of midtown or Houston’s spread out Midtown. The location is idea. Downtown, a short light rail ride, Biltmore, a couple miles east and going to the mall, Scottsdale Fashion Square is a nice 15-20 minute ride down Indian School or Camelback. It’s an easy, short bike ride down Central to hang out on Roosevelt on a Friday night. Speaking of, I did that, and First Friday is almost back! Some venders are back. We actually got into Killer Whale for our first time. Had to just wait an hour for the two of us, just went to The Churchill while we waited.

MMDelon · #**216** Posted **May 13, 2021, 10:39 PM**

I went to first Friday last week and was very very surprised to see that many people on Roosevelt Row and the streets we rent blocked off yet. I have a feeling come September they will officially start First Friday back up.

TJPHXskyscraperfan · #**217** Posted **May 13, 2021, 10:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMDelon

I went to first Friday last week and was very very surprised to see that many people on Roosevelt Row and the streets we rent blocked off yet. I have a feeling come September they will officially start First Friday back up.

Yeah, sucks it’s so hot the next few months. Maybe we will be lucky and have some decent evenings the first couple of weeks in June!