Tucson Development Thread

[Ted Lyons]

Originally Posted by kaneui

Armory Park to become The Herbert; rehabbed as upscale studios



Downtown's Armory Park Apartments, built in the early 70's
(courtesy: Armory Park Apartments)


At the end of this Tucson Weekly article on Sentinel Plaza, the author mentions Peach Properties' plans to buy the eight-story Armory Park Apartments and convert them to market-rate studios. Peach's website confirms that they are teaming with Holualoa Arizona for the project, and renaming it The Herbert:

http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/b...nt?oid=3531036

http://peachprops.com/news/the-herbert-apartments/

Awesome. There was a story a while back in ADS, and probably linked on here, in which the current owners of the apartments said they had a buyer lined up and a sale was imminent. These are good buyers and the building has a borderline brutalist quality that could lend well to open-space apartments.

[Anqrew]

check out this rendering from The Cadence's Facebook! Wow!

[Patrick S]

Originally Posted by Anqrew

check out this rendering from The Cadence's Facebook! Wow!

That's a cool picture, no doubt about it, but it looks backwards to me. The street is one street, then becoming split right before Cadence, so it looks like it is a rendering from East looking West, which means the parking garage on the left-hand side of the picture should be on the right-hand side.

[Anqrew]

Originally Posted by Patrick S

That's a cool picture, no doubt about it, but it looks backwards to me. The street is one street, then becoming split right before Cadence, so it looks like it is a rendering from East looking West, which means the parking garage on the left-hand side of the picture should be on the right-hand side.

The view is looking south, from the 4th Avenue underpass, notice the art installation on the left and the rialto on the right.

[Patrick S]

Originally Posted by Anqrew

The view is looking south, from the 4th Avenue underpass, notice the art installation on the left and the rialto on the right.

You're right, I gotcha. I saw the art on the left, and I knew it was from the parking garage. I didn't realize the building on the right was the Rialto, though. It makes sense to me now. I just didn't even think about a shot from that angle. Thanks.

[Ted Lyons]

Originally Posted by Anqrew

check out this rendering from The Cadence's Facebook! Wow!

Love the green accent on the building. I wish it showed what the completed garage looked like.

[kaneui]

New renders of The Retreat at Tucson student housing project at Park Ave. and 22nd St.:



(courtesy: The Retreat at Tucson)


Student 'cottages' going up on S. side
Arizona Daily Star
September 21, 2012

Tucson's latest student housing development is under construction on the south side and leasing is set to begin in the next few weeks. The Retreat at Tucson, on East 22nd Street near South Park Avenue, will have 774 bedrooms in 183 units, said Lauren Bradford, marketing associate for Georgia-based developer Landmark Properties.

She said the "student cottage community" has common areas within the units. The clubhouse area will have a resort-style pool, tanning ledges, water volleyball setups and grilling stations around the pool. Inside, students will have a gym, game room, study area, computer lab and "social area" with big-screen TVs and pool tables, Bradford said. The complex is expected to open by next Aug. 1.


https://www.facebook.com/RetreatTucson

[Ritarancher]

I'm finally back and boy did I miss out. I love the new renderings of the Cadence. I also like everything else that's going on, it's all very exciting! I love driving by on the freeway and seeing all those tower cranes. It's all very good for Tucson. I have also noticed tons of land being developed across the city. Hopefully good paying jobs will be created following the completion of the development.

When I was gone, I was getting sick of having to go to Phoenix for every single concert I went to. I think that gas is too expensive for driving 100 miles just to get to "the valley" for a 80 minute concert. I decided that Tucson needs a good 35,000+seat amphitheater. We need to start competing with Phoenix.

What I Think
We need to build an 35,000+ seat amphitheater on the west side of downtown in the Mission District. The best spots are the lost labeled city. I have a good feeling the city has no idea what to do with those lots but an amphitheater would just be great! The amphitheater can just be for events and not necessarily any sports teams but it should be made so that teams can play in the future. With the streetcar stopping at it's front door, parking should not be an issue. The amphitheater can be outdoors but it should have a roof (Signature Tucson Solar Roof?) even if there is no AC. If anybody has gone to Glendale's Arenas (Jobing.com and Cardinals Stadium) you couldn't have not noticed the very urban landscape surrounding the arenas which leaves a good impression of Phoenix. By building an amphitheater in the Mission District can also have the same effect (or affect?) on Tucson visitors. I also noticed a nice and tall hotel at the Glendale city, can Tucson be as lucky if we get an amphitheater in downtown? I can see the economic benefits of building here. Just make Congress and Grenada roads nicer looking and we're set. Not a bad idea in my opinion, yours? Sorry for going off topic for a little while.



Source for Picture: (site plan: The Gadsden Co.; rendering: lasertrimman/Flickr)

[Patrick S]

First streetcar is expected to arrive in Tucson in February

Submitted by Teya Vitu, Downtown Tucson Partnership writer
Monday, September 24th, 2012, 9:24am

Key members of the Sun Link Streetcar project team recently visited United Streetcar in Portland, Ore., the manufacturer of Tucson’s streetcar vehicles.

During the two-day visit, the team examined seven Tucson streetcar vehicles in various stages of production. The team was also able to see one of Portland’s streetcar vehicles undergoing final rail tests at the on-site factory track.

Although United Streetcar’s delays in manufacturing Portland’s vehicles have created a tight schedule for the production of Tucson’s vehicles, the Sun Link project team is confident delivery dates for Tucson vehicles will be met and Tucsonans will be riding Sun Link in late 2013 as scheduled.

The first streetcar vehicle is set to arrive in Tucson in February 2013, following vehicle testing that will be conducted on United Streetcar's new test track in Portland. The first phase of testing will be advantageous to Tucson because should any issues arise, adjustments can be immediately made at the manufacturing facility.

The Tucson Sun Link Streetcar project team is committed to keeping the public, business community and visitors informed about progress on the streetcar. Signing up for email blasts, visiting project Facebook and Twitter pages and calling the information  line are ways to learn about project, and receive access and parking information during construction. Visit www.tucsonstreetcar.com for more information.

The Tucson Sun Link Streetcar is a project of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and part of the voter-approved, $2.1 billion RTA plan that will be implemented through 2026. Details about the full plan are available at www.RTAmobility.com. The Sun Link project is co-managed by the City of Tucson and the RTA.

[kaneui]

Even with just 60 employees, Caliber Funding's relocation is yet another sign that businesses are returning to downtown. (Now if the One South Church (aka UniSource) tower can land a naming-rights tenant to take over the UniSource and FBI space, we'll know the momentum has really shifted.)


Caliber Funding Moves Downtown From Wilmot
By Teya Vitu
Downtown Tucsonan
September 24, 2012

Yet another large office operation has found Downtown appealing for its future. Caliber Funding moved its 60 employees in early September from Wilmot Road to 56 W. Congress St., above Enoteca Pizzeria Wine Bar. Caliber joins Madden Media, Providence Service Corp. and UNS Energy Corp. as prominent office relocations to Downtown in the past three years.

Caliber Funding is a next-generation national mortgage lender, launched in Tucson in the wake of the mortgage-driven economic collapse of 2008. Caliber has been in transition since the company’s corporate office moved to Dallas in spring 2011, and the Tucson operation has decreased from about 100 employees to 60. Caliber’s Tucson office has realigned from corporate headquarters to the base for operations management for the company’s 68 offices in 18 states that serve 44 states. Tucson also handles business development, corporate support and training, and customer online support.


For full article: http://www.downtowntucson.org/2012/0...n-from-wilmot/

[omarainza]

i was thinking, whats keeping residential use out of downtown? is there any way to change the plans for the twin unisource to turn it into a slightly shorter residential condo building? I've been doing a bunch of renders on google sketchup of possible living areas and what a future downtown could look like. also, if the build "the post" at that empty lot next to chase, i think it should house a trendy grocery store like trader joe's!!! it would be a convenient location for downtown and i feel could fit right in with the hipster shift going on.

[Ted Lyons]

Originally Posted by omarainza

i was thinking, whats keeping residential use out of downtown? is there any way to change the plans for the twin unisource to turn it into a slightly shorter residential condo building? I've been doing a bunch of renders on google sketchup of possible living areas and what a future downtown could look like. also, if the build "the post" at that empty lot next to chase, i think it should house a trendy grocery store like trader joe's!!! it would be a convenient location for downtown and i feel could fit right in with the hipster shift going on.

A crap ton of residential is being built/developed downtown.

EDIT:

Cadence
One East Broadway
Armory Park/Herbert redevelopment
Greenline
The Armory

And that's not accounting for completed projects or anything around 4th or across the interstate.

[Ted Lyons]

It Appears Yet Another New Restaurant Is Opening Downtown

http://www.tucsonweekly.com/TheRange...medium=twitter

The newest tidbit I've picked up is what looks like the preliminary work for a new restaurant in spaces at 312 and 300 E. Congress Street, where those science exhibits have been for the past year or more. A liquor license has been applied for under the name Proper, and it's a Series 12 license, which is for restaurants.

http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/files/clerk...larLicense.pdf

The name on the license is a guy who serves as agent for liquor license applicants, so that doesn't shed much light on the concept. But, Scott Stiteler said in a Zocalo article last month, (which may be linked on here somewhere), that he had been waiting for the ideal tenant for that spot. Let's hope he's right.

[Anqrew]

Originally Posted by omarainza

i was thinking, whats keeping residential use out of downtown? is there any way to change the plans for the twin unisource to turn it into a slightly shorter residential condo building? I've been doing a bunch of renders on google sketchup of possible living areas and what a future downtown could look like. also, if the build "the post" at that empty lot next to chase, i think it should house a trendy grocery store like trader joe's!!! it would be a convenient location for downtown and i feel could fit right in with the hipster shift going on.

We do have a lot of small scale housing projects. I do think in 3-5 years we will start seeing larger scale high rise housing projects downtown. You gotta already have that strong living presence downtown, which will initiate things like grocery stores and other necessities. so once that is there i think developers will find it very appealing, and we may see some larger and more exciting proposals.

[Ritarancher]

I was snooping around the skyscraper city and found a page listed the most dreadful skyscrapers in America. Before I go any further did anybody else instantly think the Pima County Federal Building?
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=196112
That building needs a facelift more than any other building in Tucson.
I actually like the blue wall unlike the rest of the building.

[Ritarancher]

Originally Posted by omarainza

i was thinking, whats keeping residential use out of downtown? is there any way to change the plans for the twin unisource to turn it into a slightly shorter residential condo building? I've been doing a bunch of renders on google sketchup of possible living areas and what a future downtown could look like. also, if the build "the post" at that empty lot next to chase, i think it should house a trendy grocery store like trader joe's!!! it would be a convenient location for downtown and i feel could fit right in with the hipster shift going on.

We really do have a good presence of residential housing in downtown. Right now the majority of our citizens live in downtown homes that were made 75-100 years ago. But now with Cadence, MLK Apartments, Sentinel Plaza, West End Station, The Herbert and what ever else comes next we will have a much denser downtown population. All of those buildings are about 5-8 stories tall. The reason why we do not have any taller residential buildings is because there is no need for people to spend 100k on a small condo when they can have a home and their own property closer to their work. Maybe now with the streetcar and the smaller projects going on we will get a highrise but it's really unlikely.

[Ted Lyons]

Originally Posted by Anqrew

We do have a lot of small scale housing projects. I do think in 3-5 years we will start seeing larger scale high rise housing projects downtown. You gotta already have that strong living presence downtown, which will initiate things like grocery stores and other necessities. so once that is there i think developers will find it very appealing, and we may see some larger and more exciting proposals.

To further demonstrate the point, I just reread the Tucson Weekly article discussing the City Council's disapproval of Town West's student housing plans and Steve Kozachik noted that there are already 60 floors of student housing alone under development around downtown/campus.

[Anqrew]

Originally Posted by Ted Lyons

To further demonstrate the point, I just reread the Tucson Weekly article discussing the City Council's disapproval of Town West's student housing plans and Steve Kozachik noted that there are already 60 floors of student housing alone under development around downtown/campus.

i think their main reason of disapproval was plopping student housing in the center of the arts district. I think the council wants to focus all the residential on the east end to really build up density, and to probably focus on smaller scale artist studios in the art warehouse district.

[Ted Lyons]

Originally Posted by Anqrew

i think their main reason of disapproval was plopping student housing in the center of the arts district. I think the council wants to focus all the residential on the east end to really build up density, and to probably focus on smaller scale artist studios in the art warehouse district.

Well, yeah, that's a separate issue. The point is that a pretty significant quantity of residential development is occurring downtown.

[ppdd]

Originally Posted by Ritarancher

I was snooping around the skyscraper city and found a page listed the most dreadful skyscrapers in America. Before I go any further did anybody else instantly think the Pima County Federal Building?
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=196112
That building needs a facelift more than any other building in Tucson.
I actually like the blue wall unlike the rest of the building.

It's actually mentioned, with an odd photo, in the first few comments on the post.