Tempe Development Thread

[Sekkle]

Another article about Tempe development...

Sports, arts urged near Town Lake
Katie Nelson
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 24, 2007 12:00 AM
Tempe's City Council facilitated a community conversation on Saturday about the future of key land south and west of Tempe Town Lake.

About 80 people gathered at the library for the discussion came to a consensus that the approximately 110 acres should be dedicated to arts and sports.

Afterward, many community members said they were pleased with the meeting's outcome. It helped overcome tensions lingering after a hotly contested process last year when two developers vied to develop some of the land. The process was eventually scrapped, but not before disagreement erupted among artists, the developers, city staff and neighbors.

"I was really pleased," said Nancy Goren, who is a member of the Municipal Arts Commission and lives in a neighborhood south of Broadway Road and McClintock Drive. . "People came with serious ideas and concerns. It was helpful to toss them all out there and try to get the tension relieved."

There has never been such a meeting in Tempe's recent history, Mayor Hugh Hallman told the crowd.

The neighbors and city leaders generally agreed that they want to see some kind of arts community that would encourage interactive and hands-on learning about fine and performing arts, as well as open land that would serve as youth and amateur sports fields and facilities.

Retail and commercial land that would provide services aimed at the athletes and their families could be included, they said.

This would help address a dire need for basketball courts and playing field space for the Valley youths, said George Scobas, chief operating officer of the Valley of the Sun YMCA.

Some participants did raise concerns about the sports concept. There was speculation about potential damage to young ears and lungs from air and noise pollution coming from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

"Who knows when they'll stop adding flights over there," said Mark Lymer, a local architect and Mitchell Park West neighborhood resident.

Moving the Public Works maintenance storage yard at the corner of Rio Salado Parkway and Priest Drive has long been on the council's wish list, despite the project's estimated $16 million price tag.

But the community pushed that idea further into the forefront after local architect and The Lakes resident John Kane voiced the importance of turning the area south of the Priest Drive bridge into an attractive gateway into the community.

Residents nodded their approval at the idea of allowing a developer to build there with some height in exchange for picking up the tab for moving the public works facility.

Hallman and the City Council said the ideas and concepts discussed Saturday would be handed over to several community advisory commissions and council committees to make sure they are honored and implemented.

Again, as noted above by DevdogAZ regarding the site near the Arts Center, I'm not sure how much height they could get in this area, since it's so close to Sky Harbor. I wonder if there are any plans for the NW corner of Priest & Rio Salado. That's a huge lot, but maybe it's owned (or in some way restricted) by the airport (?).

[sundevilgrad]

I was in DT Tempe today and noticed Centerpoint is cruising along. I believe that it was up to the 9th floor already on one tower and they were going to 3 on the other. I'll try to get some pics this weekend for an update.

[Sekkle]

More Tempe stuff. They need to slow down with the developments... We don't even have time to discuss them!

Panel clears Mill redevelopment
Jan. 25, 2007 12:00 AM
A plan to redevelop one of Tempe's most iconic historical sites - the Hayden Flour Mill - moved forward Tuesday night.

Tempe's Development Review Commission recommended 5-2 that the City Council approve the plan's first phase.

The Avenue Communities concept mixes the old mill building with modern architecture and turns it into office, retail and restaurant space. Plans also call for Avenue Communities to improve and expand the trailhead that leads up Tempe Butte, and create a "vertical interpretation" of the old milling equipment so visitors can see how the mill process worked.

Plans include eventually renovating the silos and possibly adding condos and a hotel to the site.

Avenue is also the company behind the 30-story Centerpoint Condominiums.

The proposal will go to the Tempe City Council next for two public hearings.

- Katie Nelson

[Sekkle]

I found this chart as a PDF on the City of Tempe's website. I think it's intended to work as a supplement to the development map that has been posted previously. Hadn't seen this chart posted, though, so I thought I'd throw it up here. I don't know if there is a meaning to the light blue vs. dark blue bars or if they just changed the color to break up the chart. Anyway, I found it interesting...

It's available at http://www.tempe.gov/business/development_report/

[sundevilgrad]

Thanks for posting 480. City of Tempe does a great job keeping up the information on all of the projects going on. One thing that's a little disappointing to me is that Onyx is still only in the conceptual stage in this updated chart. I thought it was further along than that. Oh well, we'll see.

[DevdogAZ]

Why do some of the projects have bars that just end and others have bars that are outlined out to a certain point and then only filled in to the current level of completion?

[Sekkle]

^ I wondered the same thing. There was no key to what the different lines mean. My guess is that it's the city's (or the developer's) projection of when it will be occupied (they all seem to end in the Occ 200X columns). Maybe they just don't have a good estimate on some?

[vertex]

Tempe updates:

Went on a serial 'shooting' spree this past Thursday. Here are some images of Centerpoint Condos, Hayden Ferry Lakeside, the Light Rail Bridge, and the Tempe Arts Center. I've included some rough panos.

First, Centerpoint. You can clearly see that they are now past the podium levels, and have started the floors for tower 1.







Here is a better view of tower 2:



damn image host won't retain my pano's original size...



Anyway, on to Hayden Ferry Lakeside:

The MASSIVE garage facing Rio Salado drive.







Nice water feature. Can't wait to see it turned on.











This pavillion by tower 2 is like the Shetland Pony of Dulles International Airport terminals...








Meanwhile the Bridgeview building is moving right along...





A shot of Mondrian from the south river bank.



And a parting shot, from the park



A few shots of the Light Rail Bridge:



A shot of the bridge landing, with the embedded artwork.



And a close-up of the artwork.



The bridge, with the rails being laid as we speak...



Anybody know what this building is? It kind-of looks like a headhouse. It's definately part of the project, it's dressed up in the same brick material as the bridge.





Finally, Tempe Arts Center.



I've been harboring a theory regarding the odd shape of the Tempe Arts Center since last fall, when the roof finally started to take shape. I didn't get around to taking some pictures until now.

To me, it looks like the design for this place is incredibly close (in both the profile, and in the way the light strikes it) to Tempe Butte!



What do you think? Is it a match?

[DevdogAZ]

Great pics, Vertex. Thanks for posting them.

[loftlovr]

Vertex- You're the man!
Thanks so much for the update-
I think the Tempe Center for the Arts was meant to match A Mountain- (Tempe Butte) I always kinda thought that.
Maybe I'll email the architect and ask-

Things seem to be shaping up nice in good ol Tempe-
I still worry that there is not enough high paying jobs to support all the high rises- but maybe I'm wrong.
Basically ASU/ Mill Ave and the Hayden Ferry area rock- and all the rest of Tempe is pretty much Mesa.
With all the added people to that core it will be interesting to see how Mill Ave Transforms.
The Hayden Mill redevelopment is one of my personal favorites... mainly because the proposal is so rich in character and cannot be duplicated...

I saw a billboard for Mosaic on Hayden and McKellips the other day... kinda cool...

[JimInCal]

Vertex...nice photo update! Thanks very much. The pics with the mountains on the horizon show what a beautiful, clear day it was. Next time I'm in Phoenix, I've got to get over to check out Tempe. Great job!

[Azndragon837]

Vertex...very nice job, especially the panos. Tempe is rising fast above the ground, and I am very proud of the city that I work for. It is very exciting to see so many projects come online. In about a year or so, we will have a brand-new skyline. I am stoked! Anyways, great photos!

-Andrew

[Sekkle]

Great photos, Vertex. Thanks for the construction update!

[vertex]

Everyone, thanks for the comments.

There's still plenty of projects in Tempe that I didn't get to, especially when you look at the chart posted by ForAteOh. I didn't have time to check out any of the condos/brownstones being built south of Rio Salado and west of Ash (in the Riverside/Sunset area), and I didn't get anywhere east of Mill Ave.

loftlovr, I'm skeptical about KML Mosaic; they've been talking for over two years now, but all they have to show for it is an empty lot, a name change, and a groundbreaking ceremony that keeps getting pushed back.

BTW, I talked to a couple of people at the Whole Foods at Rural and Baseline about when they anticipate relocating to the 'new' store, and they just roll their eyes. One even said "not in my lifetime..."

Azndragon, do you know anything more about it?

[loftlovr]

I can add a few to the mix-

Here is the view from Northshore/ Grigio lakeside:

This is the site of a future project-
Former Club Rio site...
http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/1215ClubRio.html
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0613namwest13.html

Northshore construction:


And Grigio getting close to completion:

[vertex]

It's called 'Grigio' now? I thought it was still 'Mondrian'. Oh well, nice pics.

[NorthScottsdale]

If only Phoenix could take a look at Tempe's example. tempe has a lot of damn projects goin up!

Originally Posted by vertex

It's called 'Grigio' now? I thought it was still 'Mondrian'. Oh well, nice pics.

vertex, the Mondrian is in Scottsdale. Morgan hotel group bought out the old james hotel on indian school and drinkwater and completely renovated it, and it is now called the mondrian. Very exciting project it will bring a lot of class to downtown scottsdale. i think it should be opening sometime in the next couple weeks

[vertex]

Originally Posted by NorthScottsdale

vertex, the Mondrian is in Scottsdale. Morgan hotel group bought out the old james hotel on indian school and drinkwater and completely renovated it, and it is now called the mondrian. Very exciting project it will bring a lot of class to downtown scottsdale. i think it should be opening sometime in the next couple weeks

This development was called Mondrian as well. The james/mondrian hotel you're referring to is probably the reason why they changed the name.

[Sekkle]

Originally Posted by vertex

Anybody know what this building is? It kind-of looks like a headhouse. It's definately part of the project, it's dressed up in the same brick material as the bridge.

I just checked the Town Lake Bridge construction plans here at work. That building is Traction Power Substation #10. Pretty exciting!!!

[PHX31]

Vertex, nice pics! In one of them you mentioned the "Bridgeview" building underconstruction. Is that the building in Hayden Ferry Lakeside that is going to be right on Rio Salado/Mill that will have some sort of "Spectacular" element to it to celebrate ringing in the new year for the block party (like the ball drop)?