Tempe Development Thread

[CrestedSaguaro]

The tower crane base is in place at HFL3! Looks like the crane will be rising soon

http://ryancompanies1.workzonecam.com/hayden

[nickw252]

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

The tower crane base is in place at HFL3! Looks like the crane will be rising soon

http://ryancompanies1.workzonecam.com/hayden

Ooh nice, another construction camera. That view will be a lot better when you can no longer see a parking garage at the corner of Mill and Rio Salado.

Anyone know if the University Place apartment tower has a work camera?

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by nickw252

Ooh nice, another construction camera. That view will be a lot better when you can no longer see a parking garage at the corner of Mill and Rio Salado.

Anyone know if the University Place apartment tower has a work camera?

I was thinking the same thing when looking at the construction cam. Will be a big improvement.

Can't find a webcam for University Place. Actually...I can't find much on University Place. I got results for housing and oddball stuff. Is that the official name of those apartments?

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

I was thinking the same thing when looking at the construction cam. Will be a big improvement.

Can't find a webcam for University Place. Actually...I can't find much on University Place. I got results for housing and oddball stuff. Is that the official name of those apartments?

Try University House, or Hub on Campus... http://www.universityhousetempe.com/

[Arquitect]

Originally Posted by nickw252

Ooh nice, another construction camera. That view will be a lot better when you can no longer see a parking garage at the corner of Mill and Rio Salado.

Anyone know if the University Place apartment tower has a work camera?

Cameras are normally hosted through the General Contractor's website. The contractor is Beal Derkenne, and unfortunately they don't have this feature.

[Jjs5056]

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

"zoning permits heights of 292 feet and 252 feet on the two parcels LPC proposes to develop"

I LOVE this! A 292 foot development on this parcel would rock! I can only hope Tempe pushes for a development of this scale and doesn't give in down the road to something less than stellar.

I think the explanation given was very smart, in that it addressed the multiple failures of the project. I think each of us here has a preference: architecture, urban design, height, etc. and all are important to the City and all were a big miss here. I don't think the buildings here need to be 292' when built out - I'd actually like to see the highest buildings to the west taper down toward McClintock to give a more human scale (would definitely love to see 200'+ towers in there, though!); the area has much more potential and I hope we've learned from HFL how to improve these developments.

4-level apartments with more modern finishes, that also included 2-story commercial with residential above lining the street from Rio Salado to each of these pads, probably would've been approved. Or, a single 250' tower of office and commercial. But, wasting land on generic 4-level sprawled apartments doesn't fit within the vision of the City in any way, and even after giving exact suggestions, the developer didn't adapt: unsurprising, as it's been 7 years and each proposed project has failed.

[Jjs5056]

Originally Posted by ASUSunDevil

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/loca...-urban-transformation-downtown/13395229/

Did AZCentral mess up, or is Marina Heights incorporating a residential component, and HFL3 a retail piece?

The former might be The Lofts at Hayden Ferry scheduled to go just west, but it has never been mentioned in any other article. Similarly, HFL3 once included a retail portion - lining the west side of the garage - but, all news regarding the 3rd tower have mentioned office-only.

Hope both are true. A residential tower on Rural/Rio would make a nice entrance into Marina Heights, and retail along that garage is the only thing that could salvage HFL's site plan and draw pedestrians in.

As for the part where ULI warned against stacking buildings vertically, he's right technically, but this market is totally jacked and there's nothing between 5 stories and the 200' range. 10-12 story buildings would be great mixed in with the 5 and 20 story ones. But, those seem nonexistent, at which point the 5 story buildings have to become limited before having to start knocking down fairly recent buildings.

EDIT: Looks like this page has been updated. Retail will be included in HFL3. Sounds like it'll be ground level, rather than the garage attachment, which is a little disappointing based on the lack of success the other buildings have had. But, who knows, I'm also finding pictures now where the garage attachment AND ground level spaces are being shown as available... so maybe it will be somewhat visible from Mill and Rio in the end.
http://www.haydenferry.com/available.php

[Jackdavis4]

Any news on the high-rise on University and Ash? I live down the street and theres have been crews there doing plumbing work.

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by Jackdavis4

Any news on the high-rise on University and Ash? I live down the street and theres have been crews there doing plumbing work.

Are you certain it is the corner lot? I drove by two weeks ago and the lot next to Encore was being excavated, but no work still at University and Ash. I also don't recall that this ever showed up on the DRC agenda.

[azsunsurfer]

I noticed this weekend that the University streetscape project is in full swing. Most of the island medians between Preist and Mill seem to be done or they are in the progress of constructing them. Hopefully it will make this area a little more asthetically pleasing. I also noticed that Boston resturaunt finally closed. That lot would've made a nice infill corner but I assume it will probably be another eatery.

[DevilsRider]

Nothing that exciting, but City Council approved two new infill projects at their meeting on Thursday. Dorsey Lane Townhomes at Broadway and Dorsey (51 units, 3-story) and Rythym Development (single-family, 94 units at Priest and Knox, south of Warner).

[DevilsRider]

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

I noticed this weekend that the University streetscape project is in full swing. Most of the island medians between Preist and Mill seem to be done or they are in the progress of constructing them. Hopefully it will make this area a little more asthetically pleasing. I also noticed that Boston resturaunt finally closed. That lot would've made a nice infill corner but I assume it will probably be another eatery.

It will be nice when University and Hardy are done. University should be somewhat more calm and orderly, though not as much as it could have been. The traffic signals at Roosevelt and Farmer should be a big help in getting people from north to south.

I think that Broadway is next up for the city. Last I heard, the plan was to remove an eastbound lane from Mill to Rural, making it two lanes each way, with added bike lanes, enhanced sidewalk and landscaping, and walls replacing the orange trees separating the neighborhood from Broadway. Hopefully that one starts up soon!

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by Jjs5056

EDIT: Looks like this page has been updated. Retail will be included in HFL3. Sounds like it'll be ground level, rather than the garage attachment, which is a little disappointing based on the lack of success the other buildings have had. But, who knows, I'm also finding pictures now where the garage attachment AND ground level spaces are being shown as available... so maybe it will be somewhat visible from Mill and Rio in the end.
http://www.haydenferry.com/available.php

Right now, I wouldn't take anything on HF's website with a grain of salt. They are still listing the hotel component as 14 floors and their site plan still shows HFL East III and IV where State Farm is currently being built.

[MegaBass]

Marina Heights.



Sun Devil Stadium after north endzone upper deck removal.



Former site of Alpha Drive.



Hub II construction crane.



Hub II next to University House. Probably would of had a better vantage point of it from Stadium Parking Structure.



Tempe Towne Lake Dam replacement underway.



SkyWater Apartments at Towne Lake.



Hanover Project.





College Avenue streetscape.



Harrington Birchett House got some exterior work done and new landscaping.





College Avenue Commons



Nike Outlet Store err... I mean Sun Devil Marketplace at College Avenue Commons.



College Avenue streetscape.



The Annex with rollaway garage doors installed.





Gammage Parkway PowerParasol with Gammage promo posters, desert landscaping and a lot of brickwork.



Old Main fountain under renovations again...



Alta Tempe.

Not photographed: University Center buildings now has ASU insignia and solar panels over the parking lot.

Mission @ Minder Binder looks awful.

[Spitfiredude]

Thanks for the pictures MegaBass they all look great. Everyone will really appreciate it. College Avenue is turning out better than I expected. Some solid projects transforming Tempe!

[michael85225]

Tempe is getting it done! I'm loving the latest transformation we are witnessing. I remember being excited when Hayden Ferry and Centerpoint towers were going up and it feels great to get that feeling again.

[DevilsRider]

Great pictures as always, MegaBass. And it was a good call not to include the pictures for Mission @ Minder Binder. It looks just terrible. Every time I've passed it, I've thought "surely they'll be doing something soon, and it won't look so bad in the end." Nope

[PHX31]

Thanks for the pictures. There is really a ton going on in Tempe. I can't wait for ASU football to start. Gameday seems to be the only time I head over to Tempe and I'm always excited to see the changes from one year to the next. I'm glad College Avenue Commons and the streetscape will be complete. And i'm looking forward to seeing the Hub II rise each week. Of course, Marina Heights and the north end zone will be a big change.

[DevilsRider]

Maybe this is a dumb question, but building one for Marina Heights appears like it will be completed long before the others. Does anyone know if State Farm has any plans to start using that building early (or are they even allowed to with all the construction still surrounding it)?

Also, I kind of wish OxBlue had a second camera on the site. Would be cool to see the perspective from the north side as well as the south...although having one camera is certainly better than having zero, and I'm glad they were able to get it up there on A Mountain for all of us to enjoy!

[MegaBass]

Also didn't get a chance to see if any movement at The Grand/1010 Lemon site. Forgot to look over at The Palms Hotel conversion. I don't recall much going on there when I drove by. Didn't check out REVO Gastropub at Tempe Transportation Center but it was good to see there's at least some tenant occupancy at University House. Which hopefully leads to tenants at the City Hall Garage.

As far as on-campus renovations surprised Farmer Building (Education) is still going on since like Spring 2011? Finally doing work on first level of the Language and Literature Building. Some landscaping on the west end of Business Administration to tie in in with the Dean's Patio/McCord Hall. Surprised there was no visible work being done to Hayden Library. I thought they already green-lit the renovation. They're really keen on Walk-Only Zone during the summer session around MU and Hayden that they had like six students patrolling out there.