Tempe Development Thread - Page 30

Azndragon837 · #**581** Posted **Mar 6, 2007, 7:45 PM**

Centerpoint raised their crane sometime yesterday afternoon. It's now about 300+ feet in the air, slightly shorter than "A" Mountain. You can see it all the way from the Loop 202 Freeway coming in from the west (where it curves on Van Buren & 52nd Street). The sheer height of the crane (and the towers) simply amazes me.

The Phase 1 tower (22 stories) is now at the 13th floor, while Phase 2 (30 stories) is still on the 3rd floor.

From 5th Street looking south:

A rendering of both Centerpoint towers from the same vantage point:

-Andrew

sundevilgrad · #**582** Posted **Mar 6, 2007, 9:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azndragon837

All,

For Tempe's Block 12, I haven't seen anything yet about that site, although it is slated to eventually become something mixed-use, according to this map: http://www.tempe.gov/business/Development_Report/ProjectsMap.htm. No plans have been submitted to the city yet.

-Andrew

I've got to imagine that it will be something pretty specatular when it does come about. That's a key block for downtown Tempe. I hope they go BIG!

DevdogAZ · #**583** Posted **Mar 6, 2007, 9:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JI5

The lasers on on over Tempe Marketplace tonight! They are a VERY bright green and move around, over the freeway and over downtown. I almost drove off the 202 looking at the damn things. They are VERY COOL!

I saw those last night. What are they for?

DevdogAZ · #**584** Posted **Mar 6, 2007, 9:54 PM**

Some pics I took this morning of Northshore and the area around there:

Northshore from the west, across Rural Road:

From the south, across the lake:

Grigio, from the west:

Grigio, from the south, across the lake:

Northshore and Grigio from the south:

Proposed site for Onyx, between Northshore and Rural Road:

Site of the former Club Rio, which has apparently been torn down recently. Anyone know what's proposed to go here?

Building being built at Playa del Norte and Rural, directly south of In-N-Out:

Hayden Ferry development from the Rural Road bridge:

Obligatory shot of Sun Devil Stadium. GO DEVILS!!!

soleri · #**585** Posted **Mar 6, 2007, 10:32 PM**

That old Club Rio site is supposedly home to the Mondrian, a project originally slated for condos and now apartments.

combusean · #**586** Posted **Mar 7, 2007, 1:48 AM**

The parcels to the west of Rural Rd are called Northshore and nothing firm is released last time I called NamWest...I remember hearing about a couple 15 story towers. The stuff to the east is Playa del Norte.

Mondrian was the former name of Grigio, fyi.

Good photos.

JI5 · #**587** Posted **Mar 7, 2007, 2:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevdogAZ

I saw those last night. What are they for?

They're just to look good. To give it some flare. I like it!

desertdj · #**588** Posted **Mar 7, 2007, 4:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azndragon837

Centerpoint raised their crane sometime yesterday afternoon. It's now about 300+ feet in the air, slightly shorter than "A" Mountain. You can see it all the way from the Loop 202 Freeway coming in from the west (where it curves on Van Buren & 52nd Street). The sheer height of the crane (and the towers) simply amazes me.

The Phase 1 tower (22 stories) is now at the 13th floor, while Phase 2 (30 stories) is still on the 3rd floor.

-Andrew

Yeah I was driving home from my class at ASU in Downtown Phoenix (interestingly enough on a class about Urban Design in Downtowns) going down 143 South and yeah that crane is crazy tall. You can look at all the renderings you want but seeing that really puts into comparison how these buildings will impact downtown Tempe, and from the size of it, really all of Tempe.

DevdogAZ · #**589** Posted **Mar 7, 2007, 7:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by combusean

The parcels to the west of Rural Rd are called Northshore and nothing firm is released last time I called NamWest...I remember hearing about a couple 15 story towers. The stuff to the east is Playa del Norte.

Mondrian was the former name of Grigio, fyi.

Good photos.

The condos currently being built next to Grigio (with the tower crane) are called Northshore.

http://www.northshoreaz.com/home.html

loftlovr · #**590** Posted **Mar 7, 2007, 8:15 AM**

If memory serves me correctly,
Triyar (W hotel Scottsdale, Axis, Suede, Myst) owns the Club Rio site and planned to do a mixed use hotel- condo project there.

sundevilgrad · #**591** Posted **Mar 7, 2007, 1:52 PM**

GO DEVILS! I love that view!

Azndragon837 · #**592** Posted **Mar 7, 2007, 5:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by loftlovr

If memory serves me correctly,
Triyar (W hotel Scottsdale, Axis, Suede, Myst) owns the Club Rio site and planned to do a mixed use hotel- condo project there.

Joel, according to the Maricopa County Assessor's Website, NamWest, the development company that built the very lovely and beautiful Brownstones at Tempe (6th St. & Roosevelt: http://www.namwest.com/Brownstones/index.asp) owns several parcels (including the former Club Rio site).

-Andrew

loftlovr · #**593** Posted **Mar 8, 2007, 4:15 AM**

I stand corrected!

tgoodere · #**594** Posted **Mar 8, 2007, 12:46 PM**

Good to see all the photos...I am out of the country right now and like to see how Tempe is progressing.

Thanks again...great forum..oh, I think I heard they are putting in a Starbuck's right near In N Out...the picture that Devldog took...

sundevilgrad · #**595** Posted **Mar 8, 2007, 4:47 PM**

Does anyone have any news on University Square? I know they were saying that they wanted to break ground in early 2007, but it's already March and we haven't heard anything. I know that Dave's Dog House is still open for business in the only old Arches building left, but I haven't heard anything on when that is scheduled to be demolished. It doesn't seem like they are going to make the earlier 2007 start date.

Also, the Armory has been fairly quite for the past few months. Any word on that one? I thought it was supposed to break ground in May, so I imagine there should be some press releases in the near future.

Any info would be appreciated. I've googled the topics to death, but haven't been able to find much new information.

Thumperdog · #**596** Posted **Mar 8, 2007, 7:12 PM**

I met the Armory / Stadium Lofts guy about a week ago; they are still planning May groundbreaking. They just put up new website for the project - http://www.constellationproperty.com/tempe/. Only the condo tower starting in May, other tower (hotel) to come later.

sundevilgrad · #**597** Posted **Mar 8, 2007, 8:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thumperdog

I met the Armory / Stadium Lofts guy about a week ago; they are still planning May groundbreaking. They just put up new website for the project - http://www.constellationproperty.com/tempe/. Only the condo tower starting in May, other tower (hotel) to come later.

Cool, thanks for the update! Let's hope they put those shovels in the ground come May!

JCarp · #**598** Posted **Mar 8, 2007, 8:29 PM**

Not sure if this has been previously posted, but I haven’t seen it…

Quote:

http://www.tempe.gov/lake/Development/dev_opp.htm

Le Meridien Hotel at Hayden Ferry Lakeside, will be a 183-room, 14-story contemporary styled hotel with a European flair. In addition to the hotel, 44 residential units will be built atop the property.

DevdogAZ · #**599** Posted **Mar 8, 2007, 9:39 PM**

Here's an article from the State Press last week about Dave's Dog House still being in business and University Square not beginning yet:

Quote:

As walls tumble,
Dave stays standing
Dog House one of last remaining tenants at The Arches
by Chris Ramirez
published on Thursday, March 1, 2007

While The Arches of Tempe may already be falling, one man is in a fight to stay standing.

David Cheren, owner of Dave's Dog House, located in The Arches on University Drive between Forest and Myrtle avenues, is clashing with an investment group that wants to flatten the complex in order to develop the area.

A new $500 million development - University Square - is planned for the area. The development will feature office buildings, condominiums and a four-star Westin hotel, which will reach about 30 stories.

But the project has yet to begin, in part because of Cheren, who said he has 6 1/2 years remaining on his lease.

"They've made a deal with everybody on the block, but not me," Cheren said. "I am not willing to blow off the 6 1/2 years left on the lease. I've put a lot of money into this.

"[The restaurant] is just on the cusp of franchising, and they come along and say, 'You, get out.' Well, they can't because they can't void my lease."

Jim Riggs, the founder and president of SAXA, one of the companies working on University Square, would not discuss "ongoing" business concerning Dave's Dog House but did evaluate the current situation.

"We're just working on architectural stuff and getting things moving with the project," Riggs said. "But as far as we are concerned, it's not hung up at all. We're knocking more buildings down next week."

Part of the old Arches plaza has already been demolished, and city officials have fenced off the rest of the city block.

But Cheren said this has helped business at Dave's Dog House.

"All they really did was give us more exposure and more business," he said.

He had his employees hang "Dave's Dog House is open" signs on the fences, he said.

"I want them to know that we're not [closed] because when they look at this, it looks like ... everything is coming down," Cheren said.

While five businesses from The Arches have already relocated, including Tempe Bicycle, Ma'I Island Grill and India Bistro, Cheren said his spot is too unique to move.

"This is not a Subway," Cheren said. "A Subway can open on any corner, and they are busy right away. But [Dave's Dog House] is just starting. It hasn't established a reputation that is much greater than this general community."

Reach the reporter at: [email protected]

sundevilgrad · #**600** Posted **Mar 8, 2007, 10:12 PM**

As much as I want to see some progress, I tend to agree with Dave. The made a 10 year lease aggrement with him, which obviously doesn't have any out clauses. So, if they want to proceed they need to step up and pay the man. The shop is unique, and you can tell that he's got a lot of money invested in it.