Phoenix Development News (3)

[gymratmanaz]

I saw demolition going on at the wedding plaza last week.

[azsunsurfer]

I completely forgot I saw site work going on a while ago while riding light rail....please tell me the final designs masked the podium parking. That's fine if the economics aren't there for retail but I hope the parking is discrete.

[Phxguy]

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/p....html?page=all

Here's another article on the project. It's 3 years old but those were the most recent plans for the Blue on Washington that I remember seeing. The developer wants retail on the ground floor as well.

Also has anyone checked on the Dupont Circle apartments east of the 44th and Washington Station? Saw a picture recently of ground breaking but wasn't sure if for the apartments or another parking lot.

[bwaynoh]

Originally Posted by gymratmanaz

I saw demolition going on at the wedding plaza last week.

Work on the site has been going on for the last 6 weeks or so. It mostly seems to have wrapped up and paving of the new parking lot on the west of the plaza is finishing up as well. There is a sign posted on the lot there at 11th St and Washington now for "Blue on 11th" as well as a similar sign on 12th St and Jefferson for "Blue on 12th". However, I haven't heard any other relevant status updates about construction actually starting.

[bwaynoh]

Originally Posted by Phxguy

Also has anyone checked on the Dupont Circle apartments east of the 44th and Washington Station? Saw a picture recently of ground breaking but wasn't sure if for the apartments or another parking lot.

I passed by there a few days ago and they've begun construction on what appears to be the parking structure.

Originally Posted by Jjs5056

PHX Dev

3) The lot on Garfield/5th St looks like it will have a new ARTS exhibit soon. There's 'wire furniture' and shipping containers on site.

Which lot? Both vacant lots on the SWC and SEC of 5th St/Garfield are currently fenced off and in use for construction staging for the Cancer Center.

[nickw252]

Originally Posted by Phxguy

Also has anyone checked on the Dupont Circle apartments east of the 44th and Washington Station? Saw a picture recently of ground breaking but wasn't sure if for the apartments or another parking lot.

There is a crane and I believe they've gone vertical.

[nickw252]

The lot between Highland and Coolidge at Central is fenced off and dirt is being moved. Looks like construction will be starting soon.

[nickw252]

Originally Posted by Phxguy

Also has anyone checked on the Dupont Circle apartments east of the 44th and Washington Station? Saw a picture recently of ground breaking but wasn't sure if for the apartments or another parking lot.

[ASUSunDevil]

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/n...ng-vacant.html

[Jjs5056]

Originally Posted by bwaynoh

I passed by there a few days ago and they've begun construction on what appears to be the parking structure.



Which lot? Both vacant lots on the SWC and SEC of 5th St/Garfield are currently fenced off and in use for construction staging for the Cancer Center.

Yea, I was catching only bits and pieces of each lot.

[crwhiteinaz]

The answer to the Blue on 11th and 12th

Florida developer gearing up for new downtown Phoenix apartments on Washington Street

The Phoenix City Council could give the go-ahead later today to a Florida developer’s plans for 292 new apartments in downtown Phoenix.

Winter Park, Florida-based Epoch Properties wants to develop two apartment complexes called 11 Capital Place and 12 Capital Place just east of downtown near Washington, 11th and 12th streets.

Epoch bought the parcels earlier this year from Phoenix developer Mike Lafferty for $8.1 million.
Lafferty previously wanted to build an 11-story mixed-use building at 12th and Washington, to be called the Blue on 12th Street. That project faced some community opposition and never got off the ground.
Now, Epoch is looking at two four-story apartments buildings on the parcels. There are some similar existing apartment complexes in the vicinity.
The council is considering actions on the Capital Place plans at its meeting Wednesday evening. Epoch could start construction soon after the city approvals.
Across the Phoenix area there were close to 22,900 apartment units under construction or in the pipeline during the first quarter, according to Kasten Long Commercial Group.
Epoch already owns 914 units in Arizona with five complexes in Tucson and one in Mesa. Epoch executives were not avaiable for comment.

[Jjs5056]

Oh, great, more 4-story complexes. That'll definitely help densify the least-used portion of the light rail.

1- Anyone have final images/notes on the 3rd street AZ Center facade?
2- There looks to be a sales center going up at 6th/Garfield - I could see the 'example' facade beyond the fence when I was there (glass with sand colored brick on the bottom); it has to be too soon for the McKinley/4th building, right?
3- Buchanan/Center definitely isn't an urban golf course. =/ I just hope it's more than a parking lot - anyone been to The Duce lately?

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by Jjs5056

Oh, great, more 4-story complexes. That'll definitely help densify the least-used portion of the light rail.

Call me optimistic but Id rather have a city of 4-12 story mid rise buildings than a cluster of 60 story buildings surrounded by sprawl.

And if more people lived on the Least-used part of the light rail maybe it would...get some use...

[Jjs5056]

Originally Posted by Obadno

Call me optimistic but Id rather have a city of 4-12 story mid rise buildings than a cluster of 60 story buildings surrounded by sprawl.

And if more people lived on the Least-used part of the light rail maybe it would...get some use...

It isn't reasonable to expect the entire Eastlake neighborhood to 1) attract developers, and 2) see eye-to-eye with densification plans. For many neighborhoods along the light rail (see: Gracie's Village debate in Tempe), the only area that has a chance of doing both of those things is land directly adjacent to stops, and hopefully, one day - adjacent to the line itself. Two, 4-story developments adjacent to a light rail stop is essentially sprawl in and of itself. The Mark Taylor and other 'luxury' gated communities are all 3-4 stories.

And, 4 stories is not a midrise. It is a lowrise. Dense, mixed use, midrise buildings (5-7/8 stories) along the Tempe-Phoenix line would be great news, but outside of downtown Tempe and Scottsdale, I haven't heard of a single project of more than 5 stories. Filling up superblocks with 5-story anti-urban apartments won't make the tiniest dent into the acres upon acres of sprawl we need to counter-develop against, though it seems like the only concern these days is filling up lots.

[Phxguy]

Any hope on the Dupont development looking, to the very least, aesthetically urban? With a parking garage, we can hope for minimal surface parking and dare I say it maybe a snippet of ground-floor retail. The area has enormous potential in the coming years; proximity to good transit, airport, attractions, Gateway CC, Celebrity theater.

Also any updates on the Deco communities development on Thomas and Central? Has demolition begun, as they were anticipating a mid-summer beginning? Their other development in downtown Scottsdale, Envy, appears to have broken ground already according to Google maps which is always a good sign.

[dtnphx]

Originally Posted by Phxguy

Also any updates on the Deco communities development on Thomas and Central? Has demolition begun, as they were anticipating a mid-summer beginning? Their other development in downtown Scottsdale, Envy, appears to have broken ground already according to Google maps which is always a good sign.

According to Deco's website, there is no project planned for Thomas and Central. Are you referring to the one on Thomas east of 16h St.?

http://decocommunities.com/our-portfolio/

[MegaBass]

Renovations to historic downtown warehouse to be complete by the end of the calendar year

The sights and sounds of the renovation of a historic building in the historic warehouse district of downtown Phoenix are rather inglorious.

Jackhammers pounded away Friday at the cement in the lower level of the nearly 90-year-old warehouse on the corner of Second and Buchanan streets, while workers buzzed around the building restoring what they could and creating where they see it impossible to restore.

The goal: complete new office space by the end of the year.

The warehouse will become the new home of the Phoenix branch of PR firm R&R Partners, said Matt Silverman, the vice president and managing director of the branch. R&R has had offices all over the Valley for the last 20 years, but in recent years desired a permanent home downtown.

“We really believe in a place that has character,” Silverman said. “We looked at this area as an area that had a lot of potential.”

The company bought the warehouse, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, in 2007 to become an office space for the more than 40 employees R&R has in Phoenix. However, the recession halted those plans and delayed work on the building until the fall of 2013.

Henry Ong Sr., a Chinese immigrant, built the warehouse in the 1920s. According to a statement from R&R, the building has had many tenants throughout its lifetime and still bears the name of its last active tenant, the Trombetta Brothers.

Silverman said this project and others in the area, including the move of some graduate programs of Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, shows that the district might be an up-and-coming place downtown.

“As innovators, we really wanted to be a part of starting exciting,” Silverman said.

Martin Ball, of Phoenix-based CCBG Architects, is the project manager for the renovation effort. He said preserving the historic aspects of the building while making sure it is updated to fulfill the needs of a modern company has proved to be challenging, but rewarding.

“It’s always an interesting thing when you get a chance to get your hands on an old building and try to make it new again without losing the character of the structure,” Ball said.

The building was in extremely poor condition when work began, Ball said. Among other parts of the building, workers had to fix the walls and roof, both of which were so badly worn down that the building was unstable.

Despite the challenges, Ball said he tried to ensure that the exterior of the building would be left alone as much as possible.

The inside, however, is a different story. The building will have a new elevator shaft, new staircases, a new air conditioning unit and some other modern necessities, Ball said.

The blend between new and old was very important to R&R, Silverman said.

“This building represents a vibrant part of Phoenix’s industry back in the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s, and there’s no reason we shouldn’t keep that but preserve it in a way that keeps it stable physically and breathes new life into it for new businesses,” Silverman said.

That is why CCBG went through great pains during renovation to ensure the building’s character was preserved. For example, Ball said two new roof beams supported any original beams that could be salvaged. In addition, the original floor will remain largely untouched and actually holds the roof of the building up.

While R&R will occupy most of the space in the building, two spaces will be set aside for local businesses, Silverman said. Phil Breidenbach of Colliers International, the company that represents the leasing interests for the property, said the property has generated a lot of interest even though the renovations aren’t complete.

Silverman said the warehouse district as a whole has seen renewed interest after the recession stifled the momentum it was building. The R&R project is emblematic of the challenges of warehouse district development, as it has endured a period of inactivity and uncertainty because of those economic pressures.

Despite that renewed interest, the warehouse district has a long way to go before it becomes the bustling center of economic and social activity that its supporters desire.

“We know it’s going to take more than just business owners,” Silverman said. “We need local shops who are interested in opening retail. We need coffee shops, we need flower shops, we need business owners and we need people to live here.”

Future developments in the area will face many of the same challenges that CCBG and R&R faced in renovating the warehouse. However, as Silverman tells it, these historic buildings have something to offer future property owners and developers.

“This is a great part of the city, and they don’t build buildings like this anymore,” Silverman said. “In a city that’s pretty young, I think it’s pretty cool to preserve its roots.”

[Jjs5056]

Actual development news before commenting on others' notes: the long-empty lot at 44th/Palm is being looked at for a townhome development. A previous QT was axed by the neighborhood, which is already crying about this new proposal. I hope they don't prevail - it's a great project for that area, and will close a huge gap in that Gateway area, especially with the Washington/44th apartments breaking ground.

Also, if I'm reading permits correctly, the extended retail at USAC was to incorporate a Carls Jr. This was in late April, but haven't been back to see; was hoping for a restaurant... but, I guess quick-moving retail is good for foot traffic, too.

Colliers is also slowly coming back to life: Brooklyn Pizza, Maria's Kitchen, Aveda Salon and an Art Gallery have all been added. Didn't see many design changes, as RED talked about, and I wish they'd focus on the ground level first. Of course, I also wish they'd grab an Embassy Suites or similar for that pad, given the stalled Marriotts and Hilton.

PHXGUY - I think the Deco project you're referring to is at Lewis and Central; it's hard to keep up with so many 'proposed' projects that are all average in scope. This is a 5-story project (1 floor is parking) and 1-use, like every other project in the works in central Phoenix.

It's crazy how many more urban projects Scottsdale and Tempe are getting. Luckily, the Deco lot is small and isn't in a 'prime' location in Midtown. It's the mega 1-use, lowrise projects like Highland/Central, McDowell/Central, and Washington/12th - or, projects in prime locations like McKinley/4th's 4 story gated community - that'll just kill these areas and prevent them from ever becoming walkable or dense enough to attract the needed retail to make a true urban neighborhood.

I'm sure the parking is hidden within the 12th St projects, but as I mentioned, it seems like the city's only criteria for TOD is setback. Sure, 4 stories built to the property line will give a more city-like feel approaching downtown, but someone finally wanted to invest in the "Discovery Triangle" part of town with 12-story mixed use buildings... a shame. I doubt any retail will be included since neighborhood concerns were part of the problem and retail=TRAFFIC.

MegaBass - My good friend works for R&R and I'm surprised it's taken as long as it has for them to finish the project given his updates. I'm interested in how the site plan is configured: where the parking will go, and how the two additional spaces are incorporated. Hopefully, a food business is a possibility, and I hope at least a portion of the lot between the warehouse and the former Brewery next door will be left open. It makes too much sense for a brewery to reoccupy that space, and a beer garden and/outdoor cooking would be a great, visible sign of a thriving block.

Mr. Silverman should take a walk around the area - there is a flower shop just across the street from the Trombetta Warehouse, a coffee shop at Campaige Place, a Vintage Furniture Craftsman in the renovated McGinnis building down the street, a recycled bike parts, e-bike, and fresh produce stores just a bit southwest, plus the TDC Ballet, Bentley Art Gallery and the IceHouse, and businesses like Moses (one of their direct competitors), CCBG Architects, High Road Custom Interiors, Iiam, WebPT, and Intertek.

Levine received funding for his 1905 warehouses on 2nd/RR Tracks; I know he was planning on moving Levine Machine into that space, but I wish he'd consider leaving at least half for a consumer-facing business. He's also gutted and cleaned the storage warehouse on 1st/Jackson, which is one of the only buildings with the right specs for a loft conversion.

Hopefully, it can continue to progress organically, because it can't afford anymore landbanking/demolitions/county deadzones; it probably already has too many to ever have all of its hot spots walkable, but there's at least clusters of cool things emerging.

[turpentyne]

looks like we're off to the races on the new Law Building on 3rd st.

I wonder if there were any amendments to the design that was presented.

Over the last week, they've begun clearing off the lot, and prepping for construction.

[poconoboy61]

Sprouts has selected a new Phoenix location for its headquarters and grocery store at CityNorth near 56th Street and Deer Valley.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/n...q-at-high.html

Good to see the company staying in city limits!