Tempe Development Thread

[combusean]

I love Crescent Communities so much. Their product is stellar in every city they build in.

[muertecaza]

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2015/12/08/matt-s-big-breakfast-starbucks-mountainside.html

Popular Phoenix restaurant Matt’s Big Breakfast as well as a Starbucks and Mountainside Fitness are landing at the 2 million square foot Marina Heights development in Tempe.

...Matt’s is a popular downtown Phoenix restaurant and also has a location at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Back in April, owner Matt Pool voiced interest in opening a location in Tempe.
That will be at the State Farm/Marina campus, according to Cyndi Streid, State Farm administrative services manager at the Tempe campus.
Streid said Matt’s is looking to open in October 2016.

The Starbucks and Mountainside will also open at the development at Rio Salado Parkway development. There is also a 6,000-square-foot restaurant space property managers are looking to lease.

As one who works in downtown Tempe, this pleases me.

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by muertecaza

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2015/12/08/matt-s-big-breakfast-starbucks-mountainside.html



As one who works in downtown Tempe, this pleases me.

These are GOOD choices! I am thrilled that there is a nice public gym now located within the Athletic District! I was hoping they'd get at least one!

Sounds like a great place to work. You can go down the elevator and get a great breakfast, coffee, and work out before or after work. Well done.

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer11

These are GOOD choices! I am thrilled that there is a nice public gym now located within the Athletic District! I was hoping they'd get at least one!

Sounds like a great place to work. You can go down the elevator and get a great breakfast, coffee, and work out before or after work. Well done.

Watching Sun Devil Stadiums demolition is a tad distracting.

[azsunsurfer]

I am hoping that these amenities at Marina Heights will help with locating other corporate end users or developers who will actually be building nearby within the Athletics District knowing that this will be a selling point! Maybe pick up some momentum!

[azsunsurfer]

And please let the Coyotes move to Tempe and not Phoenix!

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

And please let the Coyotes move to Tempe and not Phoenix!

You are the only person who wants that

[nickw252]

Originally Posted by Obadno

You are the only person who wants that

I'd probably prefer downtown Phoenix but Tempe would be nice also. Overall my preference would just be anywhere centrally located along the light rail.

It is very inconvenient in Westgate. With me working in an office job in central Phoenix, there's no way I'm going way out there on a weeknight during rush hour to watch a game.

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by Obadno

You are the only person who wants that

I'm not opposed. The only thing is getting a new arena downtown for the Suns is priority 1. I have little confidence of them getting something built by themselves. I think it has to have the Coyotes.

IF the Suns could do it alone downtown, then I'd be OK with the Coyotes locating in Tempe with ASU Hockey. However, I do fear that with traffic, parking, students, etc that attendance would not be much better. See ASU Basketball and Football for example.

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer11

I'm not opposed. The only thing is getting a new arena downtown for the Suns is priority 1. I have little confidence of them getting something built by themselves. I think it has to have the Coyotes.

IF the Suns could do it alone downtown, then I'd be OK with the Coyotes locating in Tempe with ASU Hockey. However, I do fear that with traffic, parking, students, etc that attendance would not be much better. See ASU Basketball and Football for example.

I honestly think the only way to get the financing is to have the grantee of both suns and Coyotes and concerts all in one venue.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by Obadno

I honestly think the only way to get the financing is to have the grantee of both suns and Coyotes and concerts all in one venue.

I also think it's going to be a tough sell for the Suns to get their own arena and harder for the Coyotees to get an arena considering the failure of Glendale. Whatever the reasons for low attendance at Westgate, this is what investors/and or voters are going to look at and I just don't see Tempe happening since ASU hockey would obviously not pull enough attendance to even fill a 16th of a new arena. Also, as the traffic in Tempe is already a complete nightmare at evening rush hour. Because of this, I don't see an ASU football game and Coyotees game happening on the same night or it would be gridlock, so then scheduling with the NCAA becomes an issue. Any location not within a block or 2 of the lightrail line is not going to be utilizing 100% of a new arena location IMO. The Coyotes need to be as close to lightrail as can be to maximize attendance.

Anyway, I got side-tracked and I just meant to post that while driving Eastbound on 202 thru Tempe, I noticed 2 tower cranes South of the stadium. I don't recall seeing these before. When did they go up and which project are they for?

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

I also think it's going to be a tough sell for the Suns to get their own arena and harder for the Coyotees to get an arena considering the failure of Glendale. Whatever the reasons for low attendance at Westgate, this is what investors/and or voters are going to look at and I just don't see Tempe happening since ASU hockey would obviously not pull enough attendance to even fill a 16th of a new arena. Also, as the traffic in Tempe is already a complete nightmare at evening rush hour. Because of this, I don't see an ASU football game and Coyotees game happening on the same night or it would be gridlock, so then scheduling with the NCAA becomes an issue. Any location not within a block or 2 of the lightrail line is not going to be utilizing 100% of a new arena location IMO. The Coyotes need to be as close to lightrail as can be to maximize attendance.

Anyway, I got side-tracked and I just meant to post that while driving Eastbound on 202 thru Tempe, I noticed 2 tower cranes South of the stadium. I don't recall seeing these before. When did they go up and which project are they for?

One appears to be working on the south end of the stadium, the other is for the PVmain replacement.

[ASUSunDevil]

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer11

I'm not opposed. The only thing is getting a new arena downtown for the Suns is priority 1. I have little confidence of them getting something built by themselves. I think it has to have the Coyotes.

IF the Suns could do it alone downtown, then I'd be OK with the Coyotes locating in Tempe with ASU Hockey. However, I do fear that with traffic, parking, students, etc that attendance would not be much better. See ASU Basketball and Football for example.

The only way I'm ok with the Coyotes relocating to Tempe, is if they share their facility with ASU Basketball & Hockey. ASU Athletics probably has too much money tied up in the football stadium renovation to contribute $ right away (Coyotes are on a timeline). I also don't see a desirable enough "athletics area" within the athletic district, unless Wells Fargo was demo'd: https://asunow.asu.edu/sites/default/files/asuafd_preliminary_master_plan_-_6.16.15.jpeg

In other news, there are two cranes on the site of the new engineering dorms/facility. One is as tall as Manzanita, should make for some decent height.

[Obadno]

[QUOTE=ASUSunDevil;7264419]The only way I'm ok with the Coyotes relocating to Tempe, is if they share their facility with ASU Basketball & Hockey. ASU Athletics probably has too much money tied up in the football stadium renovation to contribute $ right away (Coyotes are on a timeline). I also don't see a desirable enough "athletics area" within the athletic district, unless Wells Fargo was demo'd: https://asunow.asu.edu/sites/default/files/asuafd_preliminary_master_plan_-_6.16.15.jpeg

QUOTE]

Where the hell is everyone going to park and tailgate?

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by ASUSunDevil

The only way I'm ok with the Coyotes relocating to Tempe, is if they share their facility with ASU Basketball & Hockey. ASU Athletics probably has too much money tied up in the football stadium renovation to contribute $ right away (Coyotes are on a timeline). I also don't see a desirable enough "athletics area" within the athletic district, unless Wells Fargo was demo'd: https://asunow.asu.edu/sites/default/files/asuafd_preliminary_master_plan_-_6.16.15.jpeg

In other news, there are two cranes on the site of the new engineering dorms/facility. One is as tall as Manzanita, should make for some decent height.

If they went in with ASU, the perfect location would be the SWC of Rural and Rio. Since ASU baseball moved they can get rid of the stadium, which they plan on doing anyways, and construct a new arena there. It would be great, as it's right across from Marina Heights and would spur development on the last remaining land on the NEC and NWC of Rio and Rural.

[Jjs5056]

Crescent's project is really nice looking; but, I agree that the 1st Street frontage was nicer before the modifications. The new version looks more similar to the other projects with the vertical divisions and what not. It's too bad these 1st Street projects won't really be seen from most of downtown, and that their commercial space won't really be walkable for anyone but those inside the neighborhood. 1st Street is quickly filling up, so hopefully these high-quality developments will move to another part of the core -- Farmer should offer decent views, at least on the north end?

Nice to hear more stories about pre-leased retail space re: Marina Heights. A downtown/lakeside gym is a great amenity to add and Matt's could help bring a less corporate feel to the lakefront. In addition to the restaurant space they mention, there should be space remaining at least for a bank and a healthcare clinic. All of these amenities should be good for attracting more development as mentioned, and shows that mixed use is possible and successful along the lake - a trend I think needs to continue as development heads east.

If the Coyotes had planned a move a few years back, they would've been an obvious fit for USA Place. I think Tempe would be a great location and give the city and Stadium District some legitimacy. How often are arenas combined with convention centers? Is that even a possibility? If so, Tempe has been wanting a CC forever now; a venue for ASU and Coyotes hockey, USA Basketball and ASU basketball, and amateur statewide sports, built with convention center space would look great where the pyramid City Hall sits on 5th Street. A hotel tower could be built on its south side with frontage onto an extended 6th Street, and 5th Street > Veterans Way could have sports/wellness retail mixed in. City Hall functions could then be incorporated into a new municipal tower across 5th. A more reasonable location would be near Rio/Rural. The lot west of Playa del Norte would offer lakefront views but be more accessible and a convention hotel could be built on the parcel west of Marina Heights, with ferry service.

[MegaBass]

Arizona State soon will hire a design team to update its athletic facilities master plan, including a new arena for one or more sports.

Request for qualifications responses from interested firms are due Dec. 18 with a selection decision scheduled to be made in January and planning work expected to begin in February.

An updated master plan is needed to coordinate athletics facility needs with development of the ASU Athletic Facilities District, approximately 300 acres around Rio Salado Parkway and Rural Road. Catellus Development Corp. already has created a master plan for developing the facilities district -- created to help fund athletic capital projects -- with work scheduled to begin next year.

A top consideration in the athletic facilities master plan is a new arena that would be combined with renovated Wells Fargo Arena as homes for basketball, hockey, volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics.

Several arena options are on the table:

To renovate Wells Fargo Arena for men's and women's basketball and use the new arena for the other sports.
To convert Wells Fargo Arena into a hockey venue and build a new arena for basketball and the other sports.
To build one new arena for all five sports.
To build a hockey-only arena.
A new arena could be built just east of Wells Fargo Arena in an area formerly occupied by fraternities or on athletic-designated land within the facilities district east of Rural Road.

ASU is open to discussions about sharing a hockey venue with the NHL's Arizona Coyotes that would be built on facilities district land but such a project has not progressed beyond the interest stage, according to ASU sources. ASU hockey is playing four games in its first NCAA season at Gila River Arena, where the Coyotes have a lease through the 2016-17 season. The Coyotes also are talking with the Phoenix Suns about sharing a new arena in downtown Phoenix.

The athletic facilities master plan is intended to address needs for all 25 ASU sports plus any future sports expansion; potential facility uses for revenue-generating events as well as for community access and youth sports; and options for hosting Pac-12 and NCAA events.

This plan is separate from the $256-million reconstruction of Sun Devil Stadium, currently in the second of three major phases of off-season work. ASU said in a statement that "any new athletics facilities contemplated under this (master) plan will be funded by revenue generated from a public-private partnership that was formed to develop a roughly 300-acre tract of available land for office, multi-family and related uses at the northeast end of campus. This development is still in the planning phase, and in keeping with ASU’s commitment to the broader community, we have solicited input from the public as our plans take shape."

When ASU unveiled its facilities district conceptual master plan in June, it included plans to move the Verde Dickey Dome indoor football practice facility and outdoor practice fields next to Sun Devil Stadium and to move Sun Angel Track Stadium and Whiteman Tennis Center east of Rural Road. (Jeff Metcalfe/ Arizona Republic)

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by MegaBass

Where the hell is everyone going to park!>?!?!

also phoenix would be amiss to let the Coyotes move to Tempe

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by Obadno

Where the hell is everyone going to park!>?!?!

also phoenix would be amiss to let the Coyotes move to Tempe

Marina Heights has ALOT of parking that is generally not in use at night or on weekends.

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer11

Marina Heights has ALOT of parking that is generally not in use at night or on weekends.

I already park here it isn't as much as you think