Tucson Development Thread

[ProfessorMole]

Originally Posted by Ted Lyons

Cortaro east of 10 is really filling out. Anyone know if there are plans to redo the interchange so the train tracks aren't at grade?

The Cortaro interchange is in the new RTA proposed plan, but it wasn't for like another 5 years, if I remember correctly. The survey to provide input is closed, so I can't go back in to check the draft for the time frame.

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[Patrick S]

Originally Posted by ProfessorMole

The Cortaro interchange is in the new RTA proposed plan, but it wasn't for like another 5 years, if I remember correctly. The survey to provide input is closed, so I can't go back in to check the draft for the time frame.

If you want to get notified about RTA plan updates, you can sign up for the newsletter at rtanext.com

I never understood why they did Ina before Ruthrauff to begin with. Maybe someone has an answer for that. The Rauthrauff/I-10 project should be done next winter ('21/'22). The Pima Association of Governments (PAG) has the widening of I-10 between Ruthrauff and Ina on their 2020-24 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) in FY 2021 & 2022. Once that's done then you have 4 lanes each way from just south of downtown up through Ina. I'd think after that point they'd focus on Cortero, though I'd argue I-10 on the southeast side needs more work first (as I've posted about recently plans are starting to move ahead on an almost 2-decade long project on that).

You can see the PAG transportation plans website here: https://pagregion.com/rmap-tip.html
You can see the TIP here (I-10 widening on page 66): https://app.box.com/s/2wtvvd5ii3muo2py98mci2f4ml6b9h6g

[Ted Lyons]

Originally Posted by Ted Lyons

Unrelated, I was driving around and noticed the Starbucks at Campbell and Broadway is completely closed. Like, the sign was removed from the building. I'm sure the virus and road construction made things tough but that location will become much more profitable in just a few months.

Following up on this from earlier this year, there's an item on today's city council study session agenda regarding litigation over this property. The city is evidently trying to take it via eminent domain, which explains the closure. As far as I know, this is the only property that's been taken this way along the Broadway project corridor.

[andrewsaturn]

A new park is going to be built Downtown Tucson West of I10. It will be a unique park built for children with Autism or physical disabilities. The ground will break Sept. 15. According to their website, it will be one of the only parks West of the Mississippi river to accommodate children with those disabilities.



https://intermountaincenters.org/new...ce=govdelivery

[beardown]

I noticed some work being done on the 75 Broadway site yesterday. They had closed off Scott Ave. between Congress and Broadway. It looked like utility work, but does anyone know if this is progress on 75 Broadway or is this just unrelated utility work?

[kmiller5]

Originally Posted by beardown

I noticed some work being done on the 75 Broadway site yesterday. They had closed off Scott Ave. between Congress and Broadway. It looked like utility work, but does anyone know if this is progress on 75 Broadway or is this just unrelated utility work?

I think I read in one of the recent Rio Nuevo transcripts that they were spending some of their own money on utility work. They framed it as evidence that they were serious about moving the new tower forward.

[andrewsaturn]

Originally Posted by beardown

I noticed some work being done on the 75 Broadway site yesterday. They had closed off Scott Ave. between Congress and Broadway. It looked like utility work, but does anyone know if this is progress on 75 Broadway or is this just unrelated utility work?

Should be an update at the Rio Nuevo meeting tomorrow at 1pm mst. You could even join in and listen if you want.

[crzyabe]

Listened to the Rio Nuevo meeting this afternoon. Here are some notes from the discussion:

Tucson Economy
-Tucson has seen a lot of interest since the beginning of the pandemic from companies looking to move facilities here
-Rio Nuevo's budget did not take the financial hit that they thought it would, everyone seems cautiously optimistic
-Tucson is the most Googled US city in July????

75 East Broadway
-20 stories
-In the final phase of loan paperwork.
-Tentatively scheduled to go for approval before the County Supervisors on Oct 20th
-Rooftop deck was mentioned
-Seems like this is gonna happen and will move forward earlier next year

TCC
-Parking Garage and Hotel will both be completed in December
-Music Hall Parking, music hall renovation, and new meeting space are in design
-some additional code improvements are required and not originally budgeted, roughly $250K

1 South Church
-Been 60 days since the GPLET was approved for this project. Just had to be affirmed.
-Rio Nuevo is putting no money into this project, just the GPLET

[Ted Lyons]

Originally Posted by crzyabe

Listened to the Rio Nuevo meeting this afternoon. Here are some notes from the discussion:

Tucson Economy
-Tucson has seen a lot of interest since the beginning of the pandemic from companies looking to move facilities here
-Rio Nuevo's budget did not take the financial hit that they thought it would, everyone seems cautiously optimistic
-Tucson is the most Googled US city in July????

75 East Broadway
-20 stories
-In the final phase of loan paperwork.
-Tentatively scheduled to go for approval before the County Supervisors on Oct 20th
-Rooftop deck was mentioned
-Seems like this is gonna happen and will move forward earlier next year

TCC
-Parking Garage and Hotel will both be completed in December
-Music Hall Parking, music hall renovation, and new meeting space are in design
-some additional code improvements are required and not originally budgeted, roughly $250K

1 South Church
-Been 60 days since the GPLET was approved for this project. Just had to be affirmed.
-Rio Nuevo is putting no money into this project, just the GPLET

Thanks!

EDIT - Article focused on 75 E. Broadway vote. Credit to AZPM for being the only local news outlet to report on Rio Nuevo meetings lately.

https://www.azpm.org/p/home-articles...rom-rio-nuevo/

[andrewsaturn]

Originally Posted by crzyabe

Listened to the Rio Nuevo meeting this afternoon. Here are some notes from the discussion:

Tucson Economy
-Tucson has seen a lot of interest since the beginning of the pandemic from companies looking to move facilities here
-Rio Nuevo's budget did not take the financial hit that they thought it would, everyone seems cautiously optimistic
-Tucson is the most Googled US city in July????

75 East Broadway
-20 stories
-In the final phase of loan paperwork.
-Tentatively scheduled to go for approval before the County Supervisors on Oct 20th
-Rooftop deck was mentioned
-Seems like this is gonna happen and will move forward earlier next year

TCC
-Parking Garage and Hotel will both be completed in December
-Music Hall Parking, music hall renovation, and new meeting space are in design
-some additional code improvements are required and not originally budgeted, roughly $250K

1 South Church
-Been 60 days since the GPLET was approved for this project. Just had to be affirmed.
-Rio Nuevo is putting no money into this project, just the GPLET

For a Tucson developer to get a $100 million dollar loan during a pandemic goes to show optimism in our economy post pandemic. I wonder if they will revert back to the original design.

[andrewsaturn]

Tucson Marketplace at the Bridges is building a hotel on site located East of D&B. They all look like this:

https://realestatedaily-news.com/woo...t-the-bridges/

[Patrick S]

Originally Posted by andrewsaturn

Tucson Marketplace at the Bridges is building a hotel on site located East of D&B. They all look like this:

https://realestatedaily-news.com/woo...t-the-bridges/

I was surprised when only one dine-in restaurant (D&B) was opened in the Marketplace after the announcement of the movie theatre there. I figured we'd see more - dinner and a movie is a classic date after all. Wondering if this will spur the development of one or two there.

[InTheBurbs]

New/Returning Flights at TIA

Things are picking up a bit, flightwise.

According to the Star, Southwest will begin flying non-stop flight to Houston Hobby, 6 days a week (Sun-Fri), starting in November. This will increase the the flight options to the South, Southeast, and Caribbean. But San Diego and San Jose may not start up again until 2021.

Allegiant is planning to restart the Las Vegas weekend flights in November, and the Provo and Indy flights in February. The Bellingham flight is still suspended, likely due to the continuing closure of the Canadian border, cutting off travelers from Vancouver.

Alaska is restarting the Portland non-stop, and adding two flights a day to Seattle, for a total of 3 daily nonstops to Sea-Tac.

Delta and Sun Country both are tentatively scheduled to resume their Minneapolis flights in December.


https://tucson.com/business/tucson-a...86f2bcbe6.html

[KeltonR]

That’s great news.

[Ted Lyons]

Permits were issued this week for a 6-floor apartment building at the northeast corner of Drachman and Oracle. Can't find renderings or really any other information outside PRO.

[Locofresh55]

Originally Posted by Ted Lyons

Permits were issued this week for a 6-floor apartment building at the northeast corner of Drachman and Oracle. Can't find renderings or really any other information outside PRO.

NE Corner? Where the granite place is at? I know they cleared out an old hotel next to the primavera academy on SE corner. I wasn't tracking anything on the NE corner, but would be nice for them to fix up Drachman and Oracle area.

I also saw the area on the NE corner of Main and Speedway fenced off (across from the Salvation Army Hospitality House). Any construction going there soon?

[Ted Lyons]

Originally Posted by Locofresh55

NE Corner? Where the granite place is at? I know they cleared out an old hotel next to the primavera academy on SE corner. I wasn't tracking anything on the NE corner, but would be nice for them to fix up Drachman and Oracle area.

I also saw the area on the NE corner of Main and Speedway fenced off (across from the Salvation Army Hospitality House). Any construction going there soon?

Yup. Same lot as the granite place.

Good question about the fenced-off lot. I noticed that the other week, too - it even shows up on Google Maps - but no permit activity on PRO.

[ProfessorMole]

Originally Posted by Ted Lyons

Yup. Same lot as the granite place.

Good question about the fenced-off lot. I noticed that the other week, too - it even shows up on Google Maps - but no permit activity on PRO.

Not sure the specific lot the construction is on, but Pima Community College is working on their Transportation Center somewhere in that block. It's a good possibility that lot is fenced off as a staging area for that construction.

[Ted Lyons]

Originally Posted by ProfessorMole

Not sure the specific lot the construction is on, but Pima Community College is working on their Transportation Center somewhere in that block. It's a good possibility that lot is fenced off as a staging area for that construction.

It's the lot directly south of that, and it's been graded, which makes me think it'll be additional parking. If PCC is like UA, their projects don't show up in PRO, which would explain the lack of permitting activity.

[kmiller5]

https://biztucson.com/2020/10/12/rio...ntown-skyline/

What do think will be the next project to break ground? 75 E Broadway will need to move quickly if they want to meet the completion date they say in the article