Scottsdale & Paradise Valley Development News

[xymox]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

The city council just approved Southbridge II on a 4-3 vote. The vote was as follows:

Lane: Yea
Littlefield: Nay
Korte: Yea
Klapp: Yea
Phillips: Nay
Milhaven: Yea
Whitehead: Nay

Any word on why so many Nays?

Glad it was approved. Onward...

[biggus diggus]

There was a lot of pressure from residents of Scottsdale to kill the project as in many people's eyes it destroys the character of Old Town.

They're going to vote in a way that pleases their constituents.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by xymox

Any word on why so many Nays?

Glad it was approved. Onward...

I don't know anything about Whitehead. I have some familiarity with the other two no votes. Guy Phillips came to the council as a Tea Party Republican (not sure if that term even applies in the age of Trump) He's generally against density and height. To his credit, he's been a voice in favor of historic preservation and keeping the McDowell Sonoran Preserve pristine. Kathy Littlefield is the wife of former council member Bob Littlefield, who was probably the most strident opponent of density, height, and light rail during his time on the city council. It's not surprising that spouses vote in similar ways.

More generally, there are two facts to keep in mind when it comes to the Scottsdale City Council:

First, although it's technically non-partisan, all members are Republicans. That doesn't stop them from fighting, though. The council battles are basically between pro-development Chamber of Commerce types and anti-development voices who believe Scottsdale is best kept low-rise and low-density.

Second, all members are elected at large. There are no districts. That means that there's no official Old Town council member that others might defer to when it comes to land use issues. Instead, they all vote based on the views of the factions they represent.

[combusean]

For a city as stretched out as scottsdale it's quite odd there are no districts.

[Ballister]

Originally Posted by combusean

For a city as stretched out as scottsdale it's quite odd there are no districts.

Republicans prefer it that way

[combusean]

I'd be surprised if any of them lived south of Shea.

[Classical in Phoenix]

Some info on Papago Plaza.

https://www.abc15.com/entertainment/...ut-the-project

[biggus diggus]

https://www.azfamily.com/news/scotts...e44c04788.html

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by biggus diggus

https://www.azfamily.com/news/scotts...e44c04788.html

I have to say I agree with much of the local community here, the plans call for a total destruction of old town. They should be revised to maintain the character of the area.

[azliam]

Scottsdale Fashion Square lands Versace for luxury wing

Scottsdale Fashion Square's luxury wing will get an iconic fashion brand next year when Versace opens its own store in the mall.

Mall owner Macerich Co. (NYSE: MAC) said Monday that Versace had signed a deal for a 3,131-square-foot space adjacent to Michael Kors. The shop is slated to open in spring 2020.

“Versace represents its heritage through innovative and always glamourous designs, and this inspired brand is a tremendous complement to the curated collection of luxury stores and experiences at Scottsdale Fashion Square,” said Michael Guerin, Macerich's senior vice president of leasing, in a statement.

Santa Monica, California-based Macerich spent more than a year and between $140 million and $160 million renovating Scottsdale Fashion Square's luxury wing in an effort to attract high-end retailers to the location. The wing opened in November 2018.

Since its opening, it has attracted tenants such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Jimmy Choo and others on the retail side and dining concepts including Ocean 44 and Toca Madera. The wing is anchored by Neiman Marcus.

Also opening within the next two years at Scottsdale Fashion Square are restaurant Nobu Scottsdale in 2020 and Equinox luxury fitness in 2021.

A new hotel, Republic Scottsdale, also will be opening in 2021 adjacent to the mall. The property is the first non-gaming hotel of Caesars Entertainment.

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/..._news_headline

BTW, was there ever another Versace store in the valley that closed in the earlier 90s? I thought I had read that a few years back.

[xymox]

Originally Posted by Obadno

I have to say I agree with much of the local community here, the plans call for a total destruction of old town. They should be revised to maintain the character of the area.

Bulldoze it all and make Scottsdale what it should be. I’ve seen the future (Buckhead) - 700ft towers should be there instead of empty tourist trap stores.

I work down there - walk to various places for lunch - 90% of those stores are empty during the day. I don’t know how they survive as it is. Co-worker joked that maybe if the plans for Southbridge included building 150ft tall adobe buildings with a Gilbert Ortega in each one that people wouldn’t be so upset...

At any rate, that Emily Austin posts on Nextdoor - she’s not very coherent. Saw the post that they’re aiming for 12k signatures - but they sounded pessimistic on the thread that they can get enough valid signatures. I’d be wiling be bet they can’t find that many Scottsdale residents that care enough. Only out of state tourists...

Why on earth the citizens of any city would turn away a $700M investment in their downtown is beyond me.

[Obadno]

700 foot towers? Are you insane?

I agree that most of the old buildings have useless tourist stores but instead of nuking the environment of old town they should try to fit into the character and to replace those stores with better retail and restaurants.

[xymox]

Originally Posted by Obadno

700 foot towers? Are you insane?

I agree that most of the old buildings have useless tourist stores but instead of nuking the environment of old town they should try to fit into the character and to replace those stores with better retail and restaurants.

If Buckhead ATL can support that kind of thing in a similar area (most of which are condo related) - why can't Scottsdale - eventually? Seems like having the tallest buildings in the state/region would be fitting for the image and character of the city.

(I know it won't happen - we'll be lucky to see over 150ft...)

[somethingfast]

Originally Posted by xymox

If Buckhead ATL can support that kind of thing in a similar area (most of which are condo related) - why can't Scottsdale - eventually? Seems like having the tallest buildings in the state/region would be fitting for the image and character of the city.

(I know it won't happen - we'll be lucky to see over 150ft...)

For the record, I'll take a 700 ft tower ANYWHERE in Arizona happily...Queen Creek, Casa Grande, Bisbee...wherever! lol

[Obadno]

What will the Salt-River/Pima do once all of their 101 frontage is gone??

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...roject-on.html

https://palmerdevelopmentcorp.com/projects

Palmer Development, the company behind several major projects on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community near Scottsdale, has plans for another $157 million office complex on the reservation.

The new development, called the Sydney, will be built at the southeast corner of Pima Road and Loop 101, directly south of another planned Palmer Development project, the Edge, a $70 million office project that will begin construction in January, Dan Lupien, principal at Palmer Development said.

“This is a continuation of the commitment we made to the corridor with the Edge,” Lupien said.

The Sydney is planned to include four buildings totaling 535,000 square feet, but could be expanded to total 750,000 square feet, Lupien said. The project is planned as a speculative development but could be a build-to-suit if the opportunity were to arise.

The project is geared toward large corporations looking for 50,000 square feet or more. The buildings will range in size from two to four stories and 67,200 to 181,200 square feet, according to early plans for the project.

The Sydney is in development review now. Construction is expected to start in early 2021, with delivery expected in the second quarter of 2022.

Butler Design Group is the architect for the Sydney and Haydon Building Corp. is the general contractor. John Bonnell, Brett Abramson, Chris Latvaaho and Chris Beall of JLL are in charge of leasing for the project.

[azsunsurfer]

I don't know if its been reported but the Gentry on the Green in Scottsdale has been approved. I am curious to see how the art installations that face the Indian School Wash will look once completed.

[ASUSunDevil]

This sums it up pretty well:

https://www.yourvalley.net/scottsdal...49494785086453

[xymox]

https://www.yourvalley.net/scottsdal...-lifted,123742

Now - let's see them break ground.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Construction to begin soon on largest SkySong building

By Corina Vanek – Reporter, Phoenix Business Journal
Jan 7, 2020, 2:12pm MST

Construction on the largest office building in the SkySong development in south Scottsdale will begin in May and leasing activity is already underway.

SkySong 6, the sixth office building and seventh structure in the complex on the southeast corner of Scottsdale and McDowell roads, will be 90 feet tall, have 340,000 leasable square feet of office space and an accompanying parking garage. The project will cost about $135 million to build, said Sharon Harper, president and CEO of Plaza Cos., the master developer of SkySong.

“We are moving very quickly to bring SkySong 6,” Harper said. “This will be double the size of any of the previous buildings.”

Plaza Cos. filed plans with the city of Scottsdale for development review on Dec. 24. Construction is expected to take 14 months after it begins in May. The building will have a second-story patio and a rooftop garden area, Harper said.

Butler Design Group is the project's architect, and Layton Construction is the general contractor. Financing was done by Alliance Bank of Arizona, Harper said. The building will feature 55,000-square-foot floorplates.

Harper said SkySong 6 is likely the last major project at SkySong “at this point." Its completion will bring the total developed area at the complex to more than 1 million square feet.

“This will be the signature building of the site,” Harper said. “We want it to be really dynamic and illustrate the innovation SkySong is famous for.”

Harper said SkySong’s connection to Arizona State University has benefited the complex's office tenants, who work closely with the university to help recruit employees.

Three of the five SkySong buildings are 100% occupied, and SkySong 1 and 2 are about 90% full, Harper said. The office leasing group led by R. Craig Coppola and Andrew Cheney of Lee & Associates are the brokers overseeing the project's office space leasing.

“It works out well. SkySong attracts innovative, high-growth companies that want to expand in the same place,” Harper said. “It’s pretty exciting. We are an owner and landlord that is happy to work with that, these companies have growth trajectories.”

Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...t-skysong.html

[Obadno]

Even more over the top than we expected

What is this? A particle accelerator?