Luhrs City Center

[DowntownDweller]

Originally Posted by PHX31

How did you get that stuff???

Can I have some?

I got in touch with the guy who did the windows for the building. He salvaged the doors. They were just going to throw them away. I'll PM you Aaron's number. He's moving to Wyoming or something next week, so its now or never. I'm debating getting a few more. I picked out 4 main office doors, and one internal office paneled door. They were all covered over with a veneer in the 60s, but when you popped it off, they were absolutely beautiful underneath. Only downside is the mail slot hardware is obviously long-gone and the glass was removed when they were veneered, so I have to have a ton of tempered glass made up.

[PHX31]

Originally Posted by DowntownDweller

I got in touch with the guy who did the windows for the building. He salvaged the doors. They were just going to throw them away. I'll PM you Aaron's number. He's moving to Wyoming or something next week, so its now or never. I'm debating getting a few more. I picked out 4 main office doors, and one internal office paneled door. They were all covered over with a veneer in the 60s, but when you popped it off, they were absolutely beautiful underneath. Only downside is the mail slot hardware is obviously long-gone and the glass was removed when they were veneered, so I have to have a ton of tempered glass made up.

Cool. I sent you that PM before seeing this post. Thanks!

[gymratmanaz]

Hope springs eternal. Is there something happening at the Luhrs building? On the north-west corner, the windows are all taken out and replaced with ply-wood. Anyone know if something is going in ???????? I hope!!!!

[bwonger06]

Originally Posted by gymratmanaz

Hope springs eternal. Is there something happening at the Luhrs building? On the north-west corner, the windows are all taken out and replaced with ply-wood. Anyone know if something is going in ???????? I hope!!!!

What floor(s)?

[Vicelord John]

Originally Posted by bwonger06

What floor(s)?

First floor. Its because minorities broke in and busted all the windows.

[gymratmanaz]

Ground floor on the NW corner.

[dtnphx]

That's funny, I heard it was some puffy white guy in the hospitality industry on a drunken tirade because there was no one in the Vitamin T across the street.

[HX_Guy]

I drove by Luhrs today and see for myself what the deal with the plywood on the windows is about and yep...there is definitely something going on.

They have basically taken out all the windows on the whole west side of the ground floor and on 1/2 of the north side. The strange thing is they took out the windows and frames, and have created a sort of arcade with plywood...like a false wall that is about 2-3 feet inward from the facade of the building. I drove through the alley behind Luhrs and they have also taken out some doors in the back and also replaced them with plywood...creating bigger double doors. What is really going on? I have no idea...seems like they are constructing something inside I guess.

I tried to find something online on it and no luck so far...but I did run across some other "stuff"...

This is the hotel proposal we have heard of before. It's structured as a two phase project, with a 26 story hotel going in first as seen in the first rendering (in place of the Luhrs Central Building) followed by another 26 story hotel and 33 story office/residential tower.

[gymratmanaz]

Wouldn't that be cool to see permits pulled for those plans we thought were dead!!!!!!!

[Phxguy]

So wait is this project going forward, is it dead, or is there just not enough information about it? It looks really impressive, adding five 10+ story buildings crammed onto one block. I'd really like to see it happen. With adding the residentail proposed it would certainly keep Cityscape going. I like everything about this project, and even better that they keep the Luhrs tower/ building there.

[bwonger06]

Originally Posted by gymratmanaz

Wouldn't that be cool to see permits pulled for those plans we thought were dead!!!!!!!

Although not exactly the permits you were looking for, we do have...

Permit# BLD-10022049 Issue Date 12/6/10 Expires 12/5/12
Permit Description LUHRS BUILDING-ARCADE BUILDING
Project 99-37052 LUHRS BUILDING
Address 11 W JEFFERSON ST PHOENIX AZ 85003-2306 Zoning DTC
L 1 B * LUHRS BLOCK QS Q10-27 APN 112-22-105 Dist 08
Description/Scope of Work: COMMERCIAL REMODEL


http://phoenix.gov/haht-bin/hsrun/pa...49&PID=1759624

and

http://phoenix.gov/haht-bin/hsrun/pa...50&PID=1759625

Looks like we for sure have some activity.

EDIT- I know there was an article about Phoenix School of Law moving DT... wouldn't this be the perfect location. Easy walk to the court houses. Right next to a LR stop and plenty of entertainment across the street.

[HooverDam]

I can't imagine the residential portion of that happening anytime soon, but I really hope the hotels do. Id love to see the residential tower built as apartments that could be converted to condo later, but I doubt even that would happen.

I do hope they make sure to have the buildings address Monroe as well as Jefferson. Monroe has that little string of old warehouses (one says "Hotel" on it) and could potentially be rehabbed and serve as a nice gateway to the warehouse district.

Originally Posted by bwonger06

EDIT- I know there was an article about Phoenix School of Law moving DT... wouldn't this be the perfect location. Easy walk to the court houses. Right next to a LR stop and plenty of entertainment across the street.

It would be if ASU kept its promise and made ASU Downtown an urban campus dispersed over an urban area (to keep students walking to and fro places and to help vitality). However ASU bailed on that deal almost immediately and is building the whole Downtown campus in a more campus like set up along the Taylor Street axis.

[HX_Guy]

Well crap I never even looked at that project bumber because they originally filed in 1999 (for other parts of the building) and figured a newer project number would be assigned, but I guess they put all the new stuff under the old number.

Digging through it all, it looks like all the permitting is for the Luhrs Building (NE corner of block) and not the Luhrs Tower (NW corner of block) It's the Luhrs Tower that has all the windows out and replaced by plywood.

As for the Luhrs Building it self, it looks like they have a tentant that is taking the entire building + the Arcade (1 story section between the Building and Tower facing Jefferson) but not the 1st floor itself. I wonder who it is and why haven't we heard anything about it in the paper?

DESCRIPTION OF WORK:TENANT IMPROVEMENT, 1 TENANT TO OCCUPY BOTH BUILDING AND ARCADE. THIS PERMIT IS FOR THE LUHRS ARCADE 1ST FLOOR.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK:CORE BUILDOUT OF LUHRS ARCADE; NON-BEARING WALLS CONSTRUCTION, NEW SUSPENDED CEILING, NEW STAIRS, 1-HR RATED TUNNEL, NEW GUARDRAIL, NEW STOREFRONT, UPGRADE RESTROOMS FOR ADA, STRUCTURAL FRAMING FOR NEW ROOF/PATIO DECK AND STAIRS AND ALL RELATED ELECTRICAL, MECHANICAL AND PLUMBING.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK:TENANT IMPROVEMENT, 1 TENANT TO OCCUPY BOTH BUILDING AND ARCADE.
THIS PERMIT IS FOR LUHRS BUILDING 2ND - 9TH FLOOR AND BASEMENT

It also looks like they are doing some exterior lighting of both the Building and Tower. This could turn out really nice if they do it like I've seen it in other cities

DESCRIPTION OF WORK: LUHRS BUILDING AND LUHRS TOWER EXTERIOR LIGHTING APPROVED BY HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE

[HX_Guy]

Originally Posted by HooverDam

It would be if ASU kept its promise and made ASU Downtown an urban campus dispersed over an urban area (to keep students walking to and fro places and to help vitality). However ASU bailed on that deal almost immediately and is building the whole Downtown campus in a more campus like set up along the Taylor Street axis.

He isn't talking about ASU's School of Law but the Phoenix School of Law that is currently at 4041 N Central Ave. There's rumor that they are moving to "downtown" and I've heard of the old Phelps Dodge building as one possible location and also the Grace Court buildings at 7th Ave & Adams.
The Luhrs Building would be a fantastic location though...better than both of the others and there is already a Law Firm in the building occupying the 10th floor.

[gymratmanaz]

Looks like we have finally stumbled on something fun and new and kinda unexpected. How do we find out the tenant? Sounds like some ground work is needed, but every time I am there, I don't see any workmen to ask.

Speculation of tenant possibilities, needing the space they have set asside?

[Vicelord John]

It's my new offices of bowling, golfing, drinking, and cycling records and information.

[bwonger06]

Originally Posted by gymratmanaz

Looks like we have finally stumbled on something fun and new and kinda unexpected. How do we find out the tenant? Sounds like some ground work is needed, but every time I am there, I don't see any workmen to ask.

Speculation of tenant possibilities, needing the space they have set asside?

Ill check Co-star tomorrow to see if there is any info.

[gymratmanaz]

Rock on!!!!!

[bwonger06]

So from Co-star, I have the following information.

The lease was signed on 11/1/2010 for 86k SF. The proposed move-in date is currently 02/01/2011 and they are leasing floors 2-9 and the basement. No other information regarding the tenant on co-star. All I know is that is a lot of SF getting leased up.

[HX_Guy]

That's definitely a nice size lease and while your info doesn't mention the arcade area, the permits certainly do so that will be part of the lease.

Seems like its a company that needs both street front space but also back office operations. A bank maybe? Any other ideas of what it could be?