Phoenix Area Low- and Mid-Rise Development Thread

[Ted Lyons]

Willowick Square at 16th St and Colter is now fully demolished. I found a PUD approved in 2020, Z-9-20N, that would seem to still be in effect. Combusean's first post in this thread mentions a larger proposal from 2015 that also encompassed the apartment complex just west of this property on Colter, but that doesn't seem to be part of this PUD. In any case, I don't see any permit activity other than the demo permits so not sure how long the property might just be an empty lot.

[combusean]

That one came out of left field. I could have sworn that business complex was well leased.

The complex to the back was bought at the same time but sold off and remodeled/rebranded so it'll be there for a while.

[ASU Diablo]

Had forgotten about this proposal but chugging along.

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...partments.html

A proposed luxury apartment community just west of Biltmore Fashion Park that has met steep opposition is a step closer to being built after some design changes.

The Camelback East Village Planning Committee unanimously approved a 60-unit apartment community — taking up a smaller footprint than the original proposal — to be built at the Camelback Lakes office complex on the north side of Camelback Road.

A proposal to replace an underutilized parking garage is expected to be heard by Phoenix City Council in June, said Jason Barclay Morris, zoning attorney for Withey Morris Baugh PLC.

"It's an acre of unused space in one of the most interesting, vibrant corridors we have in the Valley," Morris said. "Turning it into something really beneficial from something not being utilized at all — that's a huge win."

All three neighboring properties had hired their own zoning attorneys to oppose the project, he said.

"We sent notices to all the surrounding property owners," said Morris, who represents the developer, Florida-based Mainstreet Capital Partners. "Everyone lawyered up."

The nearby Arizona Biltmore Golf Club hired an attorney to ensure that one of its golf holes wouldn't be impacted by the development. One homeowner within Biltmore Estates behind the property also hired a lawyer because he didn't want apartment residents looking over into his property, Morris said.

"We were able to devise a series of stipulations that addressed his concerns," Morris said. "We hired a drone pilot to fly at a height that would be equivalent to a 6'2" person standing on the tallest portion of the building facing his property. Then we shared those images. All you see are trees."

Construction activities restricted on site

Once he resolved those issues, Morris said that Hillstone restaurant, which shares a property line with the apartment project, was concerned customers wouldn't be impacted by restricted parking.

"Then they were concerned with the aesthetics of the building," Morris said. "Their restaurant is a really beautifully designed architectural structure."

Mainstreet Capital Partners had originally planned to build 75 units on the property, which sits north of the 200,000-square-foot Camelback Lakes office complex.

The developer, who could not be reached for comment, agreed to limit the height of the project to no more than 56 feet with a maximum of 60 units, Morris said.

If approved by the city, construction likely wouldn't begin before June 2025 and it could have an extended construction timeline. That's because outdoor construction activity or exterior construction will not be allowed on weekends and interior construction would be allowed only between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.on weekdays.

"At the end of the day, the greatest feeling is when you can bring together so many disparate parties and have them all on the same page," Morris said. "But it took a tremendous amount of work to get there. I'm just glad that it worked out."