Phoenix Development News (3)

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by Obadno

This is the kierland ooptima?

When are we getting a downtown optima!??!?

No kidding. We will gladly take this development in downtown Phoenix

[AnthonyPHX]

haha sorry. This is not an Optima development, the company is CEB Circle Road Partners, and they're apparently not friendly with Optima.
Here's the structure that was proposed and shot down; Option A:

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by AnthonyPHX

haha sorry. This is not an Optima development, the company is CEB Circle Road Partners, and they're apparently not friendly with Optima.

No kidding. I never thought I'd see Nick Wood, a respected attorney who typically represents developers, argue against something like this. He even mentioned being in unfamiliar territory in his opening remarks. In this case, however, it made sense because he has been the lawyer for the various Optima projects.

[CrestedSaguaro]

OK. I remember now. I think most of the opposition for this project had more to do with the entrance through a parking lot for this development, correct? Maybe if they changed up the entrance to not interfere with neighboring businesses, they wouldn't have so much pushback. It's not that tall to warrant this kind of opposition.

[muertecaza]

Creighton not wasting any time:

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by muertecaza

Creighton not wasting any time:

Good to see! They already plastered the light rail stations with ads, so they need to start earning a return on their investments as soon as they can.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Just posting a couple short weekend project updates.

1. The residential development at Columbus and Central is in full swing. Lots of heavy equipment onsite and dirt being moved during the last couple of days.

2. Minor site work has started on the Crescent residential development on 3rd St and Earll.

3. They've demolished a building (or two) on 1st St for what is part of the upcoming Ro2 development. I didn't know this project was that far along. Good to see this moving.

4. Two elevators are now in operation at AZ Center. Took a nice tour of the 3rd floor that I didn't even know existed before they started the facelift. Hopefully, they plan on renovating the 2nd and 3rd floors. Kind of odd they didn't really touch these levels.

5. Still no movement at Kenect, but I'm confident this is within a month of breaking ground.

[TJPHXskyscraperfan]

Speaking of AZ Center, are they going to put up a sign for Hooters? It still looks half finished to me.

[haux]

^ I can check out the Arizona Center this afternoon.


Here's progress on the downtown towers.



The Link overview



Glass is being placed on The Link.




A closer look




It's up to the 25th floor.




Glass and balconies. No railing yet.






West side with cladding and glass




A closer look at the newly installed glass.




Open windows and balconies.


The Stewart's north side. The roof structure is in place.

[Classical in Phoenix]

Great pics.

[michael85225]

The Link looks alot taller than what it actually is. Great photos by the way.

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by michael85225

The Link looks alot taller than what it actually is. Great photos by the way.

I think it’s because the footprint is so small and there are no other towers near it. I hope they start on the 19 story neighbor as soon as they top out.

[Obadno]

Okay Hopefully these get off the ground over the next two years.

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...build-499.html

Toll Brothers Inc. is investing $132 million to build 499 apartment units in downtown Phoenix.

While the Horsham, Pennsylvania-based homebuilder (NYSE: TOL) has been constructing single-family homes in metro Phoenix for years, its relatively new apartment living division is making its debut in the Valley.

Plans call for investing $62 million to build 243 units at the northwest corner of Fifth Avenue and Van Buren Street in downtown Phoenix and another $70 million to develop a 256-unit luxury apartment complex at Central Avenue and Thomas Road in midtown Phoenix.

Todd Bowden, regional director of development and acquisitions for Toll Brothers Apartment Living, said the mission of the division, created in 2011, is to build and own Class A, luxury multifamily rental projects.

"Over the last several years we have expanded and had a presence in other growth markets in the country," Bowden said. "We now have teams in Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix, Southern California and Northern California. We are looking at other markets as well."

In 2007, Toll Brothers bought the parcel at Central and Thomas with plans to build a high-rise for-sale condominium project, Bowden said. But when the Great Recession hit and the economy tanked, the homebuilder scrapped plans to build on that site.

Now Toll Brothers Apartment Living owns that land, which is near light rail and within walking distance of Park Central Mall, which will be home to Creighton University's new medical school.

GC McShane was selected as general contractor for that 256-unit apartment complex at 31 E. Thomas Road, while Todd & Associates is the architect. The five-story project — to be called Haverly — will include an above-ground parking structure.

"We think it's a fantastic midtown location," Bowden said.

Expected to open in 2020
Earlier this year, the company bought a parcel at the northwest corner of Fifth Avenue and Van Buren Street with plans to build a 243-unit apartment complex. Plans call for building two levels of parking under four levels of apartments on that project, which has yet to be named.

A general contractor has not yet been identified, Bowden said. Orange County-based Architects Orange is the architect for that project.

Both projects are expected to break ground next year and be open in late 2020, he said.

Bowden said it's too soon to determine how much rents will be for both projects, which will be managed by Toll Brothers Apartment Living.

A big part of what led him to that site is the downtown vibe. It's across the street from the newly opened Van Buren concert venue and a few blocks from Crescent Ballroom, a restaurant and concert spot.

A few blocks away, a downtown Fry's grocery store is on track to open by the fourth quarter of next year.

"It is definitely an up-and-coming, very happening area," Bowden said.

This is only the beginning, he said.

"We're always interested in looking at new locations," he said. "We are considering premium locations anywhere in the Valley. We're actively working to bring other projects to market as well."

The goal, he said, is to hold and manage these projects for the long term.

"How that ultimately plays out remains to be seen," Bowden said. "There are a multitude of factors to those decisions. We're operating under a long-term hold strategy."

[CrestedSaguaro]

At this point, I don't hold my breath when it comes to Toll Brothers and Downtown apartment development. Every couple of years, they come out of the woodwork with a new proposal and nothing seems to happen. They announced the Central/Thomas location over a year ago and so far nothing has been done and I cannot find any permits or site plans filed with the City of Phoenix.

[azsunsurfer]

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

At this point, I don't hold my breath when it comes to Toll Brothers and Downtown apartment development. Every couple of years, they come out of the woodwork with a new proposal and nothing seems to happen. They announced the Central/Thomas location over a year ago and so far nothing has been done and I cannot find any permits or site plans filed with the City of Phoenix.

They did build those hideous condo's near the Valley Ho in Scottsdale (I think they were 5/ 6 stories) So they are capable of multi-family but you're right they mostly seem to just talk. They however do more multi-family back east especially in NYC. I am always apprehensive when I see home builders dive into multi-family. Although Lennar has seem to be doing it here in the valley, they already have a few developments under their belt in Tempe and Chandler.

[combusean]

The Central / Thomas location has been in planning and entitlements, I seem to recall the Urban Phoenix project was raising issue with their curb cuts and conformance to the transect zoning district.

It takes about a year to get through this and finalize architecture and site plans in the best of circumstances after an initial announcement with no other work done.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by combusean

The Central / Thomas location has been in planning and entitlements, I seem to recall the Urban Phoenix project was raising issue with their curb cuts and conformance to the transect zoning district.

It takes about a year to get through this and finalize architecture and site plans in the best of circumstances after an initial announcement with no other work done.

They would still submit site plans reviews and/or permits with the City of Phoenix regarding the development. I cannot find anything linked to the site.

[combusean]

^ Zoning documents do not show up in building plan review. This is the domain of the Board of Adjustment or Zoning Hearing Officer, not Development Services.

Zoning is legislative, development reviews are administrative. The PHOs have apparently not heard of the Internet as we never get documents for things in the public process *rolls eyes* whereas DSD was kind enough to hook up their mainframe to it.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Welp. I've been wrong before. Just as we are discussing this, guess what? Fence is up and buildings are being demolished on the site. See what happens when we question a project?!?

[biggus diggus]

As we know from a long history of fencing and demolition it does not necessarily mean construction will happen soon or at all. Watt Development took four years to break ground on the "coming soon" townhomes at Roosevelt and 8th Street. Lafferty has fenced off and demoed many things that were never built.

I think Toll Brothers will make this happen, but don't assume a fence and demo permit means construction is a sure thing.