Tucson Development Thread

[cdsuofa]

Tucson is a unique city. Surely our suburbs will someday even more closely resemble Phoenix with more large "Southwestern Style" cookie cutter developments. That is just a fact of outward expansion we all need to be prepared to accept. The interior of Tucson is what makes it unique and will keep it one of those unique cities such as Portland. Rarely is a University so prominent in a city of this size with its near downtown location combined with a healthy combination of historic and modern buildings and large urban environmental reserves (soon Saguaro ntl park west will be surrounded by development). All of these things combined with our unique population will keep central Tucson unique. Our leaders do need to stop getting scared off by small opposition to projects that will benefit the greater good of the city but once that happens I have complete faith in the character of the city I love. P.S. I think the idea of a traditional freeway going from northwest to northeast to south will not happen. The only economically feasible route would be to follow the Rillito and Pantano wash beds but like we have repeatedly seen that will never happen.

[southtucsonboy77]

Here is some good news...the Culver's lot has been graded just off of Kino.

There is some debate on whether the County should buy the land on the other side of the freeway for 19 soccer fields. This is what my family did financially as my son played a Kino League baseball game: 1) we bought snacks and drinks at the Chevron before the game 2) we ate at In N Out Burger after. I forked out over $30.

When my son plays in large baseball/soccer tournaments in Phx, we spend alot of dough on hotels, food, and snacks. It makes economic sense to build these fields and have families from around the state and region spend their money here.

[InTheBurbs]

Ground Broken for New Control Tower at TIA

"Home to the second-oldest commercial air traffic control towers in the country, Tucson International Airport will soon have the newest.

Officials broke ground Wednesday at the future site of the tower which, at 252 feet, will be twice as tall as the 55-year-old existing tower...."

[Ted Lyons]

Originally Posted by southtucsonboy77

Here is some good news...the Culver's lot has been graded just off of Kino.

There is some debate on whether the County should buy the land on the other side of the freeway for 19 soccer fields. This is what my family did financially as my son played a Kino League baseball game: 1) we bought snacks and drinks at the Chevron before the game 2) we ate at In N Out Burger after. I forked out over $30.

When my son plays in large baseball/soccer tournaments in Phx, we spend alot of dough on hotels, food, and snacks. It makes economic sense to build these fields and have families from around the state and region spend their money here.

Oh, is that what's going in across from the shed place on the east side of the road? For some reason, I was envisioning it on Ajo near In-n-Out.

[aznate27]

Originally Posted by InTheBurbs

Ground Broken for New Control Tower at TIA

"Home to the second-oldest commercial air traffic control towers in the country, Tucson International Airport will soon have the newest.

Officials broke ground Wednesday at the future site of the tower which, at 252 feet, will be twice as tall as the 55-year-old existing tower...."

I went to the TIA airport site and this rendering was under the site's article for the new control tower...please tell me I'm wrong! If this is the new tower, just keep the old one, it looks better!



Here's the link.

[Patrick S]

Originally Posted by Ted Lyons

Oh, is that what's going in across from the shed place on the east side of the road? For some reason, I was envisioning it on Ajo near In-n-Out.

I drove by there today. The wooden frame of the Culver's is going up now. I'm still hoping to see some offices go up there at the BioScience (or whatever it's called now) Park soon.

[aznate27]

Looks like Pizzeria Bianco is set to open next month on the 24th.

Pizzeria Bianco Announces Open Date In Instagram Comment

[Patrick S]

Some good news:

1) Truly Nolen, which is based in Tucson, has bought buildings in the Williams Centre, and is expanding it's presence in Tucson. They're moving their training center from Phoenix to this new office once it's complete. - http://biztucson.com/truly-magnifice...cson-presence/

2) Thanks to the even more mild than average winter in Tucson, and the severe winter in the East and Midwest, Tucson resorts had a huge rebound this last winter - http://biztucson.com/resorts-rebound...osts-bookings/

3) A new company, VXI Global Solutions’ , based in LA, just completed a lease at a business park near TIA. This company will hire 300 workers, and possibly up to 500 in the future - http://biztucson.com/cbre-completes-...-ti-in-tucson/

Also of note - http://biztucson.com/pima-county-to-...hills-acreage/

[Locofresh55]

Originally Posted by aznate27

I went to the TIA airport site and this rendering was under the site's article for the new control tower...please tell me I'm wrong! If this is the new tower, just keep the old one, it looks better!



Here's the link.

What are they going to do with the old tower? Leave it in place or tear it down? I think it would be cool to put the tower at the Pima Air and Space Museum. Reconstructing it to over look the compound of the museum and have the tower facilities kept functional or at least for a simulator.


The new tower, while not visually pleasing as its predecessor, is necessary for the airport. TIA shouldn't just leave it as a solid desert beige color though. I think I mentioned it on an old post long ago that they should put the neon lettering like the old tower had but have a different color instead of blue. Something more vibrant that people flying in to the airport will be impressed with.

252 feet is not a bad height BTW.

[Patrick S]

Originally Posted by Locofresh55

What are they going to do with the old tower? Leave it in place or tear it down? I think it would be cool to put the tower at the Pima Air and Space Museum. Reconstructing it to over look the compound of the museum and have the tower facilities kept functional or at least for a simulator.


The new tower, while not visually pleasing as its predecessor, is necessary for the airport. TIA shouldn't just leave it as a solid desert beige color though. I think I mentioned it on an old post long ago that they should put the neon lettering like the old tower had but have a different color instead of blue. Something more vibrant that people flying in to the airport will be impressed with.

252 feet is not a bad height BTW.

Pretty sure I saw in the article from the AZ Daily Star that the old tower would stay where it is. It's actually the 2nd oldest control tower in use in the United States. I actually like this tower. I see nothing wrong with it. To me it says TIA is a modern airport with modern facilities.

[Patrick S]

After 40 years, new movies are returning downtown

This is cool. First run movies will be shown in downtown for the first time in 40 years.

[Patrick S]

Archaeological study now needed at downtown hotel site

[cdsuofa]

Originally Posted by Patrick S

Some good news:

1) Truly Nolen, which is based in Tucson, has bought buildings in the Williams Centre, and is expanding it's presence in Tucson. They're moving their training center from Phoenix to this new office once it's complete. - http://biztucson.com/truly-magnifice...cson-presence/

2) Thanks to the even more mild than average winter in Tucson, and the severe winter in the East and Midwest, Tucson resorts had a huge rebound this last winter - http://biztucson.com/resorts-rebound...osts-bookings/

3) A new company, VXI Global Solutions’ , based in LA, just completed a lease at a business park near TIA. This company will hire 300 workers, and possibly up to 500 in the future - http://biztucson.com/cbre-completes-...-ti-in-tucson/

Also of note - http://biztucson.com/pima-county-to-...hills-acreage/

Im actually working with VXI in developing their site and their Tucson operation. It seems like a promising company to have in our City. If you have a spare minute it check it out its a rapidly growing worldwide company and when I say rapidly growing I truly mean that. Although they are currently leasing the building it is only to buy them time while they work out the details to actually purchase the building. They are spending a lot of money to update a neglected building and are investing for the future where up to 700 employees and atleast 500 will eventually work. The investment into the renovation of the building as well as the fact that they are actually purchasing it is a good sign that they are here for the long run. Just thought id put a little first hand knowledge about that specific development

[Patrick S]

Originally Posted by cdsuofa

Im actually working with VXI in developing their site and their Tucson operation. It seems like a promising company to have in our City. If you have a spare minute it check it out its a rapidly growing worldwide company and when I say rapidly growing I truly mean that. Although they are currently leasing the building it is only to buy them time while they work out the details to actually purchase the building. They are spending a lot of money to update a neglected building and are investing for the future where up to 700 employees and atleast 500 will eventually work. The investment into the renovation of the building as well as the fact that they are actually purchasing it is a good sign that they are here for the long run. Just thought id put a little first hand knowledge about that specific development

Cool. Thanks for the info. Good to know the inside info and that a promising up-and-coming company looks like they want to put a permanent foothold in Tucson.

[Patrick S]

Interesting, since the city backed out of their deal with the county's new courthouse.

Report: City courthouse needs $21M in repairs

[Mark H]

Originally Posted by Patrick S

Interesting, since the city backed out of their deal with the county's new courthouse.

Report: City courthouse needs $21M in repairs

I can't imagine that the City would plunk $21 million into City Court... that facility is an absolute atrocity. Instead, I tend to think this is an attempt to gain traction/leverage to start working their way back into the County Courthouse as a joint tenant. It makes too much sense for City Court to move into the new complex. Unless something's changed the County is only planning on building out half the new building. In fact, rumor has it the recent slow down in the progress of the project (things were moving pretty quickly for awhile there) has been at least partly due to the county getting hung up on which floors to build out and which to leave vacant.

The county could "punish" the city for backing out of the construction side of things with slighty higher-than-market rent. The city would get way more bang for their buck than they would pouring another $20+ million into their current digs... not to mention making the move to an already-existing facility (rather than building something else down the road) will likely save them money in the long run.

[Azstar]

Originally Posted by aznate27

I went to the TIA airport site and this rendering was under the site's article for the new control tower...please tell me I'm wrong! If this is the new tower, just keep the old one, it looks better!



Here's the link.

It looks like a prison guard tower, doesn't it?

[aznate27]

Just went to The Herbert's website, they only have 9 apartments left! Glad to see that housing investment downtown is going strong. This is good news for the coming west side developments.

[ProfessorMole]

New apartment tower pics

[Ted Lyons]

Next looks pretty good but there's a defect where the crossbeam meets the vertical beam (you can see where the cladding flares out) on the pointless arch that will probably never be fixed.