Phoenix Development News (3)

[Salty]

Have we talked about this one............

https://thedavisexperience.com/project/creative-house

It would take the place of that little park on the corner of 2nd street and Roosevelt, across from wilderness. I remember the guys over at Davis announcing they had something exciting planned for that space, and I noticed that there was an old sculpture in the park they removed a while back and they aren’t covering up some recent graffiti on the walls.

Hopefully this is moving forward and not a casualty of covid or something else. Sorry if you dudes already covered it, anyone able to find any permits or info outside these renderings?

[combusean]

There are no permits or reviews on that lot. Stale proposal, it's been around since August 2017 and would take at least a year to get moving.

[asugrad]

https://thedavisexperience.com/project/w-phoenix

40 stories. Cant remember if this has ever been mentioned but this would be amazing.

[biggus diggus]

Isn't that idea about 15 years old and the local chinese community threw a fit?

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by biggus diggus

Isn't that idea about 15 years old and the local chinese community threw a fit?

Yep. I’m confused why Sarver didn’t work in some developer rights with the remodel. I think though he does own a bunch of The land directly to the west of the arena correct? So in theory if there was a viable proposal on the table for something like this, he could act.

[Diamonddave]

Originally Posted by biggus diggus

Isn't that idea about 15 years old and the local chinese community threw a fit?

I believe the Chinese community had a problem that the site was the original Phoenix chinatown

[combusean]

It's the last building remaining from Phoenix's chinatown and the project would have gutted it.

It was approved, but killed by litigation.

https://downtownvoices.org/tag/sun-mercantile/

[PHXFireBirds]

Originally Posted by combusean

It's the last building remaining from Phoenix's chinatown and the project would have gutted it.

It was approved, but killed by litigation.

https://downtownvoices.org/tag/sun-mercantile/

Honestly, stuff like this really ANNOYS ME. The fact that they agreed to preserve the original building, makes it even more frustrating. I didn't even know Phoenix had a Chinatown at one point? Not that it matters, but I'm born and raised in Phoenix and of Asian descent.

This project would've been a game-changer. It would probably get the ball rolling for further development on the Barrister building lot. The arena would kind of look like LA Live. Imagine the outside shot on a national televised game on TNT and ESPN?

[PHXFireBirds]

Could you imagine if this W project comes to fruition? My dream would be this development going through, and then converting the barely used South Convention Center into the Coyotes' arena. On the same lot, you could build another skinny hotel tower or office building directly north of the "Coyotes" arena.

[ASU Diablo]

This is pretty key...cannot overstate how important it is to keep these types of STEM jobs in-state.

Great article up on PBJ

Before the Great Recession, construction was always the leading sector in job creation in Phoenix and across the state, Mackay said.

"After the recession ended, construction is no longer leading our new job creation," Mackay said.

Manufacturing is No. 1, health care and biosciences are No. 3 and construction is No. 4, she said.

"The more STEM jobs we have here, the less brain drain we have," Mackay said.

Ten years ago, Phoenix was No. 2 — right behind Texas — for losing college graduates to STEM jobs in other parts of the country, Mackay said.

"Now we are not even in the top 10," she said. "We all worked diligently to create a place those graduating students can stay. They are finding the jobs they want here. Brain drain is gone. It's not even part of our vernacular anymore. We don't even worry about it anymore."

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...-new-jobs.html

[ASU Diablo]

So is it safe to say that the Berger Holdings proposal is dead in the water? At what point does the city, let's say, cut bait with Berger and go to 2nd best proposal which would be the Hines Proposal?

According to the link below, the RFP is still in "Recommendation" status and still has not yet been fully "Awarded". According to the RFP document, Berger was the recommended proposal on November 2019 and the award recommendation was supposed to be put in front of the City Council by April 2020. Of course, this hasn't happened yet.

For those in the know of how the process works, how long is the window to reach an agreement w/ the developer? I would guess a year or so and that window has long passed.

Appreciate the input.

https://solicitations.phoenix.gov/So...ns/Details/527

[Diamonddave]

Originally Posted by ASU Diablo

So is it safe to say that the Berger Holdings proposal is dead in the water? At what point does the city, let's say, cut bait with Berger and go to 2nd best proposal which would be the Hines Proposal?

According to the link below, the RFP is still in "Recommendation" status and still has not yet been fully "Awarded". According to the RFP document, Berger was the recommended proposal on November 2019 and the award recommendation was supposed to be put in front of the City Council by April 2020. Of course, this hasn't happened yet.

For those in the know of how the process works, how long is the window to reach an agreement w/ the developer? I would guess a year or so and that window has long passed.

Appreciate the input.

https://solicitations.phoenix.gov/So...ns/Details/527

Thanks for bringing this item back to the forum Diablo. I've been wondering myself . I think it's safe to say most of us liked Hines proposal better

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by Diamonddave

Thanks for bringing this item back to the forum Diablo. I've been wondering myself . I think it's safe to say most of us liked Hines proposal better

Well, looks like Hines is out even if Berger negotiations fall through.

I reached out to the contact listed in the page and they responded pretty quickly. Negotiations are still ongoing with Berger. Hines cannot be reconsidered as they requested a refund of its Proposal Guarantee. So at the very best, we get the Berger proposal. At the very worst (or best depending how you look at it), the city re-issues the RFP and Hines re-applies.

[combusean]

Originally Posted by PHXFireBirds

Honestly, stuff like this really ANNOYS ME. The fact that they agreed to preserve the original building, makes it even more frustrating. I didn't even know Phoenix had a Chinatown at one point? Not that it matters, but I'm born and raised in Phoenix and of Asian descent.

This project would've been a game-changer. It would probably get the ball rolling for further development on the Barrister building lot. The arena would kind of look like LA Live. Imagine the outside shot on a national televised game on TNT and ESPN?

They weren't going to preserve the building, they would have gutted the interior entirely. I was there for the debate, and a LOT of old Asian people were there in opposition to it. My position on facadomies has loosened somewhat but they did have the capability of cantilevering over the thing which they completely ignored. Also, it was never going to be a thing--they needed "flex space" for it to pencil out which basically means the project is trash--despite the hoopla it never seemed all that legitimate.

If they did any of the following the project would have had that aura of legitimacy but literally nothing happened:
- extended the expired hotel franchise agreement
- waited out the lawsuit in court rather than get their ass handed to them on a platter by a small time lawyer
- oh, I dunno, built or even proposed something on the block they own across the street rather than make a parking lot out of those old boarding houses
- had another proposal in the last 13 years.

Colangelo or Sarver haven't done anything without massive public concessions in some way or another. If Aspirant can sprout up towers when literally nobody heard about them five years ago or that partnership with Mitsubishi Real Estate can give us Link out of the blue there's no reason to be still depending on chain-yankers that blew out a dozen or so blocks downtown for what are two mediocre sports franchises today.

[PHXFireBirds]

Originally Posted by combusean

They weren't going to preserve the building, they would have gutted the interior entirely. I was there for the debate, and a LOT of old Asian people were there in opposition to it. My position on facadomies has loosened somewhat but they did have the capability of cantilevering over the thing which they completely ignored. Also, it was never going to be a thing--they needed "flex space" for it to pencil out which basically means the project is trash--despite the hoopla it never seemed all that legitimate.

If they did any of the following the project would have had that aura of legitimacy but literally nothing happened:
- extended the expired hotel franchise agreement
- waited out the lawsuit in court rather than get their ass handed to them on a platter by a small time lawyer
- oh, I dunno, built or even proposed something on the block they own across the street rather than make a parking lot out of those old boarding houses
- had another proposal in the last 13 years.

Colangelo or Sarver haven't done anything without massive public concessions in some way or another. If Aspirant can sprout up towers when literally nobody heard about them five years ago or that partnership with Mitsubishi Real Estate can give us Link out of the blue there's no reason to be still depending on chain-yankers that blew out a dozen or so blocks downtown for what are two mediocre sports franchises today.

Interesting. Thank you for the insight.

[ChaseM]

Originally Posted by ASU Diablo

Well, looks like Hines is out even if Berger negotiations fall through.

I reached out to the contact listed in the page and they responded pretty quickly. Negotiations are still ongoing with Berger. Hines cannot be reconsidered as they requested a refund of its Proposal Guarantee. So at the very best, we get the Berger proposal. At the very worst (or best depending how you look at it), the city re-issues the RFP and Hines re-applies.

I'll be surprised if Berger even continues, they've been dragging their feet lately. I haven't even heard anything on the Edith in awhile. Plus with Medistar axing the Intercontinental hotel from Central Station and this being proposed as basically all hotel I'll be surprised if it continues as is or if the demand is even there at this time.

[exit2lef]

The former DeSoto market building is becoming a gym:

https://www.azcentral.com/story/ente...ym/4212527001/

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

The former DeSoto market building is becoming a gym:

https://www.azcentral.com/story/ente...ym/4212527001/

Wow, went from a failed night club, to a potential urban Goodwill and now to a gym?

At this point, I would've preferred the Goodwill.

Let's see how long this concept lasts...opening a gym in the peak of the pandemic seems strange too. Oh well...

[gymratmanaz]

I don't know, with vaccines starting, maybe it will work by the time it is converted. There certainly is a need for gyms downtown, especially one that might be more locally-focused and not a chain. It is right in the middle of lots of apartments, so there would be a close population.

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by gymratmanaz

I don't know, with vaccines starting, maybe it will work by the time it is converted. There certainly is a need for gyms downtown, especially one that might be more locally-focused and not a chain. It is right in the middle of lots of apartments, so there would be a close population.

I get it. But to your point, most of these new "luxury" apartments being built up and down Roosevelt have their own gym complex. Obviously not the same as a full-blown gym but it's something. And some of these newer apartment's fitness complexes are pretty damn nice with high-rise views.