General Phoenix Metro Discussion Thread

[combusean]

I dunno, watch Buckeye Airport?

The runway would have to be expanded for business jet flights.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by Obadno

Land banking? Data center and Back-end operations? Manufacturing? Take your bets

Some sort of 'collusion' but who are they hiding from?

[xymox]

Originally Posted by combusean

I dunno, watch Buckeye Airport?

The runway would have to be expanded for business jet flights.

Its actually in Goodyear near Goodyear Municipal Airport - of which Boeing and others fly large jets in/out of already for testing. The runway there is adequate - similar to Deer Valley.

My bet is either for manufacturing (think: Xbox) in order to hedge bets on tariffs with China, or a data center to help add to their Azure cloud offerings. Remember - Apple has their iCloud/CDN operations in the old Mesa plant, MS could do the same - and use the extra acres for solar or other green power.

[Obadno]

Phoenix nimbys are not sever enough to deter building downtown its much worse in other cities

[vwwolfe]

Originally Posted by combusean

The corner of MC-85 and Lower Buckeye is a half mile from Buckeye Airport.

MC-85 & Lower Buckeye is right across the street from Goodyear Airport. I think you are looking at 85 & Lower Buckeye.

[combusean]

I am. Forgot how those two routes are different but have most of the same number, which is dumb.

[Obadno]

Another nice manufacturing win for the west valley and state:

Andersen Corp., a Minnesota-based window and door manufacturer, will open a $105 million manufacturing and distribution campus in Goodyear, company officials said Tuesday.

The first phase initially will include 500,000 square feet of manufacturing and distribution space and is expected to begin construction in early 2019. The campus is expected to be operational by mid-2020.

Over five years, the company anticipates creating 415 jobs at the campus with a total investment of $200 million through additional future expansion.

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...-goodyear.html

[Obadno]

Phoenix now has an CSA

The federal government has updated combined statitistical areas and Phoenix now is one.

They added the Payson micropolitan area to the Phoenix MSA AND CREATED THE Phoenix-Mesa CSA. Page 145

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-conten...etin-18-04.pdf

Gives our CSA a population boost of about 20k lol but I’m glad the government has updated how these regions are tabulated

[Obadno]

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/17/saud...id-motors.html

Lucid got a wealthy investor 1 billion in Saudi oil money to give to Lucid.

This is good news for the factory getting built in casa grande

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by Obadno

Phoenix now has an CSA

The federal government has updated combined statitistical areas and Phoenix now is one.

They added the Payson micropolitan area to the Phoenix MSA AND CREATED THE Phoenix-Mesa CSA. Page 145

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-conten...etin-18-04.pdf

Gives our CSA a population boost of about 20k lol but I’m glad the government has updated how these regions are tabulated

Interesting. Are CSAs still determined by showing economic ties between regions in the form of commuting patterns? I hadn't been under the impression that there was much commuter traffic between Payson and Phoenix.

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by muertecaza

Interesting. Are CSAs still determined by showing economic ties between regions in the form of commuting patterns? I hadn't been under the impression that there was much commuter traffic between Payson and Phoenix.

I believe it’s based off of commutes and daily trips, I was surprised that Payson was there too over Prescott and Prescott valley tbh

I wouldn’t be surprised if we see globe, Prescott and Tucson all enter our CSA over the next couple of decades

[xymox]

Originally Posted by Obadno

I believe it’s based off of commutes and daily trips, I was surprised that Payson was there too over Prescott and Prescott valley tbh

I wouldn’t be surprised if we see globe, Prescott and Tucson all enter our CSA over the next couple of decades

It’s probably because the Prescott area is large enough that it has most things (jobs/shopping, etc) that most people would need. In fact, you can fly out of Prescott Airport now - with United soon to offer daily flights. That whole area is rapidly maturing. Given time, it will probably catch Albuquerque in size/population...

[Mr.RE]

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...ain-steam.html

Can anyone post this article here? Behind a pay wall

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by Mr.RE

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...ain-steam.html

Can anyone post this article here? Behind a pay wall

As SkySong, the Arizona State University Scottsdale Innovation Center, continues to redevelop the former Los Arcos Mall site, city and business leaders are looking at the project as a catalyst to breathe new life into the rest of south Scottsdale.

Some housing experts already called the city's southern portion an area to watch for housing, but commercial development in that part of Scottsdale and the neighboring Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community is growing.

“It’s an important area for us,” Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane said at a forum hosted by Kasten Long Commercial Group last week. “Even in some of the best times it wasn’t doing well.”

Lane said SkySong acted as a stimulus in the area and has attracted more private sector investment, along with a concentrated effort from the city to “reinvent” the McDowell Road corridor.

Now it seems two nearby sites previously used for car dealerships soon may become mixed-use developments.

Developers have requested a zoning change at the Mark Kia site on Scottsdale Road and Continental Drive to create a mixed-use development that would contain 267 residential units and some retail, according to city documents.

Separately, a rezoning request for the Chapman Hyundai site on McDowell Road and 67th Street has been submitted to the city by JLB Partners. That development, known as the McDowell, is proposed to contain 358 residential units and about 7,000 square feet of office space.

Pivot Development LLC purchased the Papago Plaza property on Scottsdale and McDowell roads three years ago for $12.5 million. Plans have been submitted to the city to raze the commercial buildings in the now-vacant development and build a 116-room hotel and 247-unit apartment complex. Restaurant and retail pads will front Scottsdale Road.

On the east side of Loop 101, in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, commercial development is booming in part because residential development is limited to those within the Native American community, Aaron Studebaker, the community development project manager for the community, said at the forum.

Those not part of the community can develop there, but only with long-term leases. No land purchases are allowed. The area has become a popular entertainment destination.

This year, the Great Wolf Lodge hotel and Medieval Times restaurant have begun construction on locations on the reservation. Two hotels and an assisted-living facility also are in the works for the area. About 10 projects are in the pipeline for the community, but details have not been finalized, Studebaker said.

Two major developments, known as the Block and the Edge, also are in the works in the community. Arizona’s first White Castle will be part of the Block, along with a Texas Roadhouse, Starbucks, a health and wellness center and two hotels. The Edge, located at Loop 101 and 90th Street, will be a mixed-use development, but details have not been released about who the tenants will be.

“Until a deal is 100 percent done, it’s not 100 percent done,” Studebaker said of the leasing structure on the reservation.

[Jjs5056]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

So here's a theory I've been spinning in my head. It's pure speculation with no inside information involved.

-- From the point of view of customers and tenants, the DeSoto Central Market closed abruptly, but the notice given suggested a new use of the building was already in the works.

-- Within a week of the closure, the DeSoto Central Market held a sale to unload furniture, glasses, and other items. That would suggest a tenant that would not need those items or would prefer to supply its own.

-- A few months before the DeSoto closure, Pedal Haus withdrew from the Churchill project without any explanation.

-- The high ceilings and open space within the DeSoto building make it a potentially good spot for a brewery.

-- So, my wishful thinking scenario is that Pedal Haus got the word that the original DeSoto business model wasn't working out and that the building would be available soon. Rather than operating a small taproom at the Churchill, it could create something on a larger scale, similar to what's already in place at CenterPoint in Tempe, in the DeSoto Building.

Feel free to poke holes in my speculative musings or come up with your own. Even if I'm totally wrong (which I consider highly likely), I hope there's some announcement soon of a future use of the DeSoto building.

PedalHaus would be better than a vacant building, but I would rather see something like The Yard- a nice restaurant, brunch space, boutique fitness, juice bar, with the addition of perhaps a coffee and wine bar. That space had so much potential even with 8-10 tenants.

I think you overestimate the costs of having non-paying patrons using the space. I'd venture most purchase a drink or two at least, and the rooms set aside for coworking had little to them. I think it just needed an anchor cash-cow to bring in the night/weekend dollars. I still think the original concept - with a deli, bakery, produce, etc. is a much more urban approach to resident needs vs. a fullsize grocery.

I can't imagine that The Blocks or Churchill helped DeSoto. I think I'd have rather seen 1st/Garfield developed with artist live/work than cannibalizing others.

[biggus diggus]

There are for sale signs all over the DeSoto building, that seems to indicate there's no use planned.

[Obadno]

Details for what ASU is going to do for the old Thunderbird Campus in Glendale:

Arizona State University has filed an updated plan amendment for its 158-acre property that once housed Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management in Glendale.

The request, filed by Mike Withey of Withey Morris PLC who represents ASU, is asking that the land-use designation be tweaked. Rather than setting aside 110 acres for the Corporate Commerce Center and 40 acres for education, the request is to set aside 85 acres for the Corporate Commerce Center and 72 acres for medium-high density residential, which would be eight dwelling units per acre.

Katie Paquet, spokeswoman for ASU, said the plan all along has been to identify a developer and sell the land, which is on the southeast corner of 59th Avenue and Greenway Road in Glendale.

"A developer has not been identified," she said. "We don't have further updates at this time."

Tabitha Perry, project manager for the city of Glendale, said the request is being considered through the entitlement process.

The property is being referred to as the Village at Thunderbird.

'Economic catalyst'
The project has the ability to become an economic catalyst for an area which has been passed over by developers who have favored Glendale's more exterior transportation corridors along Loop 101, said Thomas Brophy, director of research for ABI Multifamily in Phoenix.

He said he would like to see Waymo or other autonomous vehicle operator create a substation that would not only serve the residents of the property but reduce the need for parking. It also could serve as a regional autonomous vehicle hub for the northern part of metro Phoenix.

For the multifamily portion, Brophy said the area favors a senior retirement complex that would include active adult and senior living components where residents could age in place and team with ASU for ongoing continuing education courses and a lecture series.

It also would be a great location for Infosys to develop a new tech hub campus, which would bring sustained job growth to the area, Brophy said.

ASU's request for a change in land use is not an action for rezoning, according to filings with Glendale.

At a later date, a rezoning application will be submitted and reviewed, according to the city documents. The case is expected to be presented at a second public hearing before Glendale's planning commission for a motion and vote on Oct. 18.

At that time, Glendale's planning commission will make a recommendation to be forwarded to Glendale City Council for a final vote in November, Perry said.

"The CCC land use designation will allow for a mix land use development which would include education as a proposed permitted land use in the forthcoming rezoning application," Perry said.

Brian Friedman, director of economic development for city of Glendale, said he likes the idea of a mix of residential, commercial and education for the site.

"While we are still very early in the planning stages and don't have specifics to share yet, all of those initial ideas are appealing to the city of Glendale and would be in line with our vision for the community: To serve the residents by catalyzing economic development, advancing community development and accelerating the pace of growth," Friedman said.

ASU is building a 4-story home for its Thunderbird School of Global Management on vacant land next to its law school in downtown Phoenix. Back In December 2014, ASU inked a deal to acquire Thunderbird.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by Obadno

Details for what ASU is going to do for the old Thunderbird Campus in Glendale:

And what about this?

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...-ballpark.html

The Arizona Diamondbacks reached out to the city of Phoenix to discuss an "opportunity" regarding its ballpark...

With only two home games left the D-backs are dead center among all teams while their attendance is up by 1250 per game.

[Classical in Phoenix]

https://www.architectmagazine.com/de...aign=dailypost

I have to say I am torn on this issue. For so long, I feel Phoenix was dearth in this type of development. I love the density it is bringing to the urban core. But is it becoming too much? Should we have more variety like Monroe, Kenect and Palm Court? Thoughts...

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by Classical in Phoenix

https://www.architectmagazine.com/de...aign=dailypost

I have to say I am torn on this issue. For so long, I feel Phoenix was dearth in this type of development. I love the density it is bringing to the urban core. But is it becoming too much? Should we have more variety like Monroe, Kenect and Palm Court? Thoughts...

Aaron Betksy has written about this before. Last time I recall was in a piece full of overly dramatic Phoenix bashing:

https://www.dezeen.com/2017/12/12/op...-aaron-betsky/

As I commented on that piece, the author's affiliation with Taliesin has to be considered in evaluating his opinions. Frank Lloyd Wright certainly created some impressive buildings, but his "Broadacre City" vision was completely at odds with urban life. Unfortunately, I think the Taliesin / FLW point of view influences how Betsky sees most cities as seas of architectural mediocrity.

What Betsky ignores, however, is that it isn't so much NIMBYism and fear of being different that holds back urban architecture -- it's market realities. A six-story apartment building, perhaps wider than it is tall, is a pretty sure bet for real estate investors and developers. A skinny tower on a small plot of land is a often a harder sell, although nice when it works out.

A worse outcome, in my experience, is when architects design to impress other architects, resulting in buildings that may be striking from a distance but not as successful as they could be up close. In Phoenix, the best example I can think of is the Burton Barr Library. Architects still rave about it, but it doesn't really address Central Avenue at street level.