But that was being torn down so a new stadium could be built on that site, right?

Nope. Comerica Park opened up in Downtown Detroit in 2000 and Tiger Stadium (about 2 or 3 miles south of Downtown) sat vacant for almost a decade and left to rot.

Guys, c'mon, the Hotel Monroe is occupying a perfect spot for surface parking though...:shrug:

I mean, everyone knows that DT needs more parking. j/k of course.

I don't understand how a building that's been vacant for decades is suddenly now the epitome of our construction woes. You could have had it for $1.1 million at the end of the S&L crisis 20 years ago.

What that place needs is some guerrilla rescuing. Someone to break in, cover all of the windows and openings with plastic and seal it up to prevent further damage. Just leaving the top level open to the elements is going a long way to quicken the demise of that building. Leave it to rot long enough and the cost of the refurb becomes too high, it will be condemned, and will be torn down.

OOOOOOO, I like the breaking and entering for the good of the building idea!!!!!!!! I am in. Where can I get my black ski mask?

I just like the breaking and entering idea. Would be fun to explore that, the bowling alley, and the tunnel that supposedly exists.

Phoenix makes deal to lease out part of Arizona Center

by Emily Gersema, The Arizona Republic

Phoenix has reached a deal with CommonWealth REIT for the city's share of Arizona Center, a newly sold retail-and-office complex in downtown Phoenix that could lead to future development.

General Growth Properties last week sold its portion, five developed parcels, of the 18-acre site at Third and Van Buren streets to the Massachusetts-based CommonWealth REIT for $136.5 million, but the city maintains ownership of three parcels.

The city-owned portions are: a spot at Fifth and Van Buren streets that Rouse Co., Arizona Center's original developer, 21 years ago intended for office development; a section north of the Arizona Public Service building garage that was intended to be the home of a hotel; and a garage at Fifth and Fillmore streets that was supposed to be expanded, said Jason Harris, a deputy director in the Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department.

"We haven't gotten into the details as to whether they have to develop under that original agreement," Harris said of CommonWealth REIT. "The city is open to alternative uses. If that does require contract amendments, we would be appreciative to amending that agreement."

CommonWealth REIT officials did not return phone calls seeking comment Tuesday.

Those alternative uses could include an apartment or condo high-rise, Harris said.

The city had a lease agreement with General Growth Properties on Arizona Center that allowed the company to pay a use tax, usually called a lease excise tax, instead of property tax. That contract, known as a fee title, was given to CommonWealth REIT as part of the sale, so it is actually renting the city's three parcels.

In Arizona, these lease excise taxes effectively help the developer reduce costs. Property tax is typically high in business districts such as downtown Phoenix, but an excise tax is much lower. Cities tend to offer these to developers as a way to encourage new development and help its success.

In 2009, General Growth Properties paid the city about $1.2 million in the excise tax for Arizona Center. Harris said it's unclear how much excise tax the new owner will be paying or whether it will develop the three parcels as originally planned.

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It's about time.

I'm having trouble with the area north of the APS building garage, as well as the separately mentioned garage. I'm assuming they mean the grassy area between the garage and the APS building? and then the garage expansion would go out where that little surface lot is on 5/fillmore?

Either way, the article doesn't say anything is being built there.

I thought that the garage reference was to the existing garage.

well they mention the area north of the APS garage, then separately mention the garage as if it is a different garage. To my knowledge, there are three garages there... one under the Arizona Center tower, one under the APS building, and the main one on the north side.

The spacing of the towers in this image looks pointlessly claustrophobic in retrospect.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../PHX-AZCEN.jpg

The L-shaped structure north of the APS building in the massing appears to be residential, but I swear a skinny Doubletree was proposed in its place some years ago.

^That was always the hotel site. Downtown residential was almost entirely off the radar in 1990. The planned Embassy Suites/Doubletree/Westin/Insert Hotel Operator Here project was for that site.

I was thinking about this yesterday...I wonder if that model of the original development exists somewhere? Maybe in the main leasing office?

More info from the DPJ:

Not that interesting but i noticed the put in a big new corporation building at 10/buckeye. They have a blimpie!!

Could something be in the works here? I'm not quite understanding the address though...SW Corner of 4th St and Roosevelt to NW corner of 4th/McKinley? What about Garfield St? There are a bunch of homes/buildings between Roosevelt and Garfield.

The name Larry Lazarus sounds familiar... Can't remember if he was a good developer (actually built something) or a crappy developer that just went for entitlements and possibly demo'd existing structures to sell empty lots.

I don't think he is a developer. He is a lawyer with Lazarus & Associates which specialize in land use and rezoning.

That sounds right, so does he represent owners/developers that are good, or bad?

He had to do with some pretty high profile project/development within the past few years. I just can't remember which.

Here you go...

http://www.lazaruslaw.com/Projects/Downtown.html