ASU/UofA Downtown Phoenix construction thread

[combusean]

ABOR has requested a boat load of money but isn't getting what it needs to do projects like this. ASU also doesn't seem that far along in the design process despite a second architect because they seem to still be thinking in massings rather than the core refinements that define how the space will even be programmed to go into cost estimations.

While it's nice to see what they're thinking about and where, I don't actually see a lot of substance to this news, especially compared to what was released back in 2023.

My guess is the legislature won't have the stomach for this in a recession and nobody should be thinking about major capital investments in medicine with the likely potential of so much Federal funding drying up.

[HX_Guy]

The Business Journal article on this states Preliminary site work and utility relocation will begin this fall on that triangular parcel, with building construction starting in 2026 and an expected opening in time for 2028 fall semester.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by combusean

ASU released a rendering of ASU Health's headquarters which will be on the block bounded by 4th St, 5th St, Fillmore, and Pierce.

https://www.azfamily.com/2025/03/10/asu-reveals-location-upcoming-campus-new-medical-school/

https://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoeni...-health-headquarters-in-downtown-phoenix

Damn. AZFamily beat me to it. I placed a records request for this last week. Glad to see this lot finally being developed.

While I am thinking about it, has anyone heard anything on the 2nd proposed Wexford building?

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

The Business Journal article on this states Preliminary site work and utility relocation will begin this fall on that triangular parcel, with building construction starting in 2026 and an expected opening in time for 2028 fall semester.

LOL. Not sure where all these doubts and questions are coming from. Pres Crow gets sh*t done, nothing w/ the Medical School was ever pie in the sky.

Originally Posted by CrestedSaguaro

Damn. AZFamily beat me to it. I placed a records request for this last week. Glad to see this lot finally being developed.

While I am thinking about it, has anyone heard anything on the 2nd proposed Wexford building?

The PBJ article on the medical school briefly touched on it but nothing new.

This announcement comes at a time when 850 PBC building is attracting more tenants, paving the way for construction of a second building.

Naimark said it's too early to say whether ASU will take any space in that second Wexford building.

"That is yet to be determined," he said.

[combusean]

^ There is no funding for it from the state yet. Their timeline only anticipates that funding.

[MiEncanto]

Not only is there no funding, ASU still doesn't have the authority to run a medical school. UA has all the state authority in law for a medical school. I think that's why ASU tries to make it sound like something other than a traditional medical school. But possession is 9/10 of the law and that's sorta how Crow works I guess.

[azcats]

They will have to go through accreditation - that takes some time.

Actually, I don't care if they - FINALLY - get a medical school or not. I don't personally trust going to doctors, anyway. If they do build that building from the artist conceptual rendering - it sure will look a lot better than the dirt lot in the middle of that bio-medical hub.

Was the "reporter" (In my little world - I had my dealings with "reporters"..."journalists" - how about "storytellers"?!? - I hate them) ...Is this guy on Crow's payroll?

He was so excited - slobbering all over Crow - I thought he was going to pee in his pants. He "reports" as if they were located in the middle of the Yukon Territory - 5,000 miles away from anything - including other medical schools.
He mentions NOTHING of how this new development will complement the surrounding, existing medical and bio research schools/ labs, etc. in the downtown Phoenix Bio-medical complex that was initially started in 2004 (he was probably in diapers in 2004) - including the UofA's downtown medical school a block away - and includes the UofA CAMI building currently under construction. Don't ask me what CAMI means - I don't know. Even the mayor of Phoenix was more levelheaded. She ends up doing the "reporters" job: Stating that ASU's new health building is the latest development being built within the burgeoning bio-medical research and development complex in the downtown Phoenix that include "ASU, NAU, and the UofA." He couldn't do that?!? The young man was just a tad biased for our "hometown" heroes. These "reporters" are so bad communicating - when the UofA was awarded their SECOND medical school to be located in downtown Phoenix - 20 years ago - I can't tell you how many people - located right there in downtown were proclaiming that ASU is building a medical school! I'm 400 miles away - going..."Do you know how to read?"

Originally Posted by MiEncanto

Not only is there no funding, ASU still doesn't have the authority to run a medical school. UA has all the state authority in law for a medical school. I think that's why ASU tries to make it sound like something other than a traditional medical school. But possession is 9/10 of the law and that's sorta how Crow works I guess.

[combusean]

... ASU is doing this because ABOR asked them to.

https://www.azregents.edu/azhealthytomorrow

[Obadno]

Also is this to replace this design form 2023 or are we getting more than one building? (which would not be crazy considering its whole new college)

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by azcats

They will have to go through accreditation - that takes some time.

Actually, I don't care if they - FINALLY - get a medical school or not. I don't personally trust going to doctors, anyway. If they do build that building from the artist conceptual rendering - it sure will look a lot better than the dirt lot in the middle of that bio-medical hub.

Was the "reporter" (In my little world - I had my dealings with "reporters"..."journalists" - how about "storytellers"?!? - I hate them) ...Is this guy on Crow's payroll?

He was so excited - slobbering all over Crow - I thought he was going to pee in his pants. He "reports" as if they were located in the middle of the Yukon Territory - 5,000 miles away from anything - including other medical schools.
He mentions NOTHING of how this new development will complement the surrounding, existing medical and bio research schools/ labs, etc. in the downtown Phoenix Bio-medical complex that was initially started in 2004 (he was probably in diapers in 2004) - including the UofA's downtown medical school a block away - and includes the UofA CAMI building currently under construction. Don't ask me what CAMI means - I don't know. Even the mayor of Phoenix was more levelheaded. She ends up doing the "reporters" job: Stating that ASU's new health building is the latest development being built within the burgeoning bio-medical research and development complex in the downtown Phoenix that include "ASU, NAU, and the UofA." He couldn't do that?!? The young man was just a tad biased for our "hometown" heroes. These "reporters" are so bad communicating - when the UofA was awarded their SECOND medical school to be located in downtown Phoenix - 20 years ago - I can't tell you how many people - located right there in downtown were proclaiming that ASU is building a medical school! I'm 400 miles away - going..."Do you know how to read?"

My man, who pissed in your cereal this morning? Stop yelling at the clouds, everything will be okay.

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by Obadno

Also is this to replace this design form 2023 or are we getting more than one building? (which would not be crazy considering its whole new college)

Great find. Totally forgot about this initial rendering.

It's my understanding that all colleges announced in that 2023 ABOR Meeting (minus the will be Health Observatory at ASU) will be housed in the latest update/rendering. This includes the School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering and School of Technology for Public Health.

If memory serves me right, the Health Observatory one might be built at the Mayo campus??

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

The Business Journal article on this states Preliminary site work and utility relocation will begin this fall on that triangular parcel, with building construction starting in 2026 and an expected opening in time for 2028 fall semester.

I might've skimmed over this while reading PBJ article but take it for what it's worth. Time will tell I guess whether this breaks ground early next year.

Bids for general contractors were accepted by March 7, he said.

[MiEncanto]

Originally Posted by combusean

... ASU is doing this because ABOR asked them to.

https://www.azregents.edu/azhealthytomorrow

Lol, you must not know ABOR very well.

ABOR does what the Presidents tell them to do.

And ABOR doesn't write state law, which governs who may run a Medical School. And it ain't ASU.

They're gilding the lily here.

[combusean]

There wasn't any state law against ASU creating a medical school. It was the tucson-infested ABOR with little brother syndrome that was opposed to it for decades. That obviously has changed.

[MiEncanto]

Originally Posted by combusean

There wasn't any state law against ASU creating a medical school. It was the tucson-infested ABOR with little brother syndrome that was opposed to it for decades. That obviously has changed.

Let me google that for you.

There's an entire section of state law, Title 15, Ch13, Article 9 authorizing a medical school at UofA and all the rules, limitations and guidance. It all refers to U of A.

This statute allows only the UofA to host a nonprofit hospital on campus.

So I suppose you could take the position that none of that law matters and what the State really meant was UofA should follow guidelines to run a med school but ASU can do whatever it wants. But that would be a pretty absurd reading.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by MiEncanto

Let me google that for you.

There's an entire section of state law, Title 15, Ch13, Article 9 authorizing a medical school at UofA and all the rules, limitations and guidance. It all refers to U of A.

This statute allows only the UofA to host a nonprofit hospital on campus.

So I suppose you could take the position that none of that law matters and what the State really meant was UofA should follow guidelines to run a med school but ASU can do whatever it wants. But that would be a pretty absurd reading.

I see nothing that disallows the other state universities from opening medical schools. Even if UA is the only institution mentioned, that's not the same as an explicit prohibition applying to other universities. Both ASU and NAU are planning medical schools of their own. Also, there's a difference between "host[ing] a nonprofit hospital on campus" and operating a medical school. Even UA doesn't have an on-campus hospital in Phoenix. It has a partnership with Banner but also relationships with other hospitals. I assume ASU will also operate under that kind of distributed model.

[ASU Diablo]

what a joke

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2025/03/19/arizona-pauses-biomedical-hub-construction.html

The University of Arizona is pausing construction of its biomedical hub in downtown Phoenix.

The Tucson-based university has been planning to build a health sciences center on the Phoenix Bioscience Core near its medical school operations, but it is now reassessing those plans in the face of uncertainty over federal research funding, university officials told Phoenix Business Journal.

Last summer, Phoenix City Council approved funding and a ground lease for the 200,000-square-foot Center for Advanced Molecular and Immunological Therapies, or CAMI, leading to a November groundbreaking last fall at the southwest corner of Seventh and Fillmore streets.

But now, with the Trump administration causing federal funding uncertainty, the U of A leadership team does not feel comfortable moving forward. On March 18, Moody's Ratings lowered its outlook for the U.S. higher education sector to negative from stable as a result of potential federal policy changes that "create a more difficult operating environment for colleges and universities," according to Bloomberg.

"Recent developments in federal research funding require an evaluation of all research-intensive university infrastructure needs, including capital investments and operations," according to a statement from the University of Arizona.

Cronkite News recently identified $480 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health to public university researchers in Arizona that could be jeopardized, that include at least one of the terms related to the Trump administration's effort to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Cronkite News identified $480 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health to public university researchers in Arizona that include at least one of the terms flagged by the Trump administration.

While the University of Arizona remains committed to the health sciences center, "we need to pause and reassess CAMI given the uncertainties," University of Arizona COO John Arnold said in a statement.

University officials are addressing potential changes to federal funding, including federally funded research support, according to the statement.

"With annual fixed costs associated with UA buildings and utilities that cannot be eliminated, reductions in research funding will impact all facets of the university's operations," according to the university statement.

City of Phoenix pledged $20M for U of A project
Last June, Phoenix approved an investment in CAMI worth $20 million, composed of various forms of support that will be invested by the city over time, including $16 million in payments from the Downtown Community Reinvestment Fund and abatement of ground lease rent for the term of the project.

Originally planned to open in mid-2027, the university had already selected the design-build team of McCarthy + SmithGroup to develop the 7-story structure. It also selected Deepta Bhattacharya as the inaugural executive director of CAMI, effective July 1, 2024.

It is unclear how long the project will remain paused.

The university "remains committed to working with the city of Phoenix, Maricopa County, the state of Arizona, and the federal government to advance world-class research at the Phoenix Bioscience Core," according to the statement.

The pausing of this project comes at a time when its sister Arizona State University plans to break ground on a $200 million headquarters for ASU Health campus on the Phoenix Bioscience Core campus in downtown Phoenix.

ASU could not be reached for comment to determine if leadership is considering a pause on that project as well.

The Trump administration announced on March 14 that it was launching an investigation into ASU and more than 40 other universities, over allegedly engaging in race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs.

[azsunsurfer]

lol Wilma 'the welfare queen Wildcat' lolol

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

lol Wilma 'the welfare queen Wildcat' lolol

LOL ok that's funny. As a Sun Devil, I approve.

[Obadno]

They started work without secure funding? They are stopping work because of speculative concerns?

You don't stop construction because theoretically a grant might be eliminated, how much wasted money would have already been spent to just get to the point of breaking ground?

There is some massive holes in this article. my bullshit meter is blinking