Phoenix | Astra Towers (2 towers) | 541 FT | 44 Floors & 425 FT | 30 Floors

[PHX-DUDE-MAN]

Originally Posted by TwinG

Couple of questions/comments.

How many stories is the former Chase Tower?

Does the 44 stories of the tallest tower include those pointing things on top?

I find it odd that the image showing both towers has the shorter one faded out when it will be the first of them to be built.

Former Chase is 40 stories. The height is the roof height and does not include flag poles or antennas.

Tower 1 for Astra is the tallest tower. Tower 1 will be the first one to be built. Tower 2 is the shorter one which will be built last.

[PHX31]

Originally Posted by PHX-DUDE-MAN

Tower 1 for Astra is the tallest tower. Tower 1 will be the first one to be built. Tower 2 is the shorter one which will be built last.

Thanks for this clarification, I think you're right. I thought someone said the shorter tower will be built first, but in looking at the presentation materials, the taller tower is "Tower 1" and there was also an image with phasing lines, and the taller tower/Tower 1 is "Phase 1".

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by combusean

Their official boundaries are Central Ave and McDowell to 7th Ave and Van Buren.

https://nsdonline.phoenix.gov/Neighb...s/Details/2617

Around condomania when projects like Copper Point and the Jet were proposed, some in the RAA were thinking all the high-rise development south of Fillmore was out of scope for them, and they didn't want to be overwhelmed by people who weren't single-family homeowners. When I lived in an apartment and later my own condo even north of Fillmore they weren't so excited about including us in their newsletter, etc.

Now that it seems the development is real, they're prolly just flexing because they can. I'm sure the average age has gone nowhere but up in the 15 years I've known of them and they've found more time and things to complain about.

This is really surprising. The RAA should not have any influence of anything at all south of Filmore considering the lack of single-family or historic homes.

[somethingfast]

Originally Posted by PHX-DUDE-MAN

Former Chase is 40 stories. The height is the roof height and does not include flag poles or antennas.

I've seen references in the past to Chase being only 38 actual occupiable floors not actually 40...that two are mechanical floors - can anyone confirm?

[xymox]

Did we learn which 4 star hotel this would be? Is it the Intercontinental?

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by IndyAZ

Thanks, she is the VP. Ryan is the President so I would have been shocked if he was in opposition since he is actively working on other high rises in the area.

She’s the President now

[Sepstein]

I hope I'm wrong but this feels too good to be true. I wont believe this will happen till there is a tower crane up. It's like not only will we finally get are new tallest but another tower which is over 400 ft and both probably the best looking towers we got. The taller tower would be the best looking skyscraper we have and the other one is amazing too and at 424 ft wow, plus if this goes up it feels like more in that size range will follow. Like when the building craze started we only got 200-299 ft towers now we are getting 300-375 all the time and so on.

[ChaseM]

Originally Posted by Sepstein

I hope I'm wrong but this feels too good to be true. I wont believe this will happen till there is a tower crane up. It's like not only will we finally get are new tallest but another tower which is over 400 ft and both probably the best looking towers we got. The taller tower would be the best looking skyscraper we have and the other one is amazing too and at 424 ft wow, plus if this goes up it feels like more in that size range will follow. Like when the building craze started we only got 200-299 ft towers now we are getting 300-375 all the time and so on.

I know how you feel, I’m hoping this makes it through the final approval and we get this off the ground, a project like this has the potential to push other developers to start building taller. I’ve noticed a lot of the times all it takes is one to follow through before others follow suit.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by ChaseM

I know how you feel, I’m hoping this makes it through the final approval and we get this off the ground, a project like this has the potential to push other developers to start building taller. I’ve noticed a lot of the times all it takes is one to follow through before others follow suit.

I personally think Rastegar has been waiting to see what happens

[combusean]

I think the Rastegar lot is too small to be of any significant height, and there's always a problem with density limits downtown.

They're also the problem of them being not really a high rise developer.

[YourBuddy]

I thought rastegar did have a proposal but it was a mid rise. Maybe I’m confused.

[Summerlin]

Originally Posted by YourBuddy

I thought rastegar did have a proposal but it was a mid rise. Maybe I’m confused.

https://azbigmedia.com/real-estate/b...e-development/ >>

Rastegar Property, a vertically-integrated real estate investment firm focused on value-add and development in all asset classes across the United States, today announced its acquisition of a prominently-located high-rise lot in Downtown Phoenix in anticipation of the city’s rapidly growing demand for residential and commercial real estate space.

Located at 334 N. 4th Ave., the 26,500+ square foot high-rise lot is near many employers, higher education campuses, retail spaces including shops, restaurants and bars, and entertainment venues. The lot’s zoning allows for 550 feet of vertical development, and Rastegar Property plans to use the lot to develop a multifamily high-rise residential complex with office and retail components.

“The Phoenix metropolitan area is experiencing some of the most tremendous job growth in the country, and with that comes significant demand for residential and commercial properties,” said Ari Rastegar, CEO of Rastegar Property. “In addition to its attractive size and location, the property also falls within a designated opportunity zone, a program through which the state of Arizona is encouraging investment and development in the Phoenix metropolitan area. This program, combined with the city’s rapidly growing population, and nation-leading rent and job growth, makes Phoenix an ideal market for Rastegar to make strategic acquisitions that bolster our national portfolio.”


Also, any update on Link 3 ? Last I heard it was going to be between 32 to 36 floors and the image showed it a little taller then Link 1 with a large crown on the roof.

[PHX31]

Originally Posted by combusean

I think the Rastegar lot is too small to be of any significant height, and there's always a problem with density limits downtown.

Can you provide a 1 or 2 sentence explanation on the density limits you mention? I was literally just imagining a tall sliver tower immediately south across the street from Chase in that tiny lot. Would height there be impossible because of density limits?

[combusean]

Urban Form, the zoning reform passed a long time ago, added density limits that can't really be gotten around except through a long text amendment process.

https://phoenix.municipal.codes/ZO/1202(D)

218 du/acre gives them roughly 130 units which on that lot is not that much at all. I think that'd be similar in scope to some other projects that are about 250' and podium parked like in the NE section of downtown.

I don't know how the Chicago developer is pushing 350' on their 3rd Ave lot unless they have the patience to adjust some map boundaries.

[halicem]

Finally on azcentral! https://www.azcentral.com/story/news...a/70328221007/

They also threw in a 10 tallest buildings list for y'all: https://www.azcentral.com/picture-ga...enix/29639955/

Plucking some sections:

...
City tax abatement incentive sought

The plans were dormant for a while but resurfaced after the city modified its rules for a development incentive that the project is seeking. The incentive, called a government property lease excise tax, or GPLET, allows a developer to deed the land back to the city to forgo paying property tax on the site for a standard period, generally eight years. At the end of the period, the deed goes back to the property owner and taxes are paid as normal.

The council updated its GPLET policy in 2022 and included new requirements for developments seeking the incentive, Phoenix Economic Development Director Chris Mackay said at the subcommittee meeting. Now, developers are required to make a contribution, equal to 200% of what the city’s portion of the abated property tax would have been, to an affordable housing trust fund. In Astra’s case, that contribution will be about $5.5 million.

During the period of the GPLET, the developer also must pay the area’s school districts a payment equal to what the tax would have been on the undeveloped property, so the districts do not lose out because of the abated property tax.

At the meeting, Joan Kelchner, president of the Roosevelt Action Alliance, a neighborhood advocacy group, said the project had been presented to the group a few years ago but has changed since the alliance first gave its recommendation of approval.

Kelchner said members of the group were happy that the project included co-living options but said she would like the developer to be held to high standards for landscaping and sustainability.

Nick Wood, the zoning attorney for the project, said the development team had met with several community groups years ago when the project was first proposed and would be meeting with several groups before the June 28 council meeting to present the plan and hear community input.

At the subcommittee meeting, Mackay said the development includes a pedestrian paseo from Taylor Mall to the east, through the development to connect to the western side.

Mackay said it was a priority to make the development walkable and address neighborhood preferences that the project does not create a “mega-block” difficult for pedestrians to get around.

Vice Mayor Yassamin Ansari said at the meeting that the additional height and density of the project is a benefit and appropriate for the downtown setting.

Moving forward on projects with height and density downtown will help further the goal of “making Phoenix a world class city,” Ansari said.

...

Better quality images, also a new (to me) image of the paseo:

[MMDelon]

I feel the Phoenix City Council will be behind this.

[combusean]

It doesn't seem like there's any way the second tower is 116' shorter than the taller one with this rendering.

You'd think with all the hubbub CrestedSaguaro wouldn't be dropping the ball and have already posted elevation diagrams, site plans, materials selections, and whatever else before I can think of it.

[BA744PHX]

Per the end of the article
According to documents submitted to the city, the Astra developer aims to begin construction in the summer of 2024, with completion expected in 2027.

Hopefully this sticks, but still another year of waiting

Moderator edit: Removed duplicate/reposted photos. --sean

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by halicem

And no nays!! Approved by subcommittee but council meeting on June 28th for final vote.

Reminder - City Council meeting to vote on the developer agreement is scheduled for this Wednesday, June 28th.

https://www.phoenix.gov/cityclerksit...0-%20FINAL.pdf

[CrestedSaguaro]

Really starting to dislike the RAA and Goldwater.

Bozos...

https://www.azfamily.com/2023/06/28/...largest-tower/