Tempe Development Thread

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by FighteroftheNightman

The triangle parking piece south of the Mill has just been listed for sale. Looks like another lot with bite the dust soon.

Originally Posted by Obadno

Perfect spot for a decent sized apartment tower

Oh wow, the Mission Palms overflow lot? I always thought that would be a cool spot for redevelopment, but never thought Mission Palms would give it up.

[muertecaza]

[plinko]

^I am awestruck at the picture above considering how different it 'feels' compared to when I lived in Tempe in the 90s.
Those lousy Walgreens and Ruby Tuesday's buildings need to go. I was baffled at the bad scale when they built them and now it really shows why. Jack Black's building in Centerpointe is OK though. It's a bit of an odd duck, but much more interesting than other buildings of its era.

[combusean]

^ I am too. I pretty much stopped hanging out in Tempe when I moved to Phoenix in the mid 2000s but I was a Mill Ave regular in my teenage and college years before. I had to completely reorient myself to understand this photo, especially with the Omni.

That Walgreens is probably better than the crummy gas station that was there before. The Ruby Tuesday building can go away only because the one time I ever ate there I got salmonella from the chicken.

[combusean]

Originally Posted by muertecaza

Oh wow, the Mission Palms overflow lot? I always thought that would be a cool spot for redevelopment, but never thought Mission Palms would give it up.

I didn't either. It wouldn't surprise me if the Mission Palms was hurting from the new upmarket competition/pandemic and they're looking to put the money into major upgrades. They can convert to valet and easily fit everyone in.

[RichTempe]

Originally Posted by plinko

^I am awestruck at the picture above considering how different it 'feels' compared to when I lived in Tempe in the 90s.
Those lousy Walgreens and Ruby Tuesday's buildings need to go. I was baffled at the bad scale when they built them and now it really shows why. Jack Black's building in Centerpointe is OK though. It's a bit of an odd duck, but much more interesting than other buildings of its era.

I think you mean CVS and Pita Jungle. There isn't a Ruby Tuesdays in downtown Tempe anymore (since 2009). Even the one at Tempe Marketplace is gone. There was a Chili's where the Omni is going up though. The Pita Jungle building was built in the 90's, so probably not out of scale at that time, but the CVS was built much more recently and I agree that it doesn't seem like a good use of that corner (unless it was in the first floor of a taller building).

[combusean]

There was a Ruby Tuesday in the Pita Jungle building for a long time. Not really sure when it opened, closed late 2008 when they moved to Tempe Marketplace.

[RichTempe]

Originally Posted by combusean

There was a Ruby Tuesday in the Pita Jungle building for a long time. Not really sure when it opened, closed late 2008 when they moved to Tempe Marketplace.

It was there from 1998-2009

https://www.azcentral.com/story/ente...iled/76061158/

[skiesthelimit]

You guys are shocked at Tempe changing so much after decades, imagine those of us who moved here in 2018. Just hit 4 years in the valley almost 3 in Tempe and even I have a hard time grasping the amount of change that has taken place. Every last one of those towers were built in the past 4 years. Insane. And that feeling is mutual for all of the valley, there’s construction everywhere. In the past year, I haven’t been able to recognize Scottsdale Road in South Scottsdale anymore because of its ongoing transformation at McDowell. Seriously exciting stuff all around. Tempe is definitely taking the cake for biggest transformation though, especially if Novus gets built out fully.

Also Chili’s is at Farmer & Ave but given that Hudson was just built and everything currently under construction in that row of lots up to Tempe Depot, I’m thinking another 2-3 years max before they’re forced to move again. They should just adapt their urban format in one of the new towers at this point. I also think that Pita Jungle/Wells Fargo combo on that corner will probably get redeveloped shortly after Hilo gets going. Unfortunately, I think Jack in the Box is there to stay for a while longer as they renovated in ~2019/2020 so there will be a gap between the two.

[combusean]

Apache blows me away the most. The biggest development to hit Apache in my college years was the construction of Adelphi Commons in 2002 which was lamesauce from day 1.

Around this time the city was proud of their efforts to subsidize converting motel and mobile park signs

https://web.archive.org/web/20030818.../backgrou.html

and this was the "current projects" list.

https://web.archive.org/web/20081009...APProjUdt.html

[Sepstein]

Its amazing how Tempe has changed over the last 5 years. i went on that off ramp by the 202 off mill i think and was shocked at the view of the cityscape.
Its looks like something out of the future! All the buildings are glass and sleek not like DT phoenix with all those ugly brown or white stumps. The Watermark is really nice!

[locolife]

Originally Posted by skiesthelimit

You guys are shocked at Tempe changing so much after decades, imagine those of us who moved here in 2018. Just hit 4 years in the valley almost 3 in Tempe and even I have a hard time grasping the amount of change that has taken place. Every last one of those towers were built in the past 4 years. Insane. And that feeling is mutual for all of the valley, there’s construction everywhere. In the past year, I haven’t been able to recognize Scottsdale Road in South Scottsdale anymore because of its ongoing transformation at McDowell. Seriously exciting stuff all around. Tempe is definitely taking the cake for biggest transformation though, especially if Novus gets built out fully.

Also Chili’s is at Farmer & Ave but given that Hudson was just built and everything currently under construction in that row of lots up to Tempe Depot, I’m thinking another 2-3 years max before they’re forced to move again. They should just adapt their urban format in one of the new towers at this point. I also think that Pita Jungle/Wells Fargo combo on that corner will probably get redeveloped shortly after Hilo gets going. Unfortunately, I think Jack in the Box is there to stay for a while longer as they renovated in ~2019/2020 so there will be a gap between the two.

I can’t help but chuckle at the occasional comment I hear from someone who says they’re bored living here, my reaction is how? I can’t even keep up with new places I’d like to see and try, not to mention the crazy amount of entertainment and sports options be it new casinos or performing art venues, I just learned at a recent coyotes game that we will soon have a PBR league team based out of Gil’s river arena.

The rooftop bar at the Westin in Tempe is my favorite known new gem but I’m sure I’m missing 10 others.

[CB1]

Speaking about all the recent change…here is an old picture of the intersection where Novus is getting built.

[combusean]

Originally Posted by Sepstein

Its amazing how Tempe has changed over the last 5 years. i went on that off ramp by the 202 off mill i think and was shocked at the view of the cityscape.
Its looks like something out of the future! All the buildings are glass and sleek not like DT phoenix with all those ugly brown or white stumps. The Watermark is really nice!

Check your history. When those buildings were built in Phoenix Mill Avenue still had almost twenty years to go before it stopped being a no-go zone of biker bars and homeless riverbottom dwellers. One of those bars had a dirt floor. The reason they built the library on Southern is because Tempe was *this* close to abandoning their downtown for good.

I think it was Harry Mitchell who campaigned to build the new city hall downtown--probably the most forward thinking decision in the city during the 20th century, ahead of the decision to build the lake even.

[soled]

Originally Posted by CB1

Speaking about all the recent change…here is an old picture of the intersection where Novus is getting built.

Do you know what year this was?

[CB1]

Hello, not sure when that picture was taken. My guess is sometime in the 1980s. If you go on Facebook and type Tempe History Museum they have a lot of pictures. Some from when the Mill was operational.

[RichTempe]

Not anything recent, but started back to the office on Monday, so here are some pics of Marina Heights taken from a different perspective:

[somethingfast]

Originally Posted by soled

Do you know what year this was?

that looks like mid to late 80's to me. definitely pre 90's. gonna say 1985 or '86 as not even the south end of the SD stadium is fitted with Cardinals additions yet.

[CA7]

Super late to this and also first post on here so hi, but the Press news has me very happy, lived in Rise last year but moved to the University/Mill area for this school year and I definitely miss having a Press nearby. Also a bit sad seeing that Omni is probably going to be the last project to be completed while I'm still in Tempe, graduating in Spring 2023, I feel like I just got here and had so many projects left to see pop up :/

Originally Posted by skiesthelimit

Tempe approves apartment complex geared toward working from home





There is also going to be a Press Coffee built at 100 Mill, and a brewery being built near the 202/Scottsdale Rd off ramp.

And Milhaus @ Apache is now titled Apache? Milhaus taps McShane Construction for 219-unit multifamily build in Tempe

[RichTempe]

Just a few pics from last night and today in Downtown Tempe: