Phoenix Development News (3)

[HooverDam]

Originally Posted by Jjs5056

There is an awful eBay building being constructed along 3rd St near Indian Steel Park. That might be one of the buildings someone mentioned seeing upthread. They requested - and I am fairly sure received - a horrible set of variances... basically allowing them to shorten the width of the sidewalks, reduce shading to 0%, reduce windows along the edge to 0%, etc. It's going to be a giant concrete box.
[/I]

It's a data center. The initial variances they requested were completely insane, they wanted 0 sidewalks, no shade, a total blank wall, etc.

We have been fighting them on this. We've gotten them to not only agree to leave some sidewalks and "beautify" the blank walls, but also to create a $150,000 Community Benefits Agreement.

This is a huge deal. As far as I know, a CBA has never happened in Phoenix before. This sets a tremendous new precedent for the communities ability to leverage public good out of private projects.

The $150,000 will likely be used to start the 3rd Street Promenade program. It won't obviously do all of 3rd street, or maybe not even one block. But it might get us some bike lanes or trees or something.

Dan Carroll, chair of the Midtown ReInvent Phoenix Steering Committee and chair of the Encanto Village Planning committee has been hugely helpful in making this happen.

[Obadno]

[QUOTE=PHXFlyer11;7003327]http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/n...-space-if.html

“We have been informed that the owners of the One E. Camelback building have other plans for the property and they have asked tenants to vacate,” said BMO Harris Bank spokeswoman Carey Allen. "We are currently looking for a suitable location in Phoenix’s central corridor for our corporate and administrative departments. Our branch and drive-thru will remain at this location.”

QUOTE]

That's awesome! Im glad to see that BMO wants to stay in the neighborhood!

IN other news Grand Canyon University is in the process of expanding its campus by 400 acres which makes it comparable to the size of ASU and UofA's campuses. According to this article the goal is to have all the land " bounded by 35th Avenue on the west, Missouri Avenue on the north, 27th Avenue on the east and Camelback Road on the south."

They will need to buy out dozens fo homes, apartments, businesses etc. quite an undertaking.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/n...-grow-its.html

[TakeFive]

Obadno... I'm always worried that when it gets to the chest thumping stage that we may soon hear air going out of a balloon.
Hopefully I'm wrong as they have done tons of good to improve the neighborhood.

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

http://azbex.com/phx-to-get-28m-indi...ol-apartments/

The moar the better.

Indian School is one of my faves for receiving a complete street makeover to include nice sidewalks, median, bulb-outs, landscaping, the whole nine yards and adding frequent transit service. My latest iteration for a circulator/frequent service route because of its economy looks like THIS.

Originally Posted by HooverDam

We have been fighting them on this. We've gotten them to not only agree to leave some sidewalks and "beautify" the blank walls, but also to create a $150,000 Community Benefits Agreement.

This is a huge deal. As far as I know, a CBA has never happened in Phoenix before. This sets a tremendous new precedent for the communities ability to leverage public good out of private projects.

The $150,000 will likely be used to start the 3rd Street Promenade program. It won't obviously do all of 3rd street, or maybe not even one block. But it might get us some bike lanes or trees or something.

Dan Carroll, chair of the Midtown ReInvent Phoenix Steering Committee and chair of the Encanto Village Planning committee has been hugely helpful in making this happen.

Nice comment; nice to hear.

[combusean]

Documents on the TRG proposal can be found here: Click on the Zoning Adjustment Applications.

https://sites.google.com/site/peters...up---apartment

It's not that good/urban/dense of a project considering how much surface parking surrounds it, but I guess it's better than what was there before using Phoenix's perpetually low standards of development.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by combusean

It's not that good/urban/dense of a project considering how much surface parking surrounds it, but I guess it's better than what was there before using Phoenix's perpetually low standards of development.

Trying to decipher planning/zoning stuff not my cup of tea (nor expertise) so I found something more interesting.

From the "North Central News" from June of 2014 By Teri Carnicelli
"Neighborhood fights upscale apartments"

The proposed structure includes a variety of units, including two-story carriage houses along the outer edges to act as a buffer to the neighborhoods to the west and north, and one- to three-bedroom units in the four-story main complex in the middle of the property.

But Peters View residents argue that four stories is just too high and want the density reduced, while the developers say they can’t reduce the number of units without jeopardizing the bottom line.

From the "North Central News" from July of 2014 By Teri Carnicelli
"Developers, neighbors reach comprise of sorts"

After facing strong opposition from residents in the Peter’s View Neighborhood Association, a developer agreed to reduce the height of a proposed upscale apartment complex near 19th Street and Indian School Road.

After numerous meetings with representatives of the neighborhood... . The reduction did not dramatically impact the number of units... The height reduction simply reduced those units back to single-level apartments.

In addition, no balconies will be constructed for those top-floor units that face north or west, providing additional privacy measures to the homeowners who live adjacent to the development site.

This is the part that I think is sad.

The developer also agreed to reduce the number of “carriage houses” along 19th Street and Devonshire Avenue, and to construct an 8-foot wall between the carriage units and the public sidewalks.

So much for new construction creating a nice inviting street edge.

We have liftoff.

The leaders from the area did a great job advocating for their neighborhood and I believe set the right message for other redevelopment projects that will come in to the city,” said Mayor Greg Stanton.

The City Council voted 9-0 to approve the rezoning request.

And that's the way it is; it is what it is; End of Story.

[biggus diggus]

People really don't like anything new or different, do they?

Quite saddening.

[azsunsurfer]

If they would've configured the site so the surface parking would act as a buffer from the houses, the apartment building itself could be closer to Indian School?

[Freeway]

Originally Posted by biggus diggus

People really don't like anything new or different, do they?

Quite saddening.

Not here. I'm glad that people are starting to realize that this traditional style of urbanity just won't work in Phoenix, outside of a few small areas in the core. This is a suburban complex in a suburban city. Of course the apartment isn't going to open up and face Indian School, of course there's going to be a wall separating the complex from the street. That neighborhood is shady at best and making it easy for the characters who walk down Indian School to gain quick access to someone's home is asinine. Pulling the main building closer to Indian School would just create noisy apartments, with cars flying down Indian School at 45-50 MPH all times of day. It's clearly just another low-rise, sprawling apartment complex and I'm surprised that it's even garnering attention here.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

If they would've configured the site so the surface parking would act as a buffer from the houses, the apartment building itself could be closer to Indian School?

It's hard for me to speak to that specific area/neighborhood and certainly one-story construction is very typical in Phoenix but with new density you want it to have a nice street presence. The architect even accounts for the neighborhood with two-story carriage houses along the outer edges to act as a buffer. They should be on display, not hidden behind a fence let alone an 8-story fence. But people don't yet think in terms of something that would be pleasant to walk by but rather what they'll drive by and don't want to see. It's anti-urban, anti-friendly, cold. The closest that I could think of that might replicate the planned two-story carriage houses is this rendering. I can't imagine putting that behind a fence.

HERE's an example of a modest-sized, affordable, mixed use infill along a (fairly) busy street. While having more of a set-back than typically desired, it's done with intent HERE. Not perhaps any different from new stuff in the Roosevelt neighborhood. It works everywhere.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by Freeway

Not here. I'm glad that people are starting to realize that this traditional style of urbanity just won't work in Phoenix, outside of a few small areas in the core. This is a suburban complex in a suburban city. Of course the apartment isn't going to open up and face Indian School, of course there's going to be a wall separating the complex from the street. That neighborhood is shady at best and making it easy for the characters who walk down Indian School to gain quick access to someone's home is asinine. Pulling the main building closer to Indian School would just create noisy apartments, with cars flying down Indian School at 45-50 MPH all times of day. It's clearly just another low-rise, sprawling apartment complex and I'm surprised that it's even garnering attention here.

LOL, you make very good points. But it doesn't have to be or stay that way. That's why doing a complete street makeover is so important. You can't just splash some lipstick on this pig.

I acknowledge that it's an expensive investment and where do you even start? Well you start with one street or you start at Central on a couple of streets and go a few blocks at a time. That's what it will take. BTW, you also allude to why more secure, inward looking projects make good urban sense if they present a nice street edge.

[biggus diggus]

TakeFive you realize that "carriage house" stuff is just a more efficient use of land that apartment developmers have been using for a while, right?

Even the met downtown has them, don't get too excited about it.

[soleri]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

It's hard for me to speak to that specific area/neighborhood and certainly one-story construction is very typical in Phoenix but with new density you want it to have a nice street presence. The architect even accounts for the neighborhood with two-story carriage houses along the outer edges to act as a buffer. They should be on display, not hidden behind a fence let alone an 8-story fence. But people don't yet think in terms of something that would be pleasant to walk by but rather what they'll drive by and don't want to see. It's anti-urban, anti-friendly, cold. The closest that I could think of that might replicate the planned two-story carriage houses is this rendering. I can't imagine putting that behind a fence.

HERE's an example of a modest-sized, affordable, mixed use infill along a (fairly) busy street. While having more of a set-back than typically desired, it's done with intent HERE. Not perhaps any different from new stuff in the Roosevelt neighborhood. It works everywhere.

I really don't think you can "activate" Indian School Rd. in such a way. Like most of Phoenix's major arterials, it's simply too big, too busy, and too loud. When you look at the few streets that can handle outdoor seating, they're smaller collectors like Campbell at 40th St. Central Avenue is much less daunting. Federal Pizza has street-side seating as does Hula's, and it works well enough. Still, you notice how quite a few restaurants still push the outdoor seating to the rear. Let's hope this changes.

Roosevelt Row, obviously, is ideal in this regard, as are many of downtown's streets. It's why it could eventually materialize into something quite wonderful if developers can be persuaded to provide the necessary spaces. People do want this. But we're still waiting for the critical mass to occur.

Edit: just want to note one more thing: light rail has already done one very wonderful thing for Phoenix: it calmed traffic beautifully on Central Avenue. If nothing else, it gave Phoenix a chance at creating some urban ambiance on its signature street.

[dtnphx]

Also, one mustn't forget that the changes you're reading about make it sound like the project was this grand ode to architecture but in reality is the exact same development you see going up everywhere and I mean everywhere. This is a meh project in a meh neighborhood. A change to the plans to accommodate neighbor concerns here and there for this development won't really get noticed by anyone. We're reading the minutia that is part of every project. And, carriage houses sounds really romantic, don't they? In reality are just those shitty studios above the garages that are part of even luxurious communities including Broadstone.

[dtnphx]

Wetta Ventures Takes On Midtown Again

This company does some impressive projects. Add this one....

http://www.globest.com/news/12_1098/...-357402-1.html

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by dtnphx

Wetta Ventures Takes On Midtown Again

This company does some impressive projects. Add this one....

http://www.globest.com/news/12_1098/...-357402-1.html

That's not in Midtown, but I guess it's a good sign for Midtown that reporters are being creative with its boundaries -- just as they are with Arcadia. Still, it's funny the reporter called it "Midtown" rather than the more prestigious "Biltmore Area."

In any case, it sounds like only the western building on the site is affected. I wonder what, if anything, will happen to the building that houses Greekfest, a restaurant that has been around forever even though it never seems at all crowded.

[Tito714]

What is being built on that other corner? 20th st and camelback, in the Town and Country plaza.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by Tito714

What is being built on that other corner? 20th st and camelback, in the Town and Country plaza.

I don't know, but it looks like a bland beige box. I've heard talk over the years of redeveloping T&C in a more urban style, but that appears not to be happening.

[crwhiteinaz]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

I don't know, but it looks like bland beige box. I've heard talk over the years of redeveloping T&C in a more urban style, but that appears not to be happening.

That bland box is "The Container Store". Its actually a pretty great store for outfitting your smaller urban condo for storage.

BTW. The really large, vacant lot on the corner of Indian School and 32nd st (except for Ace & O'Reily) is finally being redeveloped. It is somewhat underwhelming for the size of the lot and its proximity to Arcadia and Biltmore. But... if it can't even keep a Food City, JBs and bowling alley... something is better than nothing. It will be called Fiesta Arcadial.

https://commercialconnected.s3.amazo...School_SWC.pdf

[HooverDam]

so the project on Catalina and 3rd St is going to be housing for adults w/ autism, which I didn't know:

http://www.azcentral.com/story/money...ults/26539567/

[Spitfiredude]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

That's not in Midtown, but I guess it's a good sign for Midtown that reporters are being creative with its boundaries -- just as they are with Arcadia. Still, it's funny the reporter called it "Midtown" rather than the more prestigious "Biltmore Area."

In any case, it sounds like only the western building on the site is affected. I wonder what, if anything, will happen to the building that houses Greekfest, a restaurant that has been around forever even though it never seems at all crowded.

Midtown...what an idiot. That is definitely known as the Biltmore area. Most people just call that entire area Biltmore. That's what me and room mates referred to it when I lived at Pinnacle (16th St/Highland) and everyone knew the area we were talking about. What a fool. How ignorant of him ha