Arizona Center Development - Page 21

rmcxion · #**401** Posted **Jan 19, 2020, 9:50 PM**

Classical in Phoenix · #**402** Posted **Jan 19, 2020, 10:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

Hope you're not holding back some ground-breaking news about Palm Court Tower?

No, I posted something in this thread by mistake, we have so many now! Plus, there may have been day drinking involved.

CrestedSaguaro · #**403** Posted **Jan 21, 2020, 4:32 PM**

CCPH and CPGD permits issues for Palm Court Tower this morning. Permits are slowly coming in over the past month or so. Not sure what this means time-wise to a ground breaking, but it is definitely still moving along.

CrestedSaguaro · #**404** Posted **Feb 4, 2020, 8:23 PM**

Fire Safety Report issued for Palmcourt Tower today. Katerra filed for the permit, so will be the builder. Slowly, but surely still happening!

dtphxguy · #**405** Posted **Feb 19, 2020, 4:40 AM**

AC is now as tall as the highest point on the garage. With three more floor to go I believe

On the 5th street side, AC definitely helps lessen the impact of that massive garage. As far as the interior side goes, it would be kinda cool if AZ center installed ads or some kind of art on the huge wall of the garage that’s still exposed.

TJPHXskyscraperfan · #**406** Posted **Feb 19, 2020, 6:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtphxguy

AC is now as tall as the highest point on the garage. With three more floor to go I believe

On the 5th street side, AC definitely helps lessen the impact of that massive garage. As far as the interior side goes, it would be kinda cool if AZ center installed ads or some kind of art on the huge wall of the garage that’s still exposed.

I didn’t realize the connection to the garage on the mall side, that’s going to look real good.

dtphxguy · #**407** Posted **Feb 19, 2020, 6:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJPHXskyscraperfan

I didn’t realize the connection to the garage on the mall side, that’s going to look real good.

Yeah, I forgot what the mall facing side was supposed to look like. Looked it up when I got home and I agree, should be a really nice entrance.

I think they did a good job activating both sides of the hotel.

https://www.hospitalitynet.org/annou...ix-az-usa.html

https://azbigmedia.com/real-estate/h...rizona-center/

PHXFlyer11 · #**408** Posted **Feb 19, 2020, 8:20 PM**

Was driving by this morning on the way to the gym and was thinking how I hope we soon see plans to remove (hopefully not) or cut back & update the movie theater. I'd love to see a tower or tow on that space and save the final remaining lot on the north east side for some more residential towers.

They spent alot of money to buy that center. They'll get more critical mass with the hotel and apartments, but I think they'll be wise to continue to double-down on housing to fill the retail.

Something more interactive like Lucky Strike would also be good there. Maybe a Dave and Busters. That would help draw people in. You need that entertainment element, not just the stores and restaurants.

Obadno · #**409** Posted **Feb 19, 2020, 9:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer11

Was driving by this morning on the way to the gym and was thinking how I hope we soon see plans to remove (hopefully not) or cut back & update the movie theater. I'd love to see a tower or tow on that space and save the final remaining lot on the north east side for some more residential towers.

They spent alot of money to buy that center. They'll get more critical mass with the hotel and apartments, but I think they'll be wise to continue to double-down on housing to fill the retail.

Something more interactive like Lucky Strike would also be good there. Maybe a Dave and Busters. That would help draw people in. You need that entertainment element, not just the stores and restaurants.

Downtown is going to want a theater but a better designed and smaller one. Even if we keep the currrent AMC for another 10 years the back lot off Fillmore is perfect for an office tower with decent size floors.

CrestedSaguaro · #**410** Posted **Feb 19, 2020, 9:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer11

Was driving by this morning on the way to the gym and was thinking how I hope we soon see plans to remove (hopefully not) or cut back & update the movie theater. I'd love to see a tower or tow on that space and save the final remaining lot on the north east side for some more residential towers.

They spent alot of money to buy that center. They'll get more critical mass with the hotel and apartments, but I think they'll be wise to continue to double-down on housing to fill the retail.

Something more interactive like Lucky Strike would also be good there. Maybe a Dave and Busters. That would help draw people in. You need that entertainment element, not just the stores and restaurants.

I believe the current plans are to cut back and renovate the theaters into a dine-in style similar to Esplanade. Not sure how far along this plan is, but that was what was mentioned in the last article I read. I also believe there was also mention of eventually building residential on the North lot of the parking garage sometime in the future, but that will probably pretty far off.

For now, I would just really like to see Palm Court Tower move.

CrestedSaguaro · #**411** Posted **Feb 24, 2020, 11:04 PM**

I was just looking through the Arizona Center Final site plan and noticed that in the plans they've included 2 additional levels of parking to the existing garage. Not sure how I missed that one. This is going to be one big garage when they add them. Not sure what the timeline is on it or if they indeed need it. I would imagine AC Hotel is the reasoning behind the added levels though.

combusean · #**412** Posted **Feb 24, 2020, 11:21 PM**

Increasing the parking ratio is going to help them land commercial tenants as well.

Ironic because with everything blowing up downtown traffic is going to be hell and more employees will just start taking mass transit.

combusean · #**413** Posted **Feb 24, 2020, 11:25 PM**

Where'd you see the site plan anyways?

CrestedSaguaro · #**414** Posted **Feb 25, 2020, 12:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by combusean

Where'd you see the site plan anyways?

From the records request I put in a couple months ago. I can upload it to Google Drive tomorrow if you'd like to see it?

exit2lef · #**415** Posted **Feb 25, 2020, 1:31 AM**

That garage was built in the late '80s before the proliferation of SUVs. The last time I was there, it felt cramped compared to more recently built garages. I wonder if some of the expansion is not so much to increase total capacity, but instead to allow the same number of vehicles but with more room for each one. I don't go in there often enough to know if maybe some restriping has already occured.

Phxguy · #**416** Posted **Feb 25, 2020, 4:28 AM**

Tbh, every time I see a new post in this thread I’m crossing my fingers hoping it’s an announcement of new retail (besides a restaurant). Carry on guys....you’re doing nothing wrong....I’m just living in my own fantasy world holding out hope one day the Az Center will attract actual stores.

exit2lef · #**417** Posted **Feb 25, 2020, 12:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phxguy

Tbh, every time I see a new post in this thread I’m crossing my fingers hoping it’s an announcement of new retail (besides a restaurant). Carry on guys....you’re doing nothing wrong....I’m just living in my own fantasy world holding out hope one day the Az Center will attract actual stores.

Agreed. I find it hard to believe that two more floors of parking will be the secret sauce that will make AZC an attractive retail destination. The major work on the renovation was finished last year, but the place is still full of empty storefronts. There's the flag / sports memorabilia store, a nail salon, a few restaurants, and not much else. With all the growth at the biomedical campus on one side and the ASU law school and new Thunderbird building on the other, this should be a prime location, but somehow it continues to languish, even with its new look.

PHXFlyer11 · #**418** Posted **Feb 25, 2020, 1:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by exit2lef

Agreed. I find it hard to believe that two more floors of parking will be the secret sauce that will make AZC an attractive retail destination. The major work on the renovation was finished last year, but the place is still full of empty storefronts. There's the flag / sports memorabilia store, a nail salon, a few restaurants, and not much else. With all the growth at the biomedical campus on one side and the ASU law school and new Thunderbird building on the other, this should be a prime location, but somehow it continues to languish, even with its new look.

I think the problem is that those are all daytime populations. So restaurants and coffee shops can survive but it is brutal for retail. I think a City Target is needed. This would be a good location and good draw at all hours. I also believe they need to continue to build out that site with more residential where the theater and parking lot are currently. Just not enough critical mass at all hours yet. If they can add another 1,000 residents in addition to the hotel and planned apartments AND get a draw like a Target (maybe where the theatre is) then they’ll start to gain momentum.

exit2lef · #**419** Posted **Feb 25, 2020, 4:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer11

I think the problem is that those are all daytime populations. So restaurants and coffee shops can survive but it is brutal for retail. I think a City Target is needed. This would be a good location and good draw at all hours. I also believe they need to continue to build out that site with more residential where the theater and parking lot are currently. Just not enough critical mass at all hours yet. If they can add another 1,000 residents in addition to the hotel and planned apartments AND get a draw like a Target (maybe where the theatre is) then they’ll start to gain momentum.

I used to think of those as daytime populations, but increasing numbers of students and even staff of those academic facilities are now living in nearby apartment buildings. An urban target would be great. If that's too ambitious, how about a Walgreens? There's a CVS at CityScape, but that's a fairly long walk, especially in the summer. Having a place on the east side of downtown for basic needs would be helpful.

Phxguy · #**420** Posted **Feb 25, 2020, 4:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by exit2lef

Agreed. I find it hard to believe that two more floors of parking will be the secret sauce that will make AZC an attractive retail destination. The major work on the renovation was finished last year, but the place is still full of empty storefronts. There's the flag / sports memorabilia store, a nail salon, a few restaurants, and not much else. With all the growth at the biomedical campus on one side and the ASU law school and new Thunderbird building on the other, this should be a prime location, but somehow it continues to languish, even with its new look.

I really like the new renovation but I don’t know who it’s for. It feels like the Center is consistently on this precipice of return but never reaches it. I guess like you and the other poster said, we’ll just have to wait for the new office, campus, hotel, residential concepts and ANOTHER renovation to downsize the cinema. At this point, I wonder if it would’ve just been better to knock down the center as whole and start over with the Center inverted to address the streets.

https://youtu.be/R1wio6Ewu1U
Here’s a video from a channel called Retail Archaeology. He’s a Valley-local who films dead or dying shopping centers. This one covers the Az Center from this past November. Check out the comment section, it’s interesting to read how the Center used to have a plethora of nightlife.