Flagstaff & Northern Arizona Development Thread

[Buckeye Native 001]

I keep hearing Vegas as a possibility for a new air route.

As long as they keep using DASH 8s out of FLG, I'll continue to drive to Phoenix and Vegas...

[kaneui]

Interior rendering of the Native American Cultural Center
(render - NAU: http://www4.nau.edu/insidenau/bumps/...3_11/nacc.html)



Ceremony marks opening of Native American Cultural Center
Inside NAU
October 7, 2011

A grand opening ceremony for the Native American Cultural Center will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 14, on the Northern Arizona University campus. The center, which is the only facility of its kind serving all Arizona tribes, will serve as a point of contact for Native groups on campus. Offices and activities at the center will directly support student organizations, recruitment and retention. NAU is home to more than 1,000 Native American students from 105 different tribes. Native American design features and sustainable principles guided the development and construction of the 12,540-square-foot building. The $7 million project was funded with $3 million in donations, including a $2 million gift from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and $4 million in general university funds.

The ceremony begins with a program at the University Union Fieldhouse featuring opening remarks by NAU President John Haeger and a lineup of speakers including Regent LuAnn Leonard, tribal leaders and other dignitaries. A ribbon cutting will follow at the south entrance of the cultural center, after which visitors may tour the new facility. A silent auction featuring Native American artwork will take place at the center; proceeds will support educational programming. Food and entertainment will be provided in the fieldhouse.


http://www4.nau.edu/insidenau/bumps/...3_11/nacc.html

[kaneui]

A Phoenix developer is offering to buy a vacant strip of land along East Route 66 originally planned for development by the Hawkins Companies of Idaho:


New plans for Overpass tract
by JOE FERGUSON
Arizona Daily Sun
December 4, 2011

A barren, 33-acre tract along East Route 66 astride the Fourth Street Overpass may finally show signs of life next year. Phoenix-based Evergreen Real Estate Development has submitted a $4.5 million offer to buy three parcels of land acquired by the city of Flagstaff during the construction of the railroad overpass. The amount is only half of what Hawkins Companies of Boise, Idaho, offered the city to buy the property in 2008. Plans to build a hotel, offices, a drugstore and more than a dozen retail outlets on the site fell apart in 2010 when Hawkins officials said poor market conditions made it difficult to develop the site.

Evergreen has had a presence in Flagstaff for more than a decade, and it has completed a number of projects, including the Walgreens location on Milton Road. "Evergreen's response to the city of Flagstaff's request for proposals for the property at Fourth Street and Route 66 addresses the city's published priorities for the site and puts forth a conceptual plan designed to meet the objectives of both the city and the greater Flagstaff community," said Tim O'Neil with Evergreen.

The company's website lists more than 260 different Walgreens it has built, mostly in California and Arizona. Evergreen also has built more than 60 Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets -- a retail concept introduced by British retailer Tesco -- primarily in California. It is unclear whether plans will include a Walgreens on the Flagstaff site, which is mostly zoned for commercial development. One parcel, on the corner of Fourth Street and Huntington, is currently zoned industrial. Conceptual models given to the city by Evergreen did not list any retailers for the planned development. The city already is reviewing a formal proposal from a different developer to build a Walgreens nearby at 2610 E. Route 66, where a Travelodge Motel currently stands.

The city's new call for proposals on the Fourth Street property does not contain the same amount of building restrictions as in the original call in 2008. At the time, the city envisioned a multi-story, mixed-use development along East Route 66 and wanted at least $6 million for the property. The frontage property along East Route 66 was freed up when the city moved the railroad tracks south as part of the Fourth Street overpass project in 2006. Proceeds from the sale of the land were to be used to offset some of the costs of the $37.5 million overpass, which was funded primarily by a sales tax hike approved by voters.


http://azdailysun.com/business/local...539f24f7e.html

[kaneui]

With three wine bars, several local breweries, a variety of ethnic restaurants, and numerous entertainment choices, Flagstaff adds urban chic to its casual mountain lifestyle. And after $1.2 million in new streetscape improvements, even the Southside is looking up, with plenty of new shops and dining options. (This isn't the Flagstaff I grew up in...)




Tinderbox Kitchen, a new Southside fine-dining hotspot; and downtown's recently expanded Cuveé 928 Wine Bar.
(photos: flavorsofflagstaff.com)



Getting Better All the Time
Favorite Flagstaff Changes, Trends & Developments

Mountain Living Magazine
December, 2011

When considered as a number, 2011 does not appear too relevant. It is not a number divisible by five, so we can look to it as a start or a midpoint of a decade per se. It is not an even number, so that means we do not have a local or national election cycle to consider. It's basically a prime number. It looks like 2012 has much more going for it, both being an election year and being a year that has been hyped as the last year to appear on the Mayan calendar--prompting doomsday scenarios and a Hollywood film. Not to mention, it's the Arizona Centennial year.

Still in all, 2011 proved an important year for Flagstaff. We saw a major streetscape project, announcements of several new businesses to arrive, witnessed continued growth and saw a number of businesses open and plain take off, as we shared in our November issue.

All of the good news comes despite the economy, which continues to be sluggish all around. But Flagstaff seems to be surviving with perseverance and ingenuity. The downtown and shopping districts remain vibrant, First Friday Art Walks continue to attract large numbers of people and a number of Flagstaff's traditions and festivals remain intact. So, it is a great time to look around and celebrate what is going well.


For the full article: http://www.namlm.com/archive/Dec%201...k/Default.html

[Buckeye Native 001]

Southside looks great now that the renovations are done.

Even better is that there appears to be construction starting on the vacant lot near Aspen Place at the Sawmill. Isn't that supposed to be mostly NAU dorms?

[kaneui]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Native 001

Southside looks great now that the renovations are done.

Even better is that there appears to be construction starting on the vacant lot near Aspen Place at the Sawmill. Isn't that supposed to be mostly NAU dorms?

Not exactly dorms, although The Grove at Flagstaff will be a nine-building apartment complex aimed at housing NAU students (rendering on the Flagstaff project list).

[kaneui]

A public-private partnership is providing financing for this new office building at NAU:




Work begins this month on a new office building, shown in the artist's
rendering above, to be located near Information Technology Services.


Work to begin on new NAU office building
Inside NAU
December 16, 2011
http://www4.nau.edu/insidenau/bumps/.../building.html

Construction of a new office building on the Northern Arizona University campus is scheduled to begin Dec. 26. The three-story, 45,000-square-foot building, to be located near Information Technology Services, will house the backroom operations of Admissions and Marketing, which are currently in a leased building off campus, among other offices that will be relocated from across campus. Swing space for additional office needs also will be available in the new building. Initial work on the site will require the removal of about 40 Ponderosa pines, although subsequent landscaping will bring three times that number of trees to the area around the building.

Financing is being provided through a lease purchase agreement between the university and a subsidiary of the Northern Arizona University Foundation. “This project demonstrates once again how NAU is leveraging public-private partnerships as part of a new business model in higher education,” said Mason Gerety, vice president for University Advancement. “Consolidating our operations on campus also will allow us to enhance our efficiency.” Jennus Burton, vice president for Finance and Administration, added, “Northern Arizona University is grateful to the Foundation for arranging this type of financing. The net interest cost to the university is approximately 1.5 percent for a 20-year financing. We couldn’t do any better in the financial markets or with a bank.” The building is scheduled for completion in fall 2012.

[kaneui]

Construction of the long-delayed Catholic church and school on McMillan Mesa will get underway this spring, with completion expected by summer, 2013:




(renders: BCDM)



New church, school ready to break ground
by JOE FERGUSON
Arizona Daily Sun
January 8, 2012

Work on a new 1,500-seat Catholic church and a two-story school will get under way this spring on McMillan Mesa, almost 2 1/2 years after the Flagstaff City Council signed off on it. Terrence Milligan, a project manager with the San Francisco de Asis Parish, confirmed the long-delayed project would break ground early this spring with the goal of opening the new 24,000 square-foot church on Easter Sunday 2013. The 64,000 square-foot school, he said, would be complete a few months later, in time for the fall school year.

The parish recently paid $94,000 to the city of Flagstaff for the three building permits necessary to begin construction last month, city officials confirmed. Milligan said the parish is expected to spend an estimated $10 million to build the school and church on roughly 14 acres. The parish owns a total of 107 acres on the mesa. The project, when complete, would consolidate most Catholic church activities in Flagstaff in one area. Milligan said he expects to make a decision on a general contractor later this month.

[Buckeye Native 001]

So that means the old San Francisco de Asis school on Cherry and Humphries will be vacant, which, had the municipal courthouse bond passed in 2010 (I voted for it), meant that it would be the site of the new Flagstaff Municipal Courthouse.

[kaneui]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Native 001

So that means the old San Francisco de Asis school on Cherry and Humphries will be vacant, which, had the municipal courthouse bond passed in 2010 (I voted for it), meant that it would be the site of the new Flagstaff Municipal Courthouse.

Since the church was waiting to sell some of its local assets before moving forward with this new construction, I'm guessing they've already negotiated a deal to sell the school--whether to the city or a private party. It's a prime downtown location, so it shouldn't be vacant for long.

[kaneui]

With voters' rejection of a bond measure to pay for a new courthouse, city officials are asking the private sector for proposals to build and lease back a 40k s.f. building and parking structure to the city, and possibly deed to them certain city property in the downtown:


New Flagstaff courthouse advances
by JOE FERGUSON
Arizona Daily Sun
January 13, 2012

It might lack the label on official documents, but the Flagstaff City Council recently signed off on a "Plan B" to build a new courthouse. The Council still wants to build a new courthouse four times the size of the existing one as well as a new parking garage. But the new plan abandons asking taxpayers for tens of millions in new bonds. Voters rejected a plan in 2010 to extend the current secondary property tax rate in order to secure $23 million to build the proposed courthouse.

Instead, the city of Flagstaff will ask for proposals from the private sector to build and pay for the courthouse and parking garage somewhere in Flagstaff, preferably near other government partners. City officials would then lease the courthouse and pay for it using new court fees adopted by the Council last year. The city hopes to generate at least $500,000 a year with the new fees. To sweeten the deal, city officials also have put on the table another potential carrot to would-be developers: Unused or undeveloped downtown city property. Flagstaff City Hall and new firehouses wouldn't be for sale, but the city would consider deeding over the half-block of downtown property covering the current courthouse, an old bookstore and the city prosecutor's office in exchange for building the courthouse.

City Manager Kevin Burke said internal studies found using city property did not necessarily reduce the price of the project, primarily because of the need for enough land to accommodate both the courthouse and the parking garage. The parking garage -- expected to have at least 175 spaces -- might not offer free parking. One scenario would have the city indirectly paying for the cost of the parking garage through hourly parking fees for city employees as well as those with court business. Burke is skeptical the city will be able to fully finance the new courthouse solely from the new fees and exchanging city-owned land, but he hopes voters would consider bonding for a significantly reduced amount. "The way I read the last election, the only interpretation I can make is that the public did not approve a $23 million court and parking garage. I don't think you can draw a conclusion beyond that," Burke told the Council on Tuesday night.

Burke says he understands the new proposal might sound a lot like the first proposal. "We could hear some pushback that says, 'We told you no once before -- whether you are asking for a penny of 23 million dollars -- the answer is still no,'" Burke said. But despite voters rejecting the bond proposal in 2010, city officials say the current site, a former furniture warehouse, still has a host of problems. They include: It is too small, it is falling apart, parking is inadequate and public safety is a concern. A survey of court resources recommended the city needed to build a 50,000-square-foot facility, Burke said. The city has already reduced the size of the new courthouse to 40,000 square feet to reduce costs. The current facility is about 10,000 square feet. Burke said he hopes to bring proposals back before the Council in a few months.


http://azdailysun.com/news/local/gov...6201a9bf6.html

[kaneui]

There's a reason financing is available for student housing projects:




Hilltop Townhomes under construction
(photo: Jake Bacon, http://azdailysun.com/news/local/cam...#ixzz1jYyX3OG7)


Campus beds filling fast
by HILLARY DAVIS
Arizona Daily Sun
January 14, 2012

Construction is ongoing for an opening this fall, but already about three-quarters of the beds are spoken for in the two new dorms at Northern Arizona University. All 576 of the beds at Hilltop Townhomes, on the site of the old ropes course, are reserved. At The Suites on McConnell Drive, about half of the 550 beds are taken. NAU's Office of Residence Life already runs 21 on-campus dorms and apartment complexes for single undergraduates, graduate students and families. These new halls are a private venture by third-party developer American Campus Communities-- the developer is paying about $85 million to build the complexes, which can house about 1,100 students between them.

With slightly more than 7,000 beds in the existing, campus-run halls, these new halls are what the university needs to keep up with the rapid enrollment growth that has squeezed NAU in many corners. They will also accept Coconino Community College students, giving the smaller college its first housing option.

The partnership with NAU is amicable. NAU Residence Life director Rich Payne said the university chose American Campus Communities to build on campus after a competitive process because of its solid national reputation and in order to preserve its own capital for future academic projects. Payne said he expects every one of his dorm rooms to fill next year - leasing will be done later in the spring - and triples will again appear in some freshman wings with rooms built for two. The fact the new buildings are filling doesn't make him think students will abandon NAU's product. "If we didn't think we would remain full we wouldn't have (entered the partnership)," he said. The two new dorms will be operated by the developers. The land remains state property, with the operator paying a ground lease. A spot in the new dorms will be more expensive than any other dorm: between $5,590 and $5,790 over a 10-month school year. Currently, only a private bedroom in a 2-bed, 1-bath apartment at McKay Village costs more than any bed at the Hilltop Townhomes or The Suites.

Here are snapshots of the new halls:

-- The Suites: The traditional suite-style dorms on McConnell Drive are double occupancy, either with two students in a single room with its own bathroom or students in two single-person rooms connected by a shared bathroom. Other amenities include a fitness center, computer lab and study lounge, a theater, a coffee bar, an iPad bar and a game room. At $559 or $579 per month, these are more expensive than similar university-run dorms. The newest comparable hall on campus, Aspen Crossing, runs about $482 per month for a spot in a quad-occupancy suite.

-- Hilltop Townhomes: On the site of the old ropes course off San Francisco Street, these four-bedroom, three-bath, two-story townhouses offer many of the basics and extras of post-dorm life: fully furnished and outfitted kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms, plus dishwasher, washer, dryer and air conditioning. These are also $559 or $579 per student per month, depending on the bathroom arrangements. The complex includes similar recreational amenities, plus a parking garage.

Only The Suites have spots available. Call 523-8622 to inquire about a lease.

[kaneui]

With the last major lawsuit out of the way, it's full steam ahead for Arizona Snowbowl to finally begin snowmaking with reclaimed wastewater in November:


Snowmaking opponents rebuffed
by CYNDY COLE
Arizona Daily Sun
February 10, 2012

Calling the lawsuit "a gross abuse of the judicial process," three judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled firmly Thursday in favor of the Forest Service and against individuals opposed to snowmaking with reclaimed wastewater at Arizona Snowbowl.

"Just when (the Forest Service and Snowbowl) successfully defended an agency decision to allow snowmaking at a ski resort on federal land all the way to the United States Supreme Court, 'new' plaintiffs appeared," Judge Milan D. Smith Jr. wrote for the court. "Represented by the same attorney as the losing parties in the first lawsuit, the 'new' plaintiffs -- who had closely monitored and, in some cases, actively encouraged and helped finance the first litigation -- brought certain environmental claims that were virtually identical to some that the attorney had improperly attempted to raise in the earlier lawsuit, for no apparent reason other than to ensure further delay and forestall development."

Smith went further, saying the plaintiffs in this case appeared to have waited to file their lawsuit until after the first was decided in order to set up a series of legal hurdles for Snowbowl, contributing to a "legal nightmare" for the business. "The circumstances surrounding the four-year delay are egregious," the court stated. "...We strongly believe that this lawsuit represents a serious abuse of the judicial process. The Navajo Nation Plaintiffs, in effect, got a second bite at the apple through their surrogates, the Save the Peaks Plaintiffs."


For the full article: http://azdailysun.com/news/local/sno...b269aaa3f.html

[Buckeye Native 001]

Really, really stupid question, but I'm not the brightest when it comes to land ownership and whatnot...is RED the same group that's responsible for Cityscape down in Phoenix?

I work at the jail and there's a shit-ton of construction going on now at Aspen Place/Sawmill, which is encouraging.

[kaneui]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Native 001

Really, really stupid question, but I'm not the brightest when it comes to land ownership and whatnot...is RED the same group that's responsible for Cityscape down in Phoenix?

I work at the jail and there's a shit-ton of construction going on now at Aspen Place/Sawmill, which is encouraging.

You're correct. RED--the CityScape developer--purchased the retail portion of Aspen Place at the Sawmill from the city after the original developer, The Aspen Group, went bankrupt. The city then sold the southern 20 acres of the project to Campus Crest Development, where you are seeing the apartments under construction (which are supposed to be ready by the fall semester at NAU).

Also, RED says they plan to finish out the retail portion in Phase II, slated to begin construction sometime in 2013.

[kaneui]

After $750k of repairs and renovations, a Cal Ranch store has opened in the old Kmart building on Fourth St. in east Flagstaff, vacant since 2003:



Store manager Jake Lowe stands Wednesday inside the Cal Ranch store in Flagstaff.
(photo: Jake Bacon)


Cal Ranch's massive makeover
by JOE FERGUSON
Arizona Daily Sun
February 26, 2012

Jake Lowe found empty pizza boxes and other evidence that people had been recently living in the old Kmart building on Fourth Street. He and several other members of the Cal Ranch management team have been spending the past few months visiting the Flagstaff store, watching the often slow process of rejuvenating the massive building. "This was a tremendous project to turn it into what we have today," Lowe said. "The store had been unoccupied (other than by squatters) for years."

The last full-time tenant for the 64,500-square-foot building was Price Chopper Foods, which closed its doors in 2003 when the company filed for bankruptcy protection. The store has been leased temporarily to other businesses, including to Hastings Entertainment after its roof on the west side of town collapsed in 2008 and the retailer needed a temporary location. Lowe says the entire building is essentially new, noting the building needed a lot more than just some new paint. "Everything has been touched -- either by paint or it has been rebuilt," he said.


For full article: http://azdailysun.com/business/local...#ixzz1oPZzhLHX

http://calranch.com/

[kaneui]

After surviving numerous court challenges, Arizona Snowbowl faces a tight schedule to have snowmaking operations ready by November:



Snowboarding on a warm afternoon on March 30
(photo: Arizona Snowbowl)


Snowbowl Moving Forward With Expansion Plans
Flagstaff Business News
April 1, 2012
http://www.flagstaffbusinessnews.com...pansion-plans/

Arizona Snowbowl near Flagstaff is moving forward with expansion plans, after an attempt to block development was denied. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the request filed by the Save the Peaks Coalition and a citizens group. They say construction and use of snowmaking equipment would harm the environment. This follows a ruling four months ago by the Federal District Court, ruling the U.S. Forest Service adequately considered the safety of using reclaimed water to make snow on the San Francisco Peaks.

While the plaintiffs are expected to continue to their fight against expansion at Arizona Snowbowl, plans are moving forward. In a comment to Flagstaff Business News, Arizona Snowbowl Manager J.R. Murray says he is pleased with the court’s ruling. “On behalf of the staff and our valuable guests the Arizona Snowbowl is pleased with the decision released today denying the plaintiff’s request for an injunction. Today’s decision marks the sixth Federal judicial process in which the United States Forest Service and Arizona Snowbowl have prevailed,” Murray said. ”We will continue to work with the Coconino National Forest to formalize our plans for this summer and the future.”

Next Steps
After a decade of planning and years of being on-hold, Arizona Snowbowl is moving forward with snowmaking. Flagstaff Business News conducted an exclusive interview with General Manager J.R. Murray to learn Arizona Snowbowl’s next steps. “We started planning for the project in 2001. In order to submit a detailed proposal to the Forest Service, we had to know quite a bit about the project. We selected the snowmaking equipment supplier and the design engineer then,” explained Murray. Snow Machines Inc. (SMI), a global supplier of snowmaking equipment based in the US, was chosen for their expertise. SMI has served over 800 ski resorts around the world and recent projects include snowmaking at Vail, Big Bear, CA and the upcoming Winter Olympics in Russia. The design package for the water supply pump stations and pipeline was executed by Torrent Engineering, another renowned snowmaking expert located in the US. They also engineered the complete on-mountain snowmaking system design for Arizona Snowbowl.

The City of Flagstaff agreed to sell Arizona Snowbowl certified A+ reclaimed water for snowmaking. The water will be pumped through an underground supply line to a reservoir to be built above Sunset Lift. According to Murray the pipeline will follow Snowbowl Road and cut through the forest as it nears the ski area. The water is held at the reservoir until needed and then is pumped to fan guns that blow snow to only the ski runs requiring coverage. “The computerized snowmaking equipment will be set to put down two feet of snow on designated trails and then will maintain that two-foot level. When it snows and keeps the level at two feet, we won’t have to make snow,” said Murray.

Arizona Snowbowl’s system includes integrated weather stations that monitor climatic conditions for optimizing snow production and water conservation. “It is a turn-key automated system. Arizona Snowbowl’s snowmaking will be the newest and most sophisticated system in the United States,” extolled Murray. “Our system is designed to open the ski area and handle the existing capacities with no natural snow,” said Murray. In the first phase, snowmakers will cover 134 acres although Arizona Snowbowl has approval to make snow on 205 acres. Runs with snowmaking include all the runs serviced by Aspen, Hart Prairie and Sunset chairlifts and all runs except “Tiger” below Midway on the Agassiz lift. “We have approval to make snow above Midway,” said Murray who said that many don’t realize that the acreage above Midway is only 10% of the total ski area.

“We are in the final stages of planning and engineering and we’re moving into project coordination. With the recent lawsuits, we put the whole project on hold back in 2008. At this point, we’ve only had 20 days to dust everything off and get back to work on it.” “We are now developing scope of work and project components. The actual selection of contractors will be in the first quarter of 2011,” predicted Murray. The next phase is broken down into six elements: trail construction, water supply line, reservoir, snowmaking infrastructure at each trail, construction of pump house buildings and electrical/power supplies. “This will be a demanding project time-wise — we intend to start and finish it in eight months,” said the Arizona Snowbowl General Manager who plans on operating the snowmaking system by November 2011.

In Big Bear, CA the SMI snowmaking system is saving energy costs over previous equipment. “Compared to traditional air-water snow guns, this SMI design is much more self-contained,” said Bob Sokolowski of Big Bear Resorts. “In most conditions, they can deliver far more snow per unit of power,” he explained. “We estimate that the amount of energy needed to operate just three air-water guns can now run TEN of the new fan guns.” The upgrade also means that the ski areas uses about 30% less diesel fuel for generators, helping to reduce their environmental footprint. The California ski resort has been making snow since 1964 and so is typically open for Thanksgiving according to Sokolowski.

Job Creation and Retention
“The objective of this extensive system is to create a sustainable business plan. To be sustainable, we need to have average of 2000 people a day. With over six million people in Arizona and only two ski areas, we know that the demand for winter recreation exceeds the supply. “The marketplace will come to understand that you can count on going to Flagstaff for skiing during Christmas break and that you don’t have to count on the weather.” Murray revealed that 25% of Snowbowl’s annual business comes during the December holidays. “We know that the demand is there. Last year in a down economy, we had our best year ever.” “Arizona Snowbowl is over 70 years old; the addition of snowmaking will ensure that it will still be open ten to twenty years from now,” Murray explained.

[kaneui]

Expected completion - May, 2013
(photo: Michael Bielecki)


Crews Progressing on Twin Arrows Casino
by Theresa Bierer
Flagstaff Business News
April 14, 2012

Construction crews are making progress on the Twin Arrows Navajo Casino north of Interstate 40 between Flagstaff and Winslow. The casino is a joint venture between the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise Board, Navajo Nation staff, chapter officials and tribal members. Recruitment opportunities will begin this summer.

http://www.flagstaffbusinessnews.com...featured_title

[kaneui]

Local developers may get a 10-year lease to spend millions creating Flagstaff Sno Park, a McMillan Mesa sledding facility on 43 acres that would include a "magic carpet" rope pull, lighting, artificial snowmaking, and parking:



A sign warns against sledding and skiing at the site of the proposed sledding facility on
McMillan Mesa Tuesday afternoon in Flagstaff.
(photo: Jake Bacon)


Green light for sledding facility
by JOE FERGUSON
Arizona Daily Sun
May 10, 2012

The proposed sledding facility atop McMillan Mesa that has spent the last few months in limbo at Flagstaff City Hall finally got the green light from the City Council Tuesday. The Flagstaff Sno Park received informal support from five councilmembers for an initial 10-year lease on the 43 acres of city-owned land above Coconino High School. The only dissent was from Vice Mayor Celia Barotz. Councilmember Mark Woodson abstained due to a conflict of interest.

The permanent sledding hill still needs several formal Council approvals, including a lease and a conditional use permit if the latter is appealed from the planning commission. It will include 500 parking spaces, dedicated but separate sledding runs for adults and children, a "magic carpet" rope pull up the hill, a treatment system for making artificial snow with reclaimed wastewater, and lighting.

LIGHTING CRITICISM

The proposed lighting and night sledding drew sharp criticism from several councilmembers. Mayor Sara Presler called the sledding hill "a good idea" but criticized using any lights in a community internationally known for being a Dark Sky city. "I am not interested in night-time activities that create light pollution even if they meet a gold standard," Presler said.

One of the developers behind the proposal, local resident John Crowley, said lighting is an important aspect of the overall proposal but he will re-examine plans to see if it can work without the lights. The lights, he contends, are designed to minimize light pollution and are significantly less bright than the nearby stadium lights at Coconino High School. Crowley said he is also willing to make concessions on the hours of operations if he is allowed to keep the lights, closing at 7 p.m. rather than 9 p.m. He said during the winter months, the park might have to close as early as 5 p.m. without night lighting.

PAST MISTAKE

Councilmember Coral Evans said she supports the Sno Park, adding that the city made a mistake when it closed a small ski run on the mesa 40 years ago. The city operated the facility from 1950 to 1970, when it shut it down over concerns the city could be sued for injuries to skiers. "They should have left that snowplay area open," she said. "I really wish we would have worked that issue out 35 years ago, because we wouldn't be here now."

The sole holdout was Barotz, who told her peers Tuesday night she "struggles" with the current proposal. She did not go into detail about her concerns -- other than traffic -- after conceding she was in the minority. Her only ally might have been Councilmember Al White, who said he would have preferred to see a half-dozen mini-snowplay areas run by the city rather than one large sledding hill atop McMillan Mesa. White was a strong supporter of a failed May 2004 bond question designed to buy a large portion of the mesa for $10 million to keep it from being developed. White ultimately supported the Sno Park proposal Tuesday night.

WEIGHING IN

The Sno Park received verbal support Tuesday night from both the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona. But Marilyn Weissman with Friends of Flagstaff's Future said her group was opposed, citing concerns about the use of reclaimed water, traffic and turning the sensitive area into major tourist destination. "We would prefer that the city designate snowplay areas, with natural snow when it occurs, throughout town so that kids could enjoy sledding within easy walking distance in their neighborhoods," Weissman said. The Council, not the developers, initiated a request for proposals from private developers to build sledding hills. It allowed for any site to be proposed, including the roughly 40 acres the city owns atop the mesa. The request was designed to divert snowplayers away from the congested Highway 180 corridor.

PAST EFFORT

In May 2004, Flagstaff voters rejected spending $4.1 million in taxpayer money to build a new sledding area with snowmaking, a rope tow and lights. Crowley's proposal is slightly different because it would be funded by a private business rather than the city. City officials confirmed another proposal was informally brought to the city by another developer to build a sledding hill in Country Club near Soliere Avenue. But it was eventually abandoned because the property owner declined to lease the vacant land.

The city has conflicting designations for the 40 acres atop McMillan Mesa -- the current regional plan labels the area as a park while the city's master parks plan suggests the area could be used as a sledding hill. The only councilmember not to weigh in on the proposal was Mark Woodson, whose engineering firm is under contract with the developers to provide drawings and plans for the site. City officials expect the formal lease to be on a Council agenda in June.

OPENING THIS YEAR?

Crowley says he is not sure whether the sledding facility will open this year, adding that he won't place orders for the expensive equipment until he has all the necessary approvals from the City Council. He said some supplies, naming specifically the "Magic Carpet" equipment, would take several weeks before they can be delivered. Crowley has pledged to spend millions to develop the Sno Park. One of the most expensive aspects of the proposed sledding hills, he said, is a water purification system designed to bring the Grade A treated effluent as close as possible to drinking water standards. The city is not requiring that the water be treated to any standard, as it does not have a policy related to the type of water -- reclaimed or potable -- used for snowmaking.


http://azdailysun.com/news/local/gov...0d7f63643.html

[kaneui]

Several new businesses are coming to the Milton Road corridor:


Another Natural Market Coming to Flagstaff
Flagstaff Business News
May 18, 2012

Sunflower Farmers Market has announced it will open a new full-service grocery store in Flagstaff, adjacent to Northern Arizona University, by the end of 2013. The market will join Bookmans, Michael’s, and Pier 1 Imports in the University Meadows Shopping Center located on Riordan Ranch Road. This Sunflower location will be the ninth in Arizona and is expected to bring 100 jobs to the area along with the value-priced natural groceries for which Sunflower is known.

The approximately 26,000-square-foot Sunflower Farmers Market will offer a vast array of fresh produce including locally grown and organic options. Additionally, shoppers will find all-natural meats including grass-fed beef and handmade sausages, plus wild-caught seafood, bulk coffee beans, fresh-baked artisan breads and fresh-to-go soups. Grocery items addressing special dietary needs – including vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free options – are also a hallmark of Sunflower Farmers Market. The store will also boast a Natural Living department, which will feature health and wellness products including skin care, vitamins and supplements. “We’re thrilled to bring value-priced, healthy, natural and organic groceries to Flagstaff’s college students and families,” said Sunflower CEO, Chris Sherrell.

http://www.flagstaffbusinessnews.com...dline_readmore



A large national restaurant and two smaller eateries are going in around the former New Frontiers location:

Dunkin’ Donuts, Chick-Fil-A being built in Flagstaff
By William Brown
Northern Arizona News
April 24, 2012

With the Sinclair Gasser dinosaur gone but not forgotten, the corner of Riordan Road and Milton Road in Flagstaff is transforming into a variety of eateries. A team of developers from Phoenix is bringing three separate eating establishments to the corner lot that has been fenced off and silent for months.

Miriam Hayenga, one of the developers from Phoenix who purchased the property from the former owners, said plans for building are underway and preliminary work is already being done. “We bought the property, and I can tell you Chick-Fil-A is going to go where the New Frontiers building was. It’s coming down as we speak; we’re demolishing it,” Hayenga said. “Then we’re building another 6,600 square foot building on the corner where the Sinclair Oil gas station is and I can confirm that a Dunkin’ Donuts is going there and the other tenant — it’s a 4,400 square foot sit-down restaurant concept — they’re a large national restaurant and they have not given permissions yet to disclose them coming. We’re close, but they want to wait a little bit longer.”

For full article: http://northernarizonanews.com/blog/...-in-flagstaff/