Scottsdale & Paradise Valley Development News

[Don B.]

^ The Pavilions is being renovated now to attract new tenants and hopefully hold on to the existing ones.

--don

[Leo the Dog]

What a great location. Freeway access, close to the big resorts and the new Casino AZ on Indian Bend.

[PHX NATIVE 929]

Expect Target to relocate to a new power center at the SEC of Pima & Via de Ventura by the end of 2011.

[HooverDam]

Originally Posted by Don B.

^ The Pavilions is being renovated now to attract new tenants and hopefully hold on to the existing ones.

--don

Thats too bad, that place is a dump. Id rather it just be flattened and have them try again. A ballpark village type concept that interacts with the future stadium would be a much better plan.

EDIT: VV Not everyone is broke though. In the Great Depression many people grew richer than they were before, and the same can (and will) happen now. A smart developer who still has some money should start building now to capture the market when it rebounds.

[Don B.]

^ Well, there's no money for that sort of project. People are struggling to eat in this economy and keep the power on. Not important in the greater scheme of things...

--don

[Leo the Dog]

I would expect Sports Authority to close the Pavilions location, just my speculation, no inside info, but that place is always dead. Nobody is ever in the parking lot.

[Leo the Dog]

Salt River tribe chosen for new D-backs spring training site
18 comments by Peter Corbett - Jul. 16, 2009 10:50 AM
The Arizona Republic
The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community announced today that it will build a stadium and spring training complex for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies at Loop 101 and Indian Bend Road.

The 11,000-seat stadium and 12 practice fields, with an estimated price tag of $100 million, will occupy a 140-acre site on the Indian community east of Scottsdale.

Tribal officials say they believe it will be the first Major League Baseball facility built on an Indian community.

“This multipurpose facility is an ideal match for the vision of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community as we develop land along our western commercial corridor,” said Diane Enos, tribal president. The spring training complex, which will allow the Diamondbacks and Rockies to leave their Tucson training sites, is to be ready for the 2011 Cactus League season.

The teams and Salt River have signed a memorandum of understanding on the spring training complex.

“We are certainly excited that we have come to an agreement on our future spring training home with a wonderful community,” Diamondbacks President Derrick Hall said.

Salt River will fund, build and operate the baseball complex. The two teams and Salt River officials are planning a news conference next week to explain other details of their plans.

HKS Architects, which designed the Camelback Ranch stadium for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox, will design the stadium at Salt River.

The Diamondbacks and Rockies are the last two teams playing in Tucson. They are scheduled to play there for one more Cactus League season.

[NorthScottsdale]

WOO HOO!! My favorite store! And it's close to my house! I drive by this every day wondering when it will open!

Fashion retailer H&M announces Nov. 5 opening
7 commentsby Erica Sagon - Oct. 7, 2009 11:17 AM
The Arizona Republic
It's cheap and chic and less than a month away.

Fashion retailer H&M will open at noon Nov. 5 at Scottsdale Quarter, the shopping center across from Kierland Commons, company officials announced today.

The much-anticipated arrival of the Swedish retailer's first store in Arizona will feature H&M's signature runway-inspired merchandise, with much of it priced less than $50.
The two-story store will carry items for men, women and children, and will have departments for accessories and lingerie.

The first 300 shoppers in line opening day will get an H&M T-shirt and a shopping card worth $10 to $500, officials said.

For the fashion savvy on a budget, this is a big day. For years, H&M fans watched the retailer expand in large U.S. cities, but ignore the Phoenix area. Valley shoppers would get their H&M fix while traveling, especially to nearby locations such as Las Vegas and Southern California.

The retailer does not sell online.

In addition to its privately designed lines, H&M is known for collaborating with high-end designers to offer affordable collections. In mid-November, Jimmy Choo will debut a line of lower-priced shoes, handbags and apparel for men and women. However, Scottsdale's H&M is not expected to sell the Jimmy Choo collection.

Though the company has announced just one store for the Valley, H&M representatives have said that more stores could open in the area in the future. H&M has 175 stores in the U.S. and 1,800 worldwide.

Details: H&M, 15169 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-607-8374, www.hm.com. Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Mondays-Saturdays; noon-6 p.m. Sundays.

[HooverDam]

^My sisters will be excited about that. Damn we could use more stuff like that downtown though. Its insane that places like the "Happy Valley Town Centre" on the fringe of civilization can support having a Kohls, Penneys, Target, etc but downtown doesnt have them.

[NorthScottsdale]

Wasn't there talk about an H&M opening up downtown??

[HooverDam]

http://www.azcentral.com/community/s...owell1107.html

New events center among ideas for McDowell Corridor
7 comments by Jane Larson - Nov. 7, 2009 08:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
A pair of consultants who helped revitalize downtown Tempe are proposing a multiuse event center to turn Scottsdale's McDowell corridor into an entertainment destination.

Steve Nielsen and Dave Fackler of Nielsen-Fackler Planning & Development envision a facility that would seat up to 6,500 people for concerts, ice shows and sporting and equestrian events. The event center could be built on 3 acres the city owns east of SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, and share its parking lot on evenings and weekends, Nielsen said.

Their plan for an event center was among four proposals presented Thursday to the McDowell Road/South Scottsdale Economic Development Task Force. Others called for a live/work/play development of multifamily housing, offices and retail; a "green valley" of small retailers, restaurants and eco-friendly businesses; and a "biomedical mile" of research and biotech companies.

Nielsen said the pair has been working with Global Entertainment Corp., a Tempe-based event and entertainment company, to build a similar center near Fiesta Mall in Mesa. That work continues, but Scottsdale would make a better site because of its more central location, he and Fackler said.

Transforming the McDowell corridor would take a unique concept and city investment, Nielsen said, just as Tempe concentrated on re-creating Mill Avenue with a pedestrian-friendly streetscape.

"It didn't get there just by sitting back and having grand ideas," Nielsen said.

Global Entertainment has developed or managed 10 such midlevel centers around the country, including one in Prescott Valley and a newly opened one in Allen, Texas, outside Dallas. Its subsidiaries also run a hockey league, manage centers and sell tickets.

A Scottsdale center could host Barrett-Jackson auto auctions, Parada del Sol equestrian events, and cultural and entertainment events, Nielsen and Fackler said.

The event center would cost $40 million to $50 million to build, and $10 million to $12 million a year to operate, Nielsen said.

The city could finance it with the same mechanism Tempe used for Tempe Town Lake, he said. There, a commercial-facilities district assessed commercial property owners as they reaped the financial benefits of their properties being redeveloped.

Task force members asked about costs, zoning, competition and City Council members' feedback. City planning chief Dave Richert said there seems to be interest, though financing has been a frequent question.

In other proposals:


• Architect Kurt Frimodig offered a plan to place apartments, offices, shops and restaurants in the middle of McDowell Road between the Crosscut Canal and Scottsdale Road. McDowell Road would be split, with one lane in each direction, and buildings would have two facades to create a pedestrian-oriented environment.


• Commercial real-estate broker Brian Kocour warned that large power centers are fading in popularity, and called for a pedestrian-friendly "green valley" of small retailers and green businesses. He suggested the city limit the size of buildings in the corridor to 10,000 square feet per retailer to create an urban village and breeding ground for entrepreneurs.


• Scottsdale resident Adam Robbins suggested a "biomedical mile," anchored by SkySong and offering space for research centers, equipment providers and trade shows. Such a use would attract visitors year-round, he said.

Im not sure I follow the idea of needing another event center/arena in the Valley. Maybe theres a market for it, but this sounds like basically something the size of the Dodge. Im no expert but do we need another Dodge type venue in Scottsdale?

I do like the latter idea about splitting McDowell and doing the dual sided pedestrian environment. Or at least its innovative and out of the box.

[Vicelord John]

that would blow.

To be honest, if Dodge had an equal competitor at that location, it may be the end of dodge theater as we know it. Something close to the resorts, with a scottsdale address, and free parking would kill it in a heartbeat.

It's unfortunate too because Dodge is a good place.

[glynnjamin]

God I hate Dodge Theater. I pretty much won't go to a show if it is there. The seats are too far from the stage, the balcony doesn't extend far enough forward, and the walls are too wide (even when it is in its "narrow" configuration) for decent viewing. Plus, there's not much of a slope with the seating. The Mesa Performing Arts center is about 1000 times better, IMHO...plus it's a much cooler design.

[Don B.]

It's a slow news day:

Noisy clubs, longtime residents conflict in downtown Scottsdale

http://www.azcentral.com/community/s...noise0205.html

Business owners in Scottsdale's entertainment district, along with city officials are trying to strike a delicate balance between promoting a vibrant downtown and keeping the noise level reasonable for longtime residents. The conflict between neighbors and nightlife has been ongoing and escalating as downtown businesses increase activity near established residences.

Recently, the manager of the W Hotel Scottsdale was found not guilty of misdemeanor disorderly conduct stemming from an excessive noise complaint. Later that week, workers at Hyatt Place Scottsdale called police to complain about noise at Afterlife, an after-hours club that doesn't serve alcohol. Aron Mezo, owner of the club, said his managers were cited for disorderly conduct because of the noise violations.

Scottsdale does not have a noise ordinance, instead addressing the issue through code enforcement and the police department. That could change after March 23, when Raun Keagy, Director of Scottsdale neighborhood services, presents the City Council with options that could impose a sliding schedule of fines on businesses based on the decibel level coming from their establishments. A possible noise ordinance comes just as Scottsdale heads into its busy events season. Until then, city officials continue working with hoteliers, bar owners and other downtown businesses to "self-regulate" and "self-police" nightlife noise to cooperate with neighbors.

Police Commander Johnny Cervantes, in charge of the downtown's District Two, which includes the nightlife area, meets regularly along with city officials, business owners and managers in the downtown district.

"The goal is to be proactive, because it is a concern for the neighborhoods surrounding the entertainment district," Cervantes said. "It's not just a police department issue, it's code enforcement and other departments working with the neighborhood and bar owners and managers."

The general manager of the W Hotel was recently found not guilty in Scottsdale City Court of misdemeanor disorderly conduct stemming from an excessive noise complaint against the swanky hotel during a W rooftop New Year's Eve 2008 party. According to the Scottsdale police report, a neighbor called police just after midnight on New Year's Eve 2008, after the neighbor's requests to reduce noise went unanswered from W Scottsdale's staff. The responding officer said he went to the neighbor's house where he could "very clearly hear the DJ of the club on the second floor speaking," the report said.

Although the charges are behind him, W general manager Leon Young said the challenge still is to find a way for the businesses to coexist with the neighborhood. Actions for the W include mailing a calendar of events to neighbors, providing a contact phone number for neighbors to talk to someone and changing the direction of some speakers.

"That's helped, there's no surprise element about the events because you know in advance," Young said.

Still, other businesses such as Aron Mezo's Afterlife, formerly e4, are facing noise complaints from a neighboring hotel. Mezo said his managers have been cited twice in the past two weeks for disorderly conduct for noise violations. The most recent was on Jan. 29, Mezo said. Police showed up after receiving complaints from a neighboring hotel that the crowd outside waiting to get into the club was too loud. Calls to Hyatt Place Scottsdale went unreturned.

"In our case, they're not complaining about music, they're complaining about traffic and noise," Mezo said. "Police came and issued my manager a criminal citation for the action of the crowd. What are we supposed to do to contain that? Put plastic bubbles around their heads?"

Mezo said he's frustrated that city officials tell him they want to establish a live, work, play district, yet he feels his business is being punished for something they don't have control over.

"While they'll boast of (the nightlife) to garner tourism dollars and utilize it for their benefit, we are being criminally penalized for operating as intended," he said.

Although Commander Cervantes said he couldn't talk specifically about the citations at Afterlife, he said every corner of the downtown area is a different dynamic.

Generally, in the area near Brown and Third avenues, where Afterlife is located, noise complaints culminate from a few things, Cervantes said. There are pedi-cabs which have boom boxes attached to them. Also, vehicle traffic with taxis and party buses, and the crowd element add to the noise, he said.

"The city wants a vibrant downtown," Cervantes said. "Our job as the police department is to ensure that the environment is safe. We want to make sure that we maintain that delicate balance between quality of life for the neighborhoods and make sure businesses are able to function."

Police always prefer that people work out solutions on their own, Cervantes said.

"When police get involved and enforcement is required, no one is happy. The city has done a phenomenal job in creating a vibrant downtown and we want people to enjoy the downtown, yet be mindful of the neighborhoods. It's a very good concept, but it is a delicate balance."

Given Scottsdale PD's penchant for Orwellian police tactics (God I am so thankful I don't live there anymore - Phoenix and Tempe cops are so much easier to deal with), I'm surprised there is any downtown streetlife there at all.

--don

[NorthScottsdale]

Ugh. Don't move near downtown or entertainment if you don't like noise. People never cease to amaze me. It's like out west, where people keep moving closer and closer to Luke AFB, and then complain about how loud the fighter jets are. I just don't get it.

[Vicelord John]

In their defense, the homes across from the w were there long before any life was in old town.

[NorthScottsdale]

Scottsdale council approves two major downtown projects
7 commentsby Edward Gately - Jul. 8, 2010 09:02 AM
The Arizona Republic


1,100 luxury apartments planned for Scottsdale
Council sends charter amendments to voters

Future expansion and improvement at Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center and a multilevel luxury-condominium project on the southeastern corner of Camelback Road and 68th Street were given the green light by the Scottsdale City Council.


Both requests originally were among items on the council's Tuesday consent agenda, which required a single vote for approval. The Scottsdale Healthcare request remained on the consent agenda, and the council unanimously supported it.

The condominium request, however, was moved to the regular agenda, and Councilwoman Marg Nelssen cast the only vote against it. She questioned the effect of the project on the adjacent residential area.

Scottsdale Healthcare's long-term plans include the construction of two patient towers. The expansion could add more than 240 beds to the Osborn Medical Center, bringing the total to more than 630.

The medical campus, on the northwestern corner of Osborn Road and Drinkwater Boulevard, was established in the mid-1960s.

The council's approval allows Scottsdale Healthcare to move forward with development plans over the next 20 to 25 years. Plans call for expanded inpatient and outpatient surgical services, more private patient rooms and additional intensive-care beds.

Plans also include developing a new main entry, more parking, a neurosciences center and a conference center.

"Scottsdale Healthcare can now move forward planning for the future . . . with a campus that is well planned, well thought out and will hopefully serve the future needs of the community for decades to come," said John Berry, a zoning attorney for Scottsdale Healthcare.

It also operates two other hospital campuses and is the city's largest employer.

The council also approved zoning changes to allow the high-end condominium complex on the site of the abandoned Orchidtree apartment complex.

Optima,, which is developing the Optima Camelview Village condominium complex at Scottsdale Road and Rancho Vista Drive, purchased the property last year and requested the zoning changes.

Optima Sonoran Village will include 493 residential units and 40,000 square feet of commercial, retail and amenity space, for a total of about 726,700 square feet of floor space. Five buildings will be arranged around two courtyards.

Four of the buildings will be seven stories in height, while the fifth building will have five floors on its north side and fewer floors on its south side.

Rick Robertson, a nearby homeowner, spoke in support of the project and asked Optima to maintain a wall to keep people from walking from the complex into the adjacent neighborhood.

Cathy Kent Croom, another nearby homeowner, spoke in opposition to the project, saying its height and density are inappropriate for the area.

"It's going to have more than double the number of units than were previously there and two levels of parking underneath the unit that are going to bring twice as much traffic to the area," she said. "The main entrance for the residents is about a half a block from my street."

She said area residents weren't properly notified of the plans.

"It's a massive thing ... there's going to be more vibration with more cars, these people who live up high are going to have lights on, they're going to have balconies and they're going to look over (into the neighborhoods)," she said.

David Hovey Sr., Optima president and owner, said Optima Sonoran Village is an "exceptional design specifically for this neighborhood and responds positively to all of the neighbors we met with, especially the neighbors that are closest to the development."

"We can't think of a better design or architectural solution to this particular site," he said. "This will be the highest-quality development anywhere in Arizona or the United States for that matter."



Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/s...#ixzz0t7BsJprK

[shawneriksmith]

I love this quote from the article:

"It's a massive thing ... there's going to be more vibration with more cars..."

It's an apartment building(s), not a highway.

"...these people who live up high are going to have lights on, they're going to have balconies and they're going to look over (into the neighborhoods)"

Yeah, because nobody has a 2 story home in Phoenix area with balconies that can overlook into people's yards...

[Vicelord John]

people in scottsdale are tards.

[Leo the Dog]

Originally Posted by Vicelord John

people in scottsdale are tards.

I guess they would prefer endless sprawl eating up unique, rare Sonoran Desert lands in North Scottsdale.