Tempe Development Thread

[TempeSilverFox]

[QUOTE=MegaBass;6748784]



Postino Annex h/t City of Tempe Government

Chow Bella: Postino Annex in Tempe Opens Wednesday; Here's a Look Inside





Ah man it looks GREAT!!!! I can't wait to check it out. Thanks for posting the pics of Postino!!!

[Arquitect]

You have to love the DeMarco's and what they have done for the Phoenix food scene. Their eye for finding potential in buildings that had been abandoned or underutilized, as well as their attention to detail when it comes to design, has helped transform entire neighborhoods. As much as it might sound as an exaggeration, one just has to look at what the different Postinos, Joy Rides, etc have done to the areas where they opened. Can't wait to see how this Postino helps transform College Ave.

[rocksteady]

Originally Posted by Arquitect

You have to love the DeMarco's and what they have done for the Phoenix food scene. Their eye for finding potential in buildings that had been abandoned or underutilized, as well as their attention to detail when it comes to design, has helped transform entire neighborhoods. As much as it might sound as an exaggeration, one just has to look at what the different Postinos, Joy Rides, etc have done to the areas where they opened. Can't wait to see how this Postino helps transform College Ave.

Couldn't agree more. Just look at what the cluster of restaurants did on Central and Camelback. As much as the residents of the area hate it, those restaurants are always packed and really brought a sense of life to that neighborhood.

[phoenixwillrise]

Any baseball fans notice the glaring mistake made at PHX MUNI? They left the scoreboard positioned in right field which is nice for cactus league games but ASU often starts at 6 p.m. which means the sun is still setting which will make the scoreboard difficult if not impossible to read. There was a reason why it was in left field at Packard Stadium. Amateur move. Also I was hoping they would remove all the tacky advertising signs and maybe have a max of three, no such luck as I assume the City of Phoenix is still getting revenue from them or ASU is, probably the former.

[MegaBass]

Originally Posted by Arquitect

You have to love the DeMarco's and what they have done for the Phoenix food scene. Their eye for finding potential in buildings that had been abandoned or underutilized, as well as their attention to detail when it comes to design, has helped transform entire neighborhoods. As much as it might sound as an exaggeration, one just has to look at what the different Postinos, Joy Rides, etc have done to the areas where they opened. Can't wait to see how this Postino helps transform College Ave.

Yeah the one at former Gonzo's in Downtown Gilbert is pretty impressive.

Downtown Tempe Equals Great Breakfast

If you’ve lived in the Downtown Tempe area for any length of time, then you know how long the citizens of this great city have longed for restaurants that serve breakfast. Ever since “Stan’s” closed their doors, there’s been a pancake sized hole. Finally, in 2011, the folks at NCounter brought breakfast back to our Downtown at 3rd Street & Mill Avenue. It established itself as the go-to-spot for the Saturday & Sunday morning crowd. If you’ve been to NC on any given weekend and waited in that line, then you know what we mean! NCounter offers a tasty selection to be sure, albeit a bit pricey for their portions one might argue.

Fast forward to September 2014 and Downtown Tempe is in the midst of a breakfast revival! Three new spots are about to open or have already opened:

Délice Bistro, Orange Table & Snooze AM Eatery

Délice Bistro opened their doors about a week ago. The “soft” opening of this French inspired bistro was a smart choice since not all of their selections are available yet. However, having tried their pastries, breads, crêpes once, we’ve already been back to try them again... and again. They make all of the these items “in house” and it certainly shows! Illy coffee is also served and we can’t think of another place on Mill Avenue where that popular coffee brand is available. Whoever they’ve hired as their pastry chef is superb and we think they will do quite well if they continue to make such delectable items at fair prices. When you eat there, you’ll likely think the owner is from France. You’d probably be surprised to know that he’s actually from Syria! Who would of expected that?!

The Orange Table recently moved to Tempe after a very successful run in the Civic Center in Old Town Scottsdale. Their new location is on the SE corner of 7th Street & Forest. The owner’s live in Tempe and feel like this is a bit of a “coming home” for their restaurant. Choosing to quietly open their doors just this past week, some of the restaurant space is still planned for remodel. (An outdoor patio is envisioned in connection with “park-lets” that will be find a home in 2 of the parallel parking spaces outside along 7th Street). Their menu was left essentially the same, save for a few minor, but welcomed tweaks. (Ex. Thanks to a fryer in the new kitchen, sandwiches are all now served with french fries instead of chips.) The food in their Scottsdale location was always great and we’ve found their new location to be no different. The bonus, for now, is that not many folks know that they have opened, so there isn’t a wait... YET!

Finally, there is Snooze, an AM Eatery which will blast open their doors within a month or so in the re-hab’d brick “Art Annex” building on College & 7th Street. If you’ve been to any of the multiple “Snoozes” (Their Arizona location is at Town & Country in Phoenix), then you know they serve up large portions of scrumptious morning goodies. Given their College Avenue frontage and boasting Postino’s as their next door neighbor, there’s no doubt that their location is more high profile than the other 2 new breakfast venues. We expect this breakfast spot to be jam packed with ASU students on any given weekend... save for maybe during the Summertime?

There you have it! Three new delectables for Downtown Tempe residents. Now, quickly forget we ever said anything. We want to be seated more quickly!

[DevilsRider]

Proposed signage for Culinary Dropout, and on the last page, a site plan showing how the building, parking, and path fit into the site's footprint. I assume that this location will be valet parking like their 7th Street spot?

http://documents.tempe.gov/sirepub/c...4040020714.PDF

Also of note, 230 W 5th was pulled from the Council agenda by the applicant. The final approval of The Hayden at Dorsey Station (Apache/Dorsey) is expected at tomorrow's Council meeting, and the rezoning/PAD for the Pony Acres site (next to Grigio at Apache/McClintock) could be approved as well (though there seems to be controversy about that one, as related to the relocation of existing mobile home residents on the site).

Also a technical, but welcome adaptive reuse zoning code change that will make it a little bit easier for older buildings to be repurposed instead of torn down.
http://documents.tempe.gov/sirepub/c...4041117428.PDF

Busy meeting for the Council!

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by DevilsRider

Also of note, 230 W 5th was pulled from the Council agenda by the applicant. The final approval of The Hayden at Dorsey Station (Apache/Dorsey) is expected at tomorrow's Council meeting, and the rezoning/PAD for the Pony Acres site (next to Grigio at Apache/McClintock) could be approved as well (though there seems to be controversy about that one, as related to the relocation of existing mobile home residents on the site).

Unfortunately I felt this was pie in the sky from the very beginning. I certainly don't see it happening any time soon. The renderings seemed very amateur with the stock images all over the bottom levels and building that seemed to lack substance.

It was not added back onto the DRC agenda for 9/23 or 10/14. I don't think it's real. The Monti's proposal on the other hand I think is very real and will move quickly.

Let's hope USAplace is still on track for a Dec groundbreaking.

[PHX31]

Perhaps 230 W. 5th was just moving too quickly, didn't have all of their ducks in a row, or felt they weren't going to have council support, so they are pulling back until they're ready to really move forward. Pulling from a council agenda is not a nail in the coffin by any means.

[Jjs5056]

The 5th Street tower development team mentioned buildout as far away as 2020, or "when the market dictates." That was never a project with a chance at breaking ground in the near future.

It's the Apache area that has exploded with 'real' developments, some of which are student-oriented, some low-income, and some market-rate, which is all great for the long-term vitality of that area. Hayden at Dorsey Station includes ground level retail and is reserving it for local businesses, and I can't help but think the influx of residents will have a positive impact on the retail that has struggled along the Boulevard as each development becomes less isolated.

There's a large market rate project planned just west of the 101 that will be done in phases that will be interesting to watch.

[DevilsRider]

Originally Posted by Jjs5056

There's a large market rate project planned just west of the 101 that will be done in phases that will be interesting to watch.

Do you have any more details on this? Is this the project discussed here awhile back, that included the closing of Guerrero's Mexican restaurant? http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bel..._guerreros.php

[Jjs5056]

Originally Posted by DevilsRider

Do you have any more details on this? Is this the project discussed here awhile back, that included the closing of Guerrero's Mexican restaurant? http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bel..._guerreros.php

Right now, all I have is a map from the City of Tempe showing a mixed-rate 3-phase development going in that area. Map: http://documents.tempe.gov/sirepub/c...4083332584.PDF

Phases I and II look to be under preliminary site review, topping out at 75.' ( source: http://www.tempe.gov/Home/ShowImage?...76795113270000 ) A new project on that list is The Meridian @ 301 Apartments at 2148 E Apache; no other details provided, however.

Per some meeting notes, I'm glad to see they'll be addressing connectivity between Ash > College. I think it's really high priority that the E/W streets are planned accordingly, as the N/S streets fill up with development. Would be great to see something special done to 5th street given that it's the main connection point and passes through the residential neighborhoods, Farmer Arts, Ash/Streetcar, Mill, Civic Center, and ASU. Wish it were large enough for a small linear park.

Also looks like a new bar is heading to College: Sol Diablo Cantina; nice to see the retail slowly filling out.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by Jjs5056

Also looks like a new bar is heading to College: Sol Diablo Cantina; nice to see the retail slowly filling out.

Sol Diablo has been around for a while. It closed over the summer and is now relaunching under new ownership with a new menu.

[Jjs5056]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

Sol Diablo has been around for a while. It closed over the summer and is now relaunching under new ownership with a new menu.

Thanks, just saw they received a liquor license so assumed it was new.

[DevilsRider]

Originally Posted by DevilsRider

The final approval of The Hayden at Dorsey Station (Apache/Dorsey) is expected at tomorrow's Council meeting, and the rezoning/PAD for the Pony Acres site (next to Grigio at Apache/McClintock) could be approved as well (though there seems to be controversy about that one, as related to the relocation of existing mobile home residents on the site).

Both were approved by council last night (4-2 for Hayden, 5-2 for Pony Acres).

[Jjs5056]

Wonder when/if we'll see more from the sorority 'tower' proposal adjacent to Dorsey Station? I believe this was originally 14 stories and was chopped in half, but several residents showed up in protest of Dorsey Station mistakenly thinking it was for that project, so there's still going to be opposition.

I hope the opposition is smart, because I'm not sure I fully support much more student-restricted development in that immediate area right now. The mix of development needs to keep bringing in a variety of student, market rate, and affordable options, or else it'll dry up in the summer and retail will never survive which is desperately needed along this corridor to make it truly TOD. 7 stories of Alpha Phis will help September-May, but this is something I would rather see over on University/Rural than on Apache, unless really integrated well like Vista del Sol with its retail plaza. Nothing prevents sororities from renting out large quantities of rooms regardless, but adding a near-vacant midrise in the summer months seems like it'll throw the balance given the comparable densities over developments like Hayden and Pony Acres.

I just hope the debate doesn't turn to the height, because a smartly designed, stepped tower is just fine for that area, and 7 stories is much more in line with building out Apache to serve future growth. These 4-5 story infill projects are great, but we should see more "Vues" than "Gracie's Village."

[PHXFlyer11]

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/n...art-early.html

I do not take this as a positive. It doesn't say that financing has been secured, it just continues to say it's "progressing" however the Dec ground-breaking has been moved back once again. I am growing more and more skeptical.

Also, strange we've heard nothing else on the Pier 202 development. It was very secretive from the beginning.

[Jjs5056]

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer11

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/n...art-early.html

I do not take this as a positive. It doesn't say that financing has been secured, it just continues to say it's "progressing" however the Dec ground-breaking has been moved back once again. I am growing more and more skeptical.

Also, strange we've heard nothing else on the Pier 202 development. It was very secretive from the beginning.

It may not be a positive, but with the city's incentives and Colangelo as head of USA Basketball, I can't imagine a scenario where at the very least, the infrastructure to move the HQ isn't built. The problem seems to be that they moved from a phased build-out to an all-at-once approach because they had reached a deal with a deep-pocketed investor; if that's looking shaky now, it just means we won't see the residential+retail lined streets during the first phase, if ever. I think the hotel would also be at risk, especially with the amount of hotels coming to market in the nearby area. But, how could a corporation not get financing to build their HQ when the land is owned by the City/ASU who wants them to move there and is willing to offer incentives?

Losing the hotel would be disappointing, because it's a premium brand and would make a decent end-cap to the skyline at 14 stories. However, the major piece of this development is, and will be, USA Basketball. Another major HQ locating in Tempe bringing jobs, events, and tourism. That portion of Mill is essentially dead, so it's one of the only places where a superblock-forming event venue would work without killing the pedestrian scale of downtown, and USA Basketball will further boost Tempe's reputation as an amateur sports hub as it figures out the details and plans for the stadium district.

As long as that comes to town, it's a win. The residential over retail blocks sounded great, but maybe it's better for the market to determine whether and when those units are needed, rather than cramming them all into a blowout mega-development where they sit empty?

[PHXFlyer11]

Originally Posted by Jjs5056

It may not be a positive, but with the city's incentives and Colangelo as head of USA Basketball, I can't imagine a scenario where at the very least, the infrastructure to move the HQ isn't built. The problem seems to be that they moved from a phased build-out to an all-at-once approach because they had reached a deal with a deep-pocketed investor; if that's looking shaky now, it just means we won't see the residential+retail lined streets during the first phase, if ever. I think the hotel would also be at risk, especially with the amount of hotels coming to market in the nearby area. But, how could a corporation not get financing to build their HQ when the land is owned by the City/ASU who wants them to move there and is willing to offer incentives?

Losing the hotel would be disappointing, because it's a premium brand and would make a decent end-cap to the skyline at 14 stories. However, the major piece of this development is, and will be, USA Basketball. Another major HQ locating in Tempe bringing jobs, events, and tourism. That portion of Mill is essentially dead, so it's one of the only places where a superblock-forming event venue would work without killing the pedestrian scale of downtown, and USA Basketball will further boost Tempe's reputation as an amateur sports hub as it figures out the details and plans for the stadium district.

As long as that comes to town, it's a win. The residential over retail blocks sounded great, but maybe it's better for the market to determine whether and when those units are needed, rather than cramming them all into a blowout mega-development where they sit empty?

While I think that as long as the hotel, convention center and USA basketball facilities get built it will be a win, I disagree with the assumption that USA basketball would get this built on their own because they are an organization that requires a HQ.

My feel is that USA Basketball is paying either a) nothing or b) very little to be included in this development. I doubt they have a ton of money and certainly it'd be hard to sell them on moving if they have to pay for a brand new facility.

I am more inclined to believe that the rest of the development subsidies some free or token rent payment by USA basketball. Meaning, if the developers can't generate the revenue from the hotel, retail, convention center and apartments that the USA basketball HQ is dead on arrival, as USA basketball is not paying millions to build or lease a new facility.

However, I do agree that the retail and apartments, while nice, don't seriously interest me. The hotel and convention center are a must as they were required by the RFQ, but the apartments may not be the best that land could do in the long run.

I'd be for scaling back the apartment and condo piece or allowing the developer to sell the land to another developer (thus generating revenue to justify just the Omni, convention center and USA basketball build) who would build apartment/condo towers and office towers.

Just some thoughts. Not saying that this is dead or won't happen, just agreeing that the apartments and retail may not be the best use of that large plot and I wouldn't have a huge issue if they were scaled back.

[Jackdavis4]

http://azbigmedia.com/featured/olive...alt-apartments

Salt or as everyone here knows a Hayden Ferry Lofts did in fact break ground!!

[ASUSunDevil]

Originally Posted by Jackdavis4

http://azbigmedia.com/featured/olive...alt-apartments

Salt or as everyone here knows a Hayden Ferry Lofts did in fact break ground!!

Great news besides the name. Salt? Sounds like a Sam Fox restaurant, not high end apartments.