General Phoenix Metro Discussion Thread

[biggus diggus]

Interesting they are going to replace turf paradise before anyone can even fill in Northgate.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by biggus diggus

Interesting they are going to replace turf paradise before anyone can even fill in Northgate.

They are not replacing Turf Paradise. The article is referring to the Northgate property which was state trust land until Sunbelt purchased it in June. An environmental assessment was completed back in February and AECOM determined there were no environmental hazards and no further studies needed to be done. So, Sunbelt can basically move on the land quickly.

[biggus diggus]

My mistake. That's what happens when I read obadno's post and then only skim an article.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by biggus diggus

My mistake. That's what happens when I read obadno's post and then only skim an article.

Eh. It's not like I've never jumped the gun before

[Mr.RE]

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...143&j=85019471


The Phoenix City Council will meet privately on Wednesday to discuss Talking Stick Resort Arena, the home of the Phoenix Suns, with an expert on publicly financed sports venues and an attorney that specializes on the issue.

There has been talk about a mass renovation to Talking Stick Resort Arena or the Suns building another arena elsewhere in the Valley, but so far no plans have been made public.

The city owns the 27-year-old arena, which is the fifth-oldest venue in the National Basketball Association.

The council is slated to hold an executive session and a special meeting today at 1:30 p.m. for “discussion and consultation” on the arena. In attendance will be Daniel Barrett and Kevin Kelley, both experts in publicly owned and financed sports and entertainment facilities and both represented the owners of the two newest publicly owned NBA arenas.

Barrett is a consultant from CAA ICON, a sporting venue advisory and project management firm. He has been under contract with the city of Phoenix since 2016, and between March 2018 and March 2019 could be paid as much as $390,000 from city funds.

Barrett has carved a successful niche as an owner’s representative by protecting the interests of municipalities funding the arena and stadium construction.

Barrett was the lead negotiator for the city of Sacramento relating to Golden 1 Center, the Kings’ new arena, which opened in 2017. He held a similar position in Milwaukee for the Wisconsin Center District, the governing body tied to the Bucks’ $500 million arena project.

Phoenix hired Kelley as outside counsel on arena issues. Kelley is managing partner of Husch Blackwell’s Denver office. According to his contract with the city, he bills at $540 per hour. He worked alongside Barrett and represented Milwaukee and Sacramento in their arena deals.

This will be the third time since Oct. 24 that Barrett and Kelley have met with the Phoenix council in executive session. Representatives from the Suns have never been a part of these meetings.

The chairman, president and CEO of a Phoenix company has resigned after receiving a securities trading subpoena from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Others expected in Wednesday’s meeting include Milton Dohoney Jr., Phoenix’s assistant city manager; Deputy City Manager Deanna Jonovich; John Chan, director of the Phoenix Convention Center; city CFO Denise Olson; Chris Mackay, economic development director; and Assistant City Attorney Thomas Stack.

Executive session is meant for the council to receive legal advice from its attorneys and to be a place to confidentially consider the city’s position regarding negotiations for the purchase, sale or lease of property.

The Arizona Republic first reported the Wednesday meeting. The Republic pointed out that former Councilwoman Kate Gallego has openly opposed publicly financing sports arenas. Gallego received 45 percent of the vote in last week’s mayoral election and is the frontrunner heading into the March election against former councilman Daniel Valenzuela.

This could be the best time for the Suns to get the city to pitch in for at least part of costly arena upgrades, according to the Republic.

In October, Phoenix Suns President and CEO Jason Rowley told the Phoenix Business Journal there are “significant differences” between where the Suns play and new arenas in Milwaukee and Atlanta.

“There are limitations to what you can do in terms of modernization,” he said at the time, “But we do what we can.”

Earlier this year, conservative watchdog group the Goldwater Institute sued the city over keeping documents about a possible $450 million renovation from the public. The Maricopa Superior Court denied the Goldwater Institute’s request.

[biggus diggus]

I'd like them to have an ultimatum; win some games and we can talk about a new arena.

[stutteringpunk]

They need go in on an arena together with the Coyotes. It'd be a lot easier for taxpayers to stomach getting two-for-the-price-of-one in their minds. Robert Sarver is quite possibly the worst owner in sports, though, so I won't hold my breath.

[biggus diggus]

Allen Gutkin, the principal of JAG, purchased the land on 7th avenue between McKinley and Starbucks. Not sure what they are doing yet but it looks like they plan to build.

[Mr.RE]

Originally Posted by biggus diggus

Allen Gutkin, the principal of JAG, purchased the land on 7th avenue between McKinley and Starbucks. Not sure what they are doing yet but it looks like they plan to build.

Do you know if its Apartments, hotel or office yet? I'm not familiar with JAG product type.

[biggus diggus]

He's done mostly condos

[CrestedSaguaro]

I guess it's better late than never...

The Associated Press
November 15, 2018 11:10 PM

PHOENIX — An economic development agency run by Maricopa County says it will issue a grant of nearly $3 million to Arizona State University for research to reduce urban heat and improve air quality.

The grant announced this week by the Maricopa County Industrial Development Authority aims to help launch the university's Healthy Urban Environment Initiative.

Scientists say the greater Phoenix area suffers from an urban heat island effect caused by a dearth of vegetation and a proliferation of heat-retaining materials such as asphalt that prevent it from cooling off at night.

While average temperatures have risen, so has the ozone polluting the area's air.

University President Michael Crow says the initiative is a great example of how ASU and the county can work together to solve a pressing local problem.

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/bu...221754625.html

[biggus diggus]

Got some more info on it, Mark Davis is actually heading up the project with JAG's involvement. Mark did the Starbucks/Pei Wei redevelopment on McDowell. I'm feeling like this will be something re-using the old warehouse on that site.

Fingers crossed that it is something useful for everyone and not just another community office space.

[TJPHXskyscraperfan]

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

I guess it's better late than never...



https://www.newsobserver.com/news/bu...221754625.html

I never understood why we use asphalt in the desert besides the fact that it is cheap. Almost everywhere else in the country use cement for their streets which I'm pretty sure would cause less of the heat island effect than asphalt. We never brake record lows and we beat record highs like it's going out of style. Something needs to be done, really don't know what. But when it comes to actual global warming, I wish people in the media would bring up this common sense argument. If asphalt can cause the earth to be warmer, seems to be as much as 10 degrees warmer at night than it should be then why wouldn't fossil fuels, crap that is actually going up into the atmosphere make the earth warmer? Seems like common sense to me.

[biggus diggus]

I took this photo yesterday while walking the dog, thought showed a nice view of city skyline.

[CrestedSaguaro]

That's a nice angle. Makes the skyline look extensive. Thanks for sharing. Where was this taken from?

[biggus diggus]

Just off dreamy draw drive

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by Obadno

Following up on the above, looks like an 800ksqft office park and a 1mm sqft office park up at the old turff paradise.

Both suburban in nature but fine for those locations in my opinion. And apparently they are opening a a midtown office, all good news!

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...o-phoenix.html

While those are spec buildings in Mesa, the business parks in Phoenix will not be speculative, Holzer said.

"We will be doing pre-lease build-to-suit and we're pretty patient," he said. "We will wait for the right deals to come. We might build spec, but maybe just one building."

Not a bad plan; but is it a good plan? In any case it could be awhile.

[biggus diggus]

Sazerac is opening any day.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Seattle got their NHL expansion team. This means the Coyotes will move to the Central Division for the 2021-2022 season. Now, this can put a stop to unfounded rumors the 'Yotes could potentially move to Seattle. Now we have to listen to the rumors of them moving to Houston

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...s-seattle.html

[Obadno]

The Gentrification of Sunnyslope begins!

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...-next-hot.html

As businesses continue to be drawn to downtown, midtown and Arcadia, interest is continuing to push northward in Phoenix. Now the spotlight is on Sunnyslope.

“What you are seeing is the envelope being pushed,” said Larry Ortega, executive vice president at Colliers International. “People are starting to discover Sunnyslope has a lot of interesting business aspects.”

Ortega and his colleague, John Jackson, associate vice president at Colliers International, recently brokered the sale of the Walgreens Center at 8905 N. Seventh St. for $3.3 million.

The new owner, Capital Development Group, and its partner Rhapsody Ventures of Phoenix, have plans to modernize the property, which includes the oldest Walgreens in Arizona, and bring in new tenants, including Planet Fitness, which will occupy the space formerly taken by Goodwill. The seller was the Phoenix-based Manson Family Trust.

Ortega and Jackson said this kind of redevelopment opportunity is indicative of a “renaissance” in Sunnyslope. For example, the immensely popular Little Miss BBQ restaurant opened a second location at the corner adjacent to the Walgreens property last month.

“Probably in the last 12 months people have bridged the gap and gone north of Glendale (Avenue),” Jackson said. “People see Sunnyslope as a viable option to live, and they are looking for amenities.”

Sunnyslope, which has historically been a lower income area, has an older population, Ortega said. But recently the neighborhood has become a popular place for young professionals and families to relocate.

Ortega said artists have led the charge in breathing new life into Sunnyslope, and many artists, musicians and chefs choose to live and work in the neighborhood.

“There is a lot of natural beauty in the neighborhood,” Ortega said, noting nearly half of the area of Sunnyslope is part of the mountain preserve.

Jackson said the two have already spoken to construction company clients who are looking for space in Sunnyslope in order to be more centrally located and find infill space.

“Real estate is being pushed north,” Ortega said. “Downtown and Midtown are in play, Arcadia is in play, and people are interested in Sunnyslope.”