Tempe Development Thread

[Mr.RE]

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer11

I like it! The blue is unique and looks good. The height is decent. Hopefully they move quickly.

I can’t imagine if we get another tower or two proposed in Tempe with everything else under way already!

They are marketing a high density 10+ story apartment site next to the Hyatt House with offers due tomorrow. So we should see another proposal over the next few months depending on who submits offers. Considering it is designated as a Type I high rise only, we should see even more cranes over the coming years.

[Mr.RE]

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

Have they already started the streetcar project? They have rails stacked up to the yen-yang along Mill Ave. I didn't notice if they had broken ground yet though.

Mill Ave south of university has begun construction. Middle turn lanes have been blocked off and the median has been dug out. Palm trees from mill ave to apache are to be removed soon.

[Phxguy]

Originally Posted by Mr.RE

Mill Ave south of university has begun construction. Middle turn lanes have been blocked off and the median has been dug out. Palm trees from mill ave to apache are to be removed soon.

Did we ever get an answer about what will happen to the existing ficus trees on Mill? Will they be trimmed? Will they be ripped out?

[Obadno]

Originally Posted by Phxguy

Did we ever get an answer about what will happen to the existing ficus trees on Mill? Will they be trimmed? Will they be ripped out?

I wouldnt be surprised if Tempe did a dumb thing and ripped them out.

[Phxguy]

Originally Posted by Obadno

I wouldnt be surprised if Tempe did a dumb thing and ripped them out.

Which is why I’m concerned about running the streetcar down Mill. Just gives them validation to pull off something stupid.

[Mr.RE]

Originally Posted by Phxguy

Which is why I’m concerned about running the streetcar down Mill. Just gives them validation to pull off something stupid.

I'm pretty sure that in the design, the Streetcar runs through the center of Mill Ave. So if you are referring to the planted trees in the median, then yes I believe those will be removed.

[CrestedSaguaro]

Originally Posted by Mr.RE

I'm pretty sure that in the design, the Streetcar runs through the center of Mill Ave. So if you are referring to the planted trees in the median, then yes I believe those will be removed.

I was under the impression that the streetcar will be shared lanes with traffic?

The rendering posted on Valley Metro's site shows a median with the streetcar running next to it. If you view the Google satellite image of Zuma, the median in the rendering is clearly visible: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Zu...4d-111.9396088

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by RonnieFoos

Have they already started the streetcar project? They have rails stacked up to the yen-yang along Mill Ave. I didn't notice if they had broken ground yet though.

The first segment of track is going in this week along the curve near Gammage Auditorium.

Originally Posted by Mr.RE

I'm pretty sure that in the design, the Streetcar runs through the center of Mill Ave. So if you are referring to the planted trees in the median, then yes I believe those will be removed.

The streetcar will operate in mixed lanes with automobile traffic. In addition, it will operate "off wire" (battery power) along Mill Avenue. For those reasons, I don't think tree removal will be necessary.

[Mr.RE]

I saw a few different designs that show it running through the median along apache around the curve to mill. I thought by the first picture it seemed to go through the middle(my mistake). I'm glad we are all on the same page now, and that they are in fact not removing the trees.

[ASU Diablo]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

The first segment of track is going in this week along the curve near Gammage Auditorium.



The streetcar will operate in mixed lanes with automobile traffic. In addition, it will operate "off wire" (battery power) along Mill Avenue. For those reasons, I don't think tree removal will be necessary.

correct

[Phxguy]

http://www.statepress.com/article/20...3waBO0_5D8-lLM

Found an interesting read on gentrification and Tempe. It’s not fully anti-development so it’s a decent read. Although they mention Hooters still being on Mill...

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by Phxguy

http://www.statepress.com/article/20...3waBO0_5D8-lLM

Found an interesting read on gentrification and Tempe. It’s not fully anti-development so it’s a decent read. Although they mention Hooters still being on Mill...

Definitely an interesting read and more balanced than I expected. I feared a lot of unsubstantiated claims from the "neighbs" & "crims" who dominate some local anti-development Facebook groups, but the author seems to have done thorough research. i found this link towards the end of the article particularly interesting:

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed...220-story.html

I think the author the LA Times piece is right that sometimes development near transit can have a paradoxical effect of actually reducing transit ridership, but i disagree, at least in part, about the cure. The author takes the progressive position I would expect of the head of a tenants' union: "We must prioritize tenants, not the supply of housing units. Stable housing should be a human right."

That's fine, but I'd say that an even bigger factor is the availability of parking, especially cheap parking or parking with no discernible cost to the tenant because it's bundled with rent. If cities like Tempe want to encourage both density near transit and high transit ridership, they need a dual strategy:

-- Encouragement of affordable housing near transit, especially if the developer is requesting any sort of subsidy or extensive variances.
-- Relaxation, or preferably elimination, of parking minimums. Also, encouragement of unbundled parking, in which the cost of vehicle storage becomes more apparent to the tenant.

[Classical in Phoenix]

https://amp.azcentral.com/amp/192416...mpression=true

The first part of the article gives ground breaking for the Wells Fargo renovation and the new hockey arena as "hopefully" 3rd qt. 2019. It also talks a little about what the what is planned.

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

Definitely an interesting read and more balanced than I expected. I feared a lot of unsubstantiated claims from the "neighbs" & "crims" who dominate some local anti-development Facebook groups, but the author seems to have done thorough research. i found this link towards the end of the article particularly interesting:

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed...220-story.html

I think the author the LA Times piece is right that sometimes development near transit can have a paradoxical effect of actually reducing transit ridership, but i disagree, at least in part, about the cure. The author takes the progressive position I would expect of the head of a tenants' union: "We must prioritize tenants, not the supply of housing units. Stable housing should be a human right."

That's fine, but I'd say that an even bigger factor is the availability of parking, especially cheap parking or parking with no discernible cost to the tenant because it's bundled with rent. If cities like Tempe want to encourage both density near transit and high transit ridership, they need a dual strategy:

-- Encouragement of affordable housing near transit, especially if the developer is requesting any sort of subsidy or extensive variances.
-- Relaxation, or preferably elimination, of parking minimums. Also, encouragement of unbundled parking, in which the cost of vehicle storage becomes more apparent to the tenant.

Well said. I think Tempe has a pretty good mix right now, although I'm always in favor of less parking. They have true workforce housing near the Smith/Martin light rail stop going up. They have some mixed student/workforce housing in the Gilbane project at Apache/Terrace. And they have regular ol' market rate housing, but of generally lower quality and without garaged parking at Apache/101, such that it should have lower rents than other projects.

Tempe also stretched itself in approving the Collective project, which has just .57 parking spaces per unit, and .33 parking spaces per bed. If I recall correctly the development barely passed the City Council, with most of the dissenters citing parking concerns. I'm really excited that it's being built, and I'm hopeful it will be a success so that it can be held up as a proof of concept for future parking reductions.

[muertecaza]

Notes from walking around Tempe and looking at updates to the development map:

• Development map is showing the Collective AND the Westin as having building permits issued. Will be very fun to watch both go up from the Mirabella construction camera
  
• The 9-story Grand at Papage office building continues apace; they have glass on the first floor
  
• Lots of development peeking above ground now, including Mirabella, the Broadstone apartments at the Grande, I.D.E.A., etc.
  
• Development map is showing Phase 4 of the Grand beginning entitlements. Pin puts it at roughly the corner of Washington/Priest. Development map describes it as office, but no more details. Looking at the PAD, if the pin location is accurate, should be 4 or 5 story office.
  
• Development map also shows a proposal to redevelop the Progressive service center at Curry/College (https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4412...7i16384!8i8192) into multi-family. No details there yet. Makes sense for the area, it's surrounded by multi-family on three sides (and by a park on the 4th). Not expecting anything too exciting or urban in that area, but more housing can't hurt.

:

[azsunsurfer]

Wait...wasn't the hard corner of Priest and Washington suppose to be retail and a hotel over a parking garage? I don't remember the phasing map but I think it was in its original entitlement package.

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

Wait...wasn't the hard corner of Priest and Washington suppose to be retail and a hotel over a parking garage? I don't remember the phasing map but I think it was in its original entitlement package.

You're right--I think it's likely not actually the hard corner. Hard to tell based on just the pin, but I think it's likely a 4 story office building that is part of a little cluster around the corner, but not actually on the hard corner.

[Mr.RE]

Originally Posted by muertecaza

Notes from walking around Tempe and looking at updates to the development map:

• Development map is showing the Collective AND the Westin as having building permits issued. Will be very fun to watch both go up from the Mirabella construction camera
  
• The 9-story Grand at Papage office building continues apace; they have glass on the first floor
  
• Lots of development peeking above ground now, including Mirabella, the Broadstone apartments at the Grande, I.D.E.A., etc.
  
• Development map is showing Phase 4 of the Grand beginning entitlements. Pin puts it at roughly the corner of Washington/Priest. Development map describes it as office, but no more details. Looking at the PAD, if the pin location is accurate, should be 4 or 5 story office.
  
• Development map also shows a proposal to redevelop the Progressive service center at Curry/College (https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4412...7i16384!8i8192) into multi-family. No details there yet. Makes sense for the area, it's surrounded by multi-family on three sides (and by a park on the 4th). Not expecting anything too exciting or urban in that area, but more housing can't hurt.

:

Wow! Downtown Tempe skyline truly is about to change. Mirabella, these two, 100 mill, Hayden flour mill redevelopment (if and when it happens) and other projects in the pipeline will make downtown Tempe feel more urban and dense.

[Mr.RE]

I found this image in the Collective submittal and thought id share it. I personally added Mirabella in there to show how dense that area is becoming.

Disclaimer: I am not an architect or a graphic designer, Mirabella is not to scale or actual size/shape of building. Used for reference only. I tried my best lol.

[azsunsurfer]

I must have misread the news briefings because originally I thought that the developer of the Freedom Financial development was planning a third building that would mirror the Freedom Financial building's but was to be built on spec. Then someone mentioned that Freedom Financial would be moving forward with a phase III. I had no idea that there will be TWO new four story building's on the 101 and 202 corner...one that will be spec and the other for Freedom Financials phase III! Good news!