Southeast Valley Development News

[michael85225]

Things are happening in Chandler. This new housing development is almost complete. In downtown this really sticks out.
There is also a huge development that will take the place of the doomed Elevation Chandler that will include housing and a hotel that is under construction now.

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by muertecaza

http://azbex.com/mesa-issues-rfp-for...e-development/

Disappointed but not that surprised I guess that Mesa only got one bite for their RFP for Main and Country Club. Applicant is Chicanos por la Causa, a company that builds affordable housing. Would have liked to see more, but still interested to see the proposal. I could see something with a cool Mexican flair working well.

[azsunsurfer]

There is a stigma to that corner due to the legal dispute that made headline news years ago when the City wanted to condemn that brake shop to build an ACE hardware store. I think many developers were weary. Then again, Mesa has really struggled getting private developers interest on various parcels despite the millions and millions of dollars in public investment. Even if they proceed with that urban plaza I am not sure what that would do to gin up interest. Everything 'private' so far has been small start-ups or affordable housing projects.

[azsunsurfer]

We'll I retract my previous post......someone with a track record too!

http://brewaz.com/hot-news/sunbelt-p...-site-in-mesa/

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by azsunsurfer

We'll I retract my previous post......someone with a track record too!

http://brewaz.com/hot-news/sunbelt-p...-site-in-mesa/

Very cool! I'll definitely be following this one. Hopefully since they're keeping the parking garage on the north side of Main they can minimize parking uses on the main lot. With 10 acres they could really do a lot.

If this and that City Center design every came to fruition, it could be a big shot in the arm.

[MegaBass]

ASU to expand to downtown Mesa

ASU will soon have a fifth campus to call home.

The University will implement a campus in downtown Mesa, according to an early draft of Mayor John Giles' State of the City address.

ASU's expansion will be announced Thursday morning during Giles' State of the City address.

The University already houses the Polytechnic campus in eastern Mesa, which is home to interdisciplinary science, engineering, management, technology and education majors.

Valley Metro expanded its light rail system through Mesa last year, increasing traffic throughout the city and bringing more than 100,000 people through the once-overlooked town. The light rail development is expected to continue to grow into Mesa.

The city is planned to house technology giant Apple's new command center, which they vowed to make a $2 billion investment in over the next ten years.

ASU was unavailable to comment about the expansion at the time of publication.

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by MegaBass

ASU to expand to downtown Mesa

Not sure how big a footprint they are planning, but there is all city-owned land at 'Site 17', at Mesa Dr. and University that has been long vacant. I know it has been talked about for higher education uses in the past. Could be interesting.

[muertecaza]

Artspace project in Mesa looks likely to happen.

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arts/...n-2016-8044465

By the end of 2017, Mesa will be home to about 50 new units of artist live/work space, created through a partnership with Artspace, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that specializes in art-friendly residential developments.

The City of Mesa invited Artspace to explore creating an artist live/work space development in Mesa during 2012, and Mesa City Council just gave the formal go-ahead for the project, which will break ground late in 2016.

Mesa City Council voted unanimously at its February 8 meeting to enter into development and purchase/sale agreements with Artspace Projects and Artspace Mesa.

...

“We’re all in with Artspace, as a City Council and City staff,” Mesa Mayor John Giles said during the study session. “We’re very enthusiastic and very supportive.”

Under the purchase/sale agreement, Artspace Mesa is purchasing 1.7 acres of land from the City of Mesa for $1. (Yes, $1. That amount means the land transfer is technically not a donation.) The development agreement specifies that the land will be used for affordable live/work space “with a tenant selection preference for artistically creative individuals.”

...

Mesa Artspace Lofts will be located at 155 South Hibbert, just a few blocks from Mesa Arts Center. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $13.5 million.

...

The mixed-use development, designed by Phoenix-based Architectural Resource Team, will comprise 71,000 square feet – including commercial space and community space at street level. There will be space for performances, exhibitions, educational programs, and creative business activities.

The three-story development will include up to 50 residential units including studios as well as one-, two-, and three-bedroom live/work spaces. They’ll be priced at 30, 40, 50, and 60 percent of the area's median income.

...

Crummey says applications for live/work space will be available about six months before the development is completed, and he estimates that Mesa Artspace Lofts will open sometime during the summer of 2017. Preference will be given to downtown Mesa artists.

[Jjs5056]

Artspace does amazing things; Tempe was #2 when they assessed the market here in the Phoenix metro, which is a shame, since Tempe is trying to foster an arts community now through their master plan and it looks like a hot mess IMO.

They typically do projects that include adaptive reuse, which would have also been more appropriate for Tempe. The Flour Mill, Old Towne Square, The Creamery on 8th St, etc. could have been incorporated. This is also why Phoenix should be doing anything it can to forge a partnership with them; the Circles Building would have been an amazing part of an Artspace project. But, even still, there are several warehouses, and buildings throughout downtown that could be used. An arts district centered around the Baptist Church renovations and Masonic Lodge across Monroe would be awesome and help connect Grand to Roosevelt.

But, back to Mesa, good for them. Scott Smith really made some great decisions that have luckily been leveraged in his absence. ASU will join Benedictine, Wilkes, NAU, and MCC downtown.

It is unfortunate that the private sector hasn't followed through with market rate proposals, but the City is doing all the right things. Light rail will continue to transform the area and a student base will help support the new small businesses, etc. And, an arts community is something that most downtowns try desperately to create and fail at... Artspace should have a huge impact on the area surrounding it.

[Jjs5056]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

Interesting article on the emergence of the Gilbert Heritage District, which is now sometimes known as "Downtown Gilbert":

http://www.azcentral.com/longform/ne...tory/75712650/

There's some good commentary on historic preservation, density, and walkability. Not mentioned is transit. I might like to see light rail turn right at Gilbert/Main in Mesa and head south into the Gilbert Heritage District, but with the current political climate in Gilbert I don't see that as likely any time soon.

I agree transit should be a long-term priority; I responded in the transit thread.

It's a great article, but one that glossed over one of the biggest issues impacting the successful of ALL of Phoenix metro's downtowns: "cannibalizing instead of capitalizing." Phoenix became an unlikely "foodie" hotspot several years ago when Postino, The Vig, and Sam Fox's restaurants made their debuts. But, what has happened since then is so very typical of modern-day Phoenix. No, Postino isn't Chili's, but the fact that you can find several in Phoenix, and one in both downtown Tempe and downtown Gilbert really does water down the brand. Add in the terminal upgrades at Sky Harbor that launched new Lolo's, Matt's Big Breakfast, and other staples, and you've taken away a part of what made these places special. Certainly, the "sense of place" the original locations provided to their neighborhoods is gone.

Gilbert being known as a "restaurant hub" seems disingenuous when all but 1 or 2 have original locations elsewhere in the Valley. At least Sam Fox and Julian Wright develop new brands/concepts most of the time in their expansion efforts, but nothing about Lolo's or Postino in Gilbert say anything about their location. Joe's is a reminder of Gilbert's farming history, for example. Lolo's in Phoenix was a glimpse into South Phoenix life - which was shaped for better or worse by segregation efforts in the early 20th century. Postino Gilbert says nothing more than "a smart investor saw the potential ROI of opening a new restaurant here."

At least Mesa and Gilbert seem to understand this. It's great that they are attracting Universities - something Phoenix and Tempe have been foolish in not pursuing - and are now open to residential densities, points of attraction, etc. Unfortunately, life revolving around the car has made it hard enough for Phoenix to cultivate its own downtown resident population, so doing this in the 'burbs will be that much harder.

[muertecaza]

The parcel on 1st Ave and McDonald in downtown Mesa that was formerly slated for the Goldwater library is now going to be sold to a developer with plans for 5-story, 71-unit senior housing, and 3-story, 24-unit market rate housing.

It's the same developers that did the Encore senior housing on Farmer in Tempe and the similar-looking senior housing buildings currently under construction on the adjoining parcel on the east side in Mesa. I guess if Mesa can't get market rate residential proposals downtown on their own, they can make building at least some market rate a condition of selling the land here.

[muertecaza]

Scottsdale getting serious about redeveloping McDowell Corridor. Proposed up to 1.1m SF at McDowell/64th to replace the old Scottsdale Auto Park.

http://azbex.com/mcdowell-corridor-t...msf-mixed-use/

And here is the rezoning packet:

http://eservices.scottsdaleaz.gov/pl..._5_ZN_2016.pdf

Looks like the exact configuration of uses is not set, as there are still options they are tossing around, but would include retail, office, hotel and residential. From the AZBEX article:

In base option proposed, the land use would include nine structures of up to four stories with a maximum building height of 48 feet and a total building area of 1.1MSF.

Building A would include 184 residential units comprising 189KSF in four levels with underground parking for 312 cars. Building B1 has 216 units and 219KSF in four levels, as well as 368 parking spaces. Building B2 has 160 units totaling 164KSF in four levels with spaces for 272 cars. In total, the residential component includes 560 units of 338KSF.

Building C is a four-story hotel of 152KSF with 284 rooms and parking for 369 cars as well as a below-grade garage for an additional 350 cars.

Buildings D, E and F are of three levels and comprise 566KSF of office space with a below-grade garage for 294 in Building D. North of buildings E and F, another parking garage – two levels above ground and two below – would accommodate another 1,034 cars.

Rounding out the mix would be a 10.6KSF retail building next door to a 2,100SF restaurant pad.

Seems like this type of development could encourage the light rail, if it ever progressed into Scottsdale, to head this way.

[muertecaza]

Looks like a neat building that continues development along the Arizona Canal in Scottsdale.

http://azbex.com/scottsdale-eyes-old-town-mixed-use/

[muertecaza]

Latest on Apple data center in East Mesa:

http://azbex.com/east-mesa-apple-data-center-reborn/

[Jjs5056]

Muertecaza - FYI, there is a dedicated Scottsdale thread. I'll post your latest post over there and reply.

Originally Posted by muertecaza

The parcel on 1st Ave and McDonald in downtown Mesa that was formerly slated for the Goldwater library is now going to be sold to a developer with plans for 5-story, 71-unit senior housing, and 3-story, 24-unit market rate housing.

It's the same developers that did the Encore senior housing on Farmer in Tempe and the similar-looking senior housing buildings currently under construction on the adjoining parcel on the east side in Mesa. I guess if Mesa can't get market rate residential proposals downtown on their own, they can make building at least some market rate a condition of selling the land here.

Same developers as the two new Farmer Arts projects, too. Their existing projects are all extremely well done and pay attention to detail.

Interestingly, they weren't able to get financing the last time they tried to combine senior housing and market rate units. They won an RFP for the land on 2nd Street between Portland and Roosevelt in Phoenix and proposed senior housing with a brewery in the Knipe House. The community revolved, which I thought was disgusting, over seniors coming to their vibrant, hipster 'hood (the leader of which will be a senior not long from now), so the developer added market rate units before scrapping it altogether. Parking lots are there now.

ASU expanding into every single downtown is pretty annoying. Unless serving completely different purposes (i.e., polytechnic), I don't see the point. Maybe prep schools and/or freshman classes, but I wish they'd focus on ASU Main. The duplicative uses downtown are the ones that are the least urban of all its buildings (the fitness center and student union which are closed to the public).

Phoenix and Tempe should follow Mesa's lead in attracting satellite campuses, but something needs to be done about the public system. GCU is making a name for itself, but for a city its size, Phoenix has very few options for higher education. I always liked Hoover's idea of polytechnic becoming Arizona Tech, and Phoenix College becoming a 4-year liberal arts college.

[vertex]

Apparently from the same folks that brought you Alta Steelyards.

Plans are for 275 4-story townhome-style luxury apartments on the last remaining parcel fronting San Marcos Country Club, southwest corner of Chandler Blvd. and Dakota St. Looks like a 3-floor living area on top of garages. This would be 2 blocks west of the proposed Red's Drafthouse Cinema at Chandler and Arizona Ave. It does appear from the rendering provided to us that apartment entrances will front Chandler Blvd.

No media or articles yet. We received a neighborhood meeting notice from the developer's attorney.

[azsunsurfer]

I am wondering if this is the same corner where another developer was proposing 4 story apartments with the option to do a 10 story tower? I thought it was approved by the City and then hadn't heard anything since. I am wondering if he just flipped the property?

[muertecaza]

AZ Central article has a rendering of the Chicanos por la Causa building proposed for Country Club and Main in Mesa.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/...mesa/82088846/



Surprised and pleased that it will be market rate. And 20,000 SF of retail. For the area, this looks great and would be huge. Between this, the stuff going on in 1st Ave and possibly ASU we could start to see some good things building up in Mesa.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by muertecaza

Surprised and pleased that it will be market rate. And 20,000 SF of retail. For the area, this looks great and would be huge. Between this, the stuff going on in 1st Ave and possibly ASU we could start to see some good things building up in Mesa.

Considering this is the site of Bailey's Brake Shop, which fought against losing its land to eminent domain several years ago, this is very good news -- especially the part about Bailey being on board.

[nickw252]

Originally Posted by muertecaza

AZ Central article has a rendering of the Chicanos por la Causa building proposed for Country Club and Main in Mesa.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/...mesa/82088846/



Surprised and pleased that it will be market rate. And 20,000 SF of retail. For the area, this looks great and would be huge. Between this, the stuff going on in 1st Ave and possibly ASU we could start to see some good things building up in Mesa.

I like this, however, the design looks somewhat cheap with the many small windows and very few patios. It almost looks like a dorm or low-income housing. Hopefully it gets built and actually looks better than the rendering.

That being said, the positive is that it would bring more density and street life to downtown and along the light rail. I really hope that someday downtown Mesa can compete with downtown Gilbert's bar and restaurant scene.