Tucson Development Thread - Page 228

Ted Lyons · #**4541** Posted **Oct 23, 2013, 6:47 PM**

It kind of looks like it isn't. That would be a loss but the rendering is nicer than what we were seeing, so I won't complain.

Anqrew · #**4542** Posted **Oct 23, 2013, 8:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by InTheBurbs

Long time listener, first time caller...

I found some information about the long awaited Main Gate hotel. Looks like it will be a 14 story Residence Inn.

http://hcwdevelopment.com/news...

Then yesterday came across this rendering

Source: Butler Rosenbury & Partners

More info and other pix here

Outstanding first post, and just what everyone in this forum has been craving to see and hear about! It looks great, hope to see a timeline for the project soon

Ritarancher · #**4543** Posted **Oct 23, 2013, 11:53 PM**

I'm excited for the main gate hotel. I like the design too! If it is a residence inn then it's a Marriott and there is a Marriott across the street so I found that a little odd but maybe business was really good and they wanted to build another hotel before somebody else did. Anyway, this is pretty big. It's highrise construction that isn't purely for the UofA. I've been asking for something like this for a while. I hope to see main gate be more "DC like" by 2020. It's almost there

farmerk · #**4544** Posted **Oct 24, 2013, 9:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by InTheBurbs

Long time listener, first time caller...

I found some information about the long awaited Main Gate hotel. Looks like it will be a 14 story Residence Inn.

http://hcwdevelopment.com/news...

Then yesterday came across this rendering

Source: Butler Rosenbury & Partners

More info and other pix here

We lucked out with the design of that hotel. It's the best looking compared to the other hotels from that link

Ted Lyons · #**4545** Posted **Oct 24, 2013, 2:03 PM**

Long-vacant downtown Tucson lot could see new life

http://azstarnet.com/news/business/l...cedfb2ee9.html

Quote:

A controversial dirt lot in downtown Tucson could finally see some long-anticipated construction now that lawsuits among the developer, city and Rio Nuevo Board are settled.

Developer Don Bourn unveiled his preliminary plans for his Thrifty Block project along East Congress Street between South Scott and Stone avenues during Wednesday’s Rio Nuevo meeting.

Turning those plans into reality could take as much as four years under the terms of a deal Bourn worked out with Rio Nuevo and the city.

. . .

Although the project is in the early stages, Bourn expects to begin construction within the year.

More good news today. I'm a bit skeptical of the proposed parking on the property, which looks like it's to the west of the new building, but I'd guess it's a placeholder for a future second phase.

The other issue I noticed was the construction timeline. Seems like the deal with Rio Nuevo allows for a buildout over four years but that doesn't mean that is the actual plan.

Ritarancher · #**4546** Posted **Oct 24, 2013, 2:12 PM**

Of all the plans that I've seen proposed for that lot, that one is by far the worst. Not only is it poorly designed (ugly) but it doesn't utilize the entire property. I know that we like to say its better than a dirt lot, but in this case it's not. I don't like phases of buildings because it has been proven that we sometimes stop at the first step.

southtucsonboy77 · #**4547** Posted **Oct 24, 2013, 4:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted Lyons

Long-vacant downtown Tucson lot could see new life

http://azstarnet.com/news/business/l...cedfb2ee9.html

More good news today. I'm a bit skeptical of the proposed parking on the property, which looks like it's to the west of the new building, but I'd guess it's a placeholder for a future second phase.

The other issue I noticed was the construction timeline. Seems like the deal with Rio Nuevo allows for a buildout over four years but that doesn't mean that is the actual plan.

I have to say that I'm actually pleased to what I read in the article. It's unclear as to what the parking entails, but I feel Bourn is moving in the right direction. He stated construction will begin within the year, so that's exciting (to me anyway). I never expected a highrise on that lot, so I'm not too disappointed.

I watched an ol' episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm", the one where Larry picks up a hooker so he can ride the carpool lane to the Dodgers game, and he makes a good quote while negotiating, "A good compromise is when both parties are unhappy." I'm guessing this project has become a good compromise.

aznate27 · #**4548** Posted **Oct 25, 2013, 1:01 AM**

FINALLY some news to be excited about!!

It was pretty slow going there for a while!

Ritarancher · #**4549** Posted **Oct 25, 2013, 5:19 AM**

Well, with all the talk of this new hotel, we're still in the dark on a lot of information about it. One of the biggest questions that I'm asking is what about the movie theater? There was originally going to be a theater in the building but it's not clear if we still have that. If we do have a theater that's great but it's probably going to be a small screen. If there are 100,000 people along the streetcar route then you can bet that a movie theater would be popular, especially with the UofA next door. I've been doing some research and I think I found what theater would best fit the area.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cineworld_%28Glasgow%29
This is link to the Cineworld wiki in Scotland. It's the tallest theater in the world at 203 feet and has 18 screens. I think that if Harkins or another theater group were to come in and build their own "tower" on one of the remaining lots in the Main Gate Overlay that they would make a bundle. It would definitely add something cool and unique to the neighborhood.

Sorry for the lack of images, I didn't want to take up too much room.

andrewsaturn · #**4550** Posted **Oct 25, 2013, 7:11 AM**

Awesome news about that property! It will totally enhance the vibe of the University area once it's completed.

Here's an article about world of beer opening soon:

http://www.brewbound.com/news/2013/a...n-on-halloween

Even though some of us didn't like Cadence when we saw the renderings, I'm more content now with how everything turned out. World of beer is in a great location with a good patio area and our local Gio taco, set to open this November, shares the same prime location adding to the electricity of the congress street area. I dream of Tucson having more tall skyscrapers but having a large dense area of mid highrises would be great too. I could this area be DC like but with a southwest flare to it.

farmerk · #**4551** Posted **Oct 25, 2013, 11:41 AM**

A brand name movie theater at that new main gate hotel would certainly increase foot traffic in that area. If only there would be a brand name grocery store somewhere downtown that would make the street car useful...would be nice to have one at downtown west. Students would hop in the streetcar at both ends of the streetcar route.

@andrewsaturn, while we're waiting for those 'towers' to get built, wall-to-wall mid-rise would be enough to satisfy our taste for the moment. Getting tired of that open space.

For a change, it's nice to walk around a neighborhood that feels dense.

This would have been nicer:

Article here

Hope Bourne actually builds otherwise I'm crossing my fingers a real tower gets built by someone else.

southtucsonboy77 · #**4552** Posted **Oct 25, 2013, 5:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by farmerk

A brand name movie theater at that new main gate hotel would certainly increase foot traffic in that area. If only there would be a brand name grocery store somewhere downtown that would make the street car useful...would be nice to have one at downtown west. Students would hop in the streetcar at both ends of the streetcar route.

@andrewsaturn, while we're waiting for those 'towers' to get built, wall-to-wall mid-rise would be enough to satisfy our taste for the moment. Getting tired of that open space.

For a change, it's nice to walk around a neighborhood that feels dense.

This would have been nicer:

Article here

Hope Bourne actually builds otherwise I'm crossing my fingers a real tower gets built by someone else.

Read Steller's article and now I'm bummed that a SURFACE parking lot is going to be on the side of the building along Congress. Surface parking lots are anti-density and poor urban use in downtowns. Come on Bourn.

Thirsty · #**4553** Posted **Oct 25, 2013, 6:16 PM**

Is World of Beer the first chain restaurant or even retail for that matter to open downtown? I mean since things turned around a few years ago.

You always like the money you spend to stay on town or in state, but a few of these places is healthy.

With all the students who will be in the area next year, a fast food chain where you can eat for $2-3 seems inevitable too.

ppdd · #**4554** Posted **Oct 25, 2013, 6:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thirsty

Is World of Beer the first chain restaurant or even retail for that matter to open downtown? I mean since things turned around a few years ago.

You always like the money you spend to stay on town or in state, but a few of these places is healthy.

With all the students who will be in the area next year, a fast food chain where you can eat for $2-3 seems inevitable too.

Subway, Bruegger's and Jimmy Johns are all downtown already. I think more will follow shortly and I think 4th Ave will start to see an influx as well. The Chipotle on University seems to be doing well. The CVS on University is the largest chain store on the line and should do really well.

Thirsty · #**4555** Posted **Oct 25, 2013, 7:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ppdd

Subway, Bruegger's and Jimmy Johns are all downtown already. I think more will follow shortly and I think 4th Ave will start to see an influx as well. The Chipotle on University seems to be doing well. The CVS on University is the largest chain store on the line and should do really well.

Ah, JJs. The other two have been there for decades though, unless I'm confusing subway with the old eegee's.

farmerk · #**4556** Posted **Oct 25, 2013, 7:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by southtucsonboy77

Read Steller's article and now I'm bummed that a SURFACE parking lot is going to be on the side of the building along Congress. Surface parking lots are anti-density and poor urban use in downtowns. Come on Bourn.

Bourn, ever heard of underground parking?

Not worried about Bourn. My good guess here is that Bourn will fail and be replaced.

ppdd · #**4557** Posted **Oct 25, 2013, 9:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thirsty

Ah, JJs. The other two have been there for decades though, unless I'm confusing subway with the old eegee's.

Certainly not decades, but much longer than JJs, maybe 15 years. The old eegee's became Enoteca. I miss the eegee's.

ppdd · #**4558** Posted **Oct 25, 2013, 9:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by farmerk

Bourn, ever heard of underground parking?

Not worried about Bourn. My good guess here is that Bourn will fail and be replaced.

I actually think that there's very little risk in this plan now, so it will probably proceed. It's not very ambitious at this point.

Ritarancher · #**4559** Posted **Oct 25, 2013, 11:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ppdd

I actually think that there's very little risk in this plan now, so it will probably proceed. It's not very ambitious at this point.

Funny how the WORST plan is what is picked

aznate27 · #**4560** Posted **Oct 26, 2013, 1:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ppdd

I actually think that there's very little risk in this plan now, so it will probably proceed. It's not very ambitious at this point.

I think it's quite funny Bourn still thinks he's a pioneer in downtown development and that downtown still needs a "shot in the arm". Maybe nine years ago, but his project might as well be called "been there, done that".... Downtown has been doing just fine without him.