Groundbreakings
1. The Tohono O’Odham Nation kicked off construction this week on its new $450M, 200KSF+ Desert Diamond Casino near Northern Parkway and the Loop 303 freeway. The new facility is the fifth Desert Diamond operation in the state. The first phase will feature the gambling, entertainment and dining components, while a second phase could include a hotel, convention space, and additional retail and dining. No Phase II information is available yet.
2. The Arizona Department of Transportation began major work this week on a $171M project to rebuild and widen I-10 from Ruthrauff to Ina roads in the Tucson area. The project will improve the safety and traffic flow on a four-mile section of I-10, in part by adding a fourth traffic lane in each direction and adding lanes to the exit and entrance ramps at the Orange Grove and Sunset roads interchanges. Once the project is completed in late 2025, I-10 will carry four lanes of traffic from 22nd Street to Ina Road.
3. MIG Real Estate and Alston Construction held a groundbreaking ceremony April 6 for the 450KSF+, four-building Elliot Mesa Commerce Center at the NEC of Power and Elliot roads in Mesa. The project is expected to be completed by Q1 2024.
4. Wespac Construction Inc., Flagstaff, began construction on the third phase of a senior living community, Touchmark at the Ranch. This building expansion to the south side of the existing Grand Lodge will add 120KSF to the existing community campus and 74 new units for residents. The project is developed by Touchmark Development & Construction and designed by LRS Architects.
5. Cypress West Partners announced the start of construction for its latest Class A medical office development in Queen Creek. Located at the intersection of Signal Butte Road and Ocotillo Road, the new 22KSF single-story building is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2023 with the tenants moving in by the fourth quarter of 2023.
Progress Reports
6. The Arizona Department of Transportation has provided a status update on its I-17 Improvement Project between Anthem Way and Sunset Point. The New River Road traffic interchange at milepost 232 has been under construction, as the bridges on both the northbound and southbound sides need to be widened from two lanes in each direction to three lanes. Massive girders were recently installed on both bridges to support the bridge decks. Crews from the Kiewit-Fann Joint Venture developer team set nine girders on each bridge during a two-night operation.
7. Casa Blanca Apartments in Coolidge recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the first 26 units of its Phase I construction. A construction timeline for the 150-unit Phase II has not been set. Representatives say it could be as long as two years before getting started, as the owners want to finish all Phase I construction first.
Completions
8. The South East Justice Courts and Adult Probation Center at Baseline and Mesa roads in Mesa, a consolidated Justice Court operation to serve parts of Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe and some tribal lands, has finished construction and will be moving in staff over the course of the next month.
9. Owner Raintree Investment Group has begun leasing units at Willow 38, a 48-unit luxury multifamily community at 3842 E. Osborn Road in Phoenix’s Arcadia neighborhood. The property is managed by MEB Management Services, and residents will begin move-in late this month.
10. Following multiple pandemic-related construction delays, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held March 30 for the $14.8M, 34KSF Cesar Chavez Community Center at 7858 S. 35th Ave. in Laveen Village, Phoenix.