Awards & Accolades
1. Two major Arizona corporations were recognized at the ABC Convention 2025 on Feb. 26. Excel Group was recognized for its exceptional work on the Linde TSMC Semiconductor in Phoenix, and Kitchell was recognized for its work on three projects in Arizona: the University of Arizona Grand Challenges Research Building in Tucson, Valleywise Health Medical Center in Phoenix and the Phoenix Children’s Hospital NICU Buildout. Projects were judged on complexity, unique challenges overcome, completion time, innovation and safety.
Groundbreakings
2. Brooks Rehabilitation has broken ground on a new rehabilitation hospital at Mayo Clinic’s Phoenix campus. The $70M, 80KSF facility, set for completion in fall 2026, will feature 60 private rooms. The project team includes Anchor Health Properties as the developer, Kitchell as the general contractor, Hoefer Welker as the architect, and Kimley-Horn as the civil engineer. The facility is being developed under a lease agreement with Pan-American Financial Assistance Foundation, with funding structured by Veyron.
3. Work has begun on Pecos Crossing, an industrial project at the NEC of Pecos and Sossamon Roads. Stonelake Capital Partners broke ground on Feb. 25 and expects the project to be completed by early 2026. The site was originally purchased in July 2022 for $23.3M. The project will begin its initial phase with construction of two 81KSF buildings with rear-load configuration. Once fully complete, the project will total 515KSF on 36 acres. Distribution and manufacturing tenants in the completed complex will use spaces between 16KSF and 24KSF.
4. Arizona Western Entrepreneurial College’s new training facility in Wellton is underway. The Future48 Workforce Accelerator will be 5.6KSF and provide a vital training source for the existing Wellton Manufacturing Training Center. The project was supported by the Arizona Commerce Authority with a $3.6M investment.
Progress Reports
5. A $106M Arizona Department of Transportation project in Kingman is 25% complete. These updates are being constructed between I-40 and U.S. 93 and are built to eliminate delays between Las Vegas and Arizona. The project will widen six miles of I-40 and includes adding a merge lane on northbound U.S. 93, rehabilitating bridges on I-40, building sound walls to the west of Stockton Hill Road, and constructing drainage features. Work started eight months ago and is expected to finish in 2027.
6. Improvements on the drainage in the area of Detroit Basin and Gazelle Meadows Park are expected to be completed in May. Crews for Achen-Gardner Construction, which is spearheading the project in collaboration with the City of Chandler, recently poured more than 2KSF of concrete for sidewalk paths and added 3.5KSF of decorative crosswalk features. Other improvements will include 7,000LF of large diameter storm drain, 36 catch basins and 34 manholes.
7. A hotel on the NWC of 2nd Avenue and Osborn Road is confirmed to soon be a Holiday Inn Express. The Ramada by Wyndham Phoenix, which previously operated there, closed in 2021, and the site has been under construction for years. Public records show the building was originally bought in 2016 by Midtown Hotel Group LLC. The new hotel in midtown Phoenix will feature 136 rooms once complete.
Completions
8. Glendale’s newest affordable housing community is opening its doors. Centerline, at 6775 N. 67th Ave., was constructed by Gorman & Company with funding through Arizona’s new state tax credit program. The housing complex will feature 368 units, and rent will start at $476 per month. Local First Arizona will operate an on-site commercial kitchen at the property to provide meal assistance and nutrition and cooking classes.
9. Surprise can expect delivery of a new Home Depot by April. The 109.7KSF store will be in the Prasada area at 16601 Cactus Road. Home Depot Inc. paid $8.4M last year for the 18-acre lot. The store and its attached garden center will open south of the Village at Prasada and Prasada North developments.
10. Renovations at Dennis DeConcini Park in Avondale are now complete. The 2.44-acre park, located at 351 E. Western Ave., features new ramadas, upgraded playground accessibility, additional play structures, improved irrigation, enhanced landscaping and drainage, LED lighting, new security systems and expanded sidewalk connections. The project was a collaboration between J2 Design, BPR Companies, and Exerplay. Funding was supported by a $500K grant from Arizona State Parks & Trails, along with additional contributions from the American Rescue Plan Act.
11. The newest addition to the Gilbert Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center opened in January. This is intended to enhance nearby homes used in Banner’s “Home Away From Home” program for extended patient stays. The facility contains a Palo Verde tree made of Legos and an illuminated lantern that can be seen from the U.S. 60. The building has an open-concept layout and was constructed through a partnership with Taylor Morrison.
12. The mixed-use development Mercy Center in Gilbert is officially open. The 11-acre space holds Arizona’s largest Starbucks, complete with a rooftop solar array that provides most of the store’s energy, and six other businesses, with more coming soon. The center is located at 3635 S. Val Vista Dr. near the soon-to-open Phoenix Children’s Hospital East Valley location and was developed and leased by Diversified Partners.