Groundbreakings
1. ZOM Living has begun construction on Azola Desert Ridge, a 416-unit multifamily development in north Phoenix. $88M in construction financing and a joint-venture equity investment with Origin Investments, arranged by CBRE, funded the project. Construction is expected to be completed in Q3 2026. Units will range from one-to three-bedrooms and fall between 730SF and 1.5KSF. The area will contain up to 1,500 units upon full buildout.
2. Shops at the Cardinal, a Glendale retail project valued at more than $20M, will break ground next week. The project has only 1.2KSF unleased. Tenant buildouts will begin later this year and are expected to open in early 2026. RKAA Architects is the architect for the project. Diversified Partners is the developer, and The Renaissance Companies is the general contractor. The retail and restaurant hub will be located at the SEC of 91st Avenue and Cardinals Way, spanning nine acres, and will serve the nearby sports and entertainment arenas.
3. A $17M Arizona Department of Transportation project to improve drainage channels and related infrastructure along a nine-mile stretch of U.S. 89 began April 1, approximately 12 miles northeast of downtown Flagstaff. The work—between mileposts 423 and 432—will address damage from monsoon runoff and wildfire-related debris. Scheduled for completion by late 2025, the project includes drainage repairs, concrete box culvert upgrades, pavement removal and replacement, lane striping adjustments, and native vegetation planting.
4. Construction is starting on a $15.8M wildlife overpass 12 miles south of Flagstaff, a partnership between the Arizona Department of Transportation and the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Funded by the Federal Highway Administration’s Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, the 100-foot-wide overpass will cross the I-17 and feature native vegetation. The project also includes eight miles of eight-foot wildlife fencing, steel-reinforced concrete girders, temporary median crossovers and safety barriers. Completion is expected by fall 2026.
5. The Light Up Navajo VI project, working since 2019, is once again in action. Fourteen Salt River Project employees will connect rural Navajo Nation homes in the Dilkon District and near the community of Leupp to the grid. SRP is donating the manpower and equipment in this project. The program is jointly organized by the American Public Power Association, Navajo Tribal Utility Authority and the public power utility serving the Navajo Nation.
Progress Reports
6. Construction is ongoing for the first phase of Optima McDowell Mountain, a $1B 1,330-unit luxury condo and apartment community at Scottsdale Road and Loop 101. The first residential tower is expected to commence sales in the spring, with the first apartment tower to begin move-ins in September. Designed by David Hovey Sr. and David Hovey Jr., Optima McDowell Mountain has focused significantly on sustainable design and development, positioning itself as a national model for water conservation and green building. It will also be Scottsdale’s first development built under the International Energy Conservation Code and International Green Construction Code.
7. Contracts are now being accepted for Atavia, an 88-unit luxury condominium development in north Scottsdale, by Belgravia Group. Designed by KTGY, units range from 1.6KSF to 3KSF and are priced from the mid-$800Ks to $1.7M. Sales are led by Cambridge Properties. The project is part of DMB’s One Scottsdale master plan at Loop 101 and Scottsdale Road. Site grading began in March and will run through July 2025. Phase One vertical construction will follow, with initial building deliveries expected in fall 2026 and full project completion by fall 2027.
8. Dominium has begun leasing The Safford, a 200-unit apartment community, under construction at 8740 N. Silverbell Road in Marana. The development includes two-, three-, and four-bedroom floor plans and luxury amenities. Rents start at $1.1K for households earning 60% or less of AMI. Construction is expected to be completed by mid-2025.
Completions
9. The City of Phoenix, with RPM Team and Sprung Structures, has opened the Phoenix Navigation Center, a 280-bed transitional housing facility using modular construction. The site includes three Sprung Structures and 80 non-congregate beds in converted shipping containers. The City-owned project offers support services and was delivered using pre-engineered systems to accelerate timelines. The center is located at 11 S. 71st Ave.
10. Soltrust has opened Forge Tower, a 176-unit adaptive reuse high-rise at 22 N. Robson St. in downtown Mesa. The 13-story apartment community was converted from a former retirement facility and is now the area’s only high-rise multifamily project. Units range from studios to two-bedroom configurations and 386SF to 627SF. Forge Tower will offer a Producer in Residence initiative and $10K annually in resident creative scholarships.
11. Wespac Construction has completed a 39.9KSF office space for Offerpad Solutions Inc., located within The Beam on Farmer at 433 S. Farmer Ave. Designed by RSP Architects, with interiors by Transact Interiors and Faciliteq Architectural Interiors, the office includes executive suites, open workspaces, multiple break areas, collaboration zones, and a golf simulation room.
12. Achen-Gardner has nearly completed infrastructure work on Litchfield Square, a multi-phase city center project for the City of Litchfield Park. Work includes installation of more than 3.2KLF of sewer, 6KLF of water line, and 3.3KLF of storm drain and other features. Road improvements span 19.9KSY and include four roundabouts and upgrades to Litchfield Road, Village Parkway and Honeysuckle Street. Delivered under a CMAR contract, the project’s timeline was from June 2021 to December 2024.
13. Achen-Gardner recently finished installation of an eight-inch DIP water line along Higley Road in Gilbert. This is part of Phase 3 of a larger project in the Town of Gilbert’s Transmission Main Assessment, a 9.4-mile CMAR project scheduled through June 2026. Work will occur primarily along Higley Road, from Guadalupe to Ocotillo. The alignment is divided into four reaches to be completed during strategic shutdowns.
14. Achen-Gardner is working on Cactus Road improvements from Litchfield Road to east of the BNSF Railway crossing in Surprise. The CMAR project includes new lanes, raised medians, drainage, utilities, six retention basins, and 10.5KSY of asphalt paving, which was recently completed. Crews are coordinating with BNSF Railway for roadway widening at the crossing.