Awards & Accolades
1. Kimley-Horn & Associates earned a National Recognition Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies for its engineering work on the Tonto Creek Bridge in Tonto Basin. The 1,980-ft structure was funded by a $23.9M federal grant and built by Ames Construction. Ethos Engineering, Inc., Logan Simpson Design, Inc., J.E. Fuller, Inc., Newton Environmental Consulting, LLC and Commonwealth Heritage Group, Inc. also assisted with the project.
2. Green Ideas Building Science Consultants announced the Chase Sapphire Lounge at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport achieved LEED-CI Gold certification on April 14. The 3.6KSF lounge in Terminal 4 was designed by Corgan and GLUMAC Engineers and built by Alston Construction.
Groundbreakings
3. DESRI broke ground April 30 on the Catclaw Power and Storage Project, a 250MW solar and 250MW battery storage facility spanning 1,618 acres in Buckeye. The project will connect APS customers statewide by connecting to the regional electrical grid through APS’ Sun Valley Substation. Completion is expected by mid-2026.
4. The City of Phoenix has broken ground on Innovation 27, a $43.5M workforce and education center at the NWC of 27th and Northern avenues. The project has been in the works for at least five years. It will offer trade education through partners including the West-MEC high school district, Maricopa Community Colleges, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the Washington Elementary School District. The center is expected to open in summer 2026.
5. Buc-ee’s is breaking ground on its first Arizona location at 1001 N. Bullard Ave. in Goodyear. The company acquired the 22-acre site for $17.2M in March 2024 and began site grading that October. The 74KSF 24/7 travel center will include 120 fueling stations, retail and food offerings.
Progress Reports
6. Optima has launched sales for 7230, the first for-sale condominium tower in its $1B Optima McDowell Mountain development in north Scottsdale. The 196-unit tower is part of the first phase alongside 7220, an apartment tower set to debut in fall 2025. Completion of 7230 is expected in summer 2027. The 22-acre development at Scottsdale Road and Loop 101 will include six eight-story towers with residential, retail and restaurant space.
7. Willmeng Construction hit a major project milestone on a renovation project at McCormick Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale. Willmeng and its structural steel subcontractor, Castle Steel, recently raised the final support beam on the new, 7.5KSF Roundhouse, which will be a central feature of the newly renovated park.
8. Willmeng Construction recently celebrated the topping-off ceremony for the Mesa Gateway Library, complete with signatures from across the city. With this being the first public library in 35 years to be built in Mesa, the community had a special role to play in documenting this milestone.
9. A new Lowe’s at South Bridge Marketplace in Maricopa is nearing completion. The 94KSF store broke ground in November and is targeting a late July opening.
Completions
10. LGE Design Build completed construction of Thunderbird Commerce Park, a 243KSF Class A industrial facility developed by Creation at Scottsdale and Thunderbird roads. Located near the Scottsdale Airport, the project features 32-ft clear heights, 51 truck doors, EV charging, and a modern design tailored for aerospace, semiconductor and logistics tenants.
11. Brinkmann Constructors, in partnership with Scannell Properties, completed a 150KSF industrial manufacturing facility for Super Radiator Coils in Mesa. The project includes 45KSF of Class A office space and 130KSF of conditioned manufacturing space with gantry cranes, gas piping systems and a cleanroom. Ware Malcomb was the architect.
12. Holualoa Companies and Plaza Companies completed a major renovation of WaterView, a 209KSF Class A office complex at the intersection of Highland Avenue and 22nd Street in Phoenix. The upgrades included new spec suites, modernized interiors, refreshed outdoor spaces and enhanced amenities. Plaza led property management and construction, and Lee & Associates’ The Coppola Cheney Group is the space’s leasing brokerage.
13. The road and driveway renovation at Mesa’s transitional-housing neighborhood House of Refuge is complete. Led by Sharp Creek Contracting and SRP, the project replaced all neighborhood streets and 74 carport driveways for resident safety. More than 30 local firms contributed services and materials as part of a campus-wide beautification initiative.
14. DCS Contracting completed installation of a 16-inch ductile iron water transmission main along Rio Verde Drive from 122nd Street to 128th Street in Scottsdale. The work was delivered under a CMAR contract as part of Scottsdale’s Infrastructure Improvement Project. The project was designed to improve water capacity and support area development. The owner is CND-Preserve Ranch/David Weekley Homes and the engineer was Sustainable Engineering Group.
15. American Furniture Warehouse held a ribbon cutting May 9 for its new store at 16600 W. Waddell Road in Surprise. The location is the city’s first major furniture store and officially opened to the public May 10.
16. Developer Fox Restaurant Concepts, general contractor A.R. Mays Construction and architect Field Paoli Architects completed the new 9.8KSF North Italia at 697 S. Novus Place in Tempe. The $3M restaurant features seating for 168 inside, an indoor-outdoor bar and a fully covered patio.