Author: BEX Staff

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX The ongoing pace of population and business growth in Arizona, combined with targeted economic development planning and an ongoing swell of visitors, has helped the state and the metro Phoenix area maintain a leadership position in the hotel segment of the hospitality development sector. Sept. 16th’s BEX Leading Market Series event on Hospitality Developments in Greater Phoenix featured three industry experts sharing their insights, experiences and current trend observations with the audience. The panel was comprised of: Moderator Stephanie Handley—business development manager at event sponsor PCL Construction; Zabada Abouelhana—senior director, leader for the Phoenix and…

Developer CivicGroup has struck a deal with the City of Glendale to repurpose a roughly three-acre site, formerly slated for a courthouse, into a new retail center. The courthouse development planned at the SWC of 47th and Glendale avenues, a key intersection in downtown Glendale, was abandoned after the 2008 recession. Some initial work, including construction of an underground garage, was completed before the project was scrapped. Years later, the garage was found to be structurally unsound, and the site could not find any interested buyers. CivicGroup is currently in escrow on the site for $1. Per the agreement, CivicGroup…

By Associated Builders and Contractors Associated Builders and Contractors reported its Construction Backlog Indicator fell from 8.8 months in July to 8.5 months in August, according to an ABC member survey conducted Aug. 20 to Sept. 3. The reading is up 0.3 months since August 2024. The monthly decline in backlog was entirely attributable to contractors with fewer than $30M in annual revenues. Backlog has risen in each of the past three months for ABC’s largest contractors and is now at the highest level in over two years. ABC’s Construction Confidence Index reading for sales was unchanged in August. The…

By Beale Infrastructure Beale Infrastructure announced an updated project design for its proposed data center project (previously referred to as Project Blue) in Pima County. The updated design, which was developed in partnership with the Pima County Board of Supervisors, incorporates air cooling technology that utilizes a closed-loop system. The initial phase of the project is located in Pima County’s Southeast Employment and Logistics Center. (AZBEX, April 30) “Beale is focused on bringing long-term value to the region, and we are committed to continuing to partner with stakeholders to ensure that this project reflects the community’s values and priorities. We…

Groundbreakings 1. Regional Center for Border Health has broken ground on a $2.5M, 6KSF Birth Center[EH1]  at 250 S. Oak Ave. in San Luis. Built by Riedel Construction, the facility will feature three delivery suites and is scheduled to open in February 2026. 2. Acorn Montessori Charter School broke ground Sept. 8 on a new middle school building at 8556 E. Loos Dr. in Prescott Valley. JEBCO Construction is the general contractor, and Stroh Architecture Inc. is the design firm. The $800K project will add classrooms and a covered outdoor learning area. Completion is expected in spring 2026, increasing capacity…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX Coinciding with its rejection of a proposed annexation and development for Beale Infrastructure’s $1.2B Project Blue data center facility, the Tucson City Council directed staff to devise amendments to the City’s Unified Development Code to create standards and regulations for large-scale data center developments. (AZBEX, Aug. 8) The Tucson Planning Commission will meet in a study session on Sept. 17 to discuss staff’s proposals. AZBEX was the first outlet to report on the specific area development plan activity that would ultimately be revealed to be Project Blue. (AZBEX, April 30) The study session will be…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX The Goodyear Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of Harvard Investments’ request to rezone 1,505 acres in the Estrella area to enable a new master-planned development. The action came during the Commission’s Sept. 10 regular meeting. The Estrella area is part of its own 10,000-acre master plan and is partially built out. Most of the Estrella development consists of “single-family residential with a commercial and services core near the intersection of Estrella Parkway and Elliott Road,” according to the project narrative. Currently, development in Estrella 14, as the proposed project area is known, falls under…

By BEX Staff for AZBEX Continuing its ambitious campaign of commercial mixed-use offerings in the area, Vestar is working to place another multiservice development on 126.6 gross acres on the east side of Interstate 17 between Sonoran Desert Drive and Dove Valley Road in far north Phoenix. The proposal for Dove Valley Towne Center “proposes a commercial center with a fitness center, four hotels, and retail and restaurant pads,” according to the City of Phoenix staff report. According to the submitted site plan, the development is planned for four hotels totaling 544 rooms, an 85.9KSF fitness center operation, four anchor…

By BEX Staff for AZBEX After appearing to quietly step away from a potential lawsuit against the State of Arizona over a law that enables Axon Enterprise’s plans for a corporate headquarters and mixed-use campus and scraps a referendum drive by Scottsdale residents in the first half of last week, the Scottsdale City Council, then partially pivoted to keep the issue alive. In a special meeting Sept. 12, Council voted to authorize the interim City Attorney and outside counsel to file a notice of claim against the State over the “Axon Bill,” Senate Bill 1543. As we reported last week:…

Awards & Accolades 1. The City of Mesa earned first place in the 2025 Wyland National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation in the 300,000–599,999 population category. Residents pledged to save 22 million gallons of water, 6.2M kilowatt-hours of electricity and reduce 75,975 pounds of CO₂ emissions. Kerr Center for Agriscience, a Mesa K–6 school, was also recognized with 50 pairs of Zenni sunglasses for its sustainability efforts. 2. Jackie Orcutt, Executive VP at CBRE, has been named AZCREW’s 2025 Woman ICON honoree. She has completed more than 82MSF and $2.1B in industrial transactions over the past decade. 3. Avalli Knutson,…