Author: BEX Staff

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX Orsett Properties, developer of the Reserve at San Tan campus on Germann Road in Gilbert, has shifted its original vision for part of the site. Now, rather than developing another office project it feels would not perform well, given the logistical and business challenges of the property, the company wants to build a multifamily community with 121 units. Located at the SWC of Germann Road and Mustang Drive, the Reserve at San Tan campus currently has three office buildings on its western side. The northern building has an occupancy rate of 78%, according to the…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX When the City of Phoenix approved rezoning 104 acres at the SEC of 19th Avenue and Baseline Road to enable a mixed-use retail and residential development in 2024, it deferred the requirements for site plans, elevations and landscaping plans until users were identified. Now, big-box discount grocer WinCo Foods wants to build an 84KSF store as an anchor development in the 35-acre retail portion of the site, and owner City to City Commercial and master developer Diversified Partners are requesting a stipulation change to let the plan move forward. Of the 55 stipulations attached to…

Recent federal data is giving mild indications the multifamily construction market may be inching toward a modest bounceback. Discussing recently released data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau, RealPage Senior Real Estate Economist Chuck Ehmann said information suggests a slight improvement in multifamily permits since early last year. Adding the months of February and March does not provide enough data to make a definitive projection, but multifamily starts seem to be accelerating at a faster rate than permits. March starts hit a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 446,000 units, a 13.5% month-over-month…

Awards & Accolades 1. Ranger Station Park in Sedona received a 2025 Project of the Year Award from the American Public Works Association in the Small Cities/Rural Communities Historical Restoration/Preservation category. The 3.4-acre park includes the restoration of the 1917 U.S. Forest Service Ranger Station House and 1934 Ranger Station Barn, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The project required redesign efforts to address floodplain constraints, hazardous material remediation and drainage improvements while preserving existing trees and historic structures. A shade structure installation is expected to be completed by mid-June. Groundbreakings 2. Work is underway on the…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX The Tucson Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a study session May 6 to review the current iteration of the City’s proposed amendment to its Unified Development Code establishing parameters for data center developments. Multiple reports have shown Arizona as the state with the second most data centers in development around the country, second only to Northern Virginia, which is home to a large number of federal government installations. As the sector has exploded, multiple counties and municipalities around Arizona have begun implementing zoning and land use restrictions, largely generated by resident and activist concerns…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX Employment in the Arizona Construction sector rose by 300 jobs in March, following the addition of 2,900 jobs in February, according to the latest report published by the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 4.7%. The national unemployment rate fell to 4.3%, down from 4.4% in February. In March 2025, Arizona had a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.2%. The national rate was also 4.2%. Month over month, Arizona’s not-seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment decreased by 10,900 jobs, or -0.3%. Year over year, NSA total nonfarm employment decreased by…

By Town of Carefree The NEC of Carefree Highway and Cave Creek Road is a vital, high-potential site for economic development within the Town of Carefree. Recognized as a key opportunity for generating long-term revenue and enhancing the community’s commercial offerings, the Town has been actively working with the property owner, Empire Group of Companies, and a developer to bring a high-quality project to this prominent location. Following the decision by the previous development team to discontinue their plans, the Town announced at the April 7 Town Council meeting that a new developer, SimonCRE, is currently working with the property…

Negotiators in the Lower Basin States recently released a written statement saying they have agreed to a tentative Colorado River water allocation plan that will result in water cuts for their area. The Lower Basin States consist of California, Arizona and Nevada. A written statement released by representatives said the plan is intended to “stabilize the Colorado River through 2028.” The cuts the three states are offering are more substantial than they had previously offered. The new proposal builds off their previous efforts and will result in an additional 3.2 million acre-feet of water cutbacks through 2028. The Lower Basin…

Giving Back 1. The annual Phoenix Sundt Foundation Charity Golf Tournament raised $240K to benefit Sojourner Center, a Valley nonprofit that delivers critical services for survivors of domestic abuse. 2. Valor Pavement Solutions restored the parking lot at Familia De Comunion Por Garcia to improve safety, accessibility and long-term functionality for the community gathering place. The company said the project supports its commitment to strengthening local neighborhoods through community service. Awards & Accolades 3. Sundt has been awarded the Construction Safety Excellence Grand Award by the Associated General Contractors of America for the third time, which is more than any…

Sales Transactions 1. Blackstone, in care of LivCor, sold Arrowhead Summit, a 412-unit apartment community at 18330 N. 79th Ave. in Glendale, to an entity tracing to NALS Apartment Homes for $101.35M. Asher Gunter, Matt Peach and Austin Groen of CBRE negotiated the transaction. 2. Grandstone at Sunrise at the intersection of Happy Valley Road and Lake Pleasant Parkway in Peoria was recently purchased by Met Life for $45.8M. The 104-unit Build-to-Rent community was sold by Thompson Thrift. The transaction was handled by IPA’s Steve Gebing and Cliff David. 3. Acquire Tucson LLC, an affiliate of JRD Capital LLC, purchased…