Author: BEX Staff

By Office of Gov. Katie Hobbs On March 4, Gov. Katie Hobbs celebrated Pinal County’s first Alternative Designation of Assured Water Supply alongside Arizona Water Company and regional leaders at the Casa Grande City Hall. ADAWS is a new program that assists communities in achieving 100-year Assured Water Supply protections that save groundwater and help build more homes. Arizona Water Company has received its 100-year Designation through the ADAWS Program, and this landmark achievement comes after years of work under Hobbs’ leadership to advance policies that protect Arizona’s water supplies. “This ADAWS Designation is a critical step to building homes,…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX The Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity has released its Arizona 2025-2027 Projected Employment Report, and the Construction sector falls toward the middle of the pack with an annualized percentage change of 0.3%. Overall job growth across sectors is set at an estimated 0.7% annually from Q2 2025 to Q2 2027. In its sector summary, the report says, “Construction is expected to add 1,296 jobs (0.3% annually) from 228,097 in Q2 2025 to 229,393 in Q2 2027. Continued in-migration and infrastructure development will support job growth, though the notably slower pace of expansion reflects a moderation…

Sky Ranch Lodge in Sedona is planning to add 40 new guest rooms adjacent to its existing 94-room facility at 1105 Airport Road. The expansion would be built on a vacant parcel next to the existing facility. Sky Ranch Lodge leases its property from the Sedona-Oak Creek Airport Authority. The expansion would enlarge the site from its current 7.3 acres to 11.9. In addition to the 40 new rooms, an indoor event space is also planned. The lodge began operations in 1982. A rezoning of the surrounding property was approved by the Sedona City Council in 2014, but the expansion…

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Dewain Fox has given the Arizona Legislature and Gov. Katie Hobbs until early November to correct what he has found to be unconstitutional flaws in the state’s process of paying for school facilities construction and maintenance. Fox did not provide any specific guidance on the needed remedies, saying it is the responsibility of the officials to find a system that meets the Arizona Constitution’s requirements to provide a safe, well-equipped and well-maintained learning environment. The ruling puts the responsibility on the state to provide the necessary funding, rather than on individual school districts. If Hobbs…

Giving Back 1. Wespac Construction Inc. has launched Wespac Charities, a philanthropic initiative supporting smaller nonprofit organizations through funding, volunteer opportunities and community initiatives. The program has a goal to donate $1M annually. 2. The Arcadian, a luxury townhome community at 32nd Street and Indian School in Phoenix, has joined the Arizona Housing Fund as a fundraising partner. Developer Geneva Holdings will donate $100 to the Fund for every home sold. The Arizona Housing Fund supports nonprofit housing projects that provide permanent, supportive housing for Arizonans experiencing homelessness. 3. The Opus Foundation recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. The Foundation was…

Sales Transactions 1. An affiliate of Wentworth Property Company, LLC paid $26.8M for a two-building Class A office campus totaling 238.5KSF at 25500–25600 N. Norterra Dr. in Phoenix from Workspace Property Trust. CBRE’s Jim Bayless and Ashley Brooks Jr. advised on the transaction. The campus includes two three-story buildings originally built in 2001. Wentworth Property Management will manage the property, and Bayless and Brooks will lease the campus on behalf of Wentworth.

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX Anyone who has ever stepped into a new role knows the challenges, thrill and trepidation that come with taking the reins and making that slot your own. Whether the role is newly created, meaning your actions will influence the future actions of all who come after you, or long-established, in which your predecessors have cast a long shadow and left you big shoes to fill, the need to create a clear vision with solid goals can be both daunting and delightful. In the March 3 BEX Leading Market Series event: “New Titles, New Perspectives: A…

By BEX Staff for AZBEX The Buckeye City Council held an initial hearing this week to consider a request from ViaWest Group to annex 85.3 acres of unincorporated Maricopa County land for a future industrial park at the SEC of State Route 85 and Interstate 10. A local news outlet reported the company bought the site in 2024 for $8.3M. The March 3 meeting was a first consideration of the “Buckeye 83” annexation request. A second hearing will be required before a vote is taken. The submitted narrative, provided by law firm Berry Riddell LLC, notes the site is made…

By Associated Builders and Contractors Construction input prices increased 0.7% in January compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices increased 0.6% for the month. Overall construction input prices are 2.3% higher than a year ago, while nonresidential construction input prices are 2.9% higher. Prices increased in two of three energy categories last month. Crude petroleum and unprocessed energy materials prices were up 1.8% and 0.4%, respectively, while natural gas prices were down 2.9% in January. “Nonresidential construction input prices rebounded…

Groundbreakings 1. Groundwork has begun on BNSF Railway’s proposed Logistics Park Phoenix rail hub site in Wittmann near 235th Avenue and U.S. 60. Initial work includes grading approximately 350 acres and constructing additional track as the first phase of the company’s planned intermodal facility. The larger project, valued at $3.2B, is designed to integrate an intermodal facility, logistics park and logistics center to expand freight capacity in Arizona. The site is part of a 4,300-acre property BNSF owns in the area. 2. The NRP Group has begun construction on a 353-unit multifamily community in the Medina Station master-planned development. The…