Author: BEX Staff

By BEX Staff for AZBEX Having been previously rejected by the Casa Grande Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council, and after litigation was filed to contest those rejections, developer Westates has won approval of a revised major site plan for its Lofts at G-Diamond apartment community. The original plan for the development at Korsten Road and Colorado Street included 190 units. That was revised down to 120 after vocal opposition from nearby residents expressing worry over potential traffic impacts, privacy concerns, potentially reduced property values and infrastructure impacts, among other complaints. That plan was rejected by both Planning…

The Uptown redevelopment project in Tucson, the site of the former Foothills Mall, continues to progress with the recent announcement of a new hotel plan. Tempo by Hilton Tucson Uptown is one of 46 new boutique hotels under Hilton’s newest brand. Two have opened so far—one in New York City and one in Nashville—while the others are in various stages of planning and development. The Uptown location will have 144 rooms and amenities that include a fitness center and meeting areas with indoor and outdoor bars. The pet-friendly hotel will also feature local art and design features. Uptown developer Bourn…

Promotions 1. Ryan Companies US, Inc. has promoted three team members. Molly Ryan Carson was promoted to Executive VP, Market Leader, Southwest region. Josh Tracy was promoted to Senior VP of Real Estate Development, and Mary McGowne was promoted to VP of Sales and Leasing. New Hires 2. Brinkmann Constructors has hired Don Williamson as Senior Project Superintendent and Aubrey Wyrick as Project Manager. 3. Norris Design announced Laura Cornell has joined its Phoenix office as a Principal and Registered Landscape Architect. Cornell’s portfolio includes a range of master-planned communities and multifamily housing, as well as several unique project types.…

Sales Transactions 1. Microsoft has bought 282.8 acres of land adjacent to its current data center campus development in El Mirage for $258M. The purchased land was part of a 961-acre master-planned industrial park known as LogistiCenter at Copperwing. 2. Asher Gunter, Matt Pesch, Sean Cunningham and Austin Groen of CBRE arranged the $161.4M sale of Carter, a 365-unit multifamily community in Scottsdale. CBRE represented the seller, EQT Exeter. Kairoi Residential and German American Realty were the buyers. 3. Brookfield Properties bought two properties for $135.2M. Terra Vida Apartments, a 384-unit apartment complex in Mesa, was purchased for $75.5M. Meadow…

BNSF Railway has shifted tracks in its efforts to develop an intermodal railway hub in the West Valley. Having initially pursued rezoning and plan amendments through the City of Surprise, late last month the freight giant submitted its applications to Maricopa County instead. A company spokesperson said that since the site is within County boundaries, it made more sense to pursue the process there rather than via the City of Surprise. The site lies in the Wittman area of the county. Surprise issued an initial approval last year for a general plan amendment that would have been the first step…

Hard Rock International and equity partner ERES Capital have confirmed updated plans for the Reverb by Hard Rock Scottsdale hotel. As part of the 26-acre mixed-use project The Sydney near Loop 101 and 90th Street on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, the hotel’s room count has increased to 195. The original plans called for 168 rooms. Project representatives said the five-story hotel and entertainment destination should be open in spring or summer of 2026. Gensler is the project architect. (Source)

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX BEXclusive Regional beverage manufacturer and distributor Swire Coca-Cola, USA has submitted a proposal to the City of Tempe to redevelop its 42.5-acre industrial site at the NEC of Interstate 10 and Elliot Road. Through engineering and planning firm Kimley-Horn & Associates, the company has requested a planned area development, a use permit and a development plan review for the site at 1850 W. Elliot Road. The PAD will modify development standards for building height from the current 90 feet up to 160 feet, while the use permit will create an exception for the maximum allowable…

By Creation Creation has announced The Switchyard, a $120M mixed-use project in Queen Creek that will blend restaurants, retail spaces, offices and residential. (AZBEX Note: The project was formerly known as Queen Creek Marketplace.) Expected to break ground in Q4 of this year, Creation has already secured the first two leases with tenants. Postino, the popular industrial wine café, will open a 3.8KSF restaurant. The Porch, a retro-inspired neighborhood hangout, will open its fourth Valley location with an 11.9KSF restaurant, which will include an outdoor patio. Located on the NEC of Ellsworth and Ocotillo roads, The Switchyard encompasses 10 acres…

By Associated Builders and Contractors The construction industry had 338,000 job openings on the last day of April, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. JOLTS defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting. Industry job openings decreased by 8,000 last month and are down by 25,000 from the same time last year. “Construction job openings fell to the lowest level since March 2023,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “This recent decline in job openings does…

By Associated Builders and Contractors National nonresidential construction spending decreased 0.3% in April, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.20T. Spending was down on a monthly basis in 10 of the 16 nonresidential subcategories. Private nonresidential spending decreased 0.3%, while public nonresidential construction spending was down 0.2% in April. “Nonresidential construction spending fell for the second consecutive month in April but remains just 0.3% below the all-time high established in February,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “An unprecedented increase…