Author: BEX Staff

By Roland Murphy and CJ Jorgensen for AZBEX The 200-plus registered attendees at Wednesday’s BEX 2024 Public Works Conference were treated to discussions of diverse needs, common approaches, mutual cooperation and far-reaching return on investment by a series of panelists discussing public infrastructure across metro Phoenix and around the State of Arizona. Emcee Cassie Wells, CEO of Modern Business Development, welcomed the audience to the Desert Willow Conference Center, outlined the afternoon’s program, thanked the sponsors and wasted no time getting into the meat of the event and introducing BEX President and Founder Rebekah Morris. Economic Drivers and Capital Improvement…

By City of Flagstaff The City of Flagstaff has been awarded a Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration for $4,989,600 for the Amtrak Station Accessibility Project. The project includes reconstruction of the existing north platform and the addition of a new south platform, which will improve passenger accessibility, rail efficiency and safety. Matching funds in the amount of $1.2M will be provided through a partnership between the City and BNSF Railway. This project will be integrated into the City’s Downtown Mile Safety and Connectivity suite of projects to provide a…

By BEX Staff for AZBEX The City of Buckeye is continuing preliminary planning and definition work on The Landing, a 2,100-acre project site south of Interstate 10 and Verrado Way that is envisioned as, “an entertainment hub with unique and diverse recreational and living opportunities and a range of multifunctional health, research and educational spaces.” The City website says, “The Landing will offer a complete experience, meeting the diverse needs and interests of Buckeye and the West Valley.” City officials and project representatives have already engaged in an extensive public engagement program over the development. The next item will be…

By Associated Builders and Contractors The construction industry had 288,000 job openings on the last day of September, 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 40,000 last month and are down by 134,000 from the same time last year. “September’s data, which show a precipitous 32% decline in construction industry job openings over the past year, likely overstate the degree that demand for…

Awards & Accolades 1. ENR Southwest announced the winners of its annual Best Projects competition. The winners of the Southwest Best Projects are: Southwest Project of the Year – Northwest Phase II Extension Light Rail Transit; Project of the Year Finalist/Health Care – Mayo Clinic AZ Bold Forward West Expansion; Project of the Year Finalist/Renovation-Restoration – Luhrs Moxy Hotel; Airport/Merit – Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport Authority Terminal Modernization; Best Energy/Industrial – Puma at Crossroads 303; Award of Merit, Energy/Industrial – Sun Streams 3 Solar; Government/Public Building, Merit – East Valley Animal Care Center; Government/Public Building, Merit – Gila River Indian…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX Plans for a 42-acre mixed-use development in rural Yuma County are encountering nearly universal resistance, most recently in the form of a recommendation for denial of a land-use designation change request from County Planning staff. The Norman Bruce Jacobson & Drucilla C. Trust 2-21-2012 owns 146 acres of rural-zoned land covering all four corners of Highway 95 and Martinez Lake Road in Yuma. The request would change the land-use designation for 42.37 acres to Retirement Community/Planned Unit Development and the remaining 103.64 acres portion to Agriculture/Rural Preservation. A major amendment is required since the site…

By Mack Real Estate Group and McCourt Partners Mack Real Estate Group and McCourt Partners have announced the name of their 2,300-plus-acre mixed-use, master-planned development in Phoenix’s North Valley: Halo Vista. Located immediately adjacent to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation’s $65B semiconductor fabrication campus, Halo Vista is positioned to become a hub for science and innovation, driving economic growth and attracting world-class talent to the region. “Halo Vista captures our vision for the cutting-edge environment to be built around the tremendous economic driver that is TSMC,” said Richard Mack, CEO of MREG. “We believe that our thoughtful and compelling mix of…

The Governor’s Regulatory Review Council will hear and vote on a new proposal for an additional method to meet the State’s100-year water supply requirement for new developments. The method is titled Alternative Designation of Assured Water Supply, and it has been a point of interest since the Arizona Department of Water Resources limited issuances of Certificates of Assured Water Supply. In 2019, ADWR declared the stress on the groundwater supply was dangerous. Pinal County Supervisor and Vice Chairman of the Pinal Groundwater Users Advisory Council, Steve Miller,claimed, “We have not approved new subdivisions in large parts of Pinal County for…

Giving Back 1. Dominium has announced the recipients of the 2024 Opportunity’s Front Door Scholarship Program. The program is committed to providing essential financial support to Dominium residents, employees and dependents to facilitate access to higher education. In the 2024-2025 academic year, 335 students received scholarships of $5K each, totaling more than $1.6M. Among the recipients is four-time winner Carlos, from Tolleson. Carlos is pursuing a degree in Fashion, with an emphasis on Design at Arizona State University. 2. The Sundt Foundation celebrated its 25th anniversary and the culmination of three weeks of fundraising for breast cancer awareness with a…

Sales Transactions 1. EQT Exeter purchased a six-building industrial portfolio in Phoenix from Link Logistics. EQT paid $143.2M for the 860.2KSF Phoenix Gateway portfolio in the Airport submarket. Commercial Edge has reported the facilities were fully leased with eight tenants at the time of sale. Spaces range from 37KSF to 220KSF. Cushman & Wakefield’s Molly Hunt, Will Strong and Michael Matchett represented the seller. 2. Marcus & Millichap announced the sale of a net-leased Safeway in Florence for $10.2M. The 6.4-acre site and 57.9KSF Safeway is at 3325 N. Hunt Hwy at the intersection with Merril Ranch Parkway. Marcus &…