Author: BEX Staff

Even though the Arizona School Facilities Oversight Board has a list of recommended building safety measures to minimize security threats, critics say the Board’s failure to include them under its “minimum guidelines” means the state is not required to fund their implementation. The issue of “school hardening” is also being tied to long-simmering debates about Arizona’s school facilities funding in general, which has left many districts – particularly those in poorer districts – struggling with improvements and new construction across the board. A 2017 lawsuit, which is ongoing, alleges state budget cuts have dangerously reduced capital funding for maintenance and…

A commercial and residential mixed-use proposal for Hudson Station has gained a rezoning and commercial site plan approval from the Queen Creek Town Council. The request included rezoning a 95-acre site at the SWC of Signal Butte and Queen Creek Roads and site plan approvals for a 24-acre commercial center anchored by a Fry’s Marketplace and EoS Fitness location. Twenty-five acres will on the site will feature a rental community, and the rest will go toward single-family housing. Barclay Development is the commercial developer, and Hancock Communities will manage the rental components. A single-family builder has not been finalized. Pew…

By City of Phoenix The City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department launched an innovative, easy-to-use system to better serve customers with projects that require a building permit. SHAPE PHX is the new Land Management Information System that replaces the Department’s primary business applications, including the Electronic Plan Review system and PDD Online. The first release of SHAPE PHX launched June 6th, introducing Single-Family Residential permit categories to the SHAPE PHX system, including: Submit applications,Check plan review status,Communicate with staff.Request meetings with staff,Upload documents,Request inspections, andPay fees online. The new SHAPE PHX Customer Portal will be available 24/7 with residential…

Following a public meeting lasting more than eight hours, the Tempe City Council voted 5-2 to begin negotiations with the Arizona Coyotes on a proposal to build a new arena and entertainment district on 46 acres of land currently owned by the City. The Coyotes’ proposal includes a state-of-of-the-art arena, retail, hotels, restaurant and entertainment spaces, office and hundreds of multifamily units. Hundreds of residents filled the Council chambers and overflow areas. Coyotes representatives gave two presentations; Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport representatives gave a presentation opposing the plan; dozens of citizens requested to speak, and more than 200 submitted…

By Thompson Thrift Real Estate Company Thompson Thrift Commercial, a wholly owned company of Thompson Thrift, announced the acquisition of approximately 68 acres of land zoned for industrial development, just west of the SWC of Germann Road and Meridian Road in Queen Creek. The new development will be located within a mile of LG’s newly announced 1MSF facility, which will generate 2,800 new jobs in the immediate area. The company plans to begin construction in December on Phase I of the project, which will feature approximately 400KSF of new manufacturing, warehousing and distribution space between five stand-alone buildings. When the…

The Mesa City Council voted last week on a proposal to put a $157M public safety bond request on the November ballot. Projects to be funded under the bond consideration include: $43.4M to modernize Police Headquarters;A $10M addition to the $10M approved in a 2018 for a Mesa Police Evidence Facility;$41.9M to add classrooms, parking and site improvements to the 57.5KSF Public Safety Training Facility;Building two new four-bay fire stations, andImproving an existing 1978-built fire station at Greenfield Park. June 11th is the deadline to put bond requests on the November 8th ballot. (Source)

Awards & Accolades 1. Avondale Public Works Operator Miguel Ayala has been named the AZ Water Association’s 2022 Large Treatment Plant Operations Supervisor of the Year. Ayala has worked for Avondale for more than 15 years and holds a Grade 4 ADEQ certification. 2. AZ Big Media has published the 2022 Ranking Arizona list of Top 10 Developers. They are: Ryan Companies US, Inc.ViaWest GroupOpus Development CompanySimonCRETrammell Crow CompanyLincoln Property CompanyMerit PartnersRED DevelopmentCreationWentworth Property Company Company News 3. Phoenix-based design firm Orcutt | Winslow has signed an agreement to acquire Helman Hurley Charvat Peacock Architects – an international master planning/architectural…

Sales Transactions 1. Asante Development Partners recently purchased 836 acres in Surprise for $111.7M. The site includes 752 acres of single-family residential land, 56 acres of high-density residential and 28 acres of commercially zoned land in the Asante Planned Community. ADP is a venture between Lennar Homes, Pulte Homes and Taylor Morrison Homes. Seller HE Capital Asante LLC was represented by Mike Schwab, Greg Vogel, Bret Rinehart, Ryan Semro and Ben Heglie of Land Advisors Organization. 2. Stockbridge Capital Group, through its entity SNL Mesa LCC, will purchase two lots in the Longbow Business Park and Golf Club. The company…

Design choices for the Ocotillo Bridge at Gilbert Regional Park have been narrowed down to two, and the Town Council is soliciting public input. The comment period runs through June 14th. The “Palo Verde” concept was one of the original four under consideration. The new “Desert Falls” design incorporates elements from the three earlier submittals. The 545-foot bridge is intended to be a statement piece connecting Ocotillo Road between Greenfield and Higley. The project has a total budget estimate of approximately $67M, with $54M allocated for construction. Ocotillo Road has been the focus of much attention in Gilbert recently. In…

Northern Arizona Healthcare has been in meetings with Flagstaff development staff recently and is almost ready to deliver its application for a new campus near Fort Tuthill County Park to the City. NAH’s target dates were to have the plan functionally complete at the end of May and to begin the zoning process, which will include two hearings and a required holding period, in July. The zoning will cover full 180-acre campus. Individual approvals for the site plan and building reviews will still be required. The original project target had been to break ground on the new NAH Flagstaff Hospital…