Author: BEX Staff

While it waits for resolution of the litigation enveloping other cities’ decisions to enact similar measures, Tempe has decided to pause its plan to implement a prevailing wage policy for local construction contracts. Following prevailing wage ordinance approvals in Phoenix and Tucson, Tempe passed its own measure in May. Promoted as a way to ensure fair pay for construction workers and reduce the risks of projects employing illegal labor or undocumented workers, prevailing wage rules are set by federal labor officials as being the “typical” pay for specific worker types in specific geographic areas. Such rates are almost always greater…

Giving Back 1. Employees from the Phoenix office of Lincoln Property Company participated in the Meal Pack for 9/11 Day. Thirty-two Lincoln employees joined volunteers from across the Valley to pack 400,000 meals that will be distributed to local individuals and families facing food insecurity. The cost of ingredients packed by Lincoln employees was covered by an $11K donation made by the company. 2. Big-D Companies has announced its partnership with the American Heart Association during its annual Week of Giving, Sept. 14-21. The goal is for employees to raise $20K, which Big-D will match, accumulating a total goal of…

Sales Transactions 1. HonorHealth has agreed to a $250M deal with Steward Health Care System to assume operational control of several of Steward’s Arizona-based hospitals as Steward goes through bankruptcy. Medical Properties Trust Inc. owned multiple Steward hospitals and was an important part of the deal, having ensured that it remained in control of the real estate while severing its ties with Steward. Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP is representing the debtors in the bankruptcy proceedings. HonorHealth took interim control of operations as of Sept. 11 and could be in full control early October. 2. Clarion Partners sold the 497-unit…

By BEX Staff for AZBEX Hyperion Technologies has plans to build a 600KSF semiconductor substrate manufacturing facility in the Vistancia area of Peoria. According to the company’s website, development on the 45-acre site will create a total economic impact of $6.6B with 1,500 direct jobs. Plant construction is expected to provide 4,500 construction jobs over the development cycle. Local news outlets cited a statement by the City of Peoria acknowledging there has not yet been a pre-application or site plan application for the project. The company website says the development will “build a cutting-edge manufacturing facility for high-density interconnect IC…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX Early and frequent interaction with municipal planning staff is the key to making sure plan reviews and project approvals happen as quickly and efficiently as possible. The theme of engagement and communication was the most frequently touched upon in this week’s BEX Leading Market Series presentation: Expediting Project Success: Mastering Municipal Approvals, held Wednesday at SkySong – The ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center. The event was a rare joint offering presented by BEX Companies and the Phoenix Metro Chapter of AIA. The panel consisted of: Moderator Shawn Swisher, Senior Associate, Jones Studio; Joshua Bednarek, Planning and…

By City of Tempe The City of Tempe has received $12.5M in funding from the Department of Transportation to execute strategies identified in Tempe’s Vision Zero Action Plan. Specifically, these safety improvements will be implemented along a 3.9-mile corridor of Baseline Road (Priest Drive to State Route 101) where several serious or fatal crashes have occurred. Between 2017 and 2021, there were 35 fatal or serious-injury crashes in the corridor. “This grant could save lives,” said Tempe Mayor Corey Woods. “The goal of Tempe’s Vision Zero Action Plan is to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries. One way we can…

By CJ Jorgensen for AZBEX Earlier this week, ULI Arizona hosted “From Foundation to Finish: AI in Real Estate and Construction” at Sundt Construction’s training center in Phoenix. The event focused on the ways in which artificial intelligence can be applied to design/construction, as well as the common pitfalls using AI in the industry can fall into. The three speakers on the panel were Eric Cylwik, director of innovation at Sundt Construction, Jad Chalhoub, director of business analytics at Rosendin and Chad Speas, VP and director of practice technology at Corgan. Prior to taking audience questions, the speakers shared how…

By National Association of Home Builders In 2023, the number of women employed in the construction industry inched up to around 1.3 million. Women now represent 10.8% of the construction workforce, an increase from 9.3% in 2002. As the industry continues to face a shortage of skilled labor, adding new workers is an important goal. Bringing additional women into the construction labor force represents a potential opportunity for the future. This article examines the roles of women in construction using labor force statistics from the Current Population Survey. The Great Recession led to a sharp decline in the number of…

Awards & Accolades 1. An Arizona Department of Transportation project that constructed Loop 303 interchanges at 43rd and 51st avenues near Interstate 17 has been named as a Top 12 finalist in the 2024 America’s Transportation Awards competition. The $70M project is eligible for two awards: the Grand Prize and the People’s Choice Award. Groundbreakings 2. Lincoln Property Company joined with project partners and local dignitaries to break ground on Phase I of I-10 International, a 373.8KSF, $75M industrial project. The property will total more than 1MSF at full buildout. I-10 International is located at the SEC of Alvernon Way…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX The Bullhead City Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended limited approval of a conceptual plan that will, if built, lead to a 246-acre CityCentre District that will create a residential and retail mixed-use area and a residential park in the center of the city. Developer Mantle Investments is requesting a planned area development that will feature a main street concept and up to 12 development units with five zoning districts, according to City staff. Planned uses in CityCentre include multifamily apartments, Build-to-Rent units, an RV park, a senior campus, storage and a commercial area. Plans…