Author: BEX Staff

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…

Banner Health’s vision for a major healthcare campus near Loop 101 and Hayden Road will take its next steps with appearances before City of Scottsdale bodies this month. The first test for the $400M proposal will be a City Council vote on Sept. 10 that will consider a development agreement for sewer and water services for an 85-acre plot that also includes the 48-acre section where Banner plans to build. Scottsdale’s budgeted amounts for the services include $6.1M for water and $960K for sewer. Banner will pay any costs beyond those caps. Also this month, a medical office building project…

A preliminary budget request has been made by the Arizona Board of Regents requesting the state provides $632.2M for the 2026 fiscal year state budget. The request has been sent to Gov. Katie Hobbs. ABoR is requesting $23.2M for operational funding, $130M for the AZ Healthy Tomorrow program, $150M for opportunity economy, $129M for educational affordability and $200M for capital investment. This year’s state budget included a $96.6M reduction in state appropriations for the universities. ABoR’s Arizona Healthy Tomorrow program intends to double graduates at the UA medical schools and provide resources to create medical schools at ASU and NAU.…

By CJ Jorgensen for AZBEX Phoenix is continuing its rapid expansion in the data center market, becoming a primary data center hotspot of the West. Information in the “Americas Data Center H1 2024 Update” released last week by Cushman & Wakefield, shows Phoenix has seen a rapid expansion of absorption within the past two years, having reached 411MW in 2022 and 600MW in 2023. Phoenix saw slightly more absorption in the first half of 2023, but this is likely due to limitations on the delivery of supply. Phoenix’s absorption in the first half of 2024 was 126MW with 367MW under…

A Gilbert Planning Commission study session recently considered Mill Creek Residential’s proposal for a mixed-use project at the NEC of Higley Road and Elona Drive, just north of Loop 202. The project, Modera Gabriella Pointe, would be constructed on a 13-acre site and would need a minor general plan amendment and a rezoning. The current project proposed a five-building apartment complex with a coffee shop, fitness center and leasing office. The unit count, commercial space and building heights were not disclosed in the proposal, but a site plan includes two buildings with retail and restaurant space. No action was taken…

By Associated Builders and Contractors The construction industry added 34,000 jobs on net in August, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment grew by 228,000 jobs, an increase of 2.8%. Nonresidential construction employment increased by 28,300 positions on net, with growth in all three subcategories. Nonresidential specialty trade added the most jobs on net, increasing by 14,000 positions. Heavy and civil engineering and nonresidential building added 13,500 and 800 jobs, respectively. The construction unemployment rate fell to 3.2% in August. Unemployment across all…

Giving Back 1. On Friday, October 18, the nonprofit Passion to PowHer will host its first Passion to PowHer Day, which will be held at the Peoria Sports Complex from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is a free all-day event that will provide young women, ages 13-22, the tools to unlock their full potential and inspire them to fulfill their dreams. Passion to PowHer was founded by Shelby Duplessis, founder and managing partner of Diversified Future, as a nonprofit foundation with a mission to support and empower young women. Awards and Accolades 2. Titan CEO and Wipfli LLP have…