Author: BEX Staff

By Rebekah Morris for AZBEX On Tuesday, March 10, the City of Phoenix Aviation Department hosted its annual Aviation Business Summit, attended by hundreds of industry professionals eager to work on airport projects. The most compelling of the upcoming work, arguably, is the future $4B West Terminal project at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport that has recently been accelerated by years. Daver Malik, assistant aviation director and chief development officer for the City of Phoenix, spoke on the topic, highlighting the reasons the airport needs to plan and expand for future growth, how it plans to build the largest program…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX On March 11, the Payson Town Council approved a motion to enter into a development agreement with Woda Cooper Companies for the creation of Union Park Lofts, a 74-unit affordable housing community planned for 2.08 acres at 409 N. Beeline Hwy. The motion was approved on a 5-0 vote with two members absent. The four-story apartment building will be comprised of 15 one-bedroom, 43 two-bedroom and 16 three-bedroom units, according to the submitted site plan. A total of 116 parking spaces will be provided, including four ADA-accessible spots. The property will also have an on-site…

By BEX Staff for AZBEX The Arizona Corporation Commission announced a unanimous vote to approve converting the Springerville and Coronado coal-fired power generation plants to natural gas. Tucson Electric Power owns the Springerville Generating Station. The Coronado Generating Station is owned by Salt River Project. In announcing the unanimous approval, ACC said, “The futures of both the Springerville and Coronado coal plants and the inevitable loss of major sources of dispatchable power have been in jeopardy for years as previous federal mandates would force their closure in the next six years.” After the vote, Commissioner Kevin Thompson said, “The conversion…

By Associated Builders and Contractors Associated Builders and Contractors reported its Construction Backlog Indicator rose to 8.1 months in February, according to an ABC member survey conducted Feb. 20 to March 6. The reading is up 0.1 months from January but down 0.2 months from February 2025. Backlog increased sharply during February in the Middle States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Notably, the Middle States is the only region with a higher backlog than one year ago. ABC’s Construction Confidence Index readings for sales and staffing levels increased again in…

Voters in Pima County approved both Proposition 418 and Proposition 419, which initiated the 20-year RTA Next regional transportation plan. The plan will result in $2.67B in capital funding for transportation-related projects and programs. The approval of Prop 419 will ultimately extend the current half-cent sales tax that was initially approved in 2006. That sales tax was scheduled to expire this year. The original RTA plan still has seven uncompleted projects – each of which will be prioritized in the newly approved plan. These projects include: Silverbell Road from Camino del Cerro to Ina Road, First Avenue from Orange Grove…

Groundbreakings 1. Tolleson Union High School District held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Estrella Vista Academy near Alamar Blvd. and Dysart Road. It will be the District’s eighth school. Academic opportunities for students include instruction in film, sports medicine and, possibly, aviation. The District also has a partnership with Phoenix Raceway that will offer education in electric vehicles, automotive technology, engineering and other disciplines. Chasse Building Team is the general contractor. 2. Sunbelt Investment Holdings Inc. has broken ground on Sanctuair Deer Valley, a 363-unit multifamily community on 18 acres at the NWC of 19th Avenue and West Grandview…

By Office of Gov. Katie Hobbs On March 4, Gov. Katie Hobbs celebrated Pinal County’s first Alternative Designation of Assured Water Supply alongside Arizona Water Company and regional leaders at the Casa Grande City Hall. ADAWS is a new program that assists communities in achieving 100-year Assured Water Supply protections that save groundwater and help build more homes. Arizona Water Company has received its 100-year Designation through the ADAWS Program, and this landmark achievement comes after years of work under Hobbs’ leadership to advance policies that protect Arizona’s water supplies. “This ADAWS Designation is a critical step to building homes,…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX The Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity has released its Arizona 2025-2027 Projected Employment Report, and the Construction sector falls toward the middle of the pack with an annualized percentage change of 0.3%. Overall job growth across sectors is set at an estimated 0.7% annually from Q2 2025 to Q2 2027. In its sector summary, the report says, “Construction is expected to add 1,296 jobs (0.3% annually) from 228,097 in Q2 2025 to 229,393 in Q2 2027. Continued in-migration and infrastructure development will support job growth, though the notably slower pace of expansion reflects a moderation…

Sky Ranch Lodge in Sedona is planning to add 40 new guest rooms adjacent to its existing 94-room facility at 1105 Airport Road. The expansion would be built on a vacant parcel next to the existing facility. Sky Ranch Lodge leases its property from the Sedona-Oak Creek Airport Authority. The expansion would enlarge the site from its current 7.3 acres to 11.9. In addition to the 40 new rooms, an indoor event space is also planned. The lodge began operations in 1982. A rezoning of the surrounding property was approved by the Sedona City Council in 2014, but the expansion…

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Dewain Fox has given the Arizona Legislature and Gov. Katie Hobbs until early November to correct what he has found to be unconstitutional flaws in the state’s process of paying for school facilities construction and maintenance. Fox did not provide any specific guidance on the needed remedies, saying it is the responsibility of the officials to find a system that meets the Arizona Constitution’s requirements to provide a safe, well-equipped and well-maintained learning environment. The ruling puts the responsibility on the state to provide the necessary funding, rather than on individual school districts. If Hobbs…