Author: BEX Staff

Groundbreakings 1. Creation announced the groundbreaking for Heritage Park, a 10-acre mixed-use development in Gilbert covering an entire city block at Gilbert Road and Juniper Avenue. The initial phase includes 47KSF of retail and restaurant uses. Heritage Park will open in phases, with the first openings anticipated in 2026. LGE Design Build is leading construction. Phoenix Commercial Advisors oversees leasing activities. Creation is also partnering with Crescent Communities at the site. Crescent will develop NOVEL Heritage Park, a 288-unit luxury multifamily community with a planned opening in March 2027. Future phases of Heritage Park will include a 125-room hotel, office…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX The Arizona Construction sector gained 2,400 jobs in April, according to the latest report published by the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity. Arizona’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%. The national unemployment rate was also unchanged from March, holding at 4.2%. In April 2024, Arizona had a seasonally adjusted rate of 3.4%. The national rate was 3.9%. Arizona had a not-seasonally adjusted gain of 20,900 nonfarm employment jobs month-over-month. “Prior to the pandemic (2010-2019), NSA nonfarm employment gained 9,500 jobs on average in April,” the report states. Year-over-year results showed a seasonally adjusted…

By Maricopa Association of Governments Members of the public are encouraged to participate in a virtual public scoping meeting and provide input on the SR 74 Corridor Study. The Maricopa Association of Governments is evaluating the 30-mile stretch of the SR 74 Corridor between Interstate 17 and US 60/Grand Avenue to develop a plan for the corridor. The goal of the study is to enhance mobility and accessibility within the SR 74 Corridor by identifying future near-term and long-range plans. MAG invites you to participate in the virtual public scoping meeting to learn more about the study and provide feedback.…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX Conditions imposed by the City of Yuma on a requested rezoning for a 50-acre parcel at the SEC of State Route 195 and 40th Street have not been well received by the landowner. The disagreement prompted the Yuma Planning and Zoning Commission to continue a discussion and vote on the request during its April 28 meeting. In the March BEX Leading Market Series event dealing with housing, land use attorney Benjamin Tate of Withey Morris Baugh told attendees he is more frequently encountering situations in which cities and other jurisdictions impose greater portions of development…

A new 19-story apartment tower could soon get underway at the NEC of Campbell Avenue and Speedway near the University of Arizona campus in Tucson. Mortenson Development’s plans for Theory Tucson include 395 apartments/1,064 bedrooms of market-rate multifamily residential in a tower totaling 686KSF. The planned unit mix is comprised of 52 studios, 59 one-, 70 two-, 43 three- and 171 four-bedroom apartments targeted at students and young professionals. The project will also have a retail component, although no specifics have been announced yet. Theory Tucson will occupy the site of the current Palm Shadows apartment community, which will be…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX Despite being one of the leading markets in the U.S. for data center development, the City of Phoenix is considering new zoning restrictions on where they can be built. City leaders, including Mayor Kate Gallego, have expressed concerns about data centers’ power usage and perceived negative impacts to surrounding areas, including noise pollution, monolithic aesthetics, low post-construction job creation numbers, and impacts on walkability and neighborhood vibrancy, according to a recent article on Axios. Metro Phoenix consistently ranks in market-leading positions for data center development, absorption and land availability, all of which have combined to…

Giving Back 1. Willmeng Construction served as the presenting sponsor of the Construction in Indian Country Student Endowment Golf Tournament. The event supports American Indian students pursuing careers in construction management. 2. Brycon announced it has supported the ASU ACI Annual Concrete Cup for nearly a decade. The golf tournament is hosted by the ACI Student Chapter at Arizona State University. Money earned goes toward student programs. Awards & Accolades 3. Ranking Arizona has announced its 2025 list of Top 10 Arizona Heavy Construction Companies. Companies are ranked based on public voting. The winners are: Haydon, Hunter Contracting Company, Sandstorm…

Sales Transactions 1. Phelan Development sold Building C at Phelan Pecos Center in Mesa to Libitzky Property Companies for $29.4M. The 141KSF Class A industrial facility at 8341 E. Pecos Road was completed in 2024 by Alston Construction and LGE Design Build and is fully leased to Cyclic Materials. Cushman & Wakefield represented the seller. 2. Costco Wholesale acquired Costco Plaza, a 14.5KSF retail strip center at 3821 W. Costco Dr. in Tucson, for $4.2M. The 3.8-acre property, purchased from Bay Shore Oil Company, will support the expansion of Costco’s adjacent gas station. Dave Hammack of Cushman & Wakefield |…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX Faced with cost escalations, uncertain economic conditions, budget constraints, leadership changes and a host of other both day-to-day and ongoing issues, city engineering leaders presenting at the BEX Leading Market – Series Upcoming Public Works Projects event May 14 focused on maintaining flexibility to manage the hundreds of projects on their books and encouraged better ownership and collaboration from the Architecture/Engineering/Construction community to move those projects to completion. Led by moderator Danielle Intorf, business development at event sponsor Sundt Construction, Scottsdale City Engineer Alison Tymkiw and Mesa Assistant City Engineer Marc Ahlstrom presented overviews of…

By BEX Staff for AZBEX The Tempe Development Review Commission has recommended approval of a zoning amendment and planned area development overlay for The Marshall on Spence, a 105-unit, 271-bed student housing development planned on East Spence Avenue, southeast of Rural Road and Apache Blvd. The property address is variously listed as 1026 and 1034 E. Spence in project materials and submissions. Aptitude Development’s plan constitutes redeveloping a site currently occupied by Tempe Palms Apartments. Aptitude has another student housing redevelopment project, The Marshall at Tempe, under construction to the north at 1057 E. Apache Blvd. That project is redeveloping…