Author: BEX Staff

Gilbert’s plan to significantly increase its development impact fees for residential, industrial and commercial projects have stunned and angered many in the building community. Brennan Ray, an attorney for the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona and other building concerns, questioned the accuracy of development impact numbers presented in the Town’s Land Use Assumptions and Infrastructure Improvements Plan. The report was developed by LRB Public Finance Advisors and recommends increasing impact fees by more than 200% for some project types. Single-family home development impact fees would go up by 129.5% to $20,220. Industrial developments would rise 210% to $7,704. Office…

Groundbreakings 1. Martens Development Company announced construction has started on Park 91, its 20-acre, 278KSF industrial development at the SWC of 91st Ave and Buckeye Road in Phoenix. The project is the second phase of Logic Park, a 739KSF industrial park on 44 acres. 2. Construction began at Arizona State University’s Polytechnic Campus expansion in Mesa that will add a more than 173KSF, three-story, $185M building. The new addition will include classrooms and research labs for robotics, cyber manufacturing, semiconductor manufacturing, and manufacturing systems for the energy sector. Expected completion is Nov. 2025. 3. Super Radiator Coils recently broke ground…

The Yuma City Council has approved a land use change in the General Plan to allow for an 80-unit affordable apartment development. Landowners Bruce and Linda Butcher requested a land use designation for 2.8 acres at 1749 S. Arizona Ave. and a change for the NEC of Riley Avenue and 18th Street from commercial to high density residential. Council had previously extended the boundary of the Mesa Heights Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area to bring the newly annexed land into Yuma. The plan establishes funding priorities for projects in the Area and guides Community Development Block Grant uses. Except for a…

Plans for the nearly 300-acre master planned Gila Foothills development in the Laveen area of south Phoenix have received new updates and are readying for the first round of the approval process before the City. A resort component that had been removed from the original plan has now been added back in. Other components for the site near 51st Avenue and Estrella Drive include an auto mall, a hospital, apartments and single-family homes. The property lies within Phoenix but borders a swath of unincorporated Maricopa County land. Some area residents, particularly in the Maricopa County portion, have raised concerns about…

By Union Pacific Railroad Union Pacific Railroad has announced plans to open a new international intermodal terminal in the heart of Phoenix, providing customers with a sustainable rail option between ocean ports in the Los Angeles Basin and the nation’s fast-growing Southwest region. The new terminal, owned and operated by Union Pacific, is expected to open in the first quarter of 2024. It will be established in Union Pacific’s downtown rail yard, with the capacity to grow to meet customer demand. “We are excited to offer regional shippers and receivers in Arizona a fast, sustainable rail option to move product…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX Despite an increasing shift in preference by City officials for high job count industrial uses like advanced manufacturing, Mesa remains a leading attraction center for large-scale data center operations. (AZBEX, Nov. 10) Three weeks ago, we reported on a new six-data hall plan in pre-submittal for 178 acres at the NEC of Pecos and Crismon roads. (AZBEX, Nov. 15) Late last week, BEX Research staff uncovered pre-submittals for Project Borealis—another six-data hall campus that would include an office complex and warehouse on approximately 160.49 acres at the NWC of Ellsworth and Warner roads. The pre-submittal…

By City of Tempe Construction of City facilities is doubling down on going green, and local developers have the option to do the same. On Nov. 30, Tempe City Council adopted Resolution No. R2023.178, which commits future City facility construction to sustainable building practices and establishes a voluntary sustainable building code for local development. Tempe will use the International Green Construction Code, a building code used to guide development while prioritizing nature and climate. Green codes like IgCC reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate heat island effects, reduce water consumption, decrease dependency on fossil fuels, increase building life spans and heat…

By Associated Builders and Contractors National nonresidential construction spending increased 0.1% in October, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.1T. Spending was up on a monthly basis in eight of the 16 nonresidential subcategories. Private nonresidential spending increased 0.1% in October, while public nonresidential construction spending was up 0.2%. “Nonresidential construction spending increased for the 17th consecutive month in October and is now up an even 20% over the past year,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “As has been the…

Giving Back 1. Achen-Gardner Construction sponsored the Litchfield Park Touch-A-Truck event back in November. The free family event gave kids of all ages the opportunity to see and touch the equipment and learn about construction. 2. In partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, Fiesta Bowl Charities celebrated the opening of a newly renovated Community Resource Room at the Peach Springs branch of BGCS. The room fosters a sense of connection and support and is designed to serve as a safe space for local youth and teens. The space includes additional…

Sales Transactions 1. HARRI5 Manufactured Housing and Commercial Brokerage has closed on a $25M mobile home portfolio that includes two Glendale properties. The seller was MAR Companies. The buyer was Comfort Communities. The assets were Flamingo Mobile Home & RV Park with 107 spaces and Royal Glen Mobile Home & RV Park with 95. HARRI5 expects to close on seven more Arizona properties with an estimated total value of $150M by the end of the year. 2. Cushman & Wakefield advised on the $10.5 sale and leaseback of High-Tech Corporate HQ Building, a 50KSF-plus industrial/office building in Prescott. Eric Wichterman…