Author: Roland Murphy

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX Arizona legislators are once again looking to change how cities and counties around the state deal with zoning issues and to undercut the degree to which opposition groups can interfere with the zoning process. Legislators have made various attempts in the past to reduce or eliminate municipal control of zoning, particularly as it applies to multifamily residential developments, but their efforts have either been withdrawn, failed to pass or met with gubernatorial vetoes. The latest measure under consideration, Senate Bill 1352, was proposed by Sen. David Gowan. Under the bill, zoning would be reclassified under…

By Roland Murphy This week, the Surprise Planning and Zoning Commission will consider a rezoning request from RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture on behalf of two property owners to rezone a pair of 40-acre parcels from rural residential to allow for more dense housing development. Both sites were originally included in the planned area development for Surprise Foothills, a 1,040-acre master site roughly bounded by Pinnacle Peak Road/Deer Valley Parkway/Central Arizona Project Canal in the north, 243rd Avenue to the west and 235th Avenue to the east. Since the PAD was created, however, the City of Surprise eliminated the creation…

The Tempe City Council has approved a new 189-unit student housing development from Aptitude Development on 1.4 acres at 1057 E. Apache Blvd. The Marshall at Tempe will remove an existing 72-room hotel currently occupying the site and replace it with a seven-story mid-rise, mixed-use, student-focused apartment community, according to documents on file with the City of Tempe. The developer is requesting a design review, General Plan amendment, rezoning and Planned Area Development overlay to allow the project’s construction. According to documents submitted to the City of Tempe, the planned unit mix breaks down as 20 studios, 12 one-bedroom, 83…

As the Valley and national residential markets continue to evolve toward greater diversity in housing types than the traditional split between freestanding housing and clustered garden- or high-rise-style apartments, the West Valley’s appetite for townhome-style developments is getting a boost of more than 450 units between two proposed developments. Both projects are scheduled for hearings this month. Bell 115th In Surprise, Family Development is proposing an 82-unit townhouse community on 6.85 acres near the NEC of Bell Road and 115th Avenue. The plan is accompanied by a rezoning request from Planned Area Development/Commercial to PAD/Residential High Density on three parcels/portions…

Wood Partners is planning to develop its third Alta-branded apartment community in Chandler. Alta Uptown will deliver 425 units on an 11.66-acre infill site at the SEC of Arizona Avenue and Corporate Place, slightly more than half-a-mile south of Elliot Road. The developer has requested rezoning from Regional Commercial to Planned Area Development, along with approval for its preliminary development plan with a mid-rise overlay and the preliminary plat. The Chandler Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the requests for approvals in its June 1 meeting. The proposal will now go to the City Council for a hearing and vote. Wood…

Last month, the City of Maricopa voted unanimously to sell three parcels next to Copper Sky Regional Park to S3 BioTech LLC so the developer can move ahead with plans to build a medical campus. At the time, it was reported the company was planning a specialty emergency hospital with 25 beds and at least 100KSF of space for medical services, ambulatory surgeries, lab and office space. Other planned uses for the space included apartments/condos, a sports stadium, training facility and a physical therapy center. After filing a public records request and receiving the Planned Area Development overview we are…

Sunbelt Investment Holdings Inc. is planning a 441KSF Costco-anchored retail plaza at the SEC of I-10 and Verrado Way in Buckeye. Various development plans for the site, including a 744KSF Super Target-anchored retail center, have been proposed in the last few decades, but none came to pass. SIHI’s proposal for Buckeye Commons calls for 18 buildings. Phoenix Commercial Advisors, the leasing firm for the development, says on its project webpage that leasable spaces will range from 3.15KSF to 55KSF. In a June 7th meeting, Buckeye City Council approved a $7.95M reimbursement agreement with SIHI for infrastructure development around the project…

On June 9th, the City of Phoenix issued solicitations seeking Requests for Qualifications for an Owner’s Representative, Architectural Services provider and Construction Manager at Risk for the planned renovation of 100 W. Washington St. into a modern facility serving as a new headquarters for the Phoenix Police Department. Arrington Watkins Architects prepared a project master plan outlining the need for the project and its goals. The current 115.8KSF PPD HQ at 400 W. Washington was built in 1975. “When it was built, the building probably met the space needs of the department. Over the last 48 years, the Police Department…

A foursome of experts from across the industry shared their thoughts and experiences on the current state of construction costs at the June BEX Companies Leading Market Series discussion this week. Moderated remotely by BEX President and Founder Rebekah Morris, the in-person panel consisted of: Julian Anderson, president of Rider Levett BucknallChad Halmrast, director of preconstruction for TDI Industries;R.J. Radobenko, president of Global Roofing Southwest; andBlake Wells, VP of construction for LGE Design Build. After presenting her standard market history overview, Morris gave the audience and panel a snapshot into the increase in entitlement and permitting lead times. For the…

A roughly 58-acre site at the SWC of Happy Valley Road and 147th Avenue could soon become a mixed multifamily residential development of approximately 810 units under a rezoning request recently approved by the Surprise Planning and Zoning Commission. Owners The Kamarata Family Trust have requested the rezoning from Rural Residential (RR) to Residential High Density (R-3). If approved and built as proposed, 27.2 acres will be developed with up to 500 traditional multi-story apartments at a density of 18.38 units/acre and 26.6 acres will be developed with up to 310 single-story units at a density of 11.65 units/acre. The…