Awards & Accolades
1. AZ Big Media recently announced its 20th Annual Real Estate Development Awards. The awards given were as follows:
- Rescue Oasis as Recreation Project of the Year:
- Owner: City of Surprise;
- General contractor: Willmeng Construction;
- Architect: LEA – Architects.
- Tempe Municipal Operations Center as Public Works Project of the Year:
- Owner: City of Tempe;
- General contractor: Haydon;
- Architect: DWL Architects + Planners.
- Goodyear High School as Education K-12 Project of the Year:
- Owner: Agua Fria Union High School District;
- General contractor: CHASSE Building Team;
- Architect: ADM Group.
- Mohave College Advanced Manufacturing Training Center as Higher Education and Workforce Development Project of the Year:
- Owner: Mohave College;
- General contractor: CORE Construction;
- Architect: DFDG Architects.
- EMD Electronics as Industrial Project of the Year – less than 100KSF:
- Owner: EMD Group;
- General contractor: Willmeng Construction;
- Architect: Deutsch Architecture Group.
- Super Radiator Coils as Industrial Project of the Year – 100KSF to 250KSF:
- Owner: Super Radiator Coils;
- General contractor: Brinkmann Constructors;
- Architect: Ware Malcomb.
- XNRGY Headquarters as Industrial Project of the Year – 250KSF to 750KSF:
- Developer: The Boyer Company;
- General contractor: Wespac Construction;
- Architect: Gensler.
- Luke Field as Industrial Project of the Year – more than 750KSF:
- Developer: Lincoln Property Company;
- General contractor: Layton Construction;
- Architect: Butler Design Group.
- The Phoenix Theatre Company Dr. Stacie J. and Richard J. Stephenson Theatre as Redevelopment Project of the Year:
- Owner: The Phoenix Theatre Company;
- General contractor: Chanen, a Dick Anderson Construction Company;
- Architect: RSP Architects.
- Dwell @ 5th and Farmer as Multifamily Project of the Year:
- Developer: Holualoa Companies;
- General contractor: A.R. Mays Construction;
- Architect: WORKSBUREAU.
- The Maeve Central Station and ANOVA Central Station as Mixed-Use Project of the Year:
- Developer: GMH Communities;
- General contractor: Layton Construction;
- Architect: Multistudio.
- The Village at Carver Mountain as Build-to-Rent Project of the Year:
- Developer: The Empire Group of Companies;
- General contractor: Lifestyle Homes Construction;
- Architect: Felten Group.
- Fender Co-Headquarters as Office Project of the Year:
- Developer: RED Development;
- General contractor: Layton Construction;
- Architect: SmithGroup.
- Dutch Bros as Office Interiors Project of the Year:
- Owner: Dutch Bros;
- General contractor: Wespac Construction;
- Architect: Corgan.
- Phoenix Children’s Arrowhead Campus as Healthcare Project of the Year:
- Owner: Phoenix Children’s Hospital;
- General contractor: Kitchell;
- Architect: HKS.
- Mercy Center as Retail Project of the Year:
- Developer: Diversified Partners;
- General contractor: Sigma Contracting;
- Architect: Upward Architects.
- Warren’s Supper Club as Restaurant Project of the Year:
- Owner: Warren’s Supper Club;
- General contractor and architect: LGE Design Build.
- Desert Diamond Casino White Tanks at San Lucy as Hospitality Project of the Year:
- Developer: Tohono O’odham Nation;
- General contractor: The PENTA Building Group and AECOM Hunt;
- Architect: JCJ Architecture.
2. Kitchell Institutional received an award for its work on the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner in Tucson at the 36th Annual National Excellence in Construction Awards by Associated Builders and Contractors. The award was in the Institutional, $15M-$35M, category.
3. The Pomeroy, a 293.3KSF, 245-unit multifamily development in Mesa, achieved LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council on March 5. Green Ideas Building Science Consultants managed the certification process for the project, which was developed by StarPoint Properties LLC.
Groundbreakings
4. Central Arizona College’s Cultural and Performing Arts Center, a $102M, 91KSF facility in Coolidge, is slated to begin construction March 31. The project is located at 8470 N. Overfield Road. Architekton is designing the center, which will replace the former Pence Center auditorium. Chasse Building Team is building the project and is targeting a fall 2027 completion.
5. Cordia has begun construction on Energy Center Phoenix Plant 4, a $75M carbon-free chilled water facility at 709 N. 6th St. in downtown Phoenix. The project will add 10,200 tons of cooling capacity to serve the Phoenix Bioscience Core and is being developed in partnership with Arizona State University and the University of Arizona on a 50-year ground lease. IMEG, Deutsch Architecture Group and Caliente Construction are part of the project team. Completion is expected in summer 2027.
Progress Reports
6. Capacity has expanded at the San Luis I Land Port of Entry in San Luis, where 16 new northbound vehicle inspection lanes are set to open March 27 as part of a $356M modernization project. The additions double inspection capacity at the crossing, and construction remains underway on additional upgrades scheduled for completion in spring 2029.
7. Construction is advancing at Buckeye Commons, a more than 440KSF retail center at the SEC of I-10 and Verrado Way in Buckeye, where anchor tenants Home Depot and DICK’S Sporting Goods are on track to open in June. The project was developed by Sunbelt Investment Holdings Inc.; designed by Butler Design Group, and is being built by CHASSE Building Team. Leasing is led by Phoenix Commercial Advisors, with the center nearing full occupancy.
8. Multiple Arizona Department of Transportation highway projects across Northern Arizona are resuming or starting as spring construction ramps up, including work on I-17, I-40 and several state routes. The $15.8M I-17 wildlife crossing south of Flagstaff is set to resume in April. Additional pavement and safety projects across the region are scheduled through 2027.
Completions
9. Creation has completed Park Algodon, a $250M industrial and mixed-use development on 86 acres at the NWC of Loop 101 and Indian School Road in Phoenix. The project includes 1.3MSF of Class A industrial space developed in partnership with Clarion Partners, along with a seven-acre retail component totaling more than 14KSF. LGE Design Build served as the architect and general contractor. Industrial leasing is led by Cushman & Wakefield, while Avison Young is handling retail leasing, with only a few suites remaining available.
10. The Stately Avondale, located at 12375 W. Van Buren St., is now welcoming residents. The 286-unit apartment community was developed by Ascent Companies and Merit Partners and is leasing, with immediate move-ins available.
11. A grand opening is scheduled for April 15 for VERGE, a Build-to-Rent community at 1297 E. Broadway Ave. in Apache Junction. The project is being developed by 29th Street Capital.
12. LivAway Suites has opened a LivAway Suites Glendale, a 126-room extended-stay hotel at 9930 W. Desert River Blvd. in Glendale. The property is designed to serve long-term guests.
13. A $24M renovation has been completed at Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas, a 247-room resort at 6333 N. Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale. The project included upgrades to the property’s 45 villas, the addition of 12 new rooms and the debut of Salt & Sol, a new restaurant. Ellis Adams Design led the villa redesign.
14. A new Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World store has opened in Tucson, anchoring The Marketplace at the Bridges at 1500 E. Tucson Marketplace Blvd. The 100KSF location is the company’s third in Arizona.
15. Withey Morris Baugh PLC has completed renovations on its new office at 2111 E. Highland St. in Phoenix, converting a former sports bar into an 8KSF headquarters. The firm purchased the building for $2.3M in 2024 and invested approximately $2M to upgrade the structure while retaining elements of the original design.
16. KBR Inc. has opened its Arizona Metrology Engineering Center, a 4.5KSF lab at 2145 S. 7th St. in Phoenix.
17. The rear lot at the Lake Havasu City Police Department has been upgraded through a $544.4K project that expanded and repaved the area. Pioneer Earth Movers Inc. completed the work, which began in December and wrapped up ahead of schedule and under budget.