Awards & Accolades
1. AZ Big Media recently announced its top 10 master-planned communities as part of its 2026 edition of Ranking Arizona. Awardees include:
- Vistancia Development,
- Ironwood Crossing,
- Morrison Ranch,
- Las Sendas,
- Mountain Bridge,
- Estrella,
- Saguaro Bloom,
- Gladden Farms,
- Johnson Ranch and
- Power Ranch.
Groundbreakings
2. Construction has begun on the $192M Loop 101-I-10 Interchange Improvement Project in Phoenix. The Arizona Department of Transportation project will add an elevated bridge providing new HOV lane connections between Loop 101 and Interstate 10, along with new ramps and traffic flow improvements. Additional work includes relocating the southbound Loop 101 exit at McDowell Road, expanding the southbound Loop 101 ramp to eastbound I-10 with a direct connection to 91st Avenue, and shifting portions of both freeways to accommodate future improvements. Construction is expected to take approximately three years. The project is funded through the Maricopa Association of Governments’ regional freeway plan, supported by transportation sales tax funding.
3. Creighton Elementary School District recently broke ground on its comprehensive campus replacement project for Biltmore Preparatory Academy, which will provide entirely new infrastructure to accommodate increased student populations and modernized, collaborative learning. Located east of 32nd Street along Highland Avenue, CESD’s new campus features a combined 86KSF of learning space. The campus will remain fully operational during the construction of new buildings. Completion is scheduled for winter 2027. The project was designed by SPS+ Architects and is being constructed by McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
4. The City of Tempe began Phase I renovations on Ken McDonald Golf Course to improve irrigation and overall course conditions, replacing an aging system to support long-term use of the facility. The golf course will remain open during construction, with minor periodic impacts to golfers. The second phase will renovate the existing clubhouse and add an indoor/outdoor patio, additional parking near the clubhouse, expanded indoor and outdoor space and improvements to the below-ground cart barn. Final design work for the clubhouse phase is underway, with construction anticipated to begin by the end of 2026.
5. Construction began on an expansion of the outdoor pickleball facilities at Copper Sky Recreation Complex in Maricopa. The project will add six outdoor pickleball courts next to the existing courts, which will remain open during construction, doubling the outdoor court count at the complex. The expansion will relocate the current sand volleyball courts north between the new pickleball courts and existing basketball courts. The project is part of Copper Sky’s $800K capital improvement plan and is intended to address increasing pickleball demand in Maricopa. Later this year, the City expects the opening of Fieldhouse at Copper Sky with 12 indoor pickleball courts, which will bring the complex’s total court count to 30 once complete.
Progress Reports
6. Construction is underway on Elliot & Ellsworth, a 17-acre, multi-building retail development at the intersection of Elliot and Ellsworth roads in Mesa. Diversified Partners Nationwide Real Estate Services is the developer and BPR Companies is the general contractor. The project will include six retail buildings and full site infrastructure designed to support retail and service-oriented tenants. Confirmed tenants include Starbucks, Aveda, Afterburn, Hand & Stone, Port of Subs, Senior Taco and Zeitouna. The development is intended to expand retail and commercial amenities in the growing Southeast Valley corridor.
7. Wespac Construction completed Phase I and began Phase II of St. Thomas the Apostle School, a 76.6KSF three-story school building with a basement, at 4510 N. 24th St. in Phoenix. Phase I included completion of the 20.2KSF first floor, including classrooms, a lobby, administrative offices and an outdoor common area. The 57.4KSF Phase II, expected to take 10 months, includes the buildout of the lower level, second floor and third floor, adding classrooms, restrooms, a library, music studio with stage, cafeteria and kitchen, art studio, STEM and science lab and centralized student common. Hamilton Architecture is the architect. Trade partners include WW Clyde, Wilson Electric, Riggs Concrete, Walters & Wolf and Pete King.
8. Mortenson and Central Arizona Project celebrated the “topping off” milestone for the new Water Education Center in Phoenix. The 32KSF facility, located adjacent to CAP’s headquarters north of Pinnacle Peak Road and west of 7th Street, is the first building designed to span the CAP canal. Jones Studio is the design firm. Construction is expected to be completed in spring 2027. The center will include indoor exhibits, flexible gathering spaces and an outdoor plaza overlooking the canal. The project will support community education, stakeholder engagement, board meetings and school programming focused on Arizona’s water resources.
9. The Weitz Company announced the 10KSF–12KSF in-line checked baggage improvements project at Mesa Gateway Airport recently topped out in Mesa. The Weitz Company serves as the general contractor. The final structural beam will remain exposed in the completed facility as a permanent feature, recognizing the coordination and craftsmanship behind the project. Once complete, the facility will improve baggage handling efficiency and security operations at the airport.
Completions
10. Willmeng Construction held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for United Foods International, a 129.2KSF tenant improvement project, at 6363 W. Dobbins Road in Phoenix. The project transformed a shell building into a food preparation and packaging facility for UFI. Improvements included two cook rooms, a dryer room, a packing room, two freezers, three coolers and administrative offices. The buildout also required approximately 127KSF of Insulated Metal Panels for the walls and ceilings, as well as underground routing for electrical and process piping utilities before slab pours. Deutsch Architecture Group served as the design firm. Key trade partners included SubZero Constructors Inc., Wilson Electric, Adobe Drywall and Technique Flooring.
11. Mesha Davis of Save the Family Foundation of Arizona announced the opening of Phoenix Scholar House, a 56-unit affordable housing development, near Thomas Road and 16th Street in Phoenix. 20 of the units are designated for the scholar program, offering single parents working toward a college degree an affordable housing option.