Awards & Accolades
1. ENR Southwest announced the winners of its annual Best Projects competition. The winners of the Southwest Best Projects are:
- Southwest Project of the Year – Northwest Phase II Extension Light Rail Transit;
- Project of the Year Finalist/Health Care – Mayo Clinic AZ Bold Forward West Expansion;
- Project of the Year Finalist/Renovation-Restoration – Luhrs Moxy Hotel;
- Airport/Merit – Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport Authority Terminal Modernization;
- Best Energy/Industrial – Puma at Crossroads 303;
- Award of Merit, Energy/Industrial – Sun Streams 3 Solar;
- Government/Public Building, Merit – East Valley Animal Care Center;
- Government/Public Building, Merit – Gila River Indian Community Police Dept. Facility;
- Health Care/Merit – Valleywise Health Medical Center;
- Higher Education/Merit – Arizona State University Bateman Physical Sciences D & E Wing Renovation;
- Best Highway-Bridge – Canyon Springs Blvd. Roadway Improvements;
- Best Interior/Tenant Improvement – Phoenix Children’s Hospital NICU Build-out;
- Best K-12 – Geneva Eps Mosley Middle School – Campus Rebuild;
- K-12 Merit – CO Greenfield Academy of Design and Innovation – Campus Rebuild;
- Best Landscape/Urban Development – Clark Park;
- Best Manufacturing – Kohler Vikrell Manufacturing Facility;
- Best Office/Retail/Mixed-Use – Michael Hoover KAPBCA Training Center;
- Office/Retail Merit – Phoenix Children’s Hospital Thomas Campus Office Building;
- Best Residential/Hospitality – The Global Ambassador;
- Residential/Hospitality Merit – Omni Tempe;
- Best Small Project – HonorHealth Scottsdale Thompson Peak Medical Emergency Department Expansion;
- Best Specialty – Reata Sports Complex;
- Best Water – Phoenix Water Drought Pipeline Program, and
- Safety, Merit – Southwest Airlines PHX Technical Operations Facility
Groundbreakings
2. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Oct. 16 for the first two phases of Sycamore Vista, an affordable housing development in Camp Verde. The project will result in more than 300 housing units. The project is owned by an affiliate of Atlantic Development & Investments Inc. The community will consist of two-, three- and four-bedroom townhomes. Each phase will produce 80 units, with two thirds of the phases resulting in low-income units. Phase I is expected to be completed by September, while Phase II is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
3. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for Fire Station 74, toward the west side of Ahwatukee. The station is being constructed on a 7.8-acre plot on West Chandler Blvd. near 19th Avenue. The $12M, 13KSF facility will have three bays, a fire engine, medical rescue and a landing pad for helicopters. Opening is expected in late 2025.
4. Yates Buick GMC announced the groundbreaking of a new Mitsubishi dealership in Goodyear. The dealership is expected to create around 60 jobs during its initial phase. Facilities include sales, service and a parts department. A groundbreaking ceremony will be held on Nov. 14.
Completions
5. The Arizona Department of Transportation announced the completion of new westbound lanes on Interstate 10 between Ruthrauff and Orange Grove roads in the northwest Tucson area. This is the final of three traffic shifts that returned drivers from frontage road detours to the main lanes of I-10. The $171M project is expected to continue for another year while construction is continued on a Sunset Road extension east of I-10 to River Road.
6. Sunlit Chemical recently held a grand opening celebration for its $100M, 900KSF manufacturing facility. The plant is expected to create more than 50 jobs and become a supplier for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. The plant is located at 777 W. Alameda Road in Phoenix.
7. Rehrig Pacific celebrated the grand opening of its new 264KSF manufacturing facility in Buckeye. The facility originally broke ground in May 2023. Rehrig expects approximately 115 full-time positions within the plant. The 35-acre site will allow a future expansion of the facility, if necessary.
8. NexMetro Communities announced the completion of its new 197-home community, Avilla Palomino, in Glendale. The rental community is slated to open in late November. The community is between US 60 and I-17.
9. A new 88KSF vocational rehabilitation center was finished for Peckham Inc. The company will be moving into the building at 20401 N. 29th Ave. in Phoenix, just off Loop 101 and Interstate 17. The space is slated to open on Nov. 14. Jokake Construction served as the general contractor, while Integrated Architecture served as the architect.
10. Electric Pickle has announced the completion of its 4.5-acre flagship location in Tempe near Interstate 10 and Warner Road. The 12KSF will consist of a two-story restaurant, nine pickleball courts, private cabanas, bocce ball courts, golf simulators, ping pong tables and a stage for live music. Electric Pickle was developed by the leadership behind Eureka! Restaurant Group, with financial support from Knighthead Capital Management LLC. The architect was Brick & West LLC.
11. A.R. Mays Construction announced the completion of Ellsworth Ranch Central Amenity in Queen Creek. The developer was Taylor Morrison. A.R. Mays served as the general contractor. The architect was Perlman Architects of Arizona. The 6.3KSF, $5.1M building is located at 23100 S. Hitching Post Pkwy.
12. LGE Design Build recently transformed a 10.5KSF space in Chandler for Mox Boarding House. Mox blends fine dining with a board game store. The project was designed by Leisure Corporation.