Awards & Accolades
1. Design-Build Institute of America recognized nearly 50 project and team awards at the 2024 Design-Build Conference & Expo. The University of Arizona Applied Research Building won both the 2024 Project of the Year and Best in Design – Architecture. The research building was also selected as a winner of the National Award of Excellence in the Educational Facilities category. The architect was SmithGroup and McCarthy Building Companies was the general contractor.
Groundbreakings
2. Abernathy Holdings, in partnership with Gary Tharaldson, has broken ground on three self-storage projects. The projects represent an average of $17.5M in project costs. The three facilities are:
- A 669-unit, 122.8KSF facility at 7145 51st Ave. in Laveen, expected to finish construction by summer 2025;
- A 745-unit, 111.1KSF facility at 1770 N. Litchfield Road in Goodyear, expected to finish construction by November 2025, and
- A 745-unit, 123.4KSF facility at Higley Road and Williams Field Road in Gilbert, expected to finish construction by fall 2025.
Abernathey also has plans to break ground on an 836-unit Glendale facility, an 833-unit Peoria facility and a 950-unit Phoenix facility.
3. Onvida Health and Arizona Western College held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Health Careers Center at 2500 S. 8th Ave. in Yuma. The $56M careers center will be a two-story, 60KSF facility.
4. Okland Capital and San Tan Development Group broke ground on Phase One of Northside at SanTan Village in Gilbert. The first phase of the 20-acre mixed-use property will contain 37.2KSF of retail space and restaurants. Reportedly, several users are ready to sign leases. A hotel is expected on the site at a later date.
5. Greystar announced it has closed on the land and initiated construction for Album Surprise, its 55+ active adult apartment home community at 16431 N. Parkview Place in Surprise. The 4.1-acre community features 161 apartment homes with one- and two-bedroom floor plans. Album Surprise is scheduled to open in April 2026.
6. Western Maricopa Education Center broke ground on its $13.5M Advanced Manufacturing and Welding building and Electric Vehicle Bay addition to the Northeast campus at the intersection of 19th Avenue and West Deer Valley Road in Phoenix. The 16.5KSF building and 2KSF EV Bay were designed by Orcutt | Winslow and are being constructed by McCarthy Building Companies Inc. Both sections of the project are anticipated to be completed by August 2025.
7. Sun State Builders is breaking ground on a 114.5KSF industrial building called Crossroads at Surprise for The Widewaters Group Inc. The $11M build is on a 7.3-acre site located at 134th Avenue and Bell Road in Surprise. Ware Malcomb provided architectural design services for the project. Colliers’ Keri Scott and Chris Reese will represent Widewaters in leasing the space. Completion is targeted for September 2025.
Completions
8. Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise has scheduled an opening event on Dec. 18 for its Desert Diamond Casino White Tanks venue near Loop 303 and Northern Parkway, just west of Glendale. The $450M casino began construction in April 2023. JCJ Architecture served as the design firm and Hunt-Penta Joint Venture served as the general contractor. The casino will have an 184KSF casino floor, as well as a Starbucks and Morton’s The Steakhouse. The casino will expand across its 80-acre site to eventually include a hotel, conference center, pool, amphitheater and event lawn space.
9. Thompson Thrift announced it has completed construction on the first phase of the Germann Commerce Center industrial development in Queen Creek. Phase One consists of approximately 400KSF of speculative light industrial space with five standalone buildings spread across approximately 26 acres. Speculative office space will be completed by the end of the year. At full buildout, the property is expected to have nearly 1.1MSF of warehouse, distribution, light assembly and manufacturing space between 13 buildings.
10. Greystar announced it has begun leasing for Summerwell Peoria Place at 74951 W. Whitney Dr. in Peoria. Summerwell Peoria Place is comprised of 255 duplexes and one- and two-story detached homes near Grand and Olive avenues. Summerwell Peoria Place will be delivered alongside Marlowe Peoria Palace, Greystar’s luxury apartment home community featuring one- and two-bedroom apartment homes. Summerwell already has homes ready for move-in, with the entire 255-home development slated for completion in fall 2025. Danielian Associates served as the architect, and CDC Designs served as the interior design firm for Summerwell.
11. Loloft Inc. opened a 51.9KSF industrial coworking facility at 4750 S. 44th Place in Phoenix, just south of Sky Harbor International Airport. The facility offers shared warehouse and office space, while providing businesses physical space without long-term leases.
12. A.R. Mays Construction announced the completion of The Isabella in Glendale. The 182-unit residential development is situated on approximately 9.4 acres at the intersection of 67th Avenue and Greenway Road. The units are designed as two- and three-story structures across 12 buildings within the gated community. The developer was Hyphen Development. A.R. Mays served as the general contractor, while Todd & Associates served as the architect. The 195KSF project cost $41.3M.
13. Earnhardt Auto Centers announced the completion of its 70KSF Earnhardt Chevrolet at 24645 S. Ellsworth Road in Queen Creek. The facility includes a sales department as well as a service department.
14. Arizona Western College held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its 47.9KSF, $25M DeAnza Residence Hall. The residence hall features 90 rooms, with each dorm having its own private bathroom. The hall also includes a community area, gym, movie theater, communal kitchen, rooftop terrace and study rooms for every floor.
15. Optum, a part of UnitedHealth Group,has opened a new 32KSF health clinic at 9801 N. Metro Parkway East in Phoenix. Metro Center Health Clinic contains 42 exam rooms. Brycor served as the general contractor, and Diversified Architectural Consulting served as the architect.