By Tasha Anderson for AZBEX
As e-commerce continues to rise, the need for industrial development becomes greater and Arizona’s West Valley is one of the top areas where developers are flocking to in order to fill that need.
WDP Partners, in partnership with Brama Holdings, is looking to add to the growing industrial footprint in Avondale, by developing Van Buren 101, a “high quality, institutional-grade industrial building that will permit warehousing/distribution uses,” and, “provide employment opportunities withing the City of Avondale,” according to the project documents submitted to the city.
Van Buren 101 is planned to consist of a +/- 95.6KSF building located on a 5.5 net-acre site at the NEC of 101st Avenue and Van Buren Street. The property is currently vacant and is surrounded by flex industrial buildings to the east and south, agricultural land to the west and an automotive repair facility to the north.
The building will have a maximum height of 47 feet with a high-tech contemporary design. “The building’s front elevation (facing Van Buren) will convey a high-quality office appearance while being architecturally tied into the overall building mass and composition,” the documents state. “This is achieved by additional horizontal and vertical glass to indicate an office appearance; horizontal steel canopies to bring the scale down for pedestrians; and wall surfaces that pop in and out, as well as vertically.”
While the office component faces Van Buren, the industrial component is hidden at the back of the site, with trucking operations located on the north side.
Access to the site will be from Van Buren Street as well as 101st Avenue and 92 parking spaces will be provided. The conceptual site plan shows one electric vehicle charging station and two EV-Capable spaces. The documents state that because the building users have not yet been identified, covered parking has not been defined.
A three-foot decorative wall will be built along Van Buren Street as a landscaped parking screen. Landscaping will include a lush Mediterranean design and will complement the existing landscaping in the area.
Withey Morris PLC, on behalf of the developers, is requesting a major amendment to the Interstate Commerce Center Planned Area Development to allow warehouse and distribution uses on the site. The site was zoned Interstate Commerce Center PAD as part of a larger rezoning in March 1996 and allowed a narrow list of permitted uses like Community Commercial, Commercial Park and General Industrial.
The request was heard at the City of Avondale’s Planning Commission meeting on July 21st.
