Empty nesters, millennials shelling out to live in new Phoenix-area condos. “Both groups want to be closer to restaurants, shops, job and often light rail. And they don’t want the upkeep of a house with a yard, so they can travel and go out more.” AZCentral’s Catherine Reagor looks at the “shift toward denser infill housing,” including several condo developments that have been built for boomers and Millennials in “popular neighborhoods… at a record pace.” http://bit.ly/2rMgLnP
FEAR OF HEIGHTS? – Scottsdale split on future of tall, dense buildings. “[C]ouncilmembers David Smith and Kathy Littlefield object… to [the] practice of letting developers build taller buildings in exchange for upgrades such as pieces of public art… They see the tall buildings as detracting from… desert views, while others see them as signs of economic vitality.” But could a few “tweaks” help bring the council together? AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2qYtRKP
Homebuilder looks to begin building in Casa Grande. “Brown Homes has secured lots in both the Desert Sky Ranch and McCartney Center subdivisions and plans to construct model homes in both locations.” PinalCentral reports that “the last home built in McCartney Center was in 2008,” and that Brown Homes is “elated to be coming back to Casa Grande.” http://bit.ly/2rtByMA
Zone change near Casa Grande subdivision prompts outcry. “[At last week’s P&Z meeting], a seemingly innocuous zoning change for a vacant lot from commercial to multifamily residential prompted outcry from residents of the nearby Avalon subdivision. Residents spoke of potential lowered property values and increased crime from what they believed would be an apartment complex [at Val Vista and Scott].” But are such concerns warranted? Or are they a bit premature? PinalCentral. http://bit.ly/2sK8NJb
Valley Metro shares capital program updates. “[W]hat’s on the horizon for Valley Metro in the next 20 years”? For the latest “status updates” along with a map of what is expected to be “sixty-six miles of light-rail high-capacity transit,” tap to AZBEX. http://bit.ly/2sJSaxk
ASU zeroes in on bond money projects. “One of the notable items in the budget passed by the Arizona state legislature last month was the authorization for the three state universities to sell an additional $1B in bond funds for new research facilities.” AZBEX has a detailed list of some of these projects, including the Health Innovation Center at Mayo Clinic in North Phoenix.” (Although not quite as exciting as projects which are planned, this report also features info on “Projects Not Included” in the list.) http://bit.ly/2rX8NsP
CORRIDORS OF POWER – Chandler, Salt River Project reach agreement over power lines. “[SRP] has been working for the past four years to find a route to get more electricity to the Price Road Corridor and its booming tech sector. The Chandler City Council planned to lawyer up and approved a resolution last week opposing SRP’s two proposed routes.” But now, according to AZCentral, a new route has been proposed and an agreement has been reached which “could end [the] controversy.” http://bit.ly/2qTQKUq
Tusayan building heights ordinance draws fire. “[The town council’s] swift approval [of an ‘an ordinance that increases maximum allowable building heights from between 35 and 40 feet to 65 feet’] has left some frustrated and concerned that there wasn’t enough consideration given to the broader impacts to everything from dark skies in Grand Canyon National Park to views from the North Rim.” Arizona Daily Sun. http://bit.ly/2rLTyCl
Smaller homes not a trend, Census shows. How have “homes of yesteryear… changed over the decades” when it comes to Median Sales Price, Number of Bedrooms, Number of Bathrooms, Lot Size and Square Footage? Realtor.com® takes a look using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 Characteristics of New Housing. –> http://bit.ly/2rttkUK
Phoenix elections: City council races are set, and what’s up with Tom Simplot? “[T]hree of the four Phoenix City Council incumbents up for re-election” are running uncontested. AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2rDM1n3
As a supplement to the Dealmaker, we thought you might enjoy these articles!
Kiplinger names Arizona city among 11 ‘poised to thrive in 2017.’ “It’s been a slow climb back from the Great Recession for the nation’s major metropolitan areas. Yet job seekers often overlook the small and medium cities located near or relatively near the big hubs.” Head to Builder to find out which Arizona town is on the Kiplinger list of “up-and-coming satellite cities where the job markets are hot but the cost of living won’t eat all of your paycheck.” –> http://bit.ly/2rX9fHP
Ducey deal with Sonora brings hopes of ‘port of Arizona.’ “The deal signed between Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and Claudia Pavlovich, his Sonora counterpart, would have Arizona firms service [cruise] ships that the Mexican government hopes will soon be docking in Puerto Penasco.” Capitol Media Services’ Howard Fischer notes that while it’s “not exactly ocean-front property for Arizona,” the deal “is designed to pave the way for residents of the region to have easy access to cruises — easier, at least than now having to drive to southern California or Texas.” More in Arizona Capitol Times. http://bit.ly/2qYlZZQ
New Internet privacy bill would offer unprecedented consumer data protections. “Last week, Representative Marsha Blackburn introduced the Browser Act (or the ‘Balancing the Rights of Web Surfers Equally and Responsibly Act of 2017’).” In their piece for Rose Law Group Reporter, attorney Lauren Reynolds and Daniel Gauthier — both of whom focus on cybersecurity and privacy issues — take a look at the bill and what it could mean for consumers. http://bit.ly/2qTWNIL
Could events contract keep D-Backs at Chase Field? The Arizona Republic: “A lucrative events contract at the heart of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ lawsuit to leave Chase Field is expiring, leaving open a possibility [that the D-backs could stick around]… The Diamondbacks contend the low number of events [held at the stadium] hampers the county’s ability to raise [funds] for stadium repairs and upgrades… The contract for non-baseball events… is the subject of a closed-door meeting today by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.” So stay tuned! http://bit.ly/2rDu8Vy
Arizona regulator moves to kill special tax break linked to bribery probe. “[Arizona Corporation Commissioner Andy Tobin] is taking the first steps to possibly kill a special tax break that was pushed through years ago by a now-indicted member of the [ACC.]” Howard Fischer reports in Arizona Daily Star that “one of the companies that benefits is Johnson Utilities, the manager of which the federal indictment handed up last month says bribed [Gary] Pierce to push for the [tax break] change.” http://bit.ly/2rDufAs
[SUNDAY FEATURE] UA Solar Zone enters second phase. “University of Arizona and Tucson Electric Power Co. marked completion of a new energy-storage system and solar array built by E.On North America at The Solar Zone at the UA Tech Park. But it was more of a new beginning than an end for the 223-acre Solar Zone… [as] phase-two projects will focus on energy storage; grid optimization and microgrids; distributed solar systems; and integrated and embedded solar materials.” Check out the story and view the aerial at Arizona Daily Star. http://bit.ly/2rtQo5N
Despite $1.2 billion in purchases, tribal land buy-back ‘treading water.’ That’s the view of Acting Deputy Interior Secretary James Cason, who “told a House… subcommittee that… the department ‘has ‘not accomplished much’ in its program to buy up marginal Indian lands and return them to tribes, despite spending two-thirds of a $1.9 billion fund for the program… Tribal officials said the money has made a ‘significant dent’ in the problem of fractionated lands… But they agree with Cason that there was never enough money to solve the problem [i.e., $20 billion].” Cronkite News. http://bit.ly/2rLT8M6
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