Arizona townhomes appeal to a range of buyers. “Center 8 Townhomes [in the Roosevelt Triangle neighborhood]… were designed for millennials, downsizing baby boomers, professionals, and second-home buyers.” With a “vertical living” layout [‘no one living beneath you or on top of you’], plus “DensGlass” used between walls to “reduce sound transfer,” Landmark Homes’ prez John Kostaras says “Center 8 is for people who want an urban setting, but a private lifestyle.” Images and more at Builder. http://bit.ly/2DrPtGq
WaterView components surge forward. “When Stockdale Capital Partners… secured approval for a massive mixed-use… on the Scottsdale Waterfront… they had two options… Alternative A consisted of 240 condos, a 269-room hotel and up to 31KSF of commercial space. Alternative B had no hotel, 416 multifamily units and 20KSF of commercial.” A year-and-a-half later, it “looks as though they’re probably going with A.” And Roland Murphy has the detailed update on the project, at AZBEX. http://bit.ly/2F2LArJ
Green Street Communities & The Jason Mitchell Group combine forces to continue a record number in sales. (Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Green Street Communities.) “Combined with subdivisions the duo is offering custom products for residences over all of Phoenix.” Arizona Foothills Magazine has images and details for “some can’t-miss luxury listings… that are hot on the market now.” http://bit.ly/2n0lKNL
KB Home opens new communities in Tucson, San Diego. “At Hardy Preserve [in N.W. Tucson], KB Home will be constructing 52 one- and two-story homes ranging in size from 1,584 to 2,732 square feet.” Further west is Lakeshore, KB’s “community of single-family new homes in an established neighborhood in the San Carlos area of San Diego.” READ ON at Builder: http://bit.ly/2E1T4fD
Higher loan limits just made it easier to buy that first house in metro Phoenix. “The Federal Housing Administration, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have raised the loan limits for mortgages. Almost 64 percent of all Phoenix-area homebuyers used one of those loans to buy in 2017, so the higher limits are bound to give the market a boost.” AZCentral (And see the next Dealmaker item for info on what impact, if any, the GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN may have on obtaining such a loan.) http://bit.ly/2F4HuiK
[COLUMN] What a government shutdown means for housing. “The shutdown will have an impact on the housing economy, given the prevalence of the federal government in all areas of the housing finance system. The only question is how much impact will this shutdown have.” HousingWire’s Ben Lane provides some answers. http://bit.ly/2n56nEP
Safeway, first major shopping center coming to Eastmark in Mesa. “Evergreen Development… bought 10.6 acres of land at Signal Butte and Warner roads… to develop into a shopping center. Evergreen bought the land from DMB Proving Grounds and hopes to complete [‘The Point at Eastmark’] in November 2019…” AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2E05hRN
Great Wolf Lodge breaks ground near Scottsdale. “The 85,000-square-foot water park and 27,000-square-foot family entertainment center will be located in the 18-acre lot adjacent to Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.” AzBigMedia reports that the “Wisconsin-based company will start development immediately.” Tap through for coverage of Friday’s groundbreaking, including a VIDEO featuring a few words on the project from Great Wolf Resorts Chief Development Officer, Greg Miller, and Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community President, Delbert Ray Sr. (Plus catch a bit of dirt-turning from the hard-hatted Great Wolf mascot, Wiley Wolf.) http://bit.ly/2DzoLyL
Renaissance Square’s phase II renovation begins. “Phase II will include… upgrading the existing 20,000-square-foot gym into a luxury sports club.” But it’s “the redevelopment of the lobby connector that unites the two Class A towers” that “represents the most dramatic element of the Renaissance Square redesign…” See what Cypress Office Properties and Oaktree Capital Management have planned for the “existing pathway” in Rose Law Group Reporter. http://bit.ly/2F0Abc3
90,000-square-foot indoor manufacturing facility planned at Tomahawk and Baseline. But first there’s the matter of rezoning the 8-acre property, something which Apache Junction Independent reports “will be discussed” tomorrow at the “meeting of the Apache Junction Planning and Zoning Board.” Tap through for more on the planned facility, along with a drone’s-eye view of the property, which is owned by J&J Property Holdings LC, and Americana Building Products. http://bit.ly/2rsVRf3
Ariz. Dec. unemployment up; const. gains 600. AZBEX’s Roland Murphy unpacks the state’s latest construction data — from Douglas to Kingman, Yuma to Flag, and points in between — from the recent report published by the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity. (One day, we plan to ask Roland why h.lines over at AZBEX almst. always use words that are abbrvtd.) http://bit.ly/2BlOCFs
What does a gentrifying city look like? Talk to the man who delivers the mail. “In Tucson, revitalization has brought a tantalizing promise of development back to downtown — but it’s also pushed out long-term residents, marginalized renters, and led to outward ripples of gentrification.” High Country News traces “Tucson’s changes” as seen through the eyes of “a longtime postal service worker.” http://bit.ly/2DDd6PP
Welcome to the neighborhood: America’s sports stadiums are moving downtown. “The new projects are altering the financial formula for building stadiums and arenas by surrounding them not with mostly idle parking lots in suburban expanses, but with revenue-producing stores, offices and residences capable of servicing the public debt used to help build these venues.”The New York Times. http://bit.ly/2BkjC8T
Tempe City Hall selected as ugliest building in Arizona. <– As chosen by Business Insider after it asked readers to “name one ‘eyesore they loathe in their state.’ ” But Tempe Muni wasn’t the only building in Arizona that was the recipient of this bit of shade-throwing from BI. KTAR reports that “[a]long with the city hall was a few ‘dishonorable mentions’ elsewhere in the Valley. –> http://bit.ly/2G7rY75
MOBILE HOMES – Prescott has a long history of moving houses. “Over the decades, dozens of old and unwanted houses have been moved to new locations throughout Prescott and in the surrounding communities.Those houses — and other buildings, as well — have gone on to have new lives as restaurants, inns, shops, duplexes and single-family homes.” The Daily Courier looks at some of the buildings that have been moved over the years, and how today, “the trend continues “ http://bit.ly/2rxshou
Valley Metro invites community to weigh in on light rail extension. “A public meeting [held late last week] detailed plans to expand the light rail” from Central and Jefferson to Central and Baseline. “Despite some concerns raised, South Phoenix residents voiced support for light rail extension plans laid out by Valley Metro Officials.” Downtown Devil. http://bit.ly/2G7YQNk
[COMMENTARY] I am Peoria. Peoria Mayor Cathy Carlat is launching a program she calls, “I am Peoria,” featuring “the stories of a few of the people who make [Peoria] so special.” Mayor Carlat says that the program is “a chance to hear directly from the people who impact our community every single day,” adding that “as your mayor, I wanted to give residents a chance to hear my story, too.” And thatshe does, in her piece for Peoria Times. http://bit.ly/2Dv8xrk
Four finalists interviewed for Goodyear city manager position. The four who remain in contention for the position (out of fifty-eight who applied) are: Peoria Deputy City Manager Julie Arendall; Surprise Assistant City Manager Nicole Lance; Joseph Lessard, the senior planning director for Knudson LP, Texas; and David Richert, a principal with Richert and Associates…” More about the finalists in their mini-bios at West Valley View. http://bit.ly/2G4r1MZ
