The Dealmaker is a daily note of the day’s top real estate stories served just in time for lunch. Bon Appetit! Subscribe here to receive the Dealmaker to your inbox
Commission approves 3-year capital plan for Johnson Utilities. “Officials said repairs, spread over most all of the JU facilities, will be in excess of $100 million. But exactly who ultimately is responsible for footing the bill was left undecided.” Flo Reminder. http://bit.ly/2O7zvuO
Valley real estate consultant unveils app loaded with residential data. The app’s got “lot sizes, floor plan details, base prices, incentive details and sales rate” info, and covers “more than 500 active communities” as well as projects in the pipeline. More about this cool new RE data app recently launched by RE consultantJim Belfiore, in PBJ. (Subscriber Content). http://bit.ly/2YgP33j
Queen Creek’s first hotel breaks ground, housing permits hit record. A rundown of the Hampton Inn project and its impact serves as the lead-in for data on single-family permitting activity, as well as for info on an RFP “currently open” for a “nearly eight-acre site” in QC’s “downtown core.” AZRE. http://bit.ly/2SxuA50
West Valley city wants more solar, green building designs at apartment developments. Avondale City Council will hear an update today on a new draft multifamily design manual that would include new recommended design and zoning benchmarks for new apartment developments. In RLGR, reporter Mike Sunnucks previews some of those recommendations. http://bit.ly/2Oalw7C
What’s in a name? Avondale looks to find out for its City Center area. The aim is to attract more development, tourism, dining and entertainment to the area off Avondale Blvd. near I-10 and Van Buren. So what names are in the mix as possibilities? Speed over to Mike Sunnucks’ report in RLGR to find out! http://bit.ly/2JKamlD
Thousands of new homes, retail planned on edge of metro Tucson’s SW side. “Developers are planning thousands of new homes next to Ryan Airfield, near Ajo Way and Valencia Road — the farthest west that can be built out in Pima County before bumping up to state trust land.” Daily Star. http://bit.ly/2Yaz5nk
THE PLAT THICKENS –Planning Commission tables intricate lot-split vote. PV town planners have tabled a vote on a “preliminary plat and conditional use permit application” from Cullum Homes “for a two-lot subdivision with a private road” on N. Ironwood. Find out in PVI what’s behind the delay and why Rod Cullum says “waiting” isn’t the hardest part. http://bit.ly/2ObxNJ2
Lenders bullish on Phoenix construction. “A few years ago, securing construction debt was a challenge in Phoenix, but today, lenders are actively chasing deals.” Scott Meredith of George Smith talks with GlobeSt. about this current state of “capital activity in the market.” (via RED News) http://bit.ly/2M78Awy
Here are the construction trends to watch in Arizona. Justin Martin, Corbins Electric; Lorraine Bergman, Caliente Construction; Kimberly Davids, Weitz;Justin Dent, McCarthy; Marc Kinseth, Sun Mechanical Contracting. “These Arizona Builders Alliance leaders provided some of their expertise to AZREMagazine on what issues they are facing and how they are keeping up with the rapid pace of growth in Arizona.” http://bit.ly/2YiscVa
CG mayor updates EDGE on economic development in region. “We’ve started moving dirt on the Lucid project so that’s a big, big deal,” said Casa Grande Mayor Craig McFarland at the Economic Development Group of Eloy luncheon. And that wasn’t the only project update Mayor McFarland shared at last week’s gathering.Eloy Enterprise. http://bit.ly/2M4nXWx
For The Best Scottsdale seeing strong financial backing. Curious how fundraising efforts are coming along so far for the pro-bond For The Best Scottsdale Campaign: Vote Yes on Questions 1, 2, and 3? Scottsdale Independent has a breakdown. http://bit.ly/2StKH3B
Tom Fannin — we’ve lost a legend. “He was the former owner of Fannin Realty,” which “ultimately evolved into today’s Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.” In Scottsdale Independent, real estate agent Gary Shapiro remembers his “friend and mentor” Tom Fannin with a few of the ”countless life lessons he demonstrated and taught.” http://bit.ly/2y4GrOG
Cameron’s $5M + deals of the day – http://bit.ly/2SClCna
As a supplement to the Dealmaker, we thought you might enjoy these articles!
When the law says using marijuana Is O.K., but the boss disagrees; ‘should be treated same as any other medicine,’ says Rose Law Group Partner and Cannabis Dept. Director, Laura Bianchi.NYT looks at how “acceptance of marijuana use… has forced lawmakers and employers to grapple with how to adapt.” • Laura Bianchi tells RLGR: “Legal consumption of cannabis for medical reasons should be treated the same as any other medicine prescribed to a patient. Unfortunately, the protections for these patients varies greatly state by state.” Tap to Laura’s full comment for info on protections afforded cannabis patients in Arizona. http://bit.ly/2Z5gKt5
Commissioners press Don Brandt with questions. “[U]tility regulators ratcheted up their demand for answers from the head of [APS with] sharp queries about how the utility handled the case of a 72-year-old Sun City West woman who was found dead in her home last year after the company cut off her power.” A CMS/Howard Fischer report in AZ Cap Times. http://bit.ly/2LAl5kG
Despite high hopes, self-driving cars are ‘way in the future.’ “Ford and other companies say the industry overestimated the arrival of autonomous vehicles, which still struggle to anticipate what other drivers and pedestrians will do.”NYT. http://bit.ly/2GmNoPC
Face-aging app rejuvenates old privacy questions. ICYMI: “A viral photo-filter app that lets people see older versions of themselves is highlighting concerns about handing personal information to overseas-developed apps, as well as any app that has vague privacy policies.” Axios. http://bit.ly/32Jqrje
Tranquility Base, Arizona: The astronauts’ moon training ground. “All 24 men who flew to the moon with the Apollo program trained in the rugged canyons, craters and lava fields near Flagstaff.” The Guardian. http://bit.ly/2GnOXwE
Nixon’s secret speech written in case the moon landing failed. “IN THE EVENT OF A MOON DISASTER.” That was the tittle of a speech written by William Safire, an address President Richard Nixon was set to deliver “if there was an accident that left the astronauts stranded.” A fascinating what-if read. Check it out atKFYI. http://bit.ly/2StFQzi
