New Pavement Tech Could Cool Cities
By Brian P. D. Hannon for Associated Press Sunbathers understand the benefits of applying sunscreen, but in America’s hottest big city the same concept is being tested at street level in the hope of bringing some lasting relief from the relentless Arizona sun. A team from Arizona State University is working with the City of Phoenix on a pilot […]
Phoenix Office Market Outlook
Source: JLL Despite a sluggish first half of 2020, the Phoenix office market showed signs of growth during the third quarter, posting just over 300KSF of positive absorption. The Chandler submarket led the way in Q3 with over 176KSF of net gains coming from the finance and insurance sectors. The Tempe submarket was a close second experiencing more than 100KSF of […]
September LMS Delves into APDM Contracts
By Rebekah Morris for AZBEX On Wednesday, September 30th, 2020, more than 100 people logged on to the most recent Leading Market Series (LMS) event presented by BEX, which explored the topic of Alternative Project Delivery Methods (APDM) contract usage by public owners. Since 2000, HB2340 enabled the usage of APDM, including Design–Build, Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) and Job Order Contract (JOC). Given these new tools […]
Zoom Planning Phoenix-area R&D Facility
Source: Zoom Zoom has announced it will open two new research and development centers — one in the greater Phoenix area and one in Pittsburgh. Zoom will immediately begin recruiting software engineering talent in these areas. Employees will work from home until the offices are built and COVID-19-related isolation has abated, expected for fall 2020. While the company has not finalized […]
Preparing for Eventual Construction Downturn
By Rebekah Morris for AZBEX Business as usual will not last long. As Arizona construction projects continue for the most part, a near total economic shutdown is happening all around us. The abrupt economic shock is resulting in dramatic increases in unemployment and simultaneous record-setting federal government stimulus spending. At some point, economic contraction translates into less demand for construction. […]
Pandemic Complicates Scottsdale Bond Picture
By Wayne Schutsky for Scottsdale Progress As Scottsdale city leaders grapple with the financial implications of the coronavirus crisis, they also are weighing whether or not to delay infrastructure projects connected to the $319M bond approved by voters last November. The city has already approved some smaller bond projects — including some needed fire department expenditures — but was planning to spend the bulk of bond […]
Experts Tout a Hot Arizona Market at Forecast Event
By Peter Madrid for Institute of Real Estate Management Greater Phoenix Chapter The theme of the 13th Annual IREM-CCIM Economic Forecast was “The Real Scoop.” Judging by the comments of economists and industry panelists, the message that resonated was “Phoenix and Arizona are on fire.” “Last year we talked about being late in the game […]
Developments Planned for Downtown Mesa
By Alison Steinbach for The Arizona Republic A boutique hotel and an array of apartments — from one focused on sustainable living to another offering an ultra modern twist — are planned in downtown Mesa’s one square mile. The projects are energizing city leaders who have long sought to transform the downtown into a bustling, […]
Aiming to Elevate Construction Education at ASU
Source: Arizona State University Associate Professor Jim Ernzen found his professional passion more than 23 years ago when he began teaching construction management at Arizona State University. What he realized even then is how much learning students need beyond classroom instruction to get a complete education and a solid jump-start on their careers. Especially vital […]
Redev. RFP Issued for Downtown Regency Garage
By Tasha Anderson for AZBEX The City of Phoenix has issued a Request for Proposals for a firm to redevelop the Regency Parking Garage site at 40 N 2nd Street, downtown. The 41.2KSF site currently houses the Regency Parking Garage, a multi-story structure with commercial space on the ground floor that provides parking for the […]