Florence OK’s GPA for Sports Complex

By Richard Dyer for Independent Newsmedia  A massive planned sports-oriented complex north of Florence will be adjacent to the future North-South Corridor connecting U.S. Highway 60 in Apache Junction to Interstate 10 in Eloy.  The Town Council recently voted to approve amending the 2020 General Plan to change the land-use designation on approximately 357 acres in two […]

RLB: Phoenix Crane Count is Up

Source: Rider Levett Bucknall  International property and construction consultancy firm Rider Levett Bucknall has released its latest RLB Crane Index and Quarterly Cost Report. Together, the two documents provide an insightful look at the North American construction industry in 14 key markets.  “The pandemic-induced recession is going to have far-reaching effects,” said Julian Anderson, FRICS, president of RLB North America. “Lenders are less likely to support large new developments […]

Construction Output Drops Significantly

Source: Associated Builders and Contractors  The U.S. economy contracted at an annualized rate of 32.9 percent during the second quarter of 2020, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Nonresidential and residential fixed investment contracted by 27.0 and 38.7 percent, respectively, while investment in nonresidential fixed structures contracted by […]

Francisco Grande Plans Major Expansion

By Suzanne Adams-Ockrassa for Casa Grande Dispatch  The Francisco Grande resort has big plans to expand in the next few years.  The Casa Grande Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of a plan by Francisco Grande to develop a mix of residential, commercial, hospitality, open space, office space and recreational campus space on its 663-acre property near Montgomery Road and […]

Hawkins Plans Multifamily Mixed-use for S. SDLE

By Tasha Anderson for AZBEX  Plans for a new residential mixed-use development to be located at 7000 E. McDowell Road have recently been submitted to the City of Scottsdale.  National real estate development firm, Hawkins Companies is requesting a zoning district map amendment from Highway Commercial to Planned Unit Development zoning, in order to develop the four-story project called Southdale, […]

Infrastructure Spending Drives Strong Q4

Source: Marcum LLP The Marcum Commercial Construction Index for the fourth quarter of 2019 reports healthy levels of construction spending, in large part due to the ongoing strength in infrastructure-related categories. Nonresidential construction spending stood at an annualized rate of $779.6B in December 2019, down 1.2 percent from the previous month but up 4.4 percent year-over-year. The […]

Light Rail Anniversary Casts Light on Area Growth

By Roland Murphy for Arizona Builder’s Exchange Despite ongoing challenges and concerns in various parts of the Valley, the economic growth generated as a byproduct of the Light Rail’s introductions and various expansions have proven impossible to deny. Valley Metro last week released, “Building Communities and Enhancing Lives: A Quality of Life Report,” detailing the […]

Nearly 400KSF Mixed-Use Proposed in Tucson

By Roland Murphy for Arizona Builder’s Exchange A nearly 60-year-old, 152-unit apartment complex near the gateway to the University of Arizona main campus in Tucson would make way for a residential/hospitality/retail mixed-use development under a proposal currently before the city Zoning Examiner. Property International submitted the request on behalf of property owners Shenkarow Realty Advisors […]

Land Sales Accelerated in 1st Half

By Roland Murphy for Arizona Builder’s Exchange While pricing trends have been mixed, Phoenix area land sales in the first half of 2017 have accelerated, according to a Colliers International in Greater Phoenix report. Land parcel sales rose 11 percent from the second half of 2016, and transactions jumped 50 percent from the first half […]