By K. Robert Wendel

Contractors have restarted work on the Riverview at Rio Salado in Tempe, an upscale, high-end residential apartment complex that once was in the way of the Arizona Cardinals Stadium.

When the Cardinals were planning to build their new football stadium in Tempe, they also were negotiating the purchase of the 13-acre Riverview site. However, the Federal Aviation Administration ultimately shot down the Cardinal's plans, sending the team to Glendale and leaving contractors free to move forward on the $40 million project.

The upscale residential project features 466 units ranging from 700 to 1,200 -sq. -ft. and sitting on a concrete podium above a 524-space parking garage. The wood-framed structure, which is framed with 2-in. by 6-in. studs, will have four levels above grade and a half level below grade for parking. Surface parking is also available.

"All of the units here are going to have a resort-type atmosphere," said Evan David, project manager for Hardison Downey Construction Inc., the general contractor on the job. "They are offering beverage service, towel services and full-office amenities for residents."

The project is owned by Trillium Development.

Contractors are erecting four buildings on the site, which is split in two by Center Parkway. An elaborate walking and bike path is planned to connect the two sites, which sit near the banks of Tempe Town Lake. Architects are taking the design vocabulary from nearby commercial buildings and modifying it to fit a residential project.

"What we are trying to achieve is related to the context around the project," said architect Darin Schoolmeester of Irvine, Calif.-based McLarand Vasquez Emsiek and Partners. "Some of the contemporary flavor that this project will have is related to the commercial office environment already established there, but the scaling of the elements and the detailing gives it the residential flavor."

All of the apartments are clustered around central courtyards that will be lushly landscaped with extensive water features and planters in the open sky area. The central design allowed site planners to line the site perimeter with parking to create a pedestrian-friendly experience.

Many of the units on the top level will be constructed as loft apartments, with a unit mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments throughout the rest of the buildings. Architects went with a variety of exterior finishes, including stucco, masonry and decorative metals.

Two pools and a spa are planned, as is a clubhouse with a movie theater seating 20 and a large workout facility.

"There's a very extensive landscaping package with a lot of mature trees and hardscape detailing," said Mark Swartz, a principal with E Group Landscaping. "This is kind of an urban project because there is so much more density as far as garden apartments go."

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