Developer Announces Five Retail Projects

Glimcher Ventures Southwest (GVSW) has announced five new projects under various stages of development, in addition to the $250 million Parke West project which recently broke ground in the West Valley.

The Scottsdale-based company is extending its developing to Flagstaff with the $20 million Woodlands Village. This project, opening first quarter 2006, is intended to unite luxury shopping with the Flagstaff lifestyle. Woodlands Village is designed to be a pedestrian-friendly shopping center close to Northern Arizona University and the Forest Highlands area. Confirmed tenants include T.G.I. Friday's, Anytime Fitness, eBay, Beauty Express by >> Regis, Business Partners, Dip N Dots, E.B. Games, Merle Norman and Rosati's Pizza of Chicago.

Also in the first quarter of 2006, GVSW will open The Shops on Warner, a $12.5 million project located on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Warner roads. The Shops on Warner will bring boutique, urban retail to Gilbert with tenants such as Lifetime Fitness, Club Del Sol, Buried Treasures, Planet Juice, Run AZ and others.

The Shops at Palm Valley, located in Goodyear, is a $4 million out-parcel of a JC
Penney and Lowes center that will open fourth quarter 2006. An unnamed $140 million mixed-use project, located in Mesa at the US-60 and Loop 202, will combine shops, restaurants, offices and a movie theater combining over 300,000 sq. ft. of space. GVSW is also bringing Saddle Ranch, the famed western restaurant and bar out of Los Angeles, to Old Town Scottsdale, expected to open fourth quarter 2006.

ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center Breaks Ground

Developers broke ground on the SkySong project on 37 acres of the former Los Arcos Mall site. The project, also known as the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, is a 1.2-million-sq-ft mixed-use project intended to create a world-class "assembly point" for knowledge/technology businesses where innovation, technology and business can interact.

The project features a tencile structure with a series of swooping conical frames stretched with transparent mesh fabric and 125-ft. tall sail-like support masts. The project's lead architect is Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. Higgins Development Partners and The Plaza Companies are co-developers of the project in collaboration with the ASU Foundation and the City of Scottsdale with USAA Real Estate Company as financial partner.

Phase I and II of the project consists of approximately 300,000 sq. ft. of office, research and retail space. The perimeter of the entire site and all the interior surface parking areas will be densely landscaped during phase I. The site plan has interior circulation created through intersecting carriageways, allowing vehicular traffic to move within the project.

Long-term plans call for all phases of construction to be completed over the next ten years.

Graycor To Build Sunrise Assisted Living Center

Sunrise Development, Inc. recently awarded Graycor Construction the contract for Sunrise Assisted Living of Chandler, a new senior living facility to be located approximately 15 minutes southeast of Phoenix. Graycor broke ground on the project early in January and expects to reach final completion in late 2006. Work includes constructing three single-story buildings totaling 56,700-sq-ft. The assisted living facility will house 75 units.

Graycor Construction also recently relocated its Tempe office to a larger space at 668 N 44th St in Phoenix to accommodate it's growing Phoenix-based staff. The company's southwestern regional office was previously operated by Capital Construction, which was acquired by Graycor in 2002.