New Events Center Planned for Yuma

The new 6,000-seat arena is by the same developer that brought similar centers to Prescott Valley, Ariz. and Rio Rancho, N.M. last year.

Global Entertainment Plans New Multi-Purpose Events Center in Yuma

Global Entertainment Corp. has begun work on a proposed 6,000-fixed-seat multi-purpose events center for the city of Yuma. The facility is projected to have 22 luxury suites, 2 club suites, restaurants and lounges.

Five other Global Entertainment subsidiaries will participate in the development that includes design, opening, managing and marketing the events center. International Coliseums Co. heads the design and construction phase. The Western Professional Hockey League d/b/a the Central Hockey League will award a hockey franchise to serve as the center’s primary tenant. Encore Facility Management will engage in a multi-year agreement to manage the building.

The facility’s projected opening is autumn 2009.

Amazon to Open New Fulfillment Center in Phoenix

Amazon.com Inc. announced plans to open a new fulfillment center operated by Amazon.com.azdc Inc. in Phoenix, during the third quarter. The new facility will be approximately 600,000 sq ft, making it one of the larger Amazon fulfillment centers in North America. The new facility will create up to 300 full-time positions this year, with an additional 1,000 - 1,300 temporary jobs during the 2007 holiday season. The facility, located at 6835 Buckeye Road in Phoenix, will fulfill orders for products from Amazon’s media categories, which include books, DVD, music and software.

Fabricator Underway on Several Steel Bridge Projects

Phoenix-based steel fabricator Arizona Structure Technologies is putting the finishing touches on a $97,000 pedestrian bridge and preparing to ship the 45,000-lb metal giant to its home on the east side of I-19 and south of Calle de Ensayado, just north of the intersection of Duval Mine Road in Green Valley. The 120-ft-long by 9-ft-wide bridge is one of many improvements being completed for the Santa Cruz Meadows, which is being constructed in the Town of Sahuarita in Pima County.

Tucson Land LLC is the general contractor and developer. The civil engineer is Stantec Consulting while the structural engineer is Tempe-based Homsi & Associates.

As part of a separate $470,000 contract, Arizona Structure Technologies will build the Rio Vista New River Pedestrian Bridge in Peoria. The bridge, which is being fabricated for the project’s general contractor Haydon Building Corp, will span approximately 300 ft and weigh in at more than 220,000 lbs.

The firm also recently completed a city of Tucson-commissioned bridge that was shipped in four sections for installation at the Euclid and Park Avenues overpass. Granite Construction Co. is the general contractor for the $1 million pedestrian/bicycle bridge project, which contains 300,000 lbs of structural steel, expanded metal and artistic panels along its 125-ft length and 8-ft width. 

Designers Selected for ASU ISTB IV

HDR Architecture Inc. and Steven Ehrlich Architects have been selected as the design team for the new Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building IV on the Tempe campus of Arizona State University. The ISTB IV building is planned as a 250,000-sq-ft structure comprised of high technology research, laboratory and office space. Planning efforts indicate an estimated project cost of $140 million.

When completed, the facility will house researchers, faculty and staff for the School of Earth and Science Exploration, as well as program areas including Synthetic Chemistry, Environmental Engineering, and Energy Research initiatives. As research will be conducted at the nano-scale, the facility will be designed to accommodate sophisticated and high-technology equipment sensitive to vibration and EMI impacts.

The ISTB IV is a fast track design and construction project. It is estimated for completion in early 2010. The university will seek a LEED Silver certification. 

Mortenson to Construct New Spring Training Facility

Mortenson Construction will team up with the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers and the city of Glendale to bring the next two-team Major League Baseball facility to the Valley. The Chandler firm was selected as the construction manager-at-risk and their preconstruction services agreement was approved for the $80 million project.

Mortenson will begin construction on the spring training facility this month. Home to the White Sox and the Dodgers, the 15,000-capacity stadium is planned to open for the 2009 Major League Baseball spring training season. Located at Camelback Road and 107th Avenue, the facility also will include 14 practice fields and two, 42,000-sq-ft clubhouses.

NAU Chooses GLHN to Design Infrastructure Upgrades

Northern Arizona University has selected GLHN Architects & Engineers Inc. of Tucson to provide professional design services for a new $20 million Infrastructure Upgrades Project, slated for completion in December. The project will provide utility extensions, including reclaimed water, storm drains and chilled water, to south, east and north campus perimeters.

GLHN has worked at NAU almost continuously since 1983 and has developed utility master plans for both north and south campuses. In addition, the firm has designed a number of campus infrastructure expansion projects and several significant building renovations. GLHN is the architect and engineer of record on the South Campus Central Plant and related infrastructure.

Crescent Crown Distributing Purchases 60 Acres in Surprise Pointe

Colliers International announced the sale of 60 acres for $11.2 million in Surprise by Keshvar LLC of Los Angeles to Crescent Crown Distributing LLC of New Orleans. The property is located at the southwest corner of Dysart and Waddell Roads within Surprise Pointe, a 290-acre master planned development with industrial, office and retail uses.

Crescent Crown will initially build a 150,000-sq-ft distribution building on the site and will employ approximately 250 people. Over the next 10 years, Crescent plans to expand their operations, eventually employing close to 500 people. Infrastructure for the Surprise Pointe development is slated for completion in late 2007.

Loan Secured for Stadium Village in Surprise

Scripps Investments & Loans, a private lender in La Jolla, Calif., arranged $10.85 million in financing to Bell Retail A & B LLC for the acquisition & development of Stadium Village, a 17.07 acre neighborhood retail project in Surprise.

The borrower intends to develop the property as a 95,600-sq-ft neighborhood retail center with a 30,000-sq-ft health club and a 3.69 acre hotel pad. Stadium Village is anchored by the Surprise Stadium, which serves as the Cactus League Spring Training home for the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers.

Highway Pioneer William A. Pulice Dies

William A. “Bill” Pulice, a prominent Arizona highway contractor, died on Aug. 11 of lung cancer. He was 82. Pulice established William Pulice Concrete Construction (today called Pulice Construction Inc.) in 1957. The Phoenix-based, privately-owned firm is one of the state’s largest highway contractors responsible for such high profile projects as the Red Mountain, Piestewa Peak, and Pima freeways, among others.

Bill Pulice was one of 10 children of an immigrant Italian West Virginia coal miner. He served in the military and later moved to Phoenix in 1948, launching a concrete construction business specializing in residential curbs, gutters and sidewalks. By the early 1960s, with assistance from brothers Tony, Joe, and Jim, he expanded into grading, paving, and structural concrete work and began competing for Arizona Highway Department (later Arizona Department of Transportation) projects.

In 1969, the firm incorporated as Pulice Construction, Inc. and over the next decade leadership transferred to Bill’s elder son, W. Ronald “Ron” Pulice who today remains company chairman and CEO. But Bill remained active in the business until his death, serving as director/secretary.

“Bill was a great leader who inspired people with his work ethic and passion for the job,” says Stephen Basila, Pulice president and COO.  “He loved the guys in the field, and became restless sitting in an office.”

Bill Pulice served as president of the Associated General Contractors, Arizona Chapter, in 1971 and 1981, and was active in the Catholic Church and several charities. He is survived by wife, Edith; two sons, Ron and Greg, as well as grandchildren and great grandchildren.

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