JE Dunn Proceeds with Three Sizeable Projects

JE Dunn Construction of Phoenix will construct phases two and three of Westgate City Center. Phase two is estimated to break ground this summer.

Westgate City Center, Phase II and III, Phoenix, Ariz.

Phases II and III, estimated at $240 million, will encompass residential and retail aspects, including two 11-story condominium towers with 280 units, two office buildings, retail and multiple parking garages.

The project will open in phases, with the office and retail components expected in 2009 followed by the initial condos in 2011.

JE Dunn has also completed steel erection of the Lone Butte Casino. The project is located on Kyrene Rd. and Loop 202 and is being constructed under a design/build agreement for the Gila River Indian Community.

Designed by Seattle-based Group West Architects, the 120,000-sq-ft casino will feature a unique interior courtyard with outdoor awnings and custom water features, as well as a lounge/bar, two restaurants, a snack bar and food court.

The Lone Butte Casino project is expected to be completed this fall.

Finally, JE Dunn is underway on a major border crossing project along the Arizona/Mexico border in San Luis. The firm will construct a new commercial land port of entry between the U.S. and Mexico, the San Luis II Commercial Border Crossing, approximately five miles east of the existing port of entry.

Construction will include an administrative building and parking facilities. At 80-acres, the San Luis facility will service a variety of commercial functions including border inspections, hazardous material isolation, export inspection and x-raying of cargo.

The $30 million project is expected to be completed in early 2009.

Terracon Consultants, Inc. was retained by Stantec Consulting and Archer Western to provide geotechnical engineering evaluation for the Design Build infrastructure improvement to make way for streetcars in downtown Tucson. The project will include upgrading utility lines, some centuries old, and relocating them out of the street car route.

Terracon was also retained by Michael Baker, Jr. Inc. to provided geotechnical exploration and related design services for vehicle barrier fences and access roads along the U.S./Mexico border near Douglas and Nogales.

DeBartolo Development broke ground on its first project in Arizona: the first phase of the 114-acre Mountain Vista Marketplace in Mesa.

The mixed-use project adds restaurants, retail, entertainment and employment to the area. >>

The first phase of the 114-acre mixed-use Mountain Vista Marketplace opens spring 2009. The project is at the northwest corner of Signal Butte and US Route 60 and will have a SuperTarget as its anchor.

When complete, Mountain Vista Marketplace will be a 1.3 million-sq-ft mixed-use development constructed in two phases that includes 700,000 sq ft of retail, 384 upscale apartment residences at The District and two national-brand hotels.

Mortenson Breaks Ground on ASU Sports Facility

Mortenson Construction broke ground on Arizona State University’s Weatherup Center, a practice facility for men’s and woman’s basketball.

The 50,000-sq-ft facility is scheduled for completion in April 2009. It will include two practice basketball courts, a cardio room, storage, equipment, laundry and locker rooms, coaches’ offices, and film review rooms. The ASU Weatherup Center, the first facility to be built as part of ASU Athletics’ new master plan, will be located near the Sun Devil’s Farrington Stadium on the north part of campus in Tempe.

The $12.7 million project is the first proposed ASU athletic facility to pursue LEED silver.

Irgens Development Partners, LLC Closes on Land in Tempe

Irgens Development Partners LLC closed on the purchase of 1.75 acres of land located on the north bank of Tempe Town Lake in Tempe.

Irgens plans to develop a ‘cutting edge’ Class A office building where tenants and visitors will have the ease of a parking structure integrated within the office building in addition to convenient surface parking directly adjacent to the building’s entry. The design will consist of post-tensioned concrete construction with pre-cast, glass and synthetic plaster exterior and will include sun shades and exterior balconies.

Plans Unveiled for Phoenix Children’s Hospital Expansion

Phoenix Children’s Hospital unveiled plans and renderings of its $588 million, multi-year expansion at the Thomas Road campus.

Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix, Ariz.

Designed by HKS Architects, the plan includes a new 770,000-sq-ft patient and ambulatory tower, a main entry boulevard and circle drive, a central plant and three parking structures.

The addition of a new patient and ambulatory tower with all private rooms allows more privacy for families and patients during their hospital stay.

While construction on the new patient tower is underway, the existing tower will be remodeled. The entire expansion began construction in December 2007 with an estimated completion of 2012.

Estrella Continues to Boom despite Downturn

Newland Communities has purchased approximately 3,000 more acres for its master-planned development Estrella in Goodyear. The acquisition price for the land was $51.3 million or about $17,000 per acre. Development of the recently purchased land will provide room for Newland to expand community services and future plans for the expansion of the Estrella community.

"For Newland, this is a long-term land acquisition as we plan to develop Estrella for the next approximate 25 years," says Robert McLeod, chairman and chief executive officer of Newland Communities. "For the long-term, the Phoenix market is forecasted to continue with strong population and job growth."

Pinnacle West Forecasts $10 Billion in Energy Infrastructure Work…

Pinnacle West Capital Corp. chairman Bill Post told shareholders at the company’s annual meeting held in Phoenix that the firm will need to expand its electrical system by more than 50% over the next 12 years to meet Arizona’s future energy needs,.

"As vital as electricity has been in Arizona, it will likely be more so in the future," Post says. "Our principal subsidiary, Arizona Public Service (APS), will add customers at or near the fastest rate of any utility in the country. As a result, we will invest $10 billion in electric infrastructure over the next 10 years to provide the basic energy needs of Arizona."

However, Post says the specifics of how the company builds and pays for this future are not fully realized. "We know our plan will focus on cleaner, more sustainable technologies. To this end, we’re rapidly increasing our use of renewable energy resources."

…While AIC Forecasts $500 Billion for all Infrastructure

To keep pace with the Arizona’s projected explosive population growth over the next quarter of a century, the state will need to invest a half-trillion dollars in energy, water, transportation and telecommunications, according to a major infrastructure study released by the Arizona Investment Council (AIC). Between 2008 and 2032, the projected change in Arizona’s population is 4.2 million, a 65% increase.

The bulk of the money, $311 billion, would be needed for improving Arizona’s transportation network, with up to 83% for roadways and highways. The rest would cover airways and mass transit.

Another large expense is water according to the AIC, with in excess of $109 billion needed on water and wastewater infrastructure. Current funding sources will fall some $30 billion short of what is necessary.

Ace Asphalt a Healthy Choice for Algodón Medical

Ace Asphalt of Arizona has teamed up with McShane Construction Corp. to help bring a greater healthcare presence to the expanding West Valley’s 101 employment corridor.

The Algodón Medical Office Park is a 145-acre healthcare campus located on the northeast corner of the Loop 101/Agua Fria Freeway at Thomas Road. Algodón Medical Office Park will also contain hotel and retail components and is part of the larger Algodón Center, a 1,000-acre master-planned business and commerce park under development by John F. Long Properties.

Ace Asphalt has been contracted to construct the infrastructure for Phase I of the project, which consists of 60 acres. Their project is scheduled to be completed by September.

Ace Asphalt has also been contracted to perform the grading and paving of the 101 Medical Office Center, the office park’s first initial development.

During construction, Ace Asphalt will install approximately 15,000 tons of aggregate base course and 11,400 tons of asphalt.

$15 Million Project Completed for Scottsdale Church

The team of architect BCDM Barduson, general contractor Rowland Companies and interior design firm BAI interiors completed the newly renovated Scottsdale Bible Church South – Family Ministries Campus. The $15 million dollar addition includes 3 new buildings with15,000 sq ft of new space: a children’s ministry building, called the “Treehouse”, a nursery/ preschool building, two new” themed” playgrounds and a new student ministries building. A pedestrian ‘main street’ anchors the campus and creates an outdoor mall environment that will host many special events.

BAI, in conjunction with Todd and Assoc., Inc was also recently awarded the contract for interior services for the new Mission del Sol Worship Center in Tempe. The project will be designed with a focus on sustainability and green design principles.

O'Connor House Project Announced for Tempe Papago Park

The adobe home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and John O'Connor will be moved from Paradise Valley and relocated to Papago Park in Tempe where it will be ready for use in the spring of 2009. It will serve as a center for civic discourse concerning issues affecting Arizona. The project was spearheaded by Barbara Barrett and Gay Wray who learned that the house was going to be demolished and wanted to preserve this piece of Arizona history. They launched the O'Connor House project, which is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations. Mayor Hugh Hallman and the Tempe City Council offered to have the house relocated to Papago Park in Tempe, a major urban open space in the metropolitan area. "We feel this house, with its many stories to tell, belongs in this park, adjacent to the Arizona Historical Society Museum. The mud for the adobes was quarried in Tempe. We are delighted to welcome this house-home," said the Tempe Mayor.

Justice O'Connor grew up in an adobe house on the Lazy-B Ranch in southeastern Arizona and felt that adobe was the best choice for the house she and her husband John wanted to build. They hired D.K. Taylor as the architect and purchased adobe bricks from George Ellis, whose daughter Janie Ellis is in charge of moving the house. During construction, Sandra O'Connor helped smooth the adobe mud and they sprayed it with skim milk to seal the exterior walls. According to Ellis, the roof will be moved in several sections and the house will be reassembled block-by-block on the new site.

Sundt Wins another SkySong Project

Sundt Construction Inc. has been awarded a $15 million contract to build a six-level, 945-space parking garage for SkySong, the Arizona State University Scottsdale Innovation Center.  The project is scheduled for completion in August.  Todd & Associates, Inc. is the architect.

In October, Sundt completed the first SkySong structure, a four-story, 151,000-sq-ft retail and office building, which is fully occupied. A second, similar structure is under construction by Sundt and scheduled for completion this spring.  In addition, Sundt crews constructed all infrastructure, landscape and site features for the 37-acre development.

To submit New Mexico, Arizona or Nevada news items or press releases, email the editor at scott_blair@mcgraw-hill.com.