New High-Rise Hotel Gets Green Light in Tucson

The new $167-million hotel will serve as a centerpiece for Tucson’s downtown redevelopment.

Tucson City Council Approves Downtown Hotel

As part of the city’s revitalization efforts, the Tucson City Council voted unanimously to proceed with the development of a $167 million headquarters hotel. The development team consists of DLR Group, architecture and engineering; national developer Garfield Traub; and design-builders Turner Construction and Sundt Construction. Sheraton, Starwood Hotels and Resorts largest and most global brand, was selected for the 525-room full service hotel, slated to open in 2012.

“Our design concept is grounded in nature, balancing rock, water and light to form a signature building true to the Tucson desert, culture and city,” says Gary Worthy, principal and designer with DLR Group.

Tucson’s new hotel will feature a bar and lobby lounge, spa and fitness center, café, outdoor pool deck, business center, a 1,160-space parking structure and 36,000 sq ft of meeting and ballroom space. In addition to a new headquarters hotel, work includes a 55,000-sq-ft exhibit hall and meeting space expansion of the existing adjacent convention center. The expanded convention center and hotel will allow for additional conventions and events to spur development.

Phoenix Children’s Hospital Tops off New Tower

The Phoenix Children’s Hospital was recently topped off in downtown Phoenix by steel fabricator and contractor Schuff Steel Co. and general contractor Kitchell. (Photo courtesy Schuff Steel)

Schuff Steel Co. and Kitchell, the general contractor for the new 11-story patient tower at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, placed the highest steel beams on the structure’s roof and completed steel erection.

“Steel erection has proceeded without a hitch and has moved more quickly than expected,” says Russ Korcuska, project director for Kitchell.

Schuff started erecting steel on the hospital expansion in February. The project includes over 6,000 tons of structural steel and more than 765,000 sq ft of steel decking.

Jim Madden, senior project manager for Schuff Steel, credits significant up-front planning and the talents of the 70 ironworkers in the field for the accelerated steel erection.

Schuff planned the structure in two major portions: the 11-story tower and the adjacent low rise. “Steel ordering, detailing and fabrication were sequenced to support the expedited erection plan,” Madden says. “This plan utilized a two-crane scenario until erection of the low rise was completed.” The balance was then erected with a single crane, allowing earlier floor and roof access to other trades.

Stantec Awarded Water Pipeline Project

Stantec was awarded the Grand Canyon West Water System project to provide professional engineering design services for 30 mi of water pipeline. The water system is being upgraded to provide improved quantity and quality of water delivered from the groundwater supply near Peach Springs, Ariz. Design is expected to be complete by late summer with construction projected to begin in the fall of 2009.

The Grand Canyon West community encompasses 9,000 acres of land set aside for tribal housing and commercial development on the Hualapai Indian Reservation near the Grand Canyon. The community has historically struggled with obtaining a sufficient and reliable water supply from limited sources. Stantec will prepare plans to install an underground six-inch polyurethane pipe that will deliver additional water capacity with reduced risk of contaminants and reduce reliance on water transportation by truck.

Architect Programs St. Johns Historic Renovation

The city of St. Johns has hired [merz]project architecture + interiors + urban design to conduct a feasibility study, cost analysis and design of one of the city’s oldest buildings.

The recently donated Historical Patterson Automotive Building is a 70 year-old adobe and wood truss structure that is centrally located, making it prime for the vibrant downtown environment city officials hope to create. Despite its unique superstructure, the building has experienced extensive weather infiltration and dilapidation over its lifetime. This prompted a feasibility study of the structure to determine if a renovation would prove to be more cost-effective than building new at the edge of town.

“After review of the comparative cost analysis and the potential catalyst opportunity that the historical building represented, we determined it was the optimal decision,” says Joe Herzog, director of architecture for [merz]project.

The Patterson Automotive Building is planned to house the new City Hall. Upon completion, all functions of the city administration, council chambers and community rooms will be located in the building. Additionally, the masterplan of the site allows for relocation of the city police force and a future public works facility.

A to Z Equipment Expands in East Valley

A to Z Equipment Rentals and Sales has broken ground on a major expansion to its Gilbert location.

The new facility will include a 55,000-sq-ft building with one drive-thru lane, and a 30,000-sq-ft breezeway with three additional drive-thru lanes which allow customers to drive into the building to pick up or drop off equipment.

The expansion will house a large sales and rental equipment showroom, warehousing, offices, equipment service and storage areas. The company’s executive and administrative offices will be moving from Phoenix to the new Gilbert building, as well as the purchasing and shipping/receiving departments once the building opens in May.

The architect is Barbes, Bidanjiri & Associates and Colton Constructors Inc. is the general contractor.

When asked why he chose to begin a very significant expansion in the current recession, Matricardi says “We have been planning this for five years and we ran out of room about two years ago. Now we have a building permit, the financing is secured, we can find subcontractors anxious to go to work and costs are lower. We will need this expansion desperately once the economy recovers, and at that time we would have a difficult time trying to do it.”

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