Ryan Companies and Sunbelt Holdings, co-developers of Marina Heights, have announced new retail, public open space and art amenities at the 20-acre development on Tempe Town Lake. Home to State Farm’s regional hub, the 2 million square foot development has been under construction since August 2013.
Matt’s Big Breakfast, a well-known local restaurant of Food Network fame, will open in late fall, following the opening of Starbuck’s Coffee and Café 450, a cafeteria-concept operated by Compass, a food service company that provides over 4 billion meals a year around the world. All are open to the public.
Joining the retail tenants in early 2017 will be two new healthcare and wellness amenities, also open to the public. HonorHealth will feature a 5,700-square-foot medical clinic with radiology capabilities as well as primary care facilities. Mountainside Fitness, the largest locally owned health club chain in Arizona, will locate in a two-story, 17,000-square-foot space with lake views. One 7,000-square-foot retail building overlooking Tempe Town Lake is still available for lease for one or two restaurant users.
Construction of four of the five office buildings at Marina Heights is complete and the fifth building will be completed first quarter of 2017.
The developers have integrated almost 10 acres of landscaped areas and open space for Marina Heights’ tenants and the general public. Along Tempe Town Lake are grass areas and walking paths with ample space for recreation activities. Central Park, a large green area located on the west end of the development, is complete and The Commons, located at the east end of the development, will be complete in December, comprising nearly an acre of turf adjacent to the Town Lake Park.
The Arizona Room, a pedestrian plaza located on Rio Salado Parkway in the center of the development, is also complete and includes fountains, seating areas and plants unique to the Sonoran Desert, including Ironwood and Joshua trees and Agave, Golden Barrel, Ocotillo, Organ Pipe, Purple Prickly Pear, Saguaro and Totem Pole cactuses.
The first phase of the proposed Tempe Streetcar will terminate immediately south of the Arizona Room on Rio Salado Parkway, providing a signalized pedestrian connection from the Streetcar stop to the development.
In addition to the retail amenities and new public spaces, a significant investment in public art is being made by the Marina Heights developers to be enjoyed by State Farm employees and the general public.
The art, which was curated by the ASU Art Museum under the direction of Gordon Knox and Greg Esser, includes three pieces, chosen from over 450 submissions, to be installed within the project. The pieces include: Theater of the Wind, created by internationally-recognized sculptor Ilan Averbuck, 1000 Cranes, a sculpture created by local artist John Tuomisto-Bell and Stream, created by Spanish sculptor Juanjo Novella.
