REVISITING EASY STREET
Butte Development is revisiting plans for the $90M mixed-use project Easy Street near Cave Creek and Tom Darlington roads. The project includes 80 luxury condos and approximately 50k SF of retail and commercial space. Butte is working closely with the Phoenix Art Museum and the town of Carefree to consider a 10K SF satellite museum at the project. Current discussions include an exhibit schedule that rotates seven times per year and a 1,500 SF multipurpose community center. The project would be built in two phases. If negotiations with the Phoenix Art Museum and the town of Carefree are successful, Butte hopes to break ground on the south phase of the project by year-end. Phoenix-based Ryan Companies is the general contractor, and Kendle Design Collaborative in Scottsdale is the design architect.

CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF
LGE Design Build completed a 67K SF tenant improvement and renovation project for Air Transport Components in Gilbert. Renovations included the addition of 8KSF of office space strategically located at the building atrium feature, adding significant airline and power distribution, retrofitting all restrooms, adding a new break room, adding a new roof, all new lighting, all new flooring, all new insulation, and exterior modifications including paint, parking lot re-seal, and landscaping.

UPSCALE DINING
Ideation Design Group remodeled Arizona Mills mall’s 40KSF food court in Tempe. The $4M project launched in spring 2013 and was completed in March. IDG used local material, recycled projects and Arizona companies to execute features, including porcelain tile flooring with a whitewashed and black-washed wood plank feel, stacked stone and wood accents, as well as banquette seating, silk plants and custom lighting. The developer was Simon Property Group, the general contractor was Verde Building Corporation and contractors included MWM.

SOLAR FLAIR
McCarthy Building Companies completed the install of Hyder II solar plant for Arizona Public Service. The plant is on 240 acres in eastern Yuma County and uses 71,000 single-axis tracking photovoltaic panels to generate 14 megawatts of solar energy. This is enough to serve 3,500 homes.

RENOVATIONS ON ICE
The Ice Den in Chandler, recently purchased by Coyotes Ice, will close for a $3M renovation process. The project will include bringing the building up to code as well as work on the roof and subfloor. The rink will re-open this summer.

UPDATING HISTORY
CSM Lodging plans to renovate the historic Professional Building at Central Avenue and Monroe Street into a modern hotel. The building, which originally opened in 1932, has a budget of $40M for renovations, which will include 165 guest rooms on 12 floors, a 5K SF meeting space, 1,300 SF fitness center and 8K SF of retail along Central Avenue. The project is expected to bring about 100 construction jobs to Phoenix.