Tucson Development News

[VirtualTucson]

image hosted on flickr


This is my one week concept idea of building the “Heart of Tucson. Tucson’s new arts district and cultural center. Anyway its just an idea to consolidate all of Tucson arts business, Tucson marketing businesses, publishing and other city promotional offices into one kewl central district located on the edge of downtown, this would also create the so called critical mass in the downtown Tucson that everyone and their mother its looking for. If you build it they will come.

I'm also going to be writting more text to go with the Graphic on this site. Which will give more detail on Friday.

http://www.virtualtucsonmagazine.com...sdistrict.html

What do you think?

PS The city council is voting soon (August 8th) on Building a 15 story hotel parking lots and and 150 new condos on part of this site which I learned on the last day I was working on my design. Oh just stab me in the heart! Whats left of Tucson Arts District in this area will be gone.

[Jim856796]

What will happen to the old arena one the new desert tortoise-shaped arena at the Convention Centre is completed?

[kaneui]

^After the new arena is finished, the current arena will be converted to additional exhibit hall space for TCC.

(See post #406 on this SSP thread: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...=87835&page=17)

[IRepTucson]

Wow, are there actually more people from Tucson visiting this site? I had no idea. What a pleasant surprise!
Anyway, this is my first time seeing the SkyscraperPage website. Does anyone know where more of the Tucsonan members visit? SSC or SSP?

[SouthernEuropean]

Originally Posted by Parzival

There is a lot of hot chicks in the malls u can hit on. Downtown is really small. The city bearly have any apartments, just houses. but I like it!

cheers a bit late though

[ABQist]

Found this on Hunt's website. Hope it gets done. As a resident of ABQ -- a SW competing city of Tucson, I think this would be great for both cities. For many years ABQ's manana attitude leaders build things too late, too small, if at all. There has been talk here about Tucson gaining the upper hand on the convention business, by the looks of it, there seems to be some truth to the rumor! Hopefully, this will inspire some folks over here to get with it and actually do something. We have a great DT arena/hotel project on the drawing board but need some motivation to get it in the ground. This might be just the thing! Good luck Tucson, hope to hear some progress reports on this in the near future.

image hosted on flickr

[kaneui]

^Considering the current economic environment, don't hold your breath on this one. If a new convention center hotel does get built, it will probably be scaled back from this proposed 30-story tower with 700+ rooms. However, it probably will be the next "skyscraper" built in downtown Tucson. (The city council is awaiting a new feasibility report on the hotel, which is expected before the end of the year.)

For a current list of Tucson development projects, check out this SSP post that I update regularly: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...&postcount=788.

[soup or man]

A much needed Tucson update:

Originally Posted by kaneui

METRO TUCSON DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
(as of January, 2009)

NOTE: projects are listed in order of projected completion date; Rio Nuevo projects are grouped together.


Under Construction

Rio Nuevo

Mercado San Agustin - retail (public market)
Completion: early 2009


(photo: Tucson Artisan Builders)




Depot Plaza – 1.3 acres, 5-story low-income apartment bldg, 6-story market-rate apartments
Completion of $13.6M underground parking garage: June, 2009


(photo: Xavier Gallegos)




Tucson Origins Heritage Park - $55M, 34 acres (Mission San Agustin, Mission Gardens, underground garage)
Ongoing excavation work; begin garage in March, 2009


(renders: Arizona Daily Star; photo: Lloyd Construction)



Mercado District of Menlo Park – 13 acres, residential
22 of 99 homes completed (ongoing)


(photo: Tucson Artisan Builders)




Elsewhere

4th Ave. underpass - $26M
Completion: April, 2009


(render: Tucson Citizen)



Target Fulfillment Center - 100 acres, 975k s.f., SE side (I-10 & Rita Rd.)
Completion: Spring, 2009



Sanofi-Aventis Tucson Research Center (Oro Valley) - $49M, 11.5-acres, 110k s.f. research lab
Completion: June, 2009 (Leed Silver certification)



Ritz-Carlton Resort/Residences, Dove Mountain (Marana) - $500M, 850-acres, 4-story resort/golf course/residences (resort: $276M; residential: $220M)
Hotel completion: August, 2009


(render: T.L. Roof & Assoc.; photo: Tucson Citizen)



Tucson Fire Dept. headquarters - $38.5M, Cushing St. and Granada Ave.
Completion: September, 2009



U of A Student Recreation Center expansion - $27.5M, 55k s.f.
Completion: November, 2009 - LEED Silver Certification


(render: University of Arizona)



I-10 Widening - $200M, 6 miles between Prince Rd. and 29th St.
Completion: December, 2009


(photo: Kiewit/ADOT)



Diamond Children’s Medical Center - $116M, , 218k s.f., 6 stories
Completion: January, 2010


(photo: Kitchell)




Approved

Rio Nuevo


Clark St. freeway underpass - $9M
Status: funded with Dec., 2008 city bond; completion: 2010?



UA Science Center/Arizona State Museum - $130M, 203k s.f. complex w/IMAX theater, planetarium
Status: final design stage; begin: late 2009; completion: before Feb., 2012


(render: Rafael Vinoly Architects)



Arizona Historical Society Museum - $80M
Status: architect selected; begin: 4th qtr. 2009; completion: before Feb., 2012



Tucson Convention Center expansion - $100M, 70k s.f. of new exhibition space
Status: begin after 2010 gem show; completion: 2012


(render: City of Tucson)



Sheraton Tucson Convention Center hotel - $150M, 525 rooms, 25-28 stories. Developer: Garfield Traub
Status: final design approval: May, 2009; begin after 2010 gem show; completion: 2012


(photo: Nicholas Smith)



Tucson Arena - $130M, 12,500 seats; Congress St. & I-10 (design/build construction)
Status: operator, design/build team selection - Feb. 2009; begin after 2010 gem show; completion: Fall, 2012



14-acre Mercado District parcel - $300M mixed-use (400 residential units, 125-room hotel, 170k s.f. commercial, retail) Developer: Gadsden Co.
Status: 5-6 year buildout; first of eight parcel purchases required by Apr. 2009


(renders: The Gadsden Co.)



Tucson Children’s Museum - $22M
Status: $1.2M for design funded by 2008 city bond



Cushing St. extension and bridge - $10M
Status: $1.6M for design funded by 2008 city bond


(render: Tucson Citizen)



Elsewhere

U of A Bioscience Park hotel - $23M, 123 rooms/conf. center
Status: begin – June, 2009; completion: Sept., 2010



New streetcar line - $162M, 4-mile, 19-station line from UA Medical Center to Mercado District
Status: received $25M in fed. funds Dec. 2008; begin: 2009; completion: late 2011


(photo/render: City of Tucson)



U of A - Sixth Street Residence Halls - $159M, 350k s.f. in numerous 4- to 6-story buildings with 1,066 beds at two sites
Status: construction document phase


(renders: University of Arizona)



Barraza-Aviation Parkway completion - $85M for final mile to I-10
Status: possible start in 2011


(photo: Tucson Citizen)



*For additional transportation projects - see RTA website for details: http://www.rtamobility.com/index.php...376&Itemid=200




Proposed

Rio Nuevo

Monier Brick Yard – 250k s.f., 3-stories mixed-use (62 condos above ground-floor commercial/retail) Developer: Gadsden Co.
Status: expected completion: end of 2011?


(render: The Gadsden Co.)



Elsewhere

The Flats at Julian Drew Block - $10M condo conversion, 53 units
Status: awaiting city approval; possible completion by end of 2009


(render: Rob Paulus)



301 W. Paseo Redondo (former Presidio Terrace site) – 30-80 apartment units
Status: city to select RFP by April, 2009



U of A Bioscience Park - 66 acres, 3.1M s.f., mixed-use (32 bldgs.--office, research labs, residential, hotel/conf. ctr. (see above), parking), S.Kino Pkwy. & E. 36th St.
Status: infrastructure to be ready by Jan., 2010


(renders: University of Arizona)



County/City Courthouse - $120M, 330k s.f., 9 stories; Stone & Alameda
Status: awaiting funding


(render: Tucson Citizen)




On Hold

44 Broadway - 6 stories, $13M adaptive re-use of courthouse for 30 luxury lofts
Status: construction halted Sep. 2008; needs $8M additional financing


(render: 44broadway.com)



The Post - $14M mixed-use (6 stories, 45 condos over ground floor retail/office)
Status: delayed numerous times; developer seeking construction financing


(render: Bourn Partners)



El Mirador - $100M mixed-use (12, 10 and 6 stories, 220-room hotel, 140 condos, brew pub)
Status: developer Town West paying penalties to delay site purchase until June, 2010; completion required by 2013


(render: Town West)



Santa Rita Hotel - $40M hotel redevelopment (7 stories, 114 hotel rooms, 99 condos, retail/restaurant)
Status: awaiting improved market conditions


(render: HSL Properties)



Recently Completed


One North Fifth - $8M public housing renovation to 96 market-rate apartments & retail (first phase of Depot Plaza project) Developer: Williams & Dame


(render: Rob Paulus)

[soup or man]

Updates:

Originally Posted by kaneui

The latest TCC Sheraton render seems fairly "standard issue" for a convention center hotel, albeit with a few twists:



The proposed downtown hotel design combines glass, metal and masonry.
(render: DLR Group)


TCC hotel design has twin appeal
by TEYA VITU
Tucson Citizen
01.24.2009

The look of the new hotel for the Tucson Convention Center will have a twin personality. Brown masonry and stone will dominate the south-facing wall to ward off the harsh sun and heat. Glass and metal will make up the north-facing wall to "offer different reflective qualities during the course of the day," Rio Nuevo director Greg Shelko said. The public is invited to view and comment on the designs from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at the second public design forum for the roughly 25-story, 525 to 550-room Sheraton hotel that will be built alongside the TCC, 260 S. Church Ave. The forum will take place in the TCC Grand Lobby on the center's Granada Avenue side. "We want to get some feedback for the design direction we're taking," Shelko said. "We want to make the public feel like they are part of the process."

At a design forum in December, the public pushed the design team to be bold, creative and make sure the feel of Tucson is incorporated in the design. The forum is hosted by Garfield Traub Development, the developer of the hotel; Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, which owns the Sheraton brand; Turner Construction; Sundt Construction; and the DLR Group, the architecture firm designing the hotel. A third design forum will come in March and Shelko wants to get City Council approval for the designs in April. Schematic design, construction design and financing work for the estimated $150 million hotel will fill the rest of the year, with the intention to start construction in spring 2010, Shelko said.

additional information
IF YOU GO
What: Public forum on design of downtown hotel
When: 5-7 p.m. Monday
Where: Grand Lobby of the Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave.

The new Sun Tran buses ditch the familiar
yellow and red scheme for blue and silver.
(photo: Nicholas Smith)



$8.2M transit plan aims to attract riders with new colors
By Nicholas Smith
Inside Tucson Business
January 23, 2009

In less than a month, anyone walking or driving anywhere in the Tucson region will be able to see local leaders’ multimillion dollar effort to reshape the public transit. On Feb. 16, new blue-and-silver painted Sun Tran buses and vans will begin to appear. It starts with 47 new models, priced at $391,000 each, will hit the streets, That day Sun Tran will retire 28 older vehicles so the net gain will be 19 for a fleet of 219. Some of the current buses in the fleet have been running since the late 1980s.

The upgrades to the regional transit system will cost $8.2 million and will show up in services stretching from Marana to Green Valley and westward to Ajo. “All modes are interconnected for seamless travel throughout the region,” said Oro Valley Mayor Paul Loomis, who also chairs the county’s Regional Transportation Authority. “We are all connecting all the dots.” In 2006, voters approved a 20-year, $2.1 billion plan from the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), which, which among other things, will raise money from a half-cent per dollar sales tax to revamp the mass transit system.

The most noticeable change will be the new color scheme and logo. Gone will be the red and yellow Sun Tran “sun logo,” replaced with a yellow sun silhouette that will be co-branded for the different modes of transportation. The Sun Tran rebranding will include new signs and bus stops, at a cost of $2.9 million. While some may criticize that price Gary Hayes, executive director of the RTA, says it’s justified to provide a cheaper means of travel in this down economic time.

Beyond the rebranding, the intent is to develop a region-wide seamless transit system. Sun Tran will continue to operate its busses but will be joined by new services, including:

• Sun Express — Larger buses that be used on longer commute routes to outlying areas.

• Sun Van — The new name for what is current Van Tran, providing services for disabled people who need to travel beyond the fixed bus routes.

• Sun Connect — This will be a van service operating on rural routes.

• Sun RideShare — Renamed version of the existing carpool program already being used by local employers.

• Sun(?) — A trolley service operating from downtown Tucson to the University of Arizona. (The real name will be determined by a community contest.)

Tying these together will be a single “smart card” fare payment system set to debut in 2010. “The real concept isn’t Sun Tran and Van Tran, it’s connecting the outlying areas,” said Hayes. When the plan is complete, it be possible for someone to travel seamlessly to any of 12 communities and municipalities within the region. The real test for the new plan will come if riders trade in their cars for the new system. For the coming fiscal year, transportation officials expect a ridership of 25 million along 28,000 route miles traveled each day. “Ridership of Sun Tran went up when gas prices went up,” Hayes said, adding that as prices went back down, the ridership seemed to maintain its levels. He hopes to gain the discretionary riders who own cars, but chose the new system to save time and money.[/QUOTE]

Originally Posted by kaneui

At the beginning of this economically precarious new year, Tucson is plowing ahead with a multitude of Rio Nuevo projects, most of which are wholly dependent on the successful sale of additional bonds and the legislature's continued support of its TIF status. If the largest of these proposals move forward as planned, the changes to the downtown landscape by the end of 2012 will be enormous: an expanded convention center, a new convention center hotel, arena, and streetcar line; various housing projects, as well as numerous new cultural amenities.

But is most of it really doable or even feasible? Given Rio Nuevo's history, the naysayers are already declaring it dead in the water. In any case, events over the next several months will undoubtedly determine downtown's redevelopment momentum for years to come.





Large-scale Rio Nuevo work under way
Several big projects finally getting under way

by TEYA VITU
Tucson Citizen
01.26.2009

A 180-foot-tall crane rose out of the downtown Depot Plaza garage hole Dec. 29 serving as a beacon for the expected start this year of several large-scale Rio Nuevo and private sector construction projects. The crane came a bit late for City Councilwoman Nina Trasoff, but its appearance is symbolic beyond the garage work it's supporting. "It took a year longer than I hoped," Trasoff said. "The crane represents such major progress (downtown). It represents that it is happening."

"Our ability to do anything is driven by everybody's ability to get money," Rio Nuevo director Greg Shelko said. Rio Nuevo ended last year with an $80 million infusion of revenue bond funding that will be used for several of the above projects. The city will shop for possibly $370 million more in bond funds through 2014 to largely fund Rio Nuevo projects at Tucson Origins and around the Tucson Convention Center, but Shelko said it is unknown how easy it will be to get future bonds or generate enough sales tax revenue to repay them. "We're still in the midst of economic crisis," he said.

Construction is set to start on the following projects in the coming months:
(See above map for corresponding number.)

1. Streetcar tracks should get installed in midsummer on Congress Street and Broadway from Fifth Avenue west to Granada Avenue, south on Granada and west on Cushing Street to the Interstate 10 construction site. This is a $139 million project to run a streetcar from University Medical Center to Congress Street west of Interstate 10. The streetcar work will be part of the $37 million infrastructure work set to start in May on Congress Street and Broadway to update utility lines under the street and move them out of the way of streetcar tracks.

2. Adobe bricks should start going up in May or June for Mission San Agustín at Tucson Origins, south of Congress Street on the West Side. The mission is the heart of Tucson Origins and also the primary attraction presented to voters in the 1999 election to create the Rio Nuevo Multipurpose Facilities District.

3. Construction should also start at the same time on the Tucson Origins garage for 300 vehicles just north of the mission. The hole for the garage was dug nearly two years ago to clear away a landfill.

4. Facade work should begin in a couple months on the four downtown buildings chosen to get city facade improvement matching funds to restore the historic look of pre-1948 buildings. The structures include the Rialto Block, 300-320 E. Congress St.; the Screening Room, 127 E. Congress St.; the building at Broadway and Scott Avenue; and Wig-O-Rama, 98-110 E. Congress St.

5. A new Martin Luther King Jr. Apartments for senior citizens and the disabled will be built directly behind the original MLK apartments, which is now called One North Fifth Apartments. Construction on the six-story, 68-unit MLK tower is set to start in June, as soon as the Depot Plaza underground garage is finished.

6. A new main entrance to the Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave., will be built on the east side of the structure in the fall to allow demolition of the covered entry to the grand lobby on TCC's west side. The TCC hotel will be built at the entry way on the west side.

7. The Gadsden Co. intends to start land development this year on the 14 acres between I-10 and the Mercado District with the first office building expected to go up in 2010.

8. Construction is set to start in the summer on the Cushing Street bridge across the Santa Cruz River. It will link the TCC area to Tucson Origins, and it will bring the streetcar to its western terminus.

"We think after a number of years getting things ready to go, we are ready to go," Mayor Bob Walkup said. "Between now and the (state) centennial (in 2012) we can get things done, or at least under way." Walkup joined a Jan. 8 tour of Rio Nuevo sites that city officials gave to the Tucson Citizen Editorial Board. The tour included the TCC, the Mercado District, the Scott Avenue streetscape work and the Historic Depot.

Work is under way on the following projects:

9. The Depot Plaza garage so far is a 30-foot deep hole between Toole Avenue and the Ronstadt Transit Center, but the 281-space garage should be finished in June.

10. Wall foundations are in the works for the Mission Gardens at Tucson Origins, and adobe walls should start going up this week near the Mission San Agustín site.

11. Scott Avenue is being torn up south of Congress Street to create a new streetscape that's more pedestrian friendly with better sidewalks, trees, benches and improved lighting. The new streetscape should be in place May 1.

12. The Fourth Avenue underpass should be finished in summer to once again provide a direct link between downtown and the Fourth Avenue shopping district.

13. A commercial street front was added to the One North Fifth Apartments late last year, and the coming months should see tenants named for the street frontage along Congress.

14. Mercado San Agustín is opening in the summer with a dozen local merchants at Congress Street and Avenida del Convento.

15. The Mercado District of Menlo Park has 26 luxury homes in place on a 100-lot tract south of Congress Street and west of I-10. The city's Community Service Department is in the process of building four affordable housing homes at Mercado District's north edge along Congress Street.

16. 2009 will be filled with design work for a new Tucson Arena, a TCC hotel and TCC expansion. Construction on the $300 million collection is slated to start in 2010.

[desertpunk]

I love the contrast of Tucson's understated cityscape as opposed to the showiness of Phoenix and Vegas. Tucson seems so much more sustainable and conscious of its surroundings which makes it one of the brightest stars in the west. The convention hotel tower, however, certainly adds some dazzle to Tucson and I hope it all comes together.


http://blog.aquadesign.net/2012/04/s...on-tucson.html

[Sentient Seas]

I lived in Tuscon for a little over a year back in 2000/2001, beautiful city, but it was just too hot for me there (came from Seattle originally), so had to move back up north (Oregon). Thanks for the information! It's nostalgic for me to read about Tuscon.

[soup or man]

Wow..a post in the Tucson thread. I've been in Tucson for a year (originally from Los Angeles) so you can imagine it took a minute to get adjusted. I really like Tucson. As one of the 3 core cities in the Southwest (Phoenix and Vegas being the other 2), I think Tucson is more 'authentic' than those two. It really feels like a much older city (manily because it is. It's older than the US ). I just hope that in the next few years that downtown Tucson will expand and revive itself. It's on the right path as I've seen a very large influx of activity along Congress in the year I've been here. Hopefully, that trend will continue. But downtown Tucson does need more residential in the core. Those empty lots near the Rialto and Hotel Congress are prime spots.

Anyway, time for an update. Quite a bit has changed. From SSP:

Originally Posted by kaneui

METRO TUCSON DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
LATEST UPDATE: November 10, 2009



DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

Rio Nuevo TIF District
Rio Nuevo is a Tax Increment Financing district approved by voters in 1999 to fund and support downtown Tucson revitalization. However, funds did not begin transferring to Rio Nuevo until 2003. Total funds received from the state through June 30, 2009: $65.46M

Currently, the only active projects partially or fully funded by Rio Nuevo are:

• Depot Plaza underground parking garage
• Downtown Infrastructure Improvement Project (preparation for new streetcar line)
• Tucson Convention Center expansion/parking garage
• new Sheraton Tucson Convention Center Hotel

http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/rionuevo, http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/projects.cfm, http://maps.tucsonaz.gov/downtown/pr...html?projID=12


(map: city of Tucson)



*NEW* Glenn Lyons/Downtown Tucson Partnership's proposed plan: Revitalizing Downtown Tucson: Building the New Pueblo


NOTE: projects are listed in order of projected completion date; downtown projects (including Rio Nuevo) are grouped together.




RECENTLY COMPLETED


November, 2009

64 E. Broadway (The Scott) - $500k façade restoration
Ground floor for restaurants/nightclubs, second floor for UA student business incubator offices
http://thescottbroadway.com/


(photo: Peach Properties)



October, 2009

127 E. Congress St. (The Screening Room) - $126k façade restoration, new theater marquee
http://www.azmac.org/scroom/


(photos: Downtown Tucsonan)



sanofi-aventis Tucson Research Center (Oro Valley) - $61M, 11.5 acres, 110k s.f. biomedical research lab and offices (LEED Gold certification)
http://www.dprinc.com/projects/phoen...?ProjectID=497


(photos: Randy Metcalf)



Tucson Fire Central headquarters (Cushing St. and Granada Ave.) - $36.4M, 67k s.f.
http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/pro...1B224CB12C70D8


(photos: city of Tucson)



September, 2009

I-10 Expansion - $200M freeway widening from 6 to 8 lanes for 6 miles between Prince Rd. and 29th St.; 7 bridges and underpasses replaced
http://www.i10tucsondistrict.com/29toP.html, http://166.89.65.101/ADOT_FreewayCameras/


Cushing St. underpass
(photos: lasertrimman)



August, 2009

New 4th Ave. underpass - $46M, designed for autos, streetcar/trolley, bicycles and pedestrians; completing final landscaping and public spaces
http://www.4thavenueunderpass.info/, http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/pro...A4E53E73442627


(photos: k m., Zocalo Tucson)




May, 2009

Monsignor Carrillo Placita (S. Pennington Ave., next to St. Augustine cathedral) - $1.3M outdoor event/performance plaza


(photos: Val Canez, James Gregg)



Scott Avenue improvements - $6.1M streetscape/infrastructure improvements from Broadway to 14th St. (Phase I - Downtown Infrastructure Improvement Project)
http://wheatscharf.com/projects/urba...-scott-avenue/


(photos: Downtown Tucson Partnership, A. E. Araiza, Joel S.)




UNDER CONSTRUCTION


DOWNTOWN

Mercado San Agustín (SWC Congress St. and Avenida del Convento) - $6.5M, 15k s.f. public market, retail, restaurant. Developer: The Gadsden Co.
Grand opening: November, 2009 (LEED Gold certification)
http://www.mercadosanagustin.com/




(render: The Gadsden Co.; photo: Mercado San Agustín)



Downtown Façade Improvement Program - five properties awarded $425k in matching city funds for historic façade restorations
Two properties completed: 127 E. Congress St. (The Screening Room), 64 E. Broadway (The Scott)

300-320 E. Congress St. (Rialto Block) - $500k project (original façade: 1919-1921)
Expected completion: January, 2010



11 S. Sixth St. (Beowulf Alley Theatre) - $65k project (original façade: 1915-1920)
http://www.beowulfalley.org/

(photo, render: Tucson Citizen)



111-121 E. Congress St. (W.A. Julian Bldg.--Zen Rock night club) - $160k project (original façade : 1908)
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=111633752358




Roy Place Building façade restoration (SEC Stone Ave. & Pennington St.) - $1M+ restoration of 1929 building owned by Pima County (former Walgreens)
Bid of $604k awarded for Phase II work; estimated completion: mid - 2010; possible use by UA School of Architecture
http://www.posterfrost.com/Project_L...servation.html


(photos: Lisa Beth Earle, Tucson Citizen, Downtown Tucson Partnership)



Depot Plaza (5th Ave., N. of Congress St.) – $45M, 1.3 acres: $14.4M 285-stall underground parking garage; $23M 6-story 68-unit MLK Apartments for elderly/disabled, 5-story market-rate apts.
Completion of underground parking garage - Jan. 2010; MLK Apts. - Nov. 2010; market-rate apts. to follow (LEED Silver certification)
http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/pro...560117E5B7AAF7, http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/pro...E2FE3CE799906A, http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/pro...BD67DD6D275644, http://www.transview.org/cams/LiveViews/east.htm




new MLK Apartments
(renders: Nelsen Partners; photo: city of Tucson)



Tucson Convention Center expansion - new east entry ($4.3M), 35k s.f. exhibition space, 25k s.f. meeting space ($35M); 1,160-space parking garage ($33M)
Construction schedule: east entry 10/09 - 2/10; exhibition/meeting space 5/10 - 6/12; parking garage 6/10 - 6/12
http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/pro...AB5A716F833585, http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/pro...AD6FC6A7F23590, http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/pro...B9B25FD738EDB4, http://transview.org/cams/LiveViews/west.htm

[
Site plan, construction of new east entrance



New east entry to include 5,500 s.f. lobby/registration area, 2 new escalators and elevator, enhanced 254-space parking lot with new lighting, curbing, and landscaping.





TCC expansion/hotel/parking garage renders looking north and east
(renders: DLR Group; photo: city of Tucson)




ELSEWHERE


Ritz-Carlton Resort & Residences, Dove Mountain (Marana) - $500M, 850 acres, 5-story, 252-room resort/golf course/residential (resort: $276M; residential: $220M)
Resort completion: November, 2009; opening date: Dec. 18, 2009
http://www.theresidencesdovemountain...-spa/index.php


(photos: Ritz-Carlton)



UA Student Recreation Center expansion (6th St. & Highland Ave.) - $27.5M, 55k s.f.
Completion: November, 2009 (LEED Silver certification)
http://www.fdc.arizona.edu/projects/...roject=05-8634




(render, webcam: University of Arizona)



University Medical Center tower/Diamond Children's Medical Center - $116M, , 218k s.f., 6 stories
Completion: 1st floor Emergency and Trauma Center, 2nd floor Intensive Care are open; remaining floors - early 2010
http://www.umcarizona.org/body.cfm?id=796


(renders: UMC)



UA - 6th St. Residence Halls (Tyndall Ave., Highland Ave.) - $159M, 350k s.f. in numerous 4- to 6-story buildings at two sites to house 1,088 undergrad students
Construction schedule: Tyndall site 5/09 - 2/11; Highland site 8/09 - 3/11
http://www.fdc.arizona.edu/projects/...roject=07-8770







(renders, webcams: University of Arizona)



UPH Kino Hospital additions (2800 E. Ajo Way) - $56M, two buildings: 3-story, 135k s.f. Behavioral Health Pavilion; 2-story, 66k s.f. Crisis Response Center
Construction schedule: 10/09 - 5/11
http://www.uph.org/Hospitals/Univers...6/Default.aspx, http://www.uph.org/Portals/0/masterplan.pdf


(renders: UPH)



Tucson Medical Center renovation (5301 E. Grant Rd.) - $120M, 5-year project: new pediatric center, new 3-story patient tower, preservation of historic structures, two 500-stall parking garages
Began construction of pediatric center, obstetrics center renovations - 11/09
https://www.tmcaz.com/TucsonMedicalCenter, https://www.tmcaz.com/files/TMC%20fo...0expansion.pdf


render of new pediatric center
(render: Hobbs + Black Architects)




APPROVED


DOWNTOWN

Downtown Infrastructure Improvement Project - Phase II (Congress St. from 5th Ave. to Church St.; Arizona Ave. from Congress to 12th St.) - $30-45M; streetscape improvements first, then infrastructure work in preparation for new streetcar line
Status: pre-construction services with Archer Western/Stantec; begin construction - fall, 2009



Tucson Museum of Contemporary Art (265 S. Church St.) - 19k s.f. adaptive re-use of existing Fire Dept. HQ to art museum
Status: projected move-in: early 2010
http://www.moca-tucson.org/kommerz/index.shtml, http://tv.azpm.org/kuat/segments/200...temporary-art/


(render: Wedge Studio)



Modern Streetcar (University Medical Center to Mercado District west of I-10) - $162M, 3.9 miles, 19 stations
Status: contractor chosen to build 7 streetcars for $26M; FTA approval to begin utility relocation, lay final tracks - Sept., 2009; begin service: early 2012
Funding sources: Pima County Regional Transportation Authority ($87M), Federal gov't. ($75M)
http://www.tucsontransitstudy.com/, http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/pro...2F29CBF9A9D531




Streetcar Maintenance Facility renderings
(maps, renders: City of Tucson)



Sheraton Tucson Convention Center Hotel - $167M, 26 stories, 274', 525 rooms, 35k s.f. meeting space. Developer: Garfield Traub; Design/build: DLR Group/Turner Construction
Status: awaiting final design, Rio Nuevo financing. Construction schedule: 3/10 - 6/12 (LEED Silver certification)
http://www.ci.tucson.az.us/rionuevo/...lAtAGlance.pdf, http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/pro...3F76A369AB144F


(render: DLR Group)



Cushing St. extension, bridge over Santa Cruz River - $10M; will accommodate western end of new streetcar line
Status: Seeking construction contract rebid. Construction timeline: mid 2010 - late 2011
http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/pro...79BEFBB61A1D6A



(photos: lasertrimman; render: city of Tucson)



Plaza Centro (Congress St. and 4th Ave.) - $30M mixed-use, 2.5 acres: 150 condos/apts. in three 4-story bldgs., 40k s.f. ground-flr. commercial, 375-stall pkg. garage
Developer: OasisTucson (Jim Campbell)
Status: city in design phase for $3M parking garage, developer to build residential/retail afterwards; estimated completion - 2016
http://www.oasistucson.com/, http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/pro...CA8433F2B11010




(renders: OasisTucson)



Convento District (SEC Congress St. and Avenida del Convento, west of I-10) - 14.3 acres, $300M mixed-use to include 400 residential units (35% as affordable or low-income), 125-room boutique hotel, additional commercial and retail. Developer: The Gadsden Co.
Status: seeking Phase I financing for 98 low-income housing units; Phases II - IV in planning and design phase; 5-6 year buildout
http://gadsdencompany.com/, http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/pro...B9DC4248A40A90


(renders: The Gadsden Co.)




ELSEWHERE

UA Arizona Bioscience Park (S. Kino Pkwy. & E. 36th St.) - 66 acres, 3.1M s.f., mixed-use, 32 bldgs. (part of The Bridges, a 350-acre mixed-use project)
Phase IA: 660k s.f., 12-story 300-room conference hotel, 26k s.f. conference center, 1,000-stall pkg. garage, 5-story 125k s.f. office bldg.
Status: $8.6M of Phase I of infrastructure out to bid - ready by December, 2010; begin Phase I: January, 2011
http://www.uatechpark.org/static/ind...p&contentID=72, http://www.fdc.arizona.edu/projects/...roject=10-8958


(renders: University of Arizona)



The Bridges (N. of I-10, btw. S. Park Ave. & Kino Parkway) - 350-acre mixed-use infill project: 2.4M s.f. commercial (Arizona Bioscience Park --see above), 1M s.f. retail center (Tucson Marketplace at The Bridges), 700 residential units by KB Homes/US Lennar Homes.
Status: Bioscience Park infrastructure ready by Dec. 2010; retail and residential components awaiting financing, improved economy
http://www.ci.tucson.az.us/planning/...dges%20PAD.pdf, http://www.tucsonmarketplaceatthebridges.com/


(map: University of Arizona)



UA Sports Facilities improvements - $378M for more than 12 projects over the next 20 years, including $82M for Arizona Stadium and $155M for McKale Center
Status: AZ Board of Regents approved Phase I of $82M for fiscal year 2011 - improvements to Arizona Stadium and McKale Center
http://www.fdc.arizona.edu/projects/...roject=09-8902



UA Environmental & Natural Resources Building - Phase 2 (NWC 6th St. & Fremont Ave.) - $68M, 111k s.f.
Status: currently in design phase; expected construction schedule: Jan. 2011 - June 2012
http://www.fdc.arizona.edu/projects/...roject=03-8526



Downtown Links project - $85M for multi-modal transportation 'links' between Barraza-Aviation Parkway and I-10, Broadway and the 4th Ave. shopping district, and Downtown and the neighborhoods to its north.
Status: currently in land-use planning phase, begin preliminary engineering - fall, 2009; start construction in 2011, completion by 2015
http://www.downtownlinks.info/


(map: Tucson Citizen)


*For additional transportation projects - see RTA website for details: http://www.rtamobility.com/index.php...376&Itemid=200




PROPOSED


DOWNTOWN

Monier Brickyard (Avenida del Convento, S. of Mercado San Agustín) – $35M, 3-story, 200k s.f. mixed-use (62 condos above 35k s.f. retail).
Developer: The Gadsden Co.
Status: awaiting financing, start of streetcar construction
http://gadsdencompany.com/index_pro_2a.html

(renders: SBBL Architecture)



The Flats at Julian Drew Block (Broadway and 5th Ave.) - $10M condo conversion, 53 units. Developer: Ross Rulney
Status: awaiting sufficient sales contracts, city approvals
http://www.theflatsdowntown.com/index.shtml

(renders: Rob Paulus)



UniSource (Tucson Electric Power) headquarters building (Broadway btw. Scott & 6th Ave. - former Santa Rita Hotel block) - $45M, six-story, 100k s.f. headquarters for 300+ employees; first-floor retail, parking garage, room for expansion
Status: pre-planning/design stage; expected completion by summer, 2012




ELSEWHERE

Passages of Tucson (Vail - N. side of I-10, btw. Colossal Cave Rd. & St. Rte. 83) 278-acre, mixed-use residential/commercial/retail community. Developer: Bob Hoffman
Status: pre-planning/permitting stages
http://www.passagesoftucson.com/


(render: Passages of Tucson)





ON HOLD


DOWNTOWN

Joint City/County Courts complex (Stone Ave. & Alameda St.) - $156M, 4.2 acres, 350k s.f. 9-story tower, 1,200-stall pkg. garage
Status: excavation of historic cemetery completed - 2008; seeking $80M additional funding
http://www.pima.gov/JointCourts/


(render: Tucson Citizen)


site excavation - Oct. 2007
(photo: Pima County)



Tucson Arena (Congress St. & I-10) - $130M, 12,500 seats
Status: awaiting further Rio Nuevo funding; Design/build team: 360 Architecture/Swaim Associates
http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/pro...250EA855A7E72B



UA Science Center/Arizona State Museum (Cushing St. and I-10) - $130M, 203k s.f. complex w/IMAX theater, planetarium
Status: in design stage--awaiting additional funding from U of A, Rio Nuevo
http://www.flandrau.org/rionuevo/


(render: Rafael Viñoly Architects)



Arizona Historical Society Museum - $80M, near proposed Cultural Plaza west of I-10
Status: to be designed by Fentress Architects; awaiting further Rio Nuevo funding
http://www.arizonahistoricalsociety.org/museums/



Tucson Children’s Museum - $22M, near proposed Cultural Plaza west of I-10
Status: awaiting Rio Nuevo funding
http://www.tucsonchildrensmuseum.org/



Tucson Origins Heritage Park (west of I-10) - $55M, 34 acres (Mission San Agustín, Mission Gardens, Cultural Plaza, underground parking garage)
Status: $20M spent for onsite landfill removal and soil excavation, construction of Mission Gardens wall; awaiting further Rio Nuevo funding
http://www.lloydconstruction.com/por...government.php, http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/pro...249E040D4A5076, http://dot.tucsonaz.gov/projects/pro...339C76A737EF96



(map: Tucson Citizen; render: Lloyd Construction)


unfinished Mission Gardens, excavated hole for underground parking garage
(photos: city of Tucson, Tucson Citizen)



The Post (Congress St. and Scott Ave.) - $14M mixed-use: 6 stories, 45 condos over ground floor retail/office
Status: construction delayed numerous times; developer Bourn Partners seeking financing, sales website removed


(render: Bourn Partners; photo: Tucson Citizen)



El Mirador (near 6th St. and Stone Ave.) - $100M mixed-use: 12, 10 and 6 stories, 220-room hotel, 140 condos, brew pub
Status: developer Town West paying penalties to delay site purchase until June, 2010; completion required by 2013


(render: Town West)




ELSEWHERE

The Shops at Tangerine (Marana) (NWC of I-10 & Tangerine Farms Rd.) 275 acres with 800k s.f. regional retail center, 90-acre auto mall. Developer: Westcor
Status: awaiting improved economy
http://www.shopsattangerine.com/



12,000-acre master-planned community - (southeast Tucson, on both sides of I-10) 30 to 40-year buildout, to eventually house 250k residents. Developer: Westcor
Status: awaiting improved economic conditions, sale of state lands

[soup or man]

"Big day for Tucson"
Tucson secures federal funding for streetcar project

Rhonda Bodfield Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Tucson will receive a $63 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to fund the city’s planned streetcar connecting the University of Arizona campus with downtown.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will be in Tucson Thursday morning at the Historic Train Depot to make the formal announcement about the stimulus fund grant, which will be used toward the cost of constructing the four-mile, $150 million project.

“This is a big day for Tucson and a big day for Arizona,” U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva said in a prepared statement. “There are few systems like this in the country, and Tucsonans are once again proud to be ahead of the curve.”

Grijalva said with 10 percent of Tucsonans living, working or going to school within walking distance of the streetcar, the investment “will be repaid several times over through increased transportation efficiency, expanded commercial access, pollution reduction and progress on Rio Nuevo. This is exactly the kind of project that shows why the Recovery Act was a vital step in rebuilding the economy.”

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ spokesman C.J. Karamargin said the congresswoman is pleased with the announcement. “It will bring jobs and economic development at a critical time when we need it most,” he said.

The streetcar would run from near the University Medical Center through downtown to the west side of the Santa Cruz River. The Regional Transportation Plan and tax approved by voters in 2006 included $88 million for it, with another $75 million to come from federal grants. Anything left after construction and equipment is paid for can be used to pay operating costs in the early years.

The city has already received $6 million in federal money for planning and design. It has spent $12.2 million on the project, and plans to spend another $13 million for a Cushing Street bridge to take the streetcar over the Santa Cruz.

City officials hope the streetcar line can be under construction later this year and be operational in 2012.

#1396
Old Yesterday, 06:27 AM
kaneui's Avatar
kaneui kaneui is offline
Reclaiming Paradise

Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 897

Even if it's not the full $75M requested, the Transportation Secretary's visit to Tucson practically guarantees that the city will get some federal stimulus funds for the planned streetcar line:


Transportation chief is coming here this week
LaHood may make announcement about funding streetcar line

by Rob O' Dell
Arizona Daily Star
February 16, 2010

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is scheduled to be in Tucson this week, where he is expected to make a major announcement, possibly about funding for the city's planned streetcar connecting the University of Arizona with downtown. The city applied for a federal grant - through stimulus funds - to build the rail line and has been expecting a response this week, perhaps as soon as today. LaHood has scheduled a press conference for Thursday morning at the Historic Train Depot, adjacent to recently completed Fourth Avenue Underpass, which was designed with the light rail line in mind.

Congressman Raúl Grijalva said he has no details about the visit other than that it involves a "major transportation initiative," but hopes it will result in funding for a major portion of the $150 million cost to build the four-mile rail line. "I'll be very gratified if that's what it is. It's something we've been working toward for three, nearly four years," Grijalva said. No city officials could be reached Monday. Offices were closed for Presidents Day. The four-mile modern streetcar would run from near the University Medical Center through downtown to the west side of the Santa Cruz River. The Regional Transportation Plan and tax approved by voters in 2006 included $88 million for it, with another $75 million to come from federal grants. Anything left after construction and equipment is paid for can be used to pay operating costs in the early years.

The city has already received $6 million in federal money for planning and design. It has spent $12.2 million on the project, and plans to spend another $13 million for a Cushing Street bridge to take the streetcar over the Santa Cruz. If the funding comes through, city officials hope the streetcar line can be under construction later this year and be operational in 2012. LaHood will be the second Cabinet-level figure Grijalva has brought to Tucson this week. This morning Labor Secretary Hilda Solis will appear at the Pima County One Stop Center to announce a major jobs program grant.

[soup or man]

(render: city of Tucson)


Here's quick background on Tucson's streetcar plan
City explains how it will be built, operate

by Rob O ' Dell
Arizona Daily Star
February 21, 2010

This week Tucson learned it will receive $63 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help build a $150 million, four-mile modern streetcar connecting downtown and the University of Arizona. With the money secured and the project on the verge of becoming reality, here are 10 things you might want to know, as answered by city transportation officials:

1. They call it the modern streetcar. What's the difference between this and Phoenix light rail?

The Tucson modern streetcar is a smaller vehicle that will operate by sharing the travel lane with automobiles. METRO light rail in Phoenix is a larger vehicle that usually operates as multicar trains in its own right-of-way. Both use ADA-compliant, low-floor vehicles and allow passengers to enter at the same level as the stop platform.

2. How much will it cost to ride?

The fare will be the same as local Sun Tran buses - to create a regional integrated fare policy. The city is working with the University of Arizona on a universal pass program, where students, faculty, and staff can ride the modern streetcar with their CAT card. The city will also be working with special events to have their admission tickets include streetcar rides for a minor surcharge.

3. Will city taxpayers have to subsidize the streetcar the way they do buses?

As with all transit systems, there will need to be a subsidy. Sun Tran is working to increase fare-box return through the use of "smart card" technology that will allow the system to recapture a higher percentage of operating costs.

4. Since Rio Nuevo is a beneficiary, will Rio Nuevo or the Regional Transportation Authority help cover any operating deficit?

The Tucson modern streetcar has not approached Rio Nuevo to help fund operations. RTA funds approved by voters for the streetcar include an estimated $13 million for operations. But the amount has not been determined because the city of Tucson currently has an application in process for a Federal Transit Administration grant for operations.

5. How fast will it go? How long will it take to run from one end to the other?

The modern streetcar will travel at speeds similar to buses. A travel forecast was done in 2008 projecting that it would take roughly 25-30 minutes to travel from one end to the other - University Medical Center to the area downtown west of the Santa Cruz River.

6. Does this mean residents and businesses along the line will face two years of traffic delays and disruption from the construction, à la Interstate 10?

No. Construction for the Tucson modern streetcar will be phased in sections, which will minimize disruption. Construction will be accompanied by extensive community outreach and education, and a business assistance program.

7. As long as they're tearing up the streets, are they going to get rid of those extended curbs and diagonal parking on Congress Street that is eating up a traffic lane so other vehicles have room to maneuver around the train?

No. The Tucson modern streetcar will be constructed in the left lane on Congress Street and will not require the addition of a third westbound traffic lane in place of the existing curb bulbs and angle parking on the north side of the street. Any decision regarding the number of lanes on Congress Street will be made outside of this project.

9. Will it stop at traffic lights? How often will it stop? How many trains will there be?

Yes. The Tucson modern streetcar will stop at traffic lights. Because it shares the travel lane with automobiles, it will follow all of the same traffic control devices. There will be seven modern streetcar vehicles.

10. What hours/time will it run? What kind of ridership is projected for Tucson's streetcar?

The current plan is for the modern streetcar to operate 20 hours per day (most likely from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.) with 10-minute frequency during the day and 20-minute frequency during the evening. The current ridership estimate for the Tucson modern streetcar is 3,600 boardings per day.

[Manitopiaaa]

Regardless of the recent news of the tragedy in Tucson, the city is doing very well and will overcome the temporary trauma and will become as prosperous and vibrant as ever. My condolences and well wishes to Tucson and all those who lost their lives or were injured in the senseless violence of January 8th.

[desertpunk]

Anything new in this burg?

image hosted on flickr

Downtown Tucson, AZ by Claus from Germany, on Flickr

[Gomoso]

Nope

[desertpunk]

Picor.com

February 8, 2012—New Downtown Tucson Office Building to House RTA Headquarters



The RTA, the biggest investor in the Tucson modern-streetcar project, is planning to move into a new, streetcar-oriented building downtown.

Robert Caylor Construction Co. is developing a six-story building at the northeast corner of Broadway and Stone Avenue. Caylor’s One East Broadway building will have parking, street-level retail, offices and 39 apartment units.

It will also have the taxpayer-funded Pima Association of Governments and Regional Transportation Authority as its main tenant. PAG and the RTA share space and staff.

Caylor, which specializes in urban infill developments, also owns 2 East Congress, the Chase Bank building next door. The design of the new building will complement the look of its historic neighbor but will be more modern, said owner Rob Caylor.

He said he hopes to start construction this fall, for the building to open around the same time as the modern streetcar late next year.

A streetcar stop will be across the street from the building, and that’s a major reason why PAG and the RTA want to move to the new building, said executive director Gary Hayes.

The RTA is the biggest investor in the streetcar project and wants to locate its offices directly on the streetcar line, he said.

For 25 years the PAG has leased space at the Transamerica building, a third of a mile north of the new site.

[...]

Here's a render of the new building:

AZStar

[desertpunk]

Armory Building

image hosted on flickr

20120119 Low Income Housing Construction in Tucson - New Armory Building by lasertrimman, on Flickr

This project provides independent senior housing in an urban location served by a new light rail streetcar line.

The project replaces an existing HUD 202 in downtown Tucson with a new tax credit financed senior apartment building. It will provide 143 one bedroom apartments which will be occupied by low income seniors from the original project. The site is west of downtown Tucson, in the Rio Nuevo Redevelopment District. With assistance from the City of Tucson, the building will provide the first major residential building for the new district. With its access to public transit, local markets, and nearby walking areas, the New Armory Building will provide a true model for urban residential living for low income seniors.The redevelopment district will meet LEED for Neighborhood Development standards, which will require the project to be LEED Silver.

image hosted on flickr

20120514 Santa Cruz River foot bridge construction and Low Income Housing Construction in Tucson - New Armory Building (2) by lasertrimman, on Flickr

[desertpunk]

Tucson March 22, 2012

image hosted on flickr

20120322 Tucson as seen from quarry by lasertrimman, on Flickr


St Mary's Hospital March 2012

image hosted on flickr

20120319 Saint Mary's Hospital by lasertrimman, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

20120319 Saint Mary's Hospital by lasertrimman, on Flickr