The Scottsdale thread

[loftguy]

Just that I still love what's up in Old Town!

You should take a little tour MJLO! -From The Valley Ho and the Residences on Main over to Loloma 5 through Main Street, through Old Town, by the Waterfront area, hang a right on Camelback to see where the W Hotel is coming- and then Safari Drive and Camelview along Scottsdale road.

-Just trying to make you a fan!

[shrek05]

Heh, I will answer a few of your statements below,

That's kind of how it feels when they don't support a metro line, and refuse to make themselves a walkable community. Of all places you'd think that a place that comes off as pretentious would want a light rail corridor, it would do wonders for the "image".

The light rail/metro line wouldn't work for most of Scottsdale. The only area that it might work is Old Town Scottsdale, connecting maybe as far south as Sky Song to as north as Fashion Square. This is the only area of Scottsdale that could sustain multiple stops. The rest of scottsdale is too spread out. If you have been to northern scottsdale, almost every house is at least 1 acre lot. Near Shea where Paradise Valley and Scottsdale are basically one entity, the houses are spread out even further. Furthermore, everyone in Scottsdale owns a car so the light rail would most likely be unused. There are other reasons including funding, etc but a light rail would mostly be left unused in Scottsdale.

My Question about Scottsdale, is what is the long term plan for the city? Do they have one? Are they happy enough walling themselves off from the rest of the valley and pretending like we dont exist.

I don't really understand what you mean by long term plan. But right now the focus is on downtown/old town Scottsdale. As you can see in old town, it is getting pretty dense with the W Scottsdale Residences, Scottsale Waterfront, Optima Camelview, Safari Drive, the new Ritz Carlton residences that will break ground in 2007. Valley Ho is also building residencies and unlike metro Phoenix, Scottsdale's condo market is not falling. Kierland is now constructing a second condo tower because the loft demand is so high.

Similarly, one of Scottsdale's biggest industries is tourism. Greater Phoenix sees something like 16 million tourists a year. Scottsdale alone sees over 7.5 million tourists (2005). The hotel industry is big, just dive along Scottsdale Road from Indian School to the 101 you wil count a plethora of hotels. Because it is such a tourist spot, Scottsdale has almost everything the rest of the valley has to offer. This might be why you see scottsdale "separated/segregated" from the rest of the valley. WHen growing up in scottsdale, there was little need to actually leave scottsdale. the only place i would go was to Mill Avenue or maybe Biltmore region (but most people in scottsdale dont realy consider that phoenix). Whether you want to shop, dine, club, bar-hop, horseback ride, hot ballooning over the valley, salt-river tubing, gambling at casinos, golfing, paintball, watever, scottsdale ofers all of these activities.

Of course there comes with cons where most scottsdale residents have never been elsewhere in phoenix. but it just shows scottsdale has everything to offer.

Right on Joel, I consider you an expert of the valley, especially when put next to me. One thing about Scottsdale that I could not stand was the disengenuousness of it's residents. Talk about a bunch of upper middle class suburbanites trying to pass for Rich!

Well, scottsdale does have its handful of the extreme rich. In the last study of ranking counties by millionaires, maricopa had the 4th highest number (maybe third), and a great majority of them reside in paradise valley/scottsdale. Though it comes with negativities such as a snobbish attitude, and over-flaunting of money among adolescents (my sister's friend handed out Murakami LV purses as a parting gift for attending her bat mitzvah), it has its plusses. Real estate is high (pv and scottsdale are the 9th and 10th biggest luxury home markets in the nation, at homes valued over $1 million), and the school district is the best in the state. Looking at AIMS test scores, SAT averages among schools, and college acceptances, scottsdale school districts excel.

-And the gym's (especially LA Fitness on Scottsdale rd and McDowell) are a social event- girls wear makeup...

Try the Village in Gainey Ranch. Its where Steve Nash and Vince Vaughn work out. THe housewives there go to the gym in high heels and change into "gym shoes" in the changing room. Sometimes I wonder why they go to the gym at all. Taking tai-chi or acrobatic classes seems to be popular nowadays

But right now, Scottsdale's biggest developments are along the 101. Near Cold Stone's headquarters, many of Phoenix's Fortune 1000 companies are moving their offices there. THere are also three large life-style centers breaking ground from scottsdale road and 101 to 101 and 56th

[loftguy]

Shrek05 well said...

My brother is a teacher in Scottsdale and my sister is a teacher in Phoenix. My brother gets annoyed by the fact that his students respond to him with, "My psychiatrist told me that this isn't my fault, I have ADD and a hyperactivity disorder."

My sister gets annoyed because one of her students came to school with a gun or that she has to hear complaints of abusive parents.

-I don't mean to lump every sector of Phoenix into one hat either... And I am a HUGE fan of Phoenix as well- Madison school district is one of the best in the State if not the best...

I am only making a point that sometimes living in a city of pretentious, conceted attitudes is better than living near violence and crime...

[MJLO]

shrek,

could you help keep us updated on Scottsdale construction projects?

you certainly know your Scottsdale.

[shrek05]

Id be happy to. Here is a compiled list by combusean.

SCOTTSDALE PROJECTS - REVISED 07/04/2006

Project Name Height Acres DU* C Sqft Total Status

1. ASU Skysong 4f 42 325 ? 1.2M 1st O/R phases U/C, apts approved, 07/2006

2. IPC Partners Site - 22 - - - Initial Assemblage, 07/2006

3. Waterfront 140' 11.3 366 204k 932.5k Tower crane up, 07/2006

4. W Hotel 7f/72' 2 25/225 ? ? Tower crane up, 07/2006

5. Optima Camelview 7f/65' 13.3 750 38k ? Tower crane up, 07/2006

6. Valley Ho Hotel 7f 8.54 35/194 ? ? Completed late 2005

7. Portales Place 5f 9.7 142 0 ? Dirt haul begun 11/2005

8. Portales Corp Ctr 5f 3.85 0 179k 179k Approved, 04/2005

9. Main Street Plaza 4f 4.57 250 15k ? Nearing completion, 07/2006

10. Residences on Main 5f/65' 4.31 146 0 321k Tower crane up, 07/2006

11. Safari Drive 5f/65' 4.86 227 0 338k Old Safari Hotel site, FKA Riverwalk Square, Tower crane up, 07/2006

12. Stetson Plaza 36' 2.01 0 121k 121k Approved, 07/2005

13. Rose Garden 3f 1.01 14 12k 72k Preapplication Conf, 01/2006

TOTAL 129.45 2699 569k

* X/Y for DU (dwelling unit) indicates Hotel/Residences

? Unknown - updates to [email protected]

- Data Not Available

Ill post some pictures later on

Most of these developments are in downtown/old town scottsdale

Added to this is also the Kierland Plaza Lofts 2

THose that will be breaking ground in late 2006 early 2007:

Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley

Palisene

One Scottsdale

[shrek05]

Article about north scottsdale development and the continuing height war throughout Phoenix

Builder seeks variance for high-rise

By Brian Powell, Tribune

August 6, 2006

The One Scottsdale project developer is preparing to ask the city for a height variance to construct at least one high-rise building, upsetting an activist group fearful of setting a new precedent.

Related Links

Scottsdale

Karrin Taylor, vice president of entitlements for the developer DMB Associates, said there

[MJLO]

New modern building ok'd next to Old town. There seems to be a bit of controversy about this. There is a rendering in today's republic about it. But not online. It's a good looking building. Is Scottsdale really finnecky about what they will allow to build? Seems like some people were freaking out. In my opinion it'd be a good addition to Scottsdales urban landscape.

[shrek05]

Do you have a rendering of what the building may look like?

[MJLO]

It's in todays Republic, I can't find an online rendering.

[loftguy]

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php...;dest=STY-73604

How cool is this!?

[shrek05]

Its really exciting. AZ Republic has a similar article but seems to have more detail. They say they are making the Robinsons May space more accessible, but also smaller so it can fit a smaller undisclosed department store (which Ive heard is Barneys.) It would make sense considering most Barneys are around 100k sqft and the Robinsons May space is 235k (much too large.) So if they make it a nicer opening with some freestanding streetscape stores....it would be a very interesting and unique environment

[colin]

So if they make it a nicer opening with some freestanding streetscape stores....it would be a very interesting and unique environment

That's awesome! It sounds like they're going to make a great shopping center even better by adapting it.

[shrek05]

Fashion Square has more 'luxury' space

Angelique Soenarie

The Arizona Republic

Sept. 16, 2006

If you think Scottsdale Fashion Square boasts an abundance of brand-name luxury stores, think bigger.

Talks of what will become of the empty Robinsons-May on the mall's eastern side, facing Scottsdale Road, are in the works.

Federated Department Stores, which owns Robinsons-May, closed the store this year.

"This is a project that a lot of people think is done because it's so successful, and it's an amazing iconic part of Scottsdale," said Anita Walker, a Westcor spokeswoman.

"What they don't know is that it's just the beginning. It's in its infancy. Scottsdale has so much potential to continue to be a premier luxury center in Arizona."

Who will fill the space left by Robinsons-May, one of the mall's five anchor department stores, is unknown. However, an undisclosed retailer has sent a letter of intent, Walker said.

"The space is going to be reconfigured to be able to serve the luxury shopper," she said. "You're going to see some amazing stores come into Scottsdale."

Westcor, one of the Valley's largest managers of malls, is looking to remodel the space, making room for more high-end stores to complement the likes of Gucci, Louis Vuitton or Tiffany & Co. The space could be filled with high-end luxury boutiques, junior department stores and eateries that currently are not in Arizona.

Days Inn, just north of the former Robinsons-May and also facing Scottsdale Road, could turn into a residential area or a hotel.

Managers for Westcor, owner of the 7-acre property, said that the hotel's lease expires in two years. Plans to develop the property include more retail and restaurants.

"That is going to take a whole new look and direction," Walker said. "That will be more of a lifestyle."

Scottsdale Fashion Square, the largest mall in the Valley, houses nearly 225 retailers with the most exclusive high-end stores and four department stores: Dillard's, Macy's, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.

The mall averages $8 million a year in sales tax revenue, said David Roderique, Scottsdale's general manager of economic vitality.

Just a list of retailers that have already verbally wished to open in Phoenix: Carolina Herrera, Jimmy Choo, Salvatore Ferregamo, Hermes, and Chanel. Will this be the key place?

[colin]

It was always funny to me that, among all of that money, there is just a Days Inn in what is now a very unlikely place. Did it used to be something else?

[loftguy]

It was always funny to me that, among all of that money, there is just a Days Inn in what is now a very unlikely place. Did it used to be something else?

There are a few questionable buildings lingering....

Cocos, and the playhouse to name a few more...

[colin]

Some are seeking to derail talk of Scottsdale light rail

Interesting that the first person they talk to, the first thing she mentioned was "crime."

Gotta keep those bad people who use public transit in Phoenix out of Scottsdale.

[MJLO]

You know, sometimes people have a right to be opposed to something and arguements make sense. But when you start throwing words like "crime" around, is when ignorance sets in, and something should be built just to spite these people. The criminals aren't going to wait for the trains to commit crimes, they will find a way to get down to business one way or another. I'm sure there are enough criminals in Scottsdale as it is. Only instead of shoplifting, they are committing tax evasion, securities fraud, and insider trading. Ugh

What are those mid rises going up in Scottsdale? Near Fashion Square? And are there going to be any more midrises going up in that area? It really is a good thing about Scottsdale, very walkable, very easy on the eyes.

[Manolos]

There are a couple ones going up. The Optima Camel View is the huge residences next to Days Inn.

The Scottsdale Waterfront is clearly visible.

The Safari Drive is going up across from the future Barneys.

Portales Place is going up behind the Finova building.

The W Hotel is going on on the south east corner of Camelback and Scottsdale

[Manolos]

Median home price in Scottsdale hits $630K

Peter Corbett

The Arizona Republic

Dec. 12, 2006 12:40 PM

Scottsdale's resale home market surged 15 percent from October to November to a median price of $630,000, according to a monthly report released Tuesday by the Arizona Real Estate Center.

Prices were up 6 percent from year ago.

The center, based at Arizona State University, said that the Valley market has settled into a stable pattern after the "hyper-activity of last year." Sales are on pace with levels of 2003 when 66,260 resale homes changed hands in the metro area.

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However, sales and prices still are down from their record levels of the past year. Scottsdale has averaged about 408 home sales and 210 condominium sales each month for several months. Both are down about 40 percent from the same period a year ago.

November's median price of $630,000 was the highest for Scottsdale since June when it peaked at $640,000.

North Scottsdale's median price was up 12.6 percent from October to November. South Scottsdale's prices were up 10 percent month-over-month.

The Valley's median price is $259,000.

Paradise Valley's median price of $1.69 million, highest in the metro region, is down 2.7 percent from October.

[MJLO]

I had heard that about Scottsdales home prices. I want to see how all Valley home prices stack up.

[traal]

The criminals aren't going to wait for the trains to commit crimes, they will find a way to get down to business one way or another. I'm sure there are enough criminals in Scottsdale as it is.

[Manolos]

I dont think the light rail would work in Scottsdale. I just don't see people using it.

[MJLO]

Well I don't think it would be so much for the wealtheir residents for sure. I am however sure there is a market for moving people in and out who want to shop or work. Also there has to be even a small market for it within the city. The proposed section would take it thru Old town, which would make it highly popular for college students and alike.

[colin]

Good point. The club scene there, although it's certainly nothing to scoff at now, could potentially explode if you could bring in a young, hip college crowd.

Do people who live in Scottsdale actually work in Downtown Phoenix? I'm sure some do, but does the majority work in one of the other many Valley employment centers?

[Manolos]

many work at Scottsdale Airpark. Im not sure how many actually work in downtown Phoenix. I think many work in Tempe, and other areas in Phoenix as well.

Where would the Scottsdale extension by currently? Just old town and Scottsdale Fashion squarE?