2021
ABA
Chairman’s Message Steve Grauer looks to guide ABA members through post-pandemic recovery By REBECCA L. RHOADES
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hen Steve Grauer took over as board chairman of the Arizona Builders Alliance for 2021, he faced an industry that was undergoing substantial change. While the COVID-19 pandemic had thrown a wrench into the way many companies operated for most of 2020 and into the first half of 2021, the past year also saw unprecedented growth in construction throughout the state. A career construction professional, Grauer’s background provides him with unparalleled insight into the needs of all ABA members, regardless of experience or career level, as well as a unique understanding of the local business and subcontracting communities. Grauer graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Construction Management. He joined Hensel Phelps in 1990 where, over the last 30 years, he has served a variety roles within the company, including field engineer, office engineer, project engineer, area superintendent, project manager, operations manager and manager of work procurement before being appointed to his current position of Western district manager and vice president. A Designated Design-Build Professional, Grauer’s involvement with the ABA grew out of Hensel Phelps’ work in Arizona, which began to flourish in the mid 2000s. He’s been an active member since 2005, while the company has been an active corporate member for three decades. Over the years, his role in the organization has grown from serving on the legislative committee from 2008 to joining the board of directors in 2016. “I really wanted to contribute to the organization that serves the industry and membership at a higher level and help steer the future of the ABA,” he explains. “At the end of the day, it was an opportunity to help give back to an industry that has given so much to me.” AZRE Magazine recently spoke with Grauer to learn how the ABA has handled the recent pandemic and how it continues to assist its members. Notes Grauer, “I would like to see the ABA continue to build broad coalitions within
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the industry and within the greater business community to ensure that Arizona continues to enjoy the free market/ enterprise environment that we have had to date. The development that we are experiencing and will continue to experience is the result of a pro-business environment, responsible regulation and reasonable taxes. This has been the fuel for Arizona’s growth over many other states.” AZRE: The COVID-19 pandemic tested all industries. How did the ABA help its members get through these unusual times? Steve Grauer: The ABA continued to lead our members via education, legislative advocacy and limited networking and business development opportunities — although they looked and felt very different. So many of our programs rely on face-to-face interaction, so our biggest challenge was to continue to support and add value remotely. First, our staff
ABA Our proven career development programs, including the Leadership Development Forum, Senior Executive Program, Project Manager Development Program, Supervisory Training Program and Women in Leadership Program, as well as numerous other industry-specific seminars and webinars, will continue to provide great value to our membership. immediately began offering programs that would help our membership navigate the unprecedented challenges being created by the pandemic. Through our national relationships with our parent organizations, Associated Builders and Contractors and Associated General Contractors, we were able to offer numerous webinar opportunities that helped our members navigate the safety, business and economic challenges that arose from COVID-19. There was no playbook for what we were all going through. Members, especially those that operate on a regional or national basis, shared and offered lessons learned and best practices for the benefit of all other members, large and small. The industry definitely came together in an unprecedented way. As business challenges related to COVID-19 got to be more mainstream, ABA staff adapted many of our services and programs to a temporary online solution. AZRE: How has the construction industry fared over the last year-and-a-half? SG: Thankfully, most construction sectors continued to be robust following the initial challenges associated with the pandemic. Several even set all-time records for work put in place by the close of the year, although it is acknowledged that some construction sectors, such as retail, entertainment and office, were hit hard and are slow to recover. The governor’s initial executive order, which widely defined construction as essential, was extremely important to Arizona’s economy and the overall health of the industry. It is ironic that an industry that typically had been the first into and the last out of prior economic downturns was steadfast during this pandemic and was a major contributor to Arizona’s economy. AZRE: We’re hearing that there is more work than companies can handle right now — compounded by the fact that quality labor is difficult to find. How is ABA addressing these issues? SG: There is no doubt there is a growing abundance of work as well as challenges with properly staffing that work — both in the field and the office. There can also be a tendency to 54 July-August 2021
“overeat” when such opportunities are plentiful. Firms need to have the commitment and discipline to have the right quality and quantity of management, supervision and craft workforce to execute the work awarded to them. There has always been a fine line between balancing the growing market share in good times with the ability to properly execute and deliver in these times. The ABA has the management, supervisory and skilled craft programs to help increase the number of qualified personnel that the industry will need in order to meet the challenges ahead. Our proven career development programs, including the Leadership Development Forum, Senior Executive Program, Project Manager Development Program, Supervisory Training Program and Women in Leadership Program, as well as numerous other industry-specific seminars and webinars, will continue to provide great value to our membership. In addition, for workforce development, we continue to have our apprenticeship programs and our strategic partnership with Build Your Future Arizona to help build the skilled craft workforce. AZRE: What does the building forecast look like for the remainder of 2021? SG: From all industry indicators and feedback from ABA membership, construction will remain busy throughout the remainder of 2021 and for the next several years — perhaps at record levels. Manufacturing, high technology, mission critical and residential will lead the way. Population growth will then lead to growth in other sectors, both public and private. AZRE: Can Arizona sustain such growth? SG: The construction industry is made up of problem solvers and, overall, is extremely resilient. The capabilities, capacities and workforce challenges that have existed since the Great Recession and even before will likely continue. To be successful, we will need to continue to develop industry partnerships, work together more collaboratively, grow the workforce and leverage appropriate technology. The future remains very bright!
®
ABA
President’s Letter ABA vigilantly protects the commercial construction industry through advocacy and coalition building
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he Arizona Builders Alliance (ABA) advocates for the entire commercial construction industry. As our state’s economy emerges from the pandemic and its effects, it is vital that our efforts to protect the industry and the entire Arizona economy continue vigilantly. Sacrifices have been made to keep businesses open and moving forward. Those sacrifices need not be in vain. The reaction and preemptive efforts regarding the pandemic provide lessons on how to bring interests together for the greater good and how to go it alone if that is the only path. With respect to the multilateral efforts to keep Arizona safely open, all hands were on deck advocating for the essentialness of all businesses. Construction was deemed essential because of our efforts. Other sectors of the economy were not. For the most part, each business sector was understandably looking out for their own interests. However, after stepping back and taking on a different perspective, we should have advocated for broader interests. After all, we are all in this together.
ADVOCACY NEVER SLEEPS Throughout the pandemic and now in a post-pandemic economy, our 56 July-August 2021
GOING IT ALONE The ABA learned of the ROC qualified-party liability exposure issue days after the Arizona legislature deadlines for introducing new legislation. We could not wait until January 2022 to advocate for a bill correcting this issue. We had to act quickly. Every day without this corrective action would place the entire construction industry at risk of exposure to personal liability, piercing corporate veil protections. Our lobbying team met with legislators from all sides of the aisle and found an appropriate vehicle for a “striker” amendment: HB 2670. The bill was unanimously passed through both chambers and signed into law in just 68 days after the issue first came to the ABA’s attention. Unanimous support in such a short time is quite a feat. Time was of the essence, and we did not have the opportunity to seek broad support until after the process was in place.
COALITION BUILDING
Tom Dunn ABA
proponents and those that oppose our efforts continue. ABA unilateral actions included spearheading quick legislation to eliminate liability exposure for qualifying parties in Arizona. In 2019, the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) omnibus bill (SB 1397) unintentionally added language that a qualifying party or “a person named on a license” is “responsible for any violation” of the ROC statutes. The intent of this language was to clearly state that a qualified party would be held accountable — for license purposes only — for any ROC violations of the licensee. However, many legal minds opined that the exposure was not limited to just licensing and included personal liability for the licensee’s company action or inaction.
The time is now for coalition building as the Arizona economy has a chance at a long-lasting boom that could be derailed by overzealous policy-making. Those that have different views about how an economy should operate are persistently advocating for changes that could decimate our economy. ABA is part of broader coalitions that protect not just commercial construction interests but also the diverse issues that may affect Arizona’s economy.
CALL TO ACTION Here is your chance to advocate for your industry. If you’re in vertical commercial construction, join ABA. If you are in a different business sector, join a similar association. Pay attention, ask questions and get involved. Your actions help us maintain vigilance to protect the economic vitality of our state. Email me anytime at tdunn@azbuilders.org. Tom Dunn is president of the Arizona Builders Alliance.
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ABA
Building Better Leaders ABA’s Supervisory Training Program sharpens leadership skills
By KYLE BACKER
T
he Arizona Builders Alliance (ABA) is in the business of developing new leaders. One way the organization is doing just that is through its Supervisory Training Program (STP), which upskills those who are ready for a leadership role. “This could be a foreman who has shown some promise and is ready to step up or has just been moved up and gotten his or her feet wet. We’re going to put them through this program so they can understand the things they wouldn’t learn being a carpenter in the field,” says Jeff Dalton, vice president of FCL Builders, who helped bring the program to the Grand Canyon State.
LESSONS LEARNED While new to Arizona, the STP has been around since the 1970s as an educational program of the Associated 58 July-August 2021
General Contractors of America. The curriculum is broken down into six units: leadership, communication, scheduling, contract law, construction productivity and risk management. Upon completion of all units, students earn a nationally recognized certificate. The skills taught are crucial for anyone new to a supervisory role in construction. “When I first started, I had to work on time management,” says Zachary Byard, senior superintendent at Adolphson & Peterson Construction. “When you get to this level, you have to prioritize what things are going to take the longest amount of time and what things are the most pressing, get those done first, and then move on.” As a leader, communication is critical for running effective teams. “Having difficult conversations is big. Folks start to learn leadership as they’re working their way up the craft, but this is meant to take it a few steps further
by teaching how to run larger crews and how to get people motivated,” says Brad Nelson, general superintendent at Hensel Phelps. The classes themselves are designed to engage students beyond a sit-andget style presentation. “It’s hands on. The instructors discuss scheduling, and then they have sample projects for which the students create schedules. In the class on contracting, the teachers pass out contract language and tell the students to read through it and pick out where specific clauses are,” says Dalton. “Construction folks are handson, and they’re better when they’re doing something rather than sitting in a lecture hall.” Since many of the activities are interactive, participation is necessary for students to learn the material and is the main metric used for evaluation. There are, however, expectations of students between classes. “There’s on-the-job training forms that
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Zackary Byard
Jeff Dalton
students fill out in preparation, along with reading requirements. But, it’s really about the application part of it. Are they finding places in between the classes to apply what they’ve learned?” says Stephen Nichols, project director at A3 Construction Management Services.
PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT When Amber Shepard, self perform assistant manager at McCarthy Building Companies, put out an email asking for volunteers to be an instructor for the STP, she was happily surprised by the enthusiastic response. “I’ve got a backlog of folks who want to participate as instructors. I’ve even got people in other states reaching out saying, ‘Can IN CLASS: Collaboration between participants is crucial in the Supervisory Training Program.
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Brad Nelson
Stephen Nichols
I fly in to be an instructor for a day or two of this program?’” she says. Part of the enthusiasm from the would-be instructors stems from their own experience in the STP in other states. Shepard believes that this excitement helps encourage students to sign up. “We filled out this first session of courses very quickly and still have a massive list of names of people who want to participate,” she comments. “Our general foremen want to be a part of this because they see that the program is going to give them the tools they need to be as successful as those folks in our leadership positions.” Since the curriculum is already written, instructors don’t have to worry about creating any materials. “There are slideshows that are already built, and there’s an instructor’s manual. Once someone volunteers, I coordinate with
Amber Shepard
him or her on what class they’re going to go teach, and they are responsible for preparing and delivering their lessons,” Nelson remarks. Instructors are also encouraged to share what they’ve learned throughout their career with the burgeoning leaders. “The curriculum sets up a nice framework, but the expertise and experience of the instructor is key. We strategize to see who are going to be the best instructors from the different companies based on the topic for that class, but the subject matter experts bring in their own experiences and challenges that they overcame. That makes the coursework more practically applicable,” Nichols explains. For companies, the training is beneficial not only to the participant but also to the whole organization by preparing students for the rigors of a supervisory role. “The benefit of a well-trained supervisor is going to be exponential added value, not just for the individuals themselves as they grow in their careers but also for every area of the company that they touch,” Nichols says. “We talk about it in terms of sharpening your ax. If you don’t, after a while your ax becomes dull from normal use, and your productivity starts to wane.” The debut of the STP in Arizona comes at a time when construction labor at all experience levels is in short supply. “Good superintendents in the field who can run a commercial job safely, on time and on budget are becoming a rare breed,” Dalton concludes. “The trades have not been as popular of a choice for younger kids, but I think people are realizing that there are good careers in construction.”
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ABA
BUILDERS ROUNDTABLE
B
y any measure, 2020 was a year like no other for the construction business. Heading into January, the state boasted one of the healthiest construction industries in the U.S., and Phoenix topped the list of the country’s fastest growing cities. Then, the pandemic hit. Thanks to the hard work of organizations such as the Arizona Builders Alliance (ABA), construction was quickly declared essential, allowing contractors to return to job sites. Despite a downturn for businesses in the hospitality, restaurant and retail fields, construction continued to boom, expanding by 15% over 2019. In fact, many builders and trade partners report that 2020 was their most profitable year in history, and there’s no slowdown in sight, despite a new crop of challenges that are popping up. AZRE Magazine spoke with six construction industry leaders from across the state to find out how they fared over the past 16 months — and how they’re facing the future.
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AZRE: Did the pandemic affect how your company does business? Mike Loven, president, Loven Contracting: This was an unprecedented event, with no playbook. We were fortunate that the industry was deemed essential, but this required construction firms to be at the forefront of pandemicrelated decision making. The first 30 days came down to being leaders relative to policies and procedures. John Nyman, shareholder/director of estimating, Concord General Contracting: It was definitely a different year. Being classified as an essential business allowed us to complete projects, and because many clients knew they weren’t going to be opening back up in the fall, we were able to get more jobs done, without having to work around other people’s schedules. Barry Chasse, president and owner, Chasse Building Team: We were fortunate that our project teams were resilient and adapted quickly to ensure that job sites and everyone working on them remained safe and healthy. They
began meeting outside of the job site trailer for their “morning huddles” to collaborate on safety and workflow and to strategize on where each trade partner would work throughout the project to safely distance from one another. Rudy Garcia Jr., vice president, RG & Sons Plumbing: Our difficulties came in the early days of the pandemic, and I think it was just because there was no road map to navigate the new and scary circumstances. When you’re a leader of a business, people look to you if there are problems, so it was somewhat of a humbling experience to come into the pandemic and not have answers or solutions. But I’m proud of the way our company, and the industry as a whole, implemented safety protocols. AZRE: How did the ABA help your business navigate these times? BC: The ABA’s help started years prior to the pandemic by providing our teammates with a wide variety of resources that allowed them to be extremely prepared to navigate
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Barry Chasse
Rudy Garcia Jr.
any challenging market. Since the pandemic, the ABA has offered additional assets and webinars that specifically addressed COVID-19, labor shortages and escalating costs. Additionally, we’ve been able to collaborate and work closely with the organization’s network of fellow members. The impact the ABA has had on our industry throughout the past year has been instrumental. RG: I was actually the ABA’s chairman for Southern Arizona during the pandemic. Because we couldn’t meet in person anymore, we quickly moved to virtual advisory board meetings, and we leaned on our committee chairs to provide their expertise. For example, technology had changed rapidly for a lot of businesses, and many companies didn’t really know how to tackle some of the challenges. Leveraging the expertise of our IT committee chair became an essential part of being able to move forward. One the state level, our leadership jumped into action and began working with the governor’s office to make sure they understood why construction needed to be an essential business. Plus, the ABA is communal in general. We were all in similar positions, and none of us really had any answers. So we were able to share ideas and strategic planning. I couldn’t imagine going through this pandemic without the ABA and its members. AZRE: There is a shortage of skilled labor in Arizona. How is your company addressing that need? BC: Our company — and the entire industry — is certainly facing a challenge with the shortage of labor, specifically within the trade partners. The biggest challenge is attracting young people to the trades. To help 64 July-August 2021
Gretchen Kinsella
Mike Loven
mitigate future labor shortages, our team supports a variety of trade programs and organizations. We have worked closely with many K-12 school districts to host STEM programs, construction seminars, career fairs and the overall education of students who are inspired by construction, technology and engineering. ML: The construction industry went from being “under the weather” to manifesting a serious and chronic disease. We began discussing labor shortages more than a decade ago, and the same conversation continues today without concrete nationwide solutions — hence, the current crisis. As an aside, college programs focus more on management than on “starting at the beginning.” We find that the most versatile individuals are often those with nuts-and-bolts experience that is then bolstered by a formal education. Gretchen Kinsella, Arizona business unit leader, DPR: Every construction company is experiencing a heightened awareness around labor. It’s been an ongoing issue with the aging workforce and lack of young people joining the trades. Where we’re focused right now is actively supporting a number of workforce development programs to ensure the next generation is brought into the trades. Of course, we have to be cognizant of the immediate impacts, but we’re using prefabrication as a way to continue to flatten and control the manpower curves. RG: One thing I noticed during the pandemic was people crossing over from other industries and wanting to get into the trades. They came to us with, for the most part, no construction skills, but they had great attitudes. Even so, labor is a huge issue. Our company has about 50 field employees, but we could use at least 12 more.
John Nyman
R.J. Radobenko
To encourage future professionals, we work with the Pima JTED Career and Technical Education District. The program educates high school students, as well as their parents, about the construction industry and lets them know that there’s a real career path for them. AZRE: Materials shortages and spiking prices are also affecting the industry. Has that been a problem for your company? JN: Materials shortages are real. We’re looking at extremely long lead times. For example, steel joists are 26 weeks out. So it’s taking a little more creativity to get materials. We’re doing a lot of phased guaranteed maximum price contracts. As for prices, to prepare your clients for sticker shock, you have to explain to them upfront that this is the market we’re in. So far, we’ve been very fortunate to have owners who are aware of what’s going on. ML: We’re doing our best to avoid a weekly apology tour through honest and transparent collaboration with our owner/partners. In these times, there’s no such thing as too much communication. At the same time, owner/partners may need to reevaluate their schedule expectations, liquidated damages and contract language to ensure a competitive field for their projects. RG: We’re seeing a huge escalation of commodity pricing. Last year, PVC was 55% cheaper, and copper was 63% cheaper than it is now. So that type of increase is really difficult to head off, especially in commercial construction when a lot of projects are bid a year or more out. R.J. Radobenko, president, Roofing Southwest: Steel started becoming scarce in the fourth quarter of last
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ABA year, and a manufacturing plant in China that was a huge supplier of raw materials burned down. So we knew there were issues, and I think most contractors planned accordingly throughout the winter months. Unfortunately, beginning in March or April, the whole bottom fell out of the roofing industry. Contractors, including us, have run out of everything — metal fasteners; metal plates; insulation; isocyanate, which is spray foam. To make things worse, the price of metal has skyrocketed or it’s just not available. I wish I could pay more money to get materials, but they’re pretty much nonexistent right now. GK: I think things go in cycles. A few years ago, at the height of the last big building boom, many of the markets had trouble procuring glass, so it’s not the first time our industry has been faced with materials shortages and challenges. It just takes being really collaborative and transparent with our clients about the pricing and the available of materials. AZRE: How is technology changing the construction industry? BC: Of all the technology — drones, virtual reality tools or simply using personal tablets and TVs to navigate construction documents — we’ve seen the greatest impact from the implementation of building information modeling (BIM). During the design phase, our teams collaborate with architects using only BIM models of the drawings. This ensures that everyone is working off the latest and greatest set of plans, which then allows our estimating team to create a ‘living’ cost estimate that is always real-time. During construction, we utilize BIM to create 3D models of the design to help identify clash detections, which sometimes come with cost and/or schedule impacts. Post-construction, our teams can provide BIM as-built drawings for the clients to easily navigate in the future. GK: I remember, early in my career, when I first heard about BIM. It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come. We just talked to a client about saving costs by spending a minimal amount of dollars to demolish and area that they want to build on next year, and 66 July-August 2021
then scanning the site so they can actually have a smarter design for the space and know exactly where all the components will be before they even think about planning. We’re really trying to think forward with our clients about the best ways to use virtual design and construction for them, not just for creating the brand new, big, shiny buildings but also for cost-effective solutions. RJR: I’m really trying to push technology into an industry that’s not very tech savvy. Aerial drones have been amazing for us. They allow us to
Every construction company is experiencing a heightened awareness around labor. It’s been an ongoing issue with the aging workforce and lack of young people joining the trades. – Gretchen Kinsella monitor the work zone for safety, assess job sites, scan areas for stockpiles and evaluate construction completion. We can now survey a 30-building apartment complex in 30 minutes versus eight hours, so it’s a big deal. AZRE: Arizona is experiencing an unprecedented surge in development. How is your company handling this increase in demand? ML: It was only a year ago at the outset of the pandemic that our outlook on the world was much different. We are now, more than ever, exercising care in project selection, focusing on serving our existing client base and not allowing our team to be overly distracted by the demand. We will only take on additional work that can be properly executed to the satisfaction of the client. BC: We are fortunate to have continued to successfully grow in this market. Having the best project team in place to navigate the increase in demand
is the first priority, however, we are always closely managing the amount of work with the available resources. It’s a balance of managing resources with the market demand to ensure that all projects are successful for our clients. RG: Sadly, we’re in a position where we’ve had to turn down certain projects. What we’re really focusing on are the clients and contractors who hung in there with us during the Great Recession. We need to be here for them now. I’d love to be able to take on more work, but the labor just isn’t there. I’ve witnessed other companies make that leap without understanding their capacity to do the work, and that’s not good for the clients, your employees or the company. AZRE: Do you think the state can sustain this rate of development? RG: I think we have some challenges with our local leadership in Tucson, but as long as they can get on board and understand that the growth of this community is a good thing for everyone, then I see our city continuing to grow. Of course, the caveat is that we have to watch the price increases related to construction. If prices reach a point where they’re no longer attractive to developers and homeowners, then that could be a silver bullet. ML: I think the elephant in the room is water supply. Until a cogent statewide, regional and western U.S. plan, based on realistic forecasts, is implemented, the potential for a day of reckoning looms. RJR: There are always concerns about water, but we’re in the desert, so it’s something we have to look at. But I think the growth will increase. Phoenix has one of the best infrastructures in the country. Our freeway system is incredible. And GPEC is doing a fantastic job of bringing some of the biggest companies in the world to Phoenix, which is exciting. BC: The overall big picture is that we have a very desirable city — and state — to live in. We can see this from the massive influx of people moving here that is driven by a diverse economy, great career opportunities, the cost of living, wonderful communities and amazing weather. It’s hard to beat everything Arizona has to offer.
LEADING THE WAY TO THE FUTURE Steve Grauer
Vice President, Hensel Phelps ABA Board Chair
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ABA Member Projects
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he Arizona Builders Alliance members continued to break ground and cut ribbons throughout 2020 and into 2021, despite the challenges of the pandemic. Here are just a few of the more noteworthy projects that ABA members worked on in the past year. Banyan North Tempe Developer: Milhaus and Banyan Residential General Contractor: McShane Construction Company Architect: Todd & Associates Location: 1225 E. Curry Road, Tempe Size: 389,847 SF Start/Completion: April 2021/April 2023 Subcontractors: PinderNation Electric, CHS Plumbing, GD and Sons Construction, Sun Valley Masonry Project Description: Banyan North Tempe is a new apartment community offering 310 units across three four-story garden-style buildings. The site will incorporate 8,000 square feet of amenity space, including a fitness center, a DaVinci fireplace, outdoor
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pool and spa, and a dog park overlooking downtown Tempe. John S. McCain III Elementary School Developer: Buckeye Elementary School District General Contractor: Chasse Building Team Architect: Orcutt|Winslow Location: 3170 S. 247th Ave., Buckeye Size: 95,000 SF Value: $28 million Start/Completion: October 2020/August 2021 Subcontractors: Southwest Earthwork, Cactus Pipeline, DTR Landscape Development, Sun Valley, Sportsmans Concrete, S&H Steel, Global Roofing, JoNic
Glass, Pete King Construction, Wholesale Floors, Trimark, A Professional Commercial Plumbing, A1 Fire Sprinklers, Urban Energy Solutions, CAMS Project Description: The conceptual design theme of the project, Taking Flight, is derived from the life of its namesake, the late Senator John McCain, who served as a jet fighter pilot. John S. McCain III Elementary will feature more than 20 classrooms, in addition to a gymnasium, food court, flex areas and a music room, which are anchored by multiple learning and reading commons spaces, including the Sky Bridge, outdoor play areas and an amphitheater.
Arizona State University Multi-Purpose Arena Developer: Mortenson General Contractor: Mortenson Architect: SCI Architects Location: 411 S. Packard Drive, Tempe Size: 185,000 SF Value: $113 million Start/Completion: December 2020/Q4 2022 Subcontractors: Fleming West, University Mechanical & Engineering Contractors, Wilson Electric, Coreslab Structures, Performance Contracting Inc. Project Description: The 185,000-squarefoot multipurpose arena will serve as the future home of Sun Devil men’s ice hockey, wrestling and women’s gymnastics. The 5,000-seat arena features luxury suits, a 942-seat student section and a community ice rink. The Manor Scottsdale Developer: The Related Group General Contractor: McShane Construction Company Architect: Humphreys & Partners Location: 13220 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale Size: 597,847 SF Start/Completion: January 2021/December 2022 Subcontractors: RAPI, Coreslab Structures, Sun Valley Concrete, PinderNation Electric, Re-Create Masonry, Quality Mechanical, Progressive Roofing Project Description: The new multifamily development incorporates 286 units, with 19 units featuring mountain views. Tenants have access to a multitude of amenities, including a poker room, arcade, fitness center, pool, salt sauna, lounge and a grotto room. NOVEL Midtown Phoenix Developer: Crescent Communities General Contractor: Chasse Building Team Architect: Davis Partnership Architects Location: 400 E. Earll Drive, Phoenix Size: 543,476 SF Value: $58 million Start/Completion: June 2019/May 2021 Subcontractors: Coreslab Structures, Hardrock Concrete, Huff & Sons Masonry, Re-Create, BCK Drywall, REEis Mechanical, JFN Plumbing, Delta Electric, Central Valley Specialties, Stehl Corporation, SPG Stucco, SW Roofing Project Description: NOVEL Midtown Phoenix is a five-story building comprising 345 onebedroom, two-bedroom and studio units. The building merges midcentury modern architecture with a location that provides residents with convenient transit access to Midtown Phoenix. 69
ABA Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix Residence Hall and Entrepreneurial Center Developer: Capstone Development Partners General Contractor: DPR Construction Architect: Studio Ma Location: 372-390 N. 1st Ave., Phoenix Size: 284,00 SF Value: $66,888,000 Start/Completion: December 2019/July 2021 Subcontractors: Sun Valley Masonry, RKS Plumbing & Mechanical, Suntec Concrete, Kearney Electric Project Description: The first three floors will provide 75,000 square feet of academic space to include design studios, classroom space, fashion studios, fabrication labs, ensemble rooms, music recording studios and spaces for live events. The 207,000-square-foot residential component will consist of 13 floors and house about 530 students. Pima County Historic Courthouse Renovation Developer: Pima County General Contractor: Lloyd Construction Company Architect: Poster Mirto McDonald Location: 115 N. Church Ave., Tucson Size: 87,000 SF Value: $9.5 million Start/Completion: April 2019/April 2021 Subcontractors: Commonwealth Electric Company, Millwork By Design, Qualified Mechanical, Architectural Openings, Casas Custom Floor Care Project Description: The project involved the historic restoration and adaptive reuse of a nearly 100-year-old iconic building into spaces for the Southern Arizona Heritage & Visitor Center, local tourism advocate Visit Tucson, the University of Arizona’s Alfie Norville Gem and Mineral Museum, and entrance to the January 8th Memorial. Aviation Performance Solutions Hangar, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Developer: Aviation Performance Solutions General Contractor: Caliente Construction Architect: Dekker Perich Sabatini Location: 5649 S. Avery Circle, Mesa Size: 24,000 SF Value: $10.1 million Start/Completion: February 2020/March 2021 Subcontractors: LR Cowan, Image Building Systems, RnR Steel, Complete Fire, Audon Electric, Red Hawk Solutions Project Description: The facility has a modern aesthetic, with sweeping curves and abundant natural light. It includes corporate offices, a lounge with a viewing deck, and training space on the lower level. The 14,000-square-foot hangar includes a flight simulator that is used to provide upset prevention and recovery training for pilots. The second building includes 4,000 square feet of office space and a 35,000-square foot hangar with room to house multiple G650 aircraft. 70 July-August 2021
Golden Leaf Dispensary and Grow Warehouse Developer: Golden Leaf Wellness General Contractor: Haydon Building Corp Architect: Cawley Architects Location: 5370 W. Ina Road, Marana Size: 121,000 SF Value: $32 million Start/Completion: Q3 2021/Q3 2022 Subcontractors: GRS Landscape Architects, Earthscapes, Harvey Land Surveying, Hawkins Design Group, JMC Engineering, Mechanical Designs, Tucson Electric Power Project Description: This project includes a 15,000-square-foot retail cannabis dispensary. There is also a 106,000-square-foot state-of-theart growing and processing facility, including R&D labs, developmental grow areas and 20 self-contained clean growing rooms with extensive ventilation and temperature/humidity control.
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ABA Pyramid Peak Water Treatment Plant Expansion/Improvements General Contractor: McCarthy Building Companies Architect/Engineer: Black & Veatch Location: 28101 N. 63rd Ave., Phoenix Size: 24.21 acres Value: $60 million Start/Completion: July 2019/July 2021 Subcontractors: Sturgeon Electric, Harris Rebar, Pennington Painting Company
Project Description: The treatment plant is located in Phoenix but is owned and operated by the City of Glendale and the City of Peoria. The expansion project includes two new sludge lagoons, one new Backwash Recovery Basin, a new process Train 4 with five filter basins and four sedimentation basins, and an extension to the administration building. Improvements include upgrades to the entire chemical system with new chemical pumps, piping and tanks. Union at Riverview Developer: Lincoln Property Company General Contractor: Wespac Construction Architect: DAVIS Location: 2046 W. Riverview Auto Drive, Mesa Size: 245,014 SF Value: $39 million Start/Completion: October 2019/June 2021 Subcontractors: Coreslab Structures, Ryan Mechanical, Saguaro Steel, Suntec Concrete, Jenco Electric Project Description: This four-story Class A office features a modern glass exterior, large office floor plates with high ceilings, outdoor balconies and 10-foot vision glass that allows for sweeping views of the surrounding city and mountains. Once complete, it will include an array of modern amenities as well as private and open office space. The project is surrounded by 1.2 million square feet of retail, restaurants and hotels.
PHX Sky Train Stage 2 — Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Developer: City of Phoenix General Contractor: Hensel Phelps Architect: Gannett Fleming Location: 3420 E. Sky Harbor Blvd., Phoenix Size: 426,480 SF Value: $319 million Start/Completion: January 2017/December 2020 Project Description: The Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Sky Train Stage 2 connects the PHX Sky Train to a new West Ground Transportation Center and the Rental Car Center with new stations at each location. The project consists of 2 miles of elevated, on-grade and underground guideway system connecting Terminal 3 to the rental car center.
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Blackwater Community School – Akimel O’Otham Pee Posh Charter Inc. General Contractor: Gilbane in association with RyTan Architect: Breckenridge Group with bridging documents by ADM Group Location: 3655 E. Blackwater School Road, Coolidge Size: 272,087 SF Value: $25 million Start/Completion: August 2019/September 2021 Subcontractors: Tempe Mechanical, Sun Valley, Encore Steel, Progressive Roofing, Rosendin Electric Project Description: Originally built in 1939, Blackwater Community School sits on the Gila River Indian community. The new campus serves as the hub of the community and includes the installation of underground storm water tanks, a two-story classroom building, cafeteria, facility maintenance building, parking lot, center courtyard, playground and administration building.
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ABA NOVEL Val Vista Square Developer: Crescent Communities General Contractor: McShane Construction Company Architect: Craine Architecture Location: 3224 S. Market St., Gilbert Size: 337,089 SF Start/Completion: January 2021/November 2022 Subcontractors: PinderNation Electric, CHS Plumbing, Qualified Mechanical, GD and Sons Construction, Sun Valley Masonry Project Description: NOVEL Val Vista Square will offer 317 units. The development will feature wood frame construction with three garden-style buildings and three carriage house buildings. Tenants will also be able to enjoy 11,500 square feet of amenity space, including a dog park, swimming pool, cold plunge spa, outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven, outdoor fireplaces and fire pits. Project Hustle Developer: Seefried Industrial Properties General Contractor: Willmeng Construction Architect: Ware Malcomb Location: Indian School Road and Cotton Lane, Goodyear Size: 636,000 SF Start/Completion: July 2020/July 2021 Subcontractors: Goodwin & Marshall, Suntec Concrete, Kraemer Consulting Engineers, PK Associates Structural Engineering Project Description: A state-of-the-art sorting facility for a global retail company, Project Hustle will consist of 596,805 square feet of warehouse space and 35,624 square feet of office space on a 91-acre site. Everything about this project is outsized: 115,000-plus square yards of truck drives and parking; asphalt parking for 1,456 cars; and 151 tilt-up panels erected in seven weeks.
Tolleson 107 Logistics Center Developer: Trammell Crow Arizona Development Inc. General Contractor: Wespac Construction Architect: Butler Design Group Location: 10601 W. Van Buren St., Tolleson Size: 332,160 SF Value: $16,204,177 Start/Completion: May 2021/January 2022 Subcontractors: DP Electric, Ryan Mechanical, Integrated Masonry Project Description: Situated on 25 acres, this large-scale Class A industrial project will bring 332,106 square feet of logistics space and 4.6 acres of retail to the Valley. The facility will feature 36-foot clear height, concrete truck courts, four points of access, 52-by-52foot column spacing with 60-foot speed bays, 266 car parking stalls, 54 trailer parking stalls and an ESFR sprinkler system.
Cowden Logistics Center Developer: Tramell Crow Company General Contractor: Wespac Construction Architect: Butler Design Group Location: 500 South 104th Ave., Tolleson Size: 285,131 SF Value: $11,592,770 Start/Completion: September 2020/ June 2021 Subcontractors: Nash Mechanical, Wilson Electric, Stone Cold Masonry Project Description: This industrial project will bring 285,131 square feet of logistics space to Phoenix’s Southwest Valley submarket. The facility will feature 36-foot clear heights, 237 car parking stalls, 41 trailer parking stalls, five points of ingress and egress, R-38 insulation and an ESFR sprinkler system.
Nationwide Insurance Headquarters Developer: Nationwide Realty Investors General Contractor: Layton Construction Architect: The Columbus Architectural Studio Location: 18700 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale Size: 465,435 SF Start/Completion: Q3 2019/Q2 2021 Subcontractors: DP Electric, Coreslab Structures, Suntec Concrete, HACI Mechanical 74 July-August 2021
Contractors, Aero Automatic Sprinkler Co., RKS Plumbing, Pete King Construction, Walters & Wolf, Arizona Glass Specialists, Western Building Group, AAA Landscape, Tuscano Building & Stone, Western Millwork, KONE Elevators & Escalators Project Description: The new Nationwide headquarters is a ground-up project. Level one houses a kitchen/dining room, gym, event space, security office and more. Levels two-five provide workspace and conference rooms. The project also includes a large five-story parking garage.
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ABA Banner Desert Medical Center — Women’s Tower Expansion Developer: Banner Health General Contractor: DPR Construction Architect: Cuningham Group Architecture Location: 1400 S. Dobson Road, Mesa Size: 280,000 SF Value: $96 million Start/Completion: January 2021/May 2023 Subcontractors: PK Associates, Sideplate, AEI, Amfab, Nexus Steel, Bel-Aire Mechanical, Cannon & Wendt Project Description: The expansion consists of a total of 170,000 square feet of new construction, including 168 additional licensed beds, patient rooms, labor and delivery rooms, OB triage,
C-section operating rooms and post-partum/antepartum patient care areas. It will also bring 20,000 square feet of tenant improvements to a third-floor shell space of the Cardon Children’s Medical Center, which includes a relocation of the “Sophie’s Place” and “Forever Young Zone” to the first and third floor lobbies. Tolleson City Hall Developer: City of Tolleson General Contractor: Haydon Building Corp. Architect: SmithGroup Location: 8803 W. Van Buren St., Tolleson Size: 46,000 SF Value: $22 million Start/Completion: May 2021/June 2022 Project Description: This new campus will include a two-level tilt-up concrete building with a curtain wall/masonry/metal panel building enveloped system. The interior features offices, council chambers, a community resource center, senior center, library, museum, space for public meetings, kiosks and an incubator for small retail, and conference rooms with media-ready capabilities.
Yavapai Regional Medical Center Outpatient Services Building Developer: Yavapai Regional Medical Center General Contractor: McCarthy Building Companies Architect: Cuningham Group Location: 1003 Willow Creek Road, Prescott Size: 97,000 SF Value: $53.5 million Start/Completion: June 2020/October 2021 Subcontractors: Pete King Construction, Progressive Roofing, McCarthy Mechanical, McCarthy Electrical, Creative Design, DH Pace, Foothills Fire, SGSI, Sun Valley Masonry Project Description: The building will serve as an outpatient treatment center and community center. The project combines services into a singular facility as opposed to several small leases around the surrounding neighborhood and includes high-end common areas, exam rooms, imaging suites and rehabilitation spaces. 76 July-August 2021
Akimel Gateway Developer: Trammell Crow Company General Contractor: Wespac Construction Architect: Butler Design Group Location: 17500 S. 40th St., Chandler Size: 835,000 SF Value: $50 million Start/Completion: January 2021/December 2021 Subcontractors: ABCO West Electrical, Desert Structures, Gunsight Earthwork, JJ Sprague Off-Site Utilities, McCain Construction On-Site Utilities, Ryan Mechanical, Saguaro Steel, Stone Cold Masonry, Suntec Concrete Project Description: Located in a growing Phoenix industrial submarket that is becoming a hub for logistics users, this project sits on 59 acres and will comprise five buildings that will feature a combination of ramp-up and dock-high loading with clear heights ranging from 24 feet to 36 feet. The project also includes more than 1 mile of offsite wet utility work and a new traffic signal.
Lincoln Ventures Moontower Developer: Lincoln Ventures General Contractor: JE Dunn Construction Architect: Shepley Bulfinch Location: 807 N. 3rd St., 811 N. 3rd St., Phoenix Size: 474,000 SF Value: $82,500,000 Start/Completion: June 2021/ May 2023 Project Description: The 24-level tower will consist of 16 floors of residential housing and seven levels of parking with an amenity area on Level 9 and pool deck on Level 24. The lobby area will include a coffee shop.
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ABA Callia Apartments Developer: Toll Brothers Apartment Living General Contractor: Wespac Residential Architect: Biltform Architecture Group Location: 4100 N. Central Ave., Phoenix Size: 350,552 SF Value: $70 million Start/Completion: January 2021/Q2 2023 Project Description: Callia will be a 403-unit, four-story building with one-, two- and threebedroom luxurious rental apartments. Amenities will include entertainment and gaming areas, yoga/cycling studios, resort style pools, fire pit and barbecues, a pet spa and an off-leash dog area. With easy access to uptown, downtown, Tempe and Central Phoenix, this community will also be within walking distance of many retail stores, upscale restaurants, office spaces and the light rail. Sagewood Phase 2 ILU Developer: Life Care Services General Contractor: The Weitz Company Architect: Todd & Associates Location: 4555 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix Size: 280,000 SF Value: $64 million Start/Completion: February 2019/January 2021 Subcontractors: 3G Trim, Aero Automatick Sprinkler, AME Electrical, Colt Builders, HACI Mechanical, JBS Plumbing, Stone Cold Masonry, Rouser Concrete Project Description: Sagewood’s 220,000-square-foot, 3.5-acre Phase II features both one- and two-bedroom apartment homes, an 18-hole championship golf putting course, new and/or expanded dining facilities, additional card rooms and new administrative offices. Thirteen apartment floor plans, ranging from 873 square feet to 2,351 square feet, will be offered, all with patios or balconies.
Town of Gilbert Public Safety Training Facility Developer: Town of Gilbert General Contractor: CORE Construction Architect: HDA Architects Location: 459 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert Size: 150,000 SF Value: $64,289,000 Start/Completion: May 2019/January 2021 Subcontractors: Suntec, Sun Valley Masonry, Progressive Roofing, Pueblo Mechanical, RKS Plumbing, Action Target Project Description: An 18-acre village-style tactical training campus for police and fire features an amphitheater, locker rooms, administrative offices, classrooms, a three-bay mock fire station and several burn buildings, and indoor shooting ranges with traditional lanes and a custom streetscape. The adjacent 36-acre tactical drive training area consists of a driving course, evasive maneuver course and driving skills pad. Pinal County Complex Developer: Pinal County General Contractor: A.R. Mays Construction Architect: Arrington Watkins Architects Location 31500 N. Schnepf Road, San Tan Valley Size: 47,000 SF Value: $15 million Start/Completion: March 2020/May 2021 Project Description: The Pinal County Complex project included the construction of two ground-up buildings. The 29,267-square-foot North Building includes public records office; police department; offices for patrol, sergeants and detectives; holding cells; interview rooms; judicial offices; multipurpose and conference rooms; treasurer’s office; and miscellaneous county offices. The 17,771-square-foot South Building includes a new library; probation offices with separate child, juvenile, teen and adult victim advocacy areas; and forensic offices.
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