BUSINESS

Hotel remodel brings a bit of Hawaii to Arizona Avenue

BY KEN SAIN

Arizonan Staff Writer

The Aloha boutique motel on Arizona Avenue in Chandler transformed many times on its way to a grand reopening with a Hawaiian motif last weekend.

When owners Bill Simmonds and John Hylton first looked at the aging motel that first opened in 1950, they were thinking of converting it into apartments.

“We kind of had planned to do more like, long-term, apartment living,” Simmonds said. “That was the original plan.” “We bought it in late ’19, and it appeared it would go toward apartments, because that’s what Bill and I do,” Hylton said.

The pandemic changed those plans.

“We thought the Airbnb might be our move,” Simmonds said. Owners John Hylton and Bill Simmonds transformed the Aloha Motel, a 1950’s boutique motel on Arizona Avenue in Chandler, after a number of revisions in their plans.

(David Minton/Arizonan Staff Photographer)

The Aloha is now a 26-room boutique motel that has been upgraded to modern standards. Each room has its own kitchen area and modern design in keeping with the Aloha theme.

Simmonds and Hylton said since they began reopening it, they sell out most nights. On May 7, they fully reopened the final wing of rooms and staged an event that brought out Mayor Kevin Hartke and the Chandler Chamber of Commerce.

Politics played a role in the decision to switch from apartments to a motel, something the two pilots had never done before. Simmonds said the government issued a moratorium on evictions during the early days of the pandemic. He said

seeALOHA page 35

Chandler teen’s cookies a hit at local farmers markets

BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA

Arizonan Contributor

Customers strolling Saturday’s downtown Chandler farmers market, or Sunday morning’s farmers market in Ahwatukee have found a sweet spot at the Madisyn “Maddie” Newell’s bakery booth.

The Chandler High School sophomore has been a cookie vendor at the Chandler market for two years and branched out to Ahwatukee’s farmers market six months ago, where she has been a welcomed addition. Her first cookie baking experience was working next to her paternal grandfather, who remains an avid baker of cookies.

“Baking cookies has kinda been my whole life,” the vivacious Madisyn said, taking advantage of a lull at Sunday’s Ahwatukee Farmers Market. “I first baked when I was 4 or 5.” She said her maternal grandmother, now deceased, was another baking mentor. “We baked together. My grandparents on both sides were really into baking, and I loved helping them even when I was really young.” Little did anyone suspect that the youngster, who turned 16 April 7, would parlay the knowledge gleaned from those hours in her grandparents’ kitchens into her own business – and one that has garnered fans at both weekend markets, where small samples of her various offerings are offered to those walkAt 16, Madisyn Newell has become a popular vendor at two farmers markets with her homemade cookies. (Special to the Arizonan) ing by. The young entrepreneur handles a busy schedule with baking and studying for finals. Sporting her No. 15 jersey, Madisyn is also a point guard with Chandler High’s junior varsity girls basketball team and plays this summer with its club team.

“I love playing basketball; I started playing when I was in seventh grade at Willis Junior High,” she said.

Unfortunately for cookie monsters of all ages, Madisyn is shuttering both stands after June 4 so she can attend summer school, play club basketball and avoid the heat. “I definitely will return this fall,” she said. “I just have things I want to do this summer and there’s just not enough time.”

“I will be helping out at a local brick and mortar, too.” An air conditioned one, she added, smiling.

She said baking cookies is a passion she inherited from her paternal grandfather. “My grandfather on my father’s side,

some tenants just refused to pay their rents during the moratorium.

That left them with little appetite for adding more apartments to their portfolio. But to get the Aloha into good enough shape to be a desirable bed-andbreakfast would take a lot of work.

“It would have been easier to tear it down, I’m sure, and rebuild, but you couldn’t build something like this again,” Hylton said. “So we wanted to keep what it was. But it was everything from underground, through the walls, it’s all new. It wasn’t easy.”

Simmonds and Hylton got into buying apartments as a way to invest for the long-term as pilots in the Seattle area. Simmonds, who is older, is now retired from flying and has been a mentor for Hylton for the past 10 years.

“I’ve always had a passion for real estate,” Simmonds said. “My dad was a realtor … I remember going to look at a house with him one time, I can still smell the … wood. The idea of owning a house was intriguing.”

When Hylton and his family moved to the Valley in 2018, they decided to begin looking for properties in this area. In addition to the Aloha, they also bought Casa Blanca, which is a similar motel a few blocks north of Aloha on Arizona Avenue. It is also in need of refreshing. However, Simmonds says they want to see how the Aloha performs over a year before they decide what to do with Casa Blanca. So far, the Aloha is off to a great start. If it sustains it, then they could do a similar makeover for that motel. “Our reviews have been stellar,” Hylton said. “The people driving by are grateful to see it come back to life. We ran into several snags along the way, but we just kind of got through it, and we’re thrilled with it now.” ■ The Aloha is now a 26-room boutique motel that has been upgraded to modern standards. Each room has it’s own kitchen area and modern design in keeping with the Hawai-

ian theme. (David Minton/Arizonan Staff Photographer)

COOKIES from page 34

John Madisyn of Mesa, has always baked cookies and he gives them to his neighbors and members of his church,” she said. “Granddad is still baking; he does trial cookies with me.”

Trial cookies are often seasonal and holiday-centric like her popular fall pumpkin cookies.

Her booth at both farmers markets is arrayed with a tempting display of cookies that include chocolate chip, crinkle cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip, peanut butter, gluten-free keto selections, and several more.

She has garnered many regular customers, many of whom she knows by name.

“I come every Sunday morning and I never forget to buy myself one of her snickerdoodles,” said Ahwatukee Farmers Market regular Andrea Barry as she stood in the short line this May morning, eyeing the wares. “I eat just a couple bites while I walk around and it’s nice that she sells bottled water for only a dollar,” she said. “I always buy a snickerdoodle, and I know I should try some of the others, they look so good. It’s just I really love her snickerdoodles, but I only buy myself two for the week so I don’t overdo it,” she laughed.

Barry admitted she’s been known to buy many more.

“Last February I bought a dozen mixed cookies from Maddie and took them for the teachers and staff at my son’s school. It was such a hit, and I think she got a few more customers!” According to Madisyn, word of mouth has been a boon to business at both sites. “Word of mouth and repeat business,” she said smiling as she handed Barry her paper-wrapped snickerdoodle, “has really helped us grow. Of course the cookies are all delicious and that keeps them coming back.”

Summer hours have kicked in at both farmers markets. The Downtown Chandler Farmers Market, located in Dr. A.J. Chandler Park West at 3 South Arizona Avenue is open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., as is the Ahwatukee Farmers Market, located at 4700 E. Warner Avenue in the parking lot. Summer hours for both run June 1 through Sept. 30 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. ■

Hollywood developer pays $17.4M for The Steelyard

ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF

AHollywood real estate developer has bought The Steelyard commercial center in southeast Chandler for $17.4 million. Jason Illoulian, who owns Norman Cienega Property Group LLC and Faring, both in West Hollywood, purchased the 4 acre site at Gilbert and Chandler Heights Road, Chandler, last month from Simon Commercial Real Estate, according to the Valley real estate tracker vizzda.com. Built in 2020, The Steelyard comprises three single-story buildings with a total 26,404 square feet of retail space. The sale price broke down to $657 per square foot, vizzda said. Named after a steel operation that existed at the site before it was sold, former owner Capital Asset Management looked at the development has meeting a long-term need for more retail and restaurant venues in the area. Jason Hersker, executive vice president of Capital Asset Management, last year told the Chandler Arizonan that the immediate area had over 700 singlefamily lots in various stages of development and sell offs.

“These homeowners need their amenities and this was a retail trade area that was significantly underserved with retail options,” he said.

Illoulian on Faring’s website discusses his development philosophy, explaining he “believes in engaging with the community at the outset of a project.”

“We work to understand the local context, the pain points for neighbors and determine how our projects can help address those issues,” he said.

“We have shown how working hand-inhand with our neighbors from the start adds real value to our projects,” he said. “We know good design takes time. Partners like working with Faring because we’re patiently focused on a high-quality outcome and invest in the materials, specialists and time to achieve our goal.”

Since The Steelyard is so new and was expected to be fully leased last year, Iloulian probably won’t have all that much to worry about in terms of redevelopment.

With such a broad architectural portfolio, Faring “is defined by our commitment to detail and quality,” Illoulian said. “We are investing in neighborhoods and creating buildings which are still going to be relevant in 50 years.”