Further development of the Scottsdale Quarter could include apartments, a hotel and additional retail on the eastern side of the property.
Glimcher Realty Trust has picked the Zaremba Group LLC of Cleveland to build 350 luxury apartments on the 28-acre site southeast of Scottsdale Road and Greenway-Hayden Loop, said Kent Chantung of Zaremba. An $80 million third phase of development would include ground-floor commercial space with an unidentified retail anchor, he said.
Glimcher officials did not return calls seeking comment, and the Scottsdale Quarter would not elaborate on its development strategy.
"There's not much I can share," said Richard Hunt, Scottsdale Quarter general manager. "Phase 3 plans are still being solidified but they include a hotel, residential and retail components."
Chantung said Zaremba and Glimcher would like to begin development by the third quarter of 2012 for the remaining 9 acres of the 28-acre site.
The front two-thirds of the property includes shops, restaurants, offices, a plaza and two parking garages.
Scottsdale Quarter apartments would join a list of more than 5,200 apartments approved or proposed for development in Scottsdale.
The list includes 960 units in two projects northwest of the Scottsdale Airport that Scottsdale City Council approved in October. Plus, an additional 605 apartments east of the airport on Hayden Road the council could consider Dec. 13.
Scottsdale's flurry of apartment projects has raised concerns about overbuilding in that housing sector and objections from aviation interests about building apartments too close to the airport.
The Scottsdale Airport Advisory Commission recommended denial of all three Scottsdale Airpark apartment projects. Commissioners expressed fears that Airpark residents would complain about aircraft noise and pressure the city to restrict airport operations.
This year, Scottsdale Airport has reported a monthly average of 11,855 operations - an aircraft takeoff or landing - through September and 83 noise complaints per month. Those complaints are coming from an average 12 people per month who file one or more complaints.
Renters instead of owners
Scottsdale Quarter's apartment project would be in lieu of condominiums that were envisioned for the development about six years ago.
Glimcher could build up to 410,000 square feet of residential space for apartments or condos, and there is not set number of units allowed, said Bryan Cluff, a city planner.
The city has approved multifamily residential space at the Quarter so the airport commission would not have any input on that project under the current plan, said Gary Mascaro, Scottsdale aviation director.
The commission met Monday to discuss Airpark land-use issues.
Most of the discussion involved a conference call with Anthony Garcia, a Federal Aviation Administration compliance specialist in Los Angeles.
FAA official weighs in
Garcia expressed his concerns about residential development near the Scottsdale Airport and explained how Los Angeles-area airports have been pressured to restrict flight operations because of noise complaints from adjacent neighborhoods.
"It's a limited number of people, but they're persistent," Garcia said of residents filing complaints with the airports.
Santa Monica's airport, which is similar to Scottsdale's, is under extreme pressure from residents, he said.
Michael Goode, airport commission vice chairman, expressed fears that apartment building owners would pressure the city to allow conversion of their units to condos.
Officials agree that condo and homeowners tend to register more noise complaints than apartment dwellers.
"I think we're headed for extinction," Goode said of the Scottsdale Airport.
The commission voted to request a work-study session with the Scottsdale City Council to discuss the Airpark land uses. Garcia of the FAA agreed to participate in the meeting via teleconference.
Mascaro, the aviation director, said no meeting has yet been set.
by Peter Corbett The Arizona Republic Nov. 25, 2011 08:53 AM
Scottsdale Quarter development could include apartments, hotel, retail
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