Changing the Phoenix LandScape
CityScape � the largest private investment in downtown Phoenix history � is nearing completion of the $400-million phase one.
Upon build-out, the $980-million, 2.5-million-sq-ft, mixed-use project will unite three city blocks, First Avenue to Second Street and Jefferson to Washington streets. The lead team includes the Phoenix offices of RED Development and the Barron Collier Co.; the architect, Seattle-based Callison; and the Phoenix offices of Hunt Construction and the Weitz Co.
As part of phase one, Weitz is completing the 115,325-sq-ft retail component west of Central Avenue on the former Patriot�s Park plaza and above the five-level city parking structure. Weitz began above-grade construction in September.
The firm�s approximately $27-million contract includes two two-story retail buildings � a 21,255-sq-ft north and a 91,070-sq-ft south building � centering on a water-featured plaza. Facade components are storefront/curtain wall, EIFS, CMU veneer and metal panel.
A new ramp for the parking structure was also completed as part of the contract, scheduled for completion this month.
Hunt Construction has substantially completed its construction manager-at-risk component of phase one on the block east of Central Avenue to First Street. The approximately $145-million contract includes a 1,300-space, five-story underground parking structure; 600,000-sq-ft, 28-story Class A office tower; 44,000 sq ft of retail; and a central plaza.
The phase one tower is almost entirely leased for retail and commercial space, says Jeff Moloznik, project manager for RED Development. �Tenants have begun moving in and will continue to do so over the course of the summer,� he says.
A grand opening is scheduled for October.
Hunt began construction on the project in December 2007 and delivered it to RED Development in February, as scheduled.
When building the underground parking structure on the eastern block, RED and Hunt designed the parking structure to support the phase two south tower, says Deputy City Manager David Krietor. As a result, Hunt has constructed a majority of the loading and service areas for that building and is constructing the podium on which it will be built.
With start as yet undetermined, the second tower is envisioned as a 250-room luxury boutique hotel on the first 10-12 stories, with about 50,000 sq ft of lower-level retail. The second phase will be either office space or residential units depending on market conditions, Krietor adds.
Phase three � two additional towers have received entitlements � will be coordinated by the Barron Collier Co. for the easternmost third block of CityScape between First and Second streets. These improvements, however, are not expected in the near future, Krietor says.
The Weitz retail component has been in two phases: first, the demolition of the existing Patriot�s Park and subsequent improvements, and then the construction of the two-story commercial buildings and area reconstruction.
�One of the more difficult challenges for Weitz was to keep the parking structure in operation as much as possible during the entire process� because it�s in an area where many civic, sporting and entertainment events take place, Krietor says. Both contractors coordinated with the city to minimize inconveniences on the adjacent roadways and walkways for downtown workers, residents and visitors.
Preplanning was critical, adds David Cress, project manager for Weitz. �Different streets and/or walkways were shut down in order to build portions of the new buildings around existing stairs, elevators and entrance/exit ramps,� he says.
For its projects, Ondrei Poliak, Hunt�s BIM/VDC coordinator, developed a phasing plan including utility relocations prior to excavating 60 ft for the cast-in-place, post-tension-concrete parking garage.
�Through our BIM process, we were able to develop a variety of scenarios quickly for us to determine the cost and schedule impacts for each option we were considering,� says Brent Leif, Hunt�s construction manager.
�We worked though each option with the subcontractors as well as the owner to arrive at the most cost-effective and aggressive solution and were able to perform almost 11 months of construction before utility relocations were complete.�
Leif�s team for Cityscape I includes Bob Aylesworth, project executive; Mark Abraham, project manager; and Rodger Vincent and Larry Blake, general superintendents.
While utility relocation progressed, Hunt built temporary shoring walls to allow for the accelerated tower schedule. �This has led to some unconventional solutions to excavation and shoring that would not normally been seen without these challenging conditions,� Leif says.
Hunt also worked closely with the structural engineer to develop a highly efficient system of concrete post-tensioned elevated slabs for the tower. �By developing a system of larger and more uniform tables, we were able to safely increase the speed of the construction of the concrete frame and ultimately top out the structure faster than originally contemplated,� Leif says.
In addition, the unitized curtain-wall system, by the Gilbert office of subcontractor Walters and Wolf, was designed for speed of construction as well as engineered to a higher pounds-per-square-foot standard for withstanding water infiltration than most buildings in Phoenix.
Most recently, Hunt has completed 75,000 sq ft of tenant improvements on the top 3.5 floors of the CityScape I office tower � the new home for the local office of the Squire, Sanders, Dempsey LLP law firm. That LEED silver project is utilizing full 4D BIM modeling, coordination, clash detection and implementation.
At CityScape I, Hunt also became the first contractor in the U.S. to use ArtrA, a 3D BIM software that embeds 6D facilities-management information electronically, including as-built drawings, operations and maintenance manuals and documentation, according to Steve Dales, director of business development at ArtrA Inc.�s Phoenix office.
Key Players
Owner/Developer: RED Development
General Contractors: Hunt Construction Group; The Weitz Co.
Architect: Callison
Engineers: PK Associates; David Evans and Associates; KPFF Consulting Engineers
Subcontractors: Buesing Corp.; Suntec Concrete; JEN Electric; HACI; W.J. Maloney Plumbing; Walters and Wolf; Stafford Tower Cranes; Able Steel
