ATTENTION Walmart Shoppers – More Covered Parking Sightings

Super Walmart, Oro Valley Photo: Aaron Mendenhall
Super Walmart, Oro Valley
Photo: Aaron Mendenhall

When we first reported the mysterious solar covered parking under construction at the Walmart Supercenter at the Foothills earlier this month, we asked readers to watch for any other Walmart solar covered parking sites in and around Tucson.

These solar structures are appearing almost out of nowhere and we now have reports with photos of two solar covered parking installations under construction:

  1. Walmart Supercenter  7635 N. La Cholla Blvd, Tucson
  2. Walmart Supercenter  2150 East Tangerine Rd, Oro Valley.

Our thanks to Aaron Mendenhall for the Oro Valley sighting and the photo.

Walmart also responded to our request for information on what the planet’s largest retailer was doing to save the planet’s resources, and sent us a list of these first solar covered parking sites in Arizona.

  1. Walmart Supercenter 1695 North Arizona Blvd, Coolidge
  2. Walmart Supercenter 5605 West Northern Ave, Glendale
  3. Walmart Supercenter 2501 South Ave B, Yuma
  4. Walmart Supercenter 199 West 5th St, Douglas
  5. Walmart Supercenter 18680 South Nogales Hwy, Sahuarita
  6. Sam’s Club 1462 South Pacific Ave, Yuma

Walmart is actually being applauded by the EPA as the No. 1 onsite green power generator in the country.

The response we received from Walmart stated that the retailer has three primary sustainability goals: to use 100% renewable energy, to create zero waste and to sell products that sustain people and the environment.

Walmart representatives did set a goal of being 100% reliant on renewable energy, back in 2005, and although they never really set a timeframe for accomplishing it, they are certainly moving in that direction. According to SEIA, since 2008, solar projects have cut the retailer’s costs by over one million dollars.

Solar Carports at Foothills' Walmart
Solar Carports at Foothills’ Walmart

“As part of our renewable energy goal, we have started construction on solar shaded parking structures at select Arizona store locations,” said Rachel Wall, Walmart Senior Manager of Communications. “The Arizona climate makes it an attractive pilot market and we look forward to providing covered parking for our customers; plus it’s a natural extension of our rooftop solar program in the state.”

“These Arizona stores are our first solar shaded parking structures, following the success of solar canopies at our Buckeye and Casa Grande distribution centers,” said Wall. “System sizes range for 300KW – 600KW and each system provides between 15% – 20% of a store’s electricity requirements.”

In Arizona, Walmart currently has about 20 solar installations in operation. Working with SolarCity, the installations are financed under operating leases – SolarCity owns and installs and Walmart leases the systems.

SolarCity is the solar provider for not only Walmart, but also for Walgreens, Toyota, eBay, the U.S. Military and more than 1000 other organizations that control their energy costs with solar.

Walmart has more than 300 renewable energy projects globally – renewable includes solar, fuel cell, and wind.

If you experience a solar covered parking sighting at your neighborhood Walmart, please let us know at REDailyNews@outlook.com. We’d like to continue tracking these installations.




Smaller Users, Active Investors Lead to $12.6 Million Goodyear Industrial Sale

500-600 Bullard
Courtesy Photo: Bullard Goodyear Commerce Center, Goodyear, AZ

Citing continued strong investor interest and robust leasing activity among smaller users, the Phoenix office of Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) has sold the Bullard Goodyear Commerce Center, a six-building, 182,496-square-foot flex industrial property in Goodyear, AZ sold for $12.6 million ($69 PSF).

Jones Lang LaSalle Associate Riley Gilbert, along with Jones Lang LaSalle Managing Directors Anthony J. Lydon and Marc Hertzberg, managed the property’s sale on behalf of the seller, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America.

Prior to the property sale, JLL led an aggressive 30-month leasing campaign that inked more than 100,000-square-feet in new leases. The commitments brought the industrial development from less than 30 percent occupied to more than 85 percent occupied, with 35 tenants and well positioned for sale.

“These were predominantly small bay deals—the mom-and-pop and regional users that survived the downturn and are now back in the market, creating demand and filling vacant space,” said Gilbert. “This activity turned an already well located project into an equally well occupied one, with limited direct competition and tremendous upside potential based on a proven trend of consistency.”

According to Gilbert, much of this activity is the result of a rebounding homebuilder market and the exponential growth of the West Valley, including neighboring Buckeye, which was the ninth fastest growing community in the nation in 2012.

Located at 500-600 N. Bullard Ave. in Goodyear, the Bullard Goodyear Commerce Center encompasses six office/warehouse buildings totaling 182,496-square-feet on 14.35 acres. Amenities include 20 ft. clear heights, community truck wells, PAD zoning within the City of Goodyear and access to a full diamond interchange at I-10 and Bullard Avenue. The space offers divisibility from a minimum of 2,493 square feet.

“This project provides smaller-scale lease opportunities in a market dominated by large-scale users,” said Gilbert. “That makes for a unique and valuable asset that is located in the middle of a tremendous amount of planned growth.”

Gilbert, Lydon and Herzberg should be contacted at (602) 282-6300.




“Where Technology & Manufacturing Connect” Tucson Expo to be held October 16th

AZTechcouncillogoThe Arizona Technology Council, Arizona’s premier trade association for science and technology companies will host the first annual Tucson Tech + Business Expo where the theme will be “Where Technology & Manufacturing Connect” on October 16, 2013, from 12:30 – 7:30 p.m. The aim of the Expo is connecting a diverse group of Tucson-based large and small technology and manufacturing companies to share capabilities and uncover new business opportunities to further the advancement of technology in Arizona.

On-site registration for the Expo will start at 12:30 p.m. at the Tucson Jewish Community Center  located at 3800 E. River Road in Tucson. City of Tucson Mayor, Jonathan Rothschild, will kick off the event at 1:00 p.m. and present the Tucson Tech Expo “Business Leader of the Year Award”, followed by a keynote address. The award is to become an annual presentation to a deserving business leader who has made significant contributions consistent with the vision of the Arizona Technology Council that is, to make Arizona “the fastest growing tech hub in the nation”.

The Expo will feature company representatives from Raytheon, Universal Avionics, National Instruments, Honeywell and B/E Aerospace presenting each their business outlooks and requirements to an audience of more than 30 smaller businesses interested in building supplier relationships.

“The Tucson Tech and Business Expo accelerates business development for our members,” said Alex Rodriguez, director of the Southern Arizona Office of the Arizona Technology Council. “Gauging from the fantastic response we’ve received to date and the fact that we’re on track to sell-out, it’s clear that our members are ready to grow faster. This signature event helps our regional firms uncover new opportunities within the region itself as well as compete and win in a global economy.”

Whether you are an aerospace, aviation or defense manufacturer, major prime contractor, or small business contract manufacturing company looking for new opportunities, you will want to be part of this first-ever Tucson Tech & Business Expo. Contract manufacturers, engineering firms, technology providers and business services’ providers will also have opportunities to present their capabilities throughout the day.

After the presentations, the exhibits will be open and the Council will host its monthly After5 Tech Mixer in the exhibition area. In addition, the Expo will give exhibitors and attendees plenty of time for one-on-one networking and to showcase their portfolio of services and technologies. For a complete list of exhibitors visit the Tucson Tech + Business Expo event webpage.

To become a member or to learn more about the Arizona Technology Council, please visit https://www.aztechcouncil.org . Alex Rodriguez can also be contacted at (520) 275-0519 for more information.