TUCSON, Arizona – The Peniocereus greggii, the Arizona night-blooming cereus also known as the “Queen of the Night,” will be blooming soon, and Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation is offering an opportunity for the public to come watch for free.

Last year dozens of members of the public came to the County’s Native Plant Nursery, 5845 N. Camino de la Tierra, with cameras at the ready to capture the beauty. In past years, the showy cacti have started blooming as early as June 12 and as late as July 12.

“I won’t know for sure until lunchtime that day,” said Jessie Byrd, manager of the Native Plant Nursery.

This year, volunteers recently finished planting more than 100 salvaged “queens” just north of the nursery at Pima Prickly Park, 3500 W. River Road, so “Bloom Night” will likely be better in the park than at the nursery. Members of the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society will help guests navigate the paths to get to the blooms.

Sign up to be notified by email when the night-blooming cereus are ready by contacting Valerie Samoy at [email protected]. You can also monitor the Facebook page for Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation.

TUCSON, Arizona — Quincy Media Inc. (QMI), the owner operator of The Herald-Whig and WGEM-TV/Radio has completed purchase of KVOA-TV, the NBC affiliate serving Tucson area. The 35,021-square-foot building and transmission towers at 209 West Elm Street in Tucson sold for $2.2 million ($63 PSF).  Built in 1971, the building sits on 2.95 acres located between Oracle Road and Stone Avenue on West Elm Street.

KVOA seller was Cordillera Communications who announced in October 2018 the sale of all their television stations. This acquisition will extend QMI ownership to 15 television markets.

“We are very excited to acquire this great station,” said QMI President/CEO Ralph M. Oakley. “KVOA is very involved in the communities it serves, is family owned and very much like Quincy Media operates with a similar philosophy of community service and responsible journalism.”

KVOA is the market leading station in Tucson which is the 73rd television market and will be QMI’s largest. It is the company’s 10th NBC affiliate. The acquisition was subject to the approval of the Federal Communications Commission.

The company began as Quincy Newspapers Inc. in 1926, the result of the merger of the Quincy Herald and the Quincy Whig. It entered the broadcast business in Quincy in the 1940s and 1950s. The company changed its name Quincy Media Inc. in 2016.

The FCC in April 2019 gave its consent to Cordillera Communications’ plan to exit the broadcast television industry, some 33 years after entering it.

As such, the closing of Cordillera’s other 15 of its 16 stations will come soon to The E.W. Scripps Co.

To learn more, see RED Comp #6766.

Cushman & Wakefield of Phoenix reps seller in portfolio sale

PHOENIX, Arizona – Cushman & Wakefield completed the sale of two Walgreens for a total of $6.9 million. The properties, located at 1840 W. Southern Avenue in Phoenix and 14285 W. Grand Avenue in Surprise, Ariz., were controlled by Grand Village CFI, LLC of Telluride, Colo.

Chris Hollenbeck of Cushman & Wakefield’s Phoenix office negotiated the transaction on behalf of the seller.

The two single-tenant properties totaling 29,300-square-feet were 100% occupied at the time of sale by Walgreens, one of the nation’s largest drugstore chains. Totaling 14,560-square-feet, the freestanding property located at 1840 E. Broadway Boulevard was purchased by Cove Capital of Rolling Hills Estates, Calif. for $4,650,000 million ($319 PSF). The property located at 14285 W. Grand Avenue is 14,740-square-feet and was purchased by Midwest Alliance Partners, LLC of Urbandale, Iowa for $2,253,000 million ($153 PSF).

“We were pleased to have successfully closed this portfolio of two investment properties. Both deals are freestanding Walgreens with drive-thrus and have corporate guaranteed leases,” stated Hollenbeck.

According to Cushman & Wakefield research, the demand for all retail types were consistent despite the growing strength of the eCommerce market in the first quarter of 2019. Vacancy rates have returned to pre-recession lows, though asking rates are lower, especially for Class B and C space.