Transwestern Tapped to Lease 182,000 SF, Class A Building

PHOENIX, ARIZ. – Mortenson, in partnership with Urban Development Partners, today announces it will be developing and constructing Arizona’s first cross-laminated timber office building, known as The Beam on Farmer. Located at 401 S. Farmer Ave. in Tempe, Arizona, the five-story office building will total 182,000 square feet. Mortenson selected Transwestern Commercial Services (TCS) to provide leasing services for the Class A building.

Cross-laminated timber is a wood product that combines layers of natural timber to create a defined and eco-friendly experience. The Beam on Farmer will be a marriage of solid timber, concrete, steel and glass, giving it a natural wood aesthetic with a modern yet vintage vibe. The building will feature sustainable and flexible office floor plans and a unique and creative environment, with 15-foot exposed wood ceilings, and glulam wood beams and columns.

“We are excited to be the first to bring a Class A, cross-laminated timber project to Arizona,” said George Forristall, Director of Real Estate Development at Mortenson. “We believe the juxtaposition between the urban core location and the building type, are a crossroads to deliver a unique experience. We are engaged with and excited about the Tempe market as a whole.”

Mortenson, which is also developing the new Hyatt Place Hyatt House hotel in the Novus Innovation Corridor in Tempe, expects to finish The Beam in the fourth quarter 2020. The firm is working with RSP Architects, a Tempe-based design firm, to help bring this vision to life. TCS Managing Director Mark Stratz and Senior Vice President Scott Baumgarten are overseeing the leasing.

“We are excited to be part of this unique project that values sustainability practices,” said Baumgarten. “Tempe’s amenity-rich and walkable nature make it the perfect location for this modern, urban office that tenants desire.”

Located near Arizona State University, the building has immediate access to Highway 202 via Priest Drive or Rural Road. It is also adjacent to the Fifth Street and Ash Avenue streetcar station opening in 2021. It will have a 4/1,000 adjacent parking garage.

Cross-laminated timber construction utilizes young trees, a sustainable forestry practice. The wood for the project will capture 3.5 tons of carbon dioxide. The manufacturing process creates zero waste, and scrap material is used to create other products or biofuel. Cross-laminated timber improves the functionality of the building by using large grid spacing and high exposed ceilings, providing maximum interior design flexibility.

For  additional information: thebeamtempe.com

Tucson, AZ –Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block (TMA) Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Mikolajczak announced today that Anne Y. Thwaits is the new Director of Marketing and Communications, began her position on May 20^th, 2019.  Thwaits will focus on promoting and interpreting TMA’s mission of Connecting Art to Life with local, regional and national media, as well as visitors, staff, docents, donors and volunteers. She will develop and implement TMA’s marketing plan and budget, create a wide range of traditional and digital materials and oversee the TMA marketing and communications staff, along with printers, web designers, graphic artists and photographers.

According to Mikolajczak, “Anne Thwaits brings to TMA an exciting combination of hands-on professional experience and stellar academic credentials.”  Thwaits holds a Ph.D. in museum studies with a minor in contemporary art history, in addition to a master’s degree in media arts and a bachelor’s degree in fine arts studies, all from The University of Arizona. She also has experience teaching online and in-classroom visual arts and culture courses at the University of Arizona and Pima Community College. Most recently she was the Director of Marketing, Communications and Events for the MIS Department, Eller College of Management, University of Arizona. From 2013 to 2015, she served as the Director of Marketing, Communications & Outreach for UA Presents.

The Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block’s mission is Connecting Art to Life. The museum was founded in 1924 and is located in the El Presidio Historic District of downtown Tucson. It is Southern Arizona’s premier presenter of fine art and art education programs.

The museum features permanent and traveling exhibitions of Modern and Contemporary, Native American, American West, Latin American, pre-Columbian, European, and Asian art. The 74,000-square-foot museum offers guided tours and education programs. The museum’s historic block of 19th and 20th century, adobe and Mission Revival-style buildings, encompassing a four-acre city block, includes the John K. Goodman Pavilion, the highly acclaimed museum restaurant Café a la C’Art, the Museum Store, and additional exhibition spaces.

TMA is a private 501(c)(3) charitable arts and education organization. For TMA hours, admission prices, membership opportunities and exhibitions, please visit TucsonMuseumofArt.org or call (520) 624-2333.

Landsea Homes’ Third Development in Arizona

Phoenix, Ariz. – Landsea Homes today announced a strategic expansion with the acquisition of two combined projects at Town and Country Place, the homebuilder’s third community in greater Phoenix, Arizona. The new community, located at 14^th and Ocotillo Streets, will have a total lot count of 13 homesites. Landsea Homes will close on the second parcel, Madison, in the coming months. The two projects will have a combined count of 54 lots.

“Landsea Homes is thrilled to grow and expand in the highly-sought after North Central Phoenix market, which is currently undergoing a tremendous renaissance with jobs, revenue and economic growth,” said Peter Beucke, Arizona division president of Landsea Homes. “This is the latest measure of a city that is truly on the rise and we look forward to showcasing best-in-class homes that offers immediate access to top schools and an exciting shopping and entertainment district.”

The City of Phoenix is comprised of 15 urban villages surrounded by shopping, employment and a world-class resort. The Phoenix village offers extensive recreation opportunities, with a bike trail entrance located less than a mile from Madison Square providing access to hiking and biking experiences in high Sonoran Desert locations.

Town and Country Place is located within a mile of the entrance to State Route 51, a major connector freeway to Interstate-10 and Loop 101, enabling residents to shorten commute times to central Phoenix and the Camelback Corridor in comparison to other central Phoenix submarkets.

The four proposed single-family detached home designs will range from 2,058 to 2,430 square feet and feature energy efficiency and contemporary finishes in the new housing. Families are close to highly performing elementary schools and retirees will find the plan’s mix of designs flexible in style and size.

For more information about Landsea Homes’ Arizona communities, visit https://landseahomes.com/.