PIMA COUNTY, ARIZONA – The Pima County Health Department will be expanding its free distribution of take-home BinaxNOW self-test kits.

After a successful launch that saw Pima County distribute about 1,300 tests on Oct. 30, the department is adding three additional Saturday dates to distribute test kits at Abrams Public Health Center, 3950 S. Country Club Road.

The additional dates will be:

• Nov. 6
• Nov. 13
• Nov. 20

The self-test kits will be available in the lobby of Abrams from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all three Saturdays.

Distribution will be limited to one test kit per person; each kit contains two tests. Tests can be given to individuals of any age. Everyone who receives a test kit will be required to fill out a demographic information form.

These rapid antigen tests look for COVID-19 antigens, or small pieces of protein, in your respiratory tract. These tests are not sufficient for international travel or other organizations that require PCR/NAAT (nucleic acid amplification test) results.

To find free COVID-19 testing centers from Pima County, go to www.pima.gov/covid19testing.

For more information on the BinaxNOW self-tests, including how to report results and to watch instructional videos in English and Spanish, visit www.pima.gov/covid19hometest.

In the third quarter 2021, the Tucson market recorded employment of 384,600 jobs with a positive outlook, up 4.3% over the third quarter 2020. The unemployment rate improved from 7.9% in the third quarter 2020 down to 6.5%. Median household income in Tucson remains steady year-over-year (YOY) at $57,600, in line with national figures. Population grew 0.9% YOY with a positive outlook, more than double the national gain of 0.4%. Due to pandemic-related supply chain issues, housing permits decreased 14.1% YOY in Tucson but remain up 28% year-to-date. Housing demand is stronger in recent years partly due to migration, but supply constraints limit the number of houses sold. Arizona is experiencing a very healthy recovery in retail sales, up 17.4% YOY even while factoring in a dip in July of this year.

SUPPLY AND DEMAND:
Tucson’s office market continues to hold steady, in line with the trend to cautiously return to in-person work. The pandemic has brought an influx of people to Arizona from states like New York, California, and Illinois. However, approximately a third of the workforce remains at-home. Two-year leases are the current norm for non-essential businesses as they navigate strategies with no clear indicators of near-term demand for office space. Essential services such as medicine, insurance and real estate continue to contribute to long-term leases of three years or greater.
Northwest Medical Center continues construction at the Southwest corner of Houghton Road and Old Spanish Trail, on track for completion in early 2022. Downtown, at East Congress and 1 S. Church, office space is being converted to residential. While office space growth was positive, it is not as high-paced as residential and retail. A few other large office properties could be targets for new uses, while some call centers have begun to reduce their current office space throughout the market.

Development land sales in the third quarter 2021 have increased, with areas of growth including south into Sahuarita, Vail, west toward Star Valley and into the Northwest. Residential land development for single family homes and multifamily followed by retail are mainly benefiting from this growth; student housing and office development has slowed due to the pandemic and quarantine. The demand is high, however supply for land is low due to state and national parks land surrounding the core metro area.

PRICING:
A large notable investment sale this quarter was Mister Car Wash® which sold at $8.95 million, $353 per square foot, 6.3% cap rate. The Mister Car Wash® building was constructed in the 1950s and converted into office space shortly before sale. Signed office leases in Tucson for the third quarter 2021 largely remained under 10,000 square foot, showing less growth than other
sectors of the commercial market, but still solid for the office sector.

See full report here.

RED Development Adds Banner Health to Tenant Roster at the Highly Anticipated Mixed-Use Development

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – RED Development this week joined Banner Health for a groundbreaking to mark the start of construction on a new single tenant medical building at its highly anticipated mixed-use development, The Grove, which is situated on the corner of the prestigious Camelback Corridor and will be home to the state’s second Banner Health Center Plus.

Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country. Its multispecialty health campus, Banner Health Center Plus, offers a wide range of services under one roof and is designed to make receiving care convenient and seamless. Like the first Banner Health Center Plus in Glendale, The Grove location will feature a variety of services and medical specialties.

The 70,000-square-foot building will accommodate approximately 160 employees and will be located at 4200 E. Camelback Rd. Banner was represented by Pat Williams, managing director at JLL, with financing provided by Bankers Trust. Bringing together leading companies with construction by Okland Construction, architecture by Nelsen Partners and interior design by Devenney Group, the center is designed with a patient-centric strategy to transform health care options in the area.

“Banner Health is pleased to partner with RED Development on the Banner Health Center Plus project to bring a vast array of quality health care options to the Camelback Corridor community,” said Joan Thiel, vice president of ambulatory services for Banner Health. “Our medical specialists and clinical staff will provide comprehensive health care in a convenient location with desired amenities to make life better.”

The Grove, a $400 million mixed-use destination on the northwest corner of 44^th Street and Camelback Road, is located at one of the most high-profile intersections in the Valley. Banner Health joins the elite group of revered companies located at The Grove including a state-of-the-art Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury private training facility that opened in late 2020 and The Global Ambassador, a hotel by restaurant innovator Sam Fox that will merge hospitality, culinary and wellness experiences, which is slated to open in fall 2023. Additionally, a Class AA office building by RED Development will be completed by 2022.

“Welcoming Banner Health to The Grove underscores our goal with this development to bring the most exceptional services to the community,” said Mike Ebert, managing partner at RED Development. “We’re proud that Banner Health chose The Grove to open its second-ever Banner Health Center Plus and the outstanding options it will undoubtedly provide.”

To learn more about The Grove and RED Development, visit REDdevelopment.com. For more information about Banner Health, visit bannerhealth.com.