Wespac Construction completes Sprouts Farmers Market HQ, flagship store at CityNorth

New North Phoenix development brings the specialty grocer’s operations, plus retail and restaurant space, and structured parking on a 7-acre site.

PHOENIX, Ariz. (Sept. 17, 2026) — Wespac Construction has completed the new Sprouts Farmers Market support office and flagship store at CityNorth in Phoenix, delivering a long-term home for one of Arizona’s most recognized public companies and adding a new public destination to the fast-growing North Phoenix district.

The project totals approximately 186,000 SF at 20555 N. 55th St., near the Loop 101 and 56th Street. It includes an approximately 145,000 SF corporate headquarters, a 25,000 SF flagship Sprouts store, 11,000 SF of retail and restaurant space, and a three-level parking structure.

The project gives Sprouts a long-term base for its corporate operations while opening a grocery and retail destination to the public. It brings workplace, wellness, food, and community together on a single site, and it reflects how major employers are now building headquarters that work for employees, customers, and the surrounding neighborhood at the same time.

“In touring the new headquarters, I was impressed by its reflection of the Sprouts Farmers Market culture, and Wespac Construction has delivered a project that captures the feel of a growing and modern Phoenix,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said. “By taking advantage of innovative construction processes with advanced materials, Wespac completed the project on an ambitious timeline and delivered Sprouts an HQ that combined the needs of a growing national business with modern design and spaces that fit our local community.”

The headquarters includes a multi-story atrium built to host company-wide meetings and events, an on-site PRESS Coffee location, a fitness center, culinary kitchens, a rooftop deck, and a community garden. Two additional retail buildings on the site will bring future dining and shopping options for team members, customers, and the community.

Architectural and construction elements include aluminum composite material panels, decorative masonry, expansive curtain wall glazing, standing seam metal roofing, and a precast concrete parking structure with integral color concrete, sandblasted finishes, and horizontal metal panel accents.

The project team included Sprouts Farmers Market, Trammell Crow Company, RSP Architects, Keyser, JLL, and Wespac Construction.

Sprouts Farmers Market is one of the largest and fastest growing specialty grocers in the United States. The Phoenix-based company employs approximately 36,000 team members and operates more than 490 stores in 25 states. The new development anchors its continued national growth from its home market.

Tucson Council to Consider PFAS Cleanup and Veterans Golf Complex Partnership

TUCSON, ARIZONA (Sept. 17, 2026) — The Tucson City Council will consider a proposed agreement with Warbird National on Tuesday, Sept. 22, that could accelerate cleanup of PFAS contaminated groundwater near Davis-Monthan Air Force Base while supporting development of a veterans golf, aviation and education complex. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS or “forever chemicals,” have been used in firefighting foam and numerous industrial and consumer products.

The proposed memorandum of understanding would establish a framework for negotiations among the City of Tucson, Warbird National and the U.S. Air Force. It would not authorize construction or commit the parties to a final development agreement, but city officials describe it as an important first step toward addressing contamination that threatens Tucson’s long term water supply.

City Manager Tim Thomure warned the Mayor and Council that PFAS compounds originating near Davis-Monthan have moved into portions of Tucson’s central wellfield. The city has removed 24 wells from service because of contamination and designated another eight for emergency use only.

The central wellfield, which extends through portions of Tucson’s urban core, midtown and east side, was once the city’s largest source of drinking water. Tucson has relied primarily on renewable Colorado River water delivered through the Central Arizona Project during the past two decades, but uncertainty surrounding future Colorado River supplies has increased the importance of protecting the city’s groundwater reserves.

“This PFAS plume has already impacted a number of Tucson Water’s production wells in the central wellfield, and if it is left unaddressed, the city’s long-term water supply is in significant danger,” Thomure wrote in his communication to the council.

PFAS, commonly called forever chemicals because they persist in the environment, have been used in firefighting foam and numerous industrial and consumer products. Cleanup near military installations has often proceeded slowly through the federal Superfund process.

According to Thomure, Tucson’s cleanup has not received a high federal priority because the city prevents PFAS contaminated groundwater from entering its drinking water system. While that protects customers, it also means the contamination can continue spreading underground as the city waits for a comprehensive federal response.

The proposed partnership is intended to shorten that timeline. City officials estimate that a treatment system could potentially be designed and constructed within 18 to 24 months, several years sooner than the process currently being evaluated by the Air Force.

The system would be designed to capture, treat and beneficially reuse approximately 1.75 million gallons of groundwater per day from Davis-Monthan, along with additional contaminated groundwater collected from areas outside the base.

Much of the treated water would support an 18-hole golf course envisioned by Warbird National, a nonprofit organization led by former Air Force veterans. Additional treated water could be used at other city facilities.

Warbird National’s broader concept includes a championship golf course, outdoor aviation exhibits, public amenities and a Center for Learning and Winning. The educational component would provide science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs for young people, along with services and programming for veterans and the military community.

The organization’s plans describe a golf course integrated with displays of retired military aircraft, creating a destination intended to recognize military service while generating support for veterans programs.

Mayor Regina Romero said the partnership could help protect Tucson’s aquifer while advancing cleanup of a longstanding contamination problem.

“Keeping Tucson’s water supply safe and secure remains one of my top priorities,” Romero said. “This public-private partnership has the potential to allow us to cleanup a PFAS plume and keep our aquifer safe.”

Tucson Water Director John Kmiec said the proposal offers an opportunity to move the groundwater cleanup forward while putting the treated water to productive use without reducing water available to Tucson customers.

Funding details have not been finalized. City officials anticipate that federal funding and private money raised by Warbird National would pay for the cleanup and related infrastructure, with no cost to Tucson Water ratepayers. Earlier discussions referenced the possibility of approximately $20 million in federal funding, although no final award or financing package has been announced.

Several major questions also remain unanswered. The proposed memorandum does not identify the golf course location, the size of the development site or the total cost of the project. It also does not represent a binding commitment from the Air Force to fund or undertake the cleanup.

If approved, the memorandum would serve as a statement of intent and a basis for negotiating a legally binding intergovernmental or definitive agreement. Those negotiations would establish the responsibilities of the city, Warbird National and federal participants before cleanup or development could begin.

The council’s Sept. 22 vote will therefore determine whether Tucson proceeds with formal negotiations, not whether the treatment system and veterans complex receive final authorization.

Even at this preliminary stage, the proposal presents an unusual model for addressing one of Tucson’s most serious water infrastructure challenges: pairing environmental remediation with a privately supported recreational, educational and veterans destination.

Arizona Escrow & Financial Corp. celebrates 50 years of excellence

PHOENIX, ARIZ. (September 17, 2026) – Arizona Escrow & Financial Corporation (AEF) is celebrating 50 years in business in 2026, marking five decades of specialized commercial and business escrow service while looking ahead to continued growth in Arizona and beyond.

Founded in 1976, the woman-owned company has grown alongside Arizona’s business community while remaining independently owned and focused exclusively on escrow. Today, AEF works with business owners, brokers, attorneys, lenders and companies across Arizona, the U.S. and internationally.

The anniversary year has also brought several notable milestones for AEF and its leadership.

AEF recently became an Arizona Cardinals Small Business Partner, connecting the company with one of Arizona’s most recognized organizations and expanding its visibility throughout the state.

The company has also been named a 2026 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics finalist. BBB’s highest honor recognizes businesses for excellence in leadership, workplace culture, customer care and community impact. The competition includes businesses throughout Greater Arizona, San Diego County and Orange County, with the winner to be announced November 19, 2026.

AEF President Annette Anderson was named one of AZRE magazine’s Most Influential Women in Real Estate for 2026, following CEO Monica May-Dunn, who received the recognition in 2024.

May-Dunn was also named a Top 10 finalist for the 2026 NAWBO National Woman Business Owner of the Year Award, recognized during NAWBO Days in Washington, D.C. on May 31.

“Reaching 50 years gives us an opportunity to appreciate the people and relationships that built this company, but we’re equally focused on what comes next,” May-Dunn said. “We want to continue growing without losing the personal service, independence and expertise that have defined AEF for five decades.”

AEF’s plans for its next chapter include exploring opportunities for national expansion while maintaining its Arizona roots and continuing to modernize the escrow experience. The company is investing in technology that can improve efficiency, transaction visibility, document exchange and communication, while keeping personal relationships at the center of its service.

As AEF celebrates its golden anniversary, its direction remains true to the principles that have carried the company through its first 50 years: specialized expertise, personal attention and a commitment to getting the details right.

“Fifty years in business is more than a milestone, it is a reflection of the trust our customers, employees, partners, and communities have placed in us over five decades,” Anderson said. “We are incredibly proud of the legacy we have built together and grateful to the generations of people who have contributed to our success. As we celebrate where we’ve been, we remain focused on the future and the opportunities ahead. The best chapters of our story are still being written.”

Photo: (Left to right, left side): Darci Finsterwalder, Olivia Limon, Sarah Schorey, and Monica May-Dunn; (left to right, right side): Annette Anderson, Kalee Porter, Nicole Steele, and Melissa Baldwin. (Photo by Karianne Munstedt)