From Jahna Berry's Blog at azcentral.com, dated Friday, August 1st, 2008

Crews will begin pouring cement on Monday for the first office tower in a $900 million downtown Phoenix project, the developer says.

Nearly 2,000 cubic yards of concrete will become the foundation for One East Washington, one of several buildings planned for the sprawling CityScape complex.

CityScape is a three-block cluster of shops, offices, condos and apartments that will be built in phases over several years, according to developer RED Development. The site is bound by First Avenue, Second Street, Washington Street and Jefferson Street.

Wachovia Corp. plans to be the anchor tenant in One East Washington. The 27-story high-rise will be complete in December 2009, said Jenny Burbach, a spokeswoman for RED.

CityScape is a key part of an ongoing city effort to invigorate downtown Phoenix

The sometimes contoversial, always an eysore, UFO looking, steel structure that hovered over the Amphitheater at Patriot's Square Park is being demolished to make way for another square block of the soon coming CityScape project.  Work on the demolition started today. 

While you all were out attending Pool parties at the Hotel San Carlos or wherever else you were, leisurely enjoying your Saturday, this reporter was "on the scene" capturing images of this historic event. 

you can read a lenthgthier article about the Laser structure at today's azcentral.com

If you look really closely at the bottom photo on the right, you can see the construction worker in the bucket, working on the structure.

The top photo is courtesy of the Arizona Republic, the others are courtesy of Lyle Plocher.

While witnessing the "maiden voyage" of the Metro Light Rail into Downtown Phoenix on Thursday, I decided it might be a good time to take a photo of the construction progress on one of the blocks that will soon be occupied by CityScape.  As you can see from the photo, construction workers were busy doing various tasks related to the excavation of the site. 

For those of you that have forgotten what CityScape will comprise on the 3 downtown Phoenix Blocks, check out this Channel 12 Video interview with CityScape marketing executive, John Bacon.

Channel 12 video

For those of you who have never seen renderings of the Project, we have provided a couple here.

CityScape webpage

Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L. P. announced that it will move its Phoenix office to CityScape in early 2010. The global law firm with 150 employees in Downtown Phoenix will occupy approximately 80,000 square feet across the top four floors of One East Washington, the mixed-use project’s Class A office tower. 

Jahna Berry
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 7, 2008 06:17 PM

Federal officials have cleared the $900 million CityScape high-rise project for takeoff.

On Monday, the Federal Aviation Administration ruled that the three-square block downtown Phoenix project poses no risk to aircraft that fly in and out of nearby Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport."It's what we expected all along," said John Bacon, spokesman for Scottsdale-based RED Development. "This was within the guidelines that the city established," he said referring to downtown height rules the city adopted in 2006.

The developer scaled back initial plans for four planned CityScape towers, one over 500 feet; they are now slated to be around 400 feet. But those heights could change, Bacon added. Monday's FAA ruling helps clear the way for one building, with hotel rooms and condos, to rise as high as 510 feet.

It was a high stakes issue. If the FAA said the project was too tall, the city would have denied cityscape's building permit.

City leaders have touted CityScape, which broke ground in October, as a crucial downtown development. It's supported by more than $120 million in incentives from Phoenix. The hub of shops, hotels and offices, extends from First Avenue to Second Street, and from Washington to Jefferson streets. Demolition and other site work is underway and the first phase could open as early as 2009.

"We initially issued a Notice of Presumed Hazard because the structure heights exceeded several FAA obstruction standards," said FAA spokesman Ian Gregor.

After further review, the agency concluded that the projects "punches up" into an airspace buffer, but doesn't have a negative effect on flights, he added.

Over the years tall projects in both Phoenix and Tempe projects have fallen under FAA scrutiny. Each development is evaluated on its own merits and by how it would impact the airport, the FAA says.

CityScape Announces Wachovia, Kimpton at Ground Breaking and Project Unveiling 
Leading National Financial Services Provider’s Regional Headquarters and Four-Star Hotel Palomar Coming to Downtown Phoenix  
PHOENIX, Ariz. (October 22, 2007) – The developers of CityScape announced new project details, including two major anchors, for the 2.5 million-square-foot, mixed-use project in downtown Phoenix. Wachovia Corporation, one of the nation’s largest diversified financial services companies, will anchor the 600,000-square-foot Class A office tower at One East Washington. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants will operate a 250-room, luxury boutique Hotel Palomar in the mixed-use tower at One South Central that also includes approximately 150 luxury residential condominium units, plus lower-level retail. Additionally, the developers announced plans for 65 for-rent, market-rate apartments. 

Chain Store Age, a national trade publication for the shopping center industry, produced a special section on mixed-use projects around the country. CityScape was one of the projects featured in which it would "reinvigorate downtown Phoenix...providing a uniquely urban experience."

But Phoenix isn't the only community experiencing tremendous growth with mixed-use. Communities like Atlanta, Memphis and Myrtle Beach are among the cities with active projects. Conumers in these cities, just like in Phoenix, see the advantages of mixed-use projects:

Interest in CityScape remains high among Valley residents. A recent post at www.downtownPHXrising.org is a great example of the excitement this project is bringing to the Valley, and not just from residents who already live in or near downtown.

"I have lived in N. Scottsdale for over 15 years and can't wait until I move into my condo in downtown Phoenix. We, the city of Phoenix, NEED CityScape and more projects like it." Posted by M. Grant.

In the recent Arizona Republic article on a "Cooler" downtown, civic leaders discussed the importance of shade, open space and strategic landscaping.

The plans for CityScape include these elements, along with active storefronts and people energy from those who will live and work at CityScape and the surrounding areas. The public input process conducted by the Parks Board supported the concepts of shade and landscaping; water elements; event areas; art elements; people spaces; and sustainability.