March 2010

The Urban Team to Continue The Urban Connection Realty Tradition

I met Lyle Plocher a while back at a Radiate Phoenix meeting. I immediately liked the guy… down to earth and knowledgeable. We ran into each other on occasion and then something wonderful happened.

A couple weeks ago Lyle called and asked if we, the Urban Team at Realty Executives, would consider carrying on the Urban Connection Realty tradition. It didn’t take much to say an emphatic yes to Lyle… he is a great guy and has a fine reputation in the downtown area… my favorite place in the valley. We struck a deal and here we are.

In the “About Page” you can read a bit about our background. Many already know us from our blog “Urban Life”, Radiate Phoenix and other DT events.  Our goal is to earn your respect, trust and hopefully your phone call or email next time you want to buy or sell a home in the downtown, midtown or the central areas of Phoenix. We’d be honored and delighted.

Best to you and we look forward to bringing you the best real estate information possible. Let us know if you have a topic you want us to cover or need information about the market, your home and such.

Homes Currently For Sale in Willo Historic District

We are often asked what is for sale in the Willo Historic District. In response, we have a nifty little tool that will give you real time info on the homes currently on the market in different areas including Willo.

The listing information we use is directly from the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service and is updated several times per day. As you’ll see, the homes for sale are shown on a map so you can see where the various homes actually lay within the district. If you hover over the green icon it will give you some basic information about the house.

If click on the green thing it will open a full page about the home. Plus, a full search tool will be available where where you can modify the search parameters to best suit your needs.

We hope you enjoy this addition to Urban Connection and let us know if we can set up an appointment to view any of the homes you see.

 

One Lexington in Midtown Phoenix meets Downtown’s Radiate Phx

Radiate Phx held their March 2010 meeting on the 12th floor of One Lexington, a project I believe to be the most rousing and believable condo/loft development in downtown Phoenix. We are so excited there is a condo project we can be over-the-top excited about.

Let’s talk a bit about the meeting and then discuss One Lexington itself. The evening began with the usual talk time with friends new and old. Catrina Knoebl, Radiate’s helmsperson, kicked things off and welcomed Carol Johnson from the City of Phoenix who talked about how the Urban Form project is moving forward. Next up was Rob McDonald, the President of McDonald Development… the new owners of One Lexington.

I really like Rob McDonald. Though he calls Vancouver Canada home, his family roots are from Atlanta, GA. He is a warm engaging man who is both excited and committed to offer Phoenix the most viable condo project in years. He spoke about the reason for choosing to buy the building, the partners gathered to make it work and the project itself.

One Lexington offers 145 units in 1,2 and 3 bedroom floor plans plus penthouse units and 15,000 square feet of commercial on the first floor.  The floor plans are well thought and feel very gracious and welcoming.

McDonald talked about the excellent quality of the buildings and his commitment to use American made products in the build out as well as local contractors and vendors. The unit we were in had winsome finishes including wood floors, tasty tile backsplashes, clean-lined cabinets and other niceties.

Based on the 20 or so purchase reservations already submitted, I am not the only one who feels this is an incredible opportunity.

The Radiate Phx evening ended with more conversation and tours of the various models.  As a downtown realtor, I found this venue exciting, a welcome addition to the community and a great place to Radiate Phx. Special thanks to Catrina and her husband Chris for putting this night together.

Gene Urban
The Urban Connection Team
602-234-5777

PS… if you would like to take a look at One Lexington use the contact form below and we will schedule an appointment for you

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Radiate Phoenix Meets at One Lexington in March 2010

Radiate Phx, the non-traditional gathering of architects, planners, Realtors, and downtown Phoenix advocates will hold its March 2010 meeting tonight at One Lexington the former Century Plaza tower at Lexington and Central.

Macdonald Development of Canada recently purchased the building and will be finishing out the condo conversion and marketing the units.

Radiate Phoenix members, as is often the case, will get a preview of the project development and updates from our good friend and fellow realtor, David Newcombe from Russ Lyon Sotheby’s.

Where: One E. Lexington, Phoenix

When: Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Time:  5:30 – 7:30 pm

Willy Wonka Coming to Valley Youth Theater

Can you believe the Valley Youth Theatre (VYT) is about to finish out its 21st season?  That’s an important community statement. The final production of the season will be Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory… a tasty treat for the whole family. More on that later in this post.

Did you know VYT offers a scholarship program?   VYT is in its second season utilizing a groundbreaking scholarship program, which will allow all members of the cast and crew to earn $150-$300 per production. The money is held and later distributed when the performer turns 18 and enters college. No other youth theater in the country offers such a program. Valley Youth Theatre (VYT) was honored by the Arts & Business Council of Greater Phoenix, as the 2008 Arts Organization of the Year.

Back to Willie Wanka:

What: Ronald Dahl’s timeless story of the world-famous candy man and his quest to find an heir comes to life in this stage adaptation of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” which features many of the songs made famous by the classic family film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”

When: Friday, May 7th through Sunday, May 23rd.
Fridays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 12:00pm & 3:30pm and Sundays at 12:30pm & 4:00pm
Tickets are $18.00, for Groups of 20 or more tickets are $14.40.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please
Call 602-253-8188 x 4, or visit www.VYT.com.

Where: Valley Youth Theatre
525 N. First St. (Southeast corner of First and Fillmore Streets)
Phoenix, AZ 85004.

Well Remodeled Home in Alvarado Historic District

It’s not often we see homes come up in Alvarado that look this fine. This 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home, located at 130 E. Alvarado received an extensive make over in 2009. The result is a home that maintains a lot of charm yet has the amenities most want today.

A great home for those not looking for a project house, yet want what a historic home offers. Plus, it is a short walk to the Heard Museum and the Encanto light rail stop.

Home is priced at $429,000. If you would like to view this property, please give us a call.

The Urban Team
602-234-5777
info@UrbanConnectionRealty.com

Listing is courtesy of John Hall & Associates

Stoddard-Harmon House: Yours for 1.3 mil

It’s not too often you can pick up a bit of really old Phoenix history, yet the sale of the 1910 Stoddard/Harmon house is just that.  This fine old lady, located at 1st Ave and McKinley,  is listed on national, state and city historic registers… don’t see that too often. In addition, she had a complete restoration in the mid-1990′s.

If you’d like to take a look let me know and I’d be happy to set up an appointment to view.  By the way, the seller reduced the price by $150K just a few days ago.

Chateau on Central Sells For A Low Price

Just got a press release announcing the sale of Chateau on Central… the luxury brownstones at Central and Palm Lane. As most of you know, this project received a dooming blow with the death of Scott Cole and  fall of Mortgage, LTD. I’m not sure it wouldn’t have failed anyway due to prices in the 2.8 to 5 million range… certainly uncharted territory for downtown.

My hope is that the new owners, MSI West Investments, focus on making these units more affordable and thus, saleable. We certainly don’t need another high-priced and empty project in our area.

Below is the press release as it came to me. If you have thoughts on the subject, post a comment and add to the conversation… the UrbanConnection is about community and conversation. 

Gene Urban

Online PR News – 25-March-2010 – PHOENIX, ARIZONA, Tuesday, March 23, 2010 –

One of Phoenix’s most visible and prestigious real estate projects, Chateaux On Central, located along the Central Corridor near downtown Phoenix, was purchased by MSI West Investments LLC in a closing filed on Friday, March 12, 2010. The outstanding debt on the development at the time of purchase is estimated at $40 million. This acquisition marks a major milestone in the development along the Central Phoenix Corridor.
The high profile Chateaux On Central, originally priced from $2.8 million to $4.5 million, is among the most ambitious ultra-luxury residential projects in the area. While exteriors and certain development features are close to completed, there is much to be done on the interiors, which may provide buyers the opportunity to customize certain floorplans. The new ownership group is looking forward to unveiling plans for the development in coming weeks, including announcements regarding timing and pricing.

“We’re incredibly humbled and truly honored to have the opportunity to acquire the Chateaux On Central development,” said Bill Schmitz, President of MSI West Investments. “We are very aware that the eyes of the community have been focused on this project for quite some time, and that, with the acquisition, comes a tremendous responsibility to provide a top quality development. We are eager to meet with City officials and key members of the downtown community to share our plans and become a significant contributor to their growing success.”

Situated along the Light Rail’s Central Avenue line at Palm Lane, the Chateaux On Central is conveniently located just minutes from downtown Phoenix. There is still much work to be done at the Chateaux On Central. This upscale urban development consisting of 21 brownstone homes, ranging in size from 5,200 to over 8,000 square feet, is sure to be a focal point of the community, as its unique profile design is destined to become an iconic building in the heart of Phoenix.

MSI West Investments LLC is a subsidiary of Main Street Ingredients of La Crosse, Wisconsin, a leading provider of functional food products and technical expertise to the food industry. Their desire to create new opportunities for additional successful business models led to their entry into the real estate market.
“Our goal is to continue our established tradition of success, while becoming responsible partners in the City’s desire for first class development,” said Schmitz.
“We also see this as so much more than a traditional residential development, but as an opportunity to be a leader in the City of Phoenix‘s emerging position in green and sustainable building and construction,” said Schmitz.

“We’re excited to showcase the extraordinary vision for this amazing development,” said Joe Morales of Arizona Realty ONE Group, who facilitated the acquisition, and has also been selected by the MSI West Investments team to manage the sales and marketing for the project.

“We were looking for a team with the energy, tenacity and expertise to move our vision forward for this development. Joe’s genuine passion, integrity of purpose, and out-of-the-box thinking were immediately apparent, making Joe and his team an easy choice for us,” noted Schmitz.

Morales, quickly emerging as a leader amid a new generation of top luxury home professionals, enthusiastically added, “I love everything about this project.”