Massive Phoenix development shifts focus from office to resi

A large-scale development in Phoenix that had been derailed by the Covid pandemic is back on track, but with a different focus.

Developer Pivotal Group’s Central Park is being reimagined with a more residential emphasis after the initial commercial-dominated plan faced pandemic-related setbacks, AZCentral reported.

Pivotal submitted a modified plan last week to the city, shifting the emphasis toward apartments, condominiums, and assisted living spaces rather than offices.

The development, spanning about 18 acres near Central Avenue and Indian School Road, was originally approved for zoning in 2019 but was hampered by the pandemic’s impact on the office sector.

The updated proposal includes 1,450 residential units, with a 21-story apartment tower, a 21-story condominium tower, two eight-story apartment towers, a 320-unit senior-living complex, an 18-story office tower, a grocery store, 78,000-square-feet of restaurants and retail space, according to the outlet,

The open-space plaza will be a focal point of the development, surrounded by dining establishments and patios. 

The developer seeks to have the project complement the adjacent Steele Indian School Park while meeting the growing demand for housing in midtown and downtown Phoenix.

Pivotal Group’s vice president, Julia Najafi, said the work on the reimagined project began earnestly this year. While the development will be constructed in phases, the specific order of construction and groundbreaking dates have yet to be determined.

Jason Morris, the zoning attorney for the project, noted that the project’s shift away from an office-centric approach was well-timed considering the evolving needs of the area. 

“This part of midtown has lacked a gathering place,” Morris told the outlet. “We want to create a reason to visit this area.”

The project’s zoning change was already approved by the City Council, streamlining the approval process. However, further steps, including a review by the city’s planning hearing officer, are still required for the proposed modifications.

The site of Central Park is situated across from another development that is undergoing city approval. Petree Development’s project on the 15-acre site at Central and Glenrosa avenues also prioritizes apartments, planning to build around 1,500 units over a decade, with the tallest building reaching 22 stories.

— Ted Glanzer