Category: Construction

The Pascua Yaqui Tribe’s Housing Department has been awarded tax credits for a $19.5 million project from the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program to fund its newest housing project on the Tucson reservation.

The project will offer 50 units of mixed-income, single-family housing in two-, three- and four-bedroom home styles; a unique opportunity for the Tribe, as single-family homeownership development using tax credits is virtually unheard of. This is the largest tax credit the Tribe has ever been awarded by ADOH, and one of the largest housing projects ADOH has awarded on Tribal land.

– Keith Gregory, Pascua Yaqui Tribe

The Pascua Yaqui Tribe broke ground on three homes designed to provide residential treatment programs as well as assisted living services for tribal members. Both the men’s and women’s Path Homes will offer residential alcohol and drug treatment services. The assisted living home will be for individuals requiring 24/7 nursing care.

Each of the homes will have a 10-bed capacity and are expected to be completed by the end of the year. The architect on the project is VINT & Associates Architects Inc. and the contractor is BFL Construction Inc. The programs will be administered by the Tribe’s Health Services Division.

– Shanna Ioane Tautolo, Pascua Yaqui Tribe

Getting construction projects done efficiently and expediently, without compromising on quality, is of critical importance to every member of a building team, from owners and developers to architects and contractors. As such, LEAN construction has been adopted by forward-thinking building leaders as a means to minimize costs and maximize value for all those involved.

The secret to LEAN success: explicit, respectful, open communication to every person involved with the project, encouraging ownership of tasks big and small. Weekly meetings, daily huddles onsite and/or other controls are then implemented across the project life cycle, from design to delivery, to ensure success.

– Vicente Terán, CHASSE Building Team

February 14 marks the one-year anniversary of Sonoran Pueblo Contracting. In its first year, the company – an enterprise of Pascua Yaqui Development Corporation based in Tucson – completed $8.5 million in projects across Southern Arizona, most notably the renovation or refurbishment of tribal member homes.

Sonoran Pueblo, with over 30 employees, both tribal and non-tribal, is adept at commercial, residential, transportation, federal, water, wastewater and environmental projects as well as project management services. The company is developing a trade apprenticeship with Pima Community College and a heavy equipment apprenticeship with Central Arizona College, expected to be in place by year’s end.

– Antonio Burrola, Sonoran Pueblo Contracting

Dot Foods, which currently employs 240 people in Arizona, has begun an expansion project on its 190,000-square-foot distribution center in Bullhead City, Arizona. The $12.5 million expansion, which currently includes refrigerated, frozen and dry storage and a garage to service the fleet, began in mid-January and should be complete by late summer or early fall.

It will add 70,000 square feet to the existing warehouse. Dot expects to hire 70 new warehouse employees and regional delivery drivers over the next three years, in part thanks to the expansion. Dot Foods Arizona was the 11th distribution center for the Illinois-headquartered company.

– Emily Waterman, Dot Foods

With a growing population of 52,000, an increase of nearly 2,300% since Queen Creek incorporated in 1989, strategic investments are key elements showing how Queen Creek continues to be an excellent place to live, play and learn.

Providing superior infrastructure, effective government, a secure future, quality lifestyle and a safe community continue to be priorities for Queen Creek. Last month, the town broke ground on its fifth fire station, a significant step toward ensuring continued public safety.

Scheduled to open in 2020, Fire Station 4 offers state-of-the-art features and is designed to accommodate additional crews as the town grows.

– Mayor Gail Barney, Town of Queen Creek

CHASSE Building Team’s (CHASSE) new 17,000-square-foot headquarters in Tempe, Ariz. was constructed by repurposing a dated 1970s office building, with consideration given to environmental responsibility, team-member comfort and LEAN operational practices at the forefront of the design.

The building features a high-efficiency mechanical system, daylight harvesting lighting, passive cooling techniques, building automation and an efficient building envelope resulting in a reduction of energy use by more than 40%.

During the building process, CHASSE was able to divert 85% of its construction waste from the landfill and has implemented many sustainable practices such as a “no bottled water” policy company wide.

– Barry Chasse, Chasse Building Team

Civitas Senior Living, a senior living operator, property management and consulting company based in Fort Worth, Texas, announced it will be building a new senior living community in Flagstaff, Ariz. with the help of Desert Land Group. The new community, which will be called The Bluffs of Flagstaff, is set to open in February 2021.

The 210,572-square-foot community will feature 120 independent living, 66 assisted living and 18 memory care apartments for a total of 204 residences. It will also highlight Flagstaff’s natural landscape and include an indoor pool, putting green, fitness gym, multiple dog parks and a pub and lounge.

– Cami Bachman, Civitas Senior Living