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Zach Colick
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| Joined: | Mon Jan 15th, 2007 |
| Location: | Sun City |
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Posted: Mon Jun 29th, 2009 09:31 pm |
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Editor's note: The following story appears in the July 1 Scottsdale Independent. Post comments by hitting reply in the upper right-hand corner. Comments will be posted in an upcoming issue of the Scottsdale Independent.
Ritz-Carlton project still in queue
Developer: Preliminary engineering, architecture designs are in the works
By Zach Colick
Independent Newspapers
The future Ritz-Carlton, Paradise Valley Resort continues to sit on vacant land four months after developers were given the green light by Paradise Valley officials to start construction.
Five Star officials have not yet announced a construction start date for the future 225-room Ritz-Carlton, which will also feature a spa, restaurants and meeting space, as well as 88 resort-patio homes, 46 luxury detached residential homes and 15 one-acre estate lots on Scottsdale Road and Lincoln Drive.
In a brief e-mailed statement last week to the Independent, David Schmid, Five Star’s vice president of development, did not offer insight into future timetables for start of construction and where the project stands.
Preliminary engineering work is being conducted on the future 110-acre resort and residential development.
The e-mailed statement, provided by Crosby Wright, Five Star’s public relations firm, also did not mention whether the economy has played any role in decision-making efforts.
Mr. Schmid stated Five Star is “still undergoing civil engineering, architectural plans and specifications for the Ritz-Carlton, Paradise Valley.”
Meanwhile, the neighboring Palmeraie project at Scottsdale and Indian Bend roads — anchored by a proposed 175-room Edition Hotel, as well as 80 adjacent condominiums and 300,000 square feet of retail shops and restaurants — is “in the planning stages,” according to Mr. Schmid.
Mr. Schmid provided no further updates last week on the Ritz-Carlton and Palmeraie projects.
“We will keep you posted on any new developments as they arise,” he said.
Eva Cutro, Paradise Valley’s Planning and Building Department director, said the town has not received to date any building plans from Five Star on the Ritz-Carlton project, besides an exterior fencing plan to show project dimensions.
Ms. Cutro said building plans must be reviewed and approved by town staff before construction can start on any development project granted by the town through a special-use permit. Such a process generally takes a “few months,” she said.
“We will be looking to make sure what’s submitted meets the SUP requirements and all international building codes,” Ms. Cutro said of the Ritz-Carlton project.
The Palmeraie project, which sits on land in Scottsdale, must be approved separately by the city of Scottsdale. Paradise Valley has no role in any future decision-making efforts.
No efforts have been made to contact city officials on the project’s possible future.
Five Star withdrew its Palmeraie project application April 17 from the city of Scottsdale, citing unresolved issues relating to traffic, drainage, parking and water that had not been successfully hashed out.
Officials were unprepared to present their plans by April 22 to the Scottsdale Planning Commission, the deadline commissioners set to act upon the Palmeraie application.
Mr. Schmid said in April to the Independent that Five Star planned to embark on a “holistic approach” to incorporate new designs and architecture — at Marriott’s request — to its Palmeraie project to make it viable for both Paradise Valley and Scottsdale.
Five Star officials will have to essentially start their zoning application from scratch when they decide to move forward and bring back plans to the city, most likely addressing first a firmed-up zoning request for the property that was never agreed upon by the city’s Planning Commission.
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