Business Development Spotlight Fara Illich April 22, 2010

On Monday morning local officials and dignitaries gathered to commemorate the topping off of the Maricopa County Court Tower at First Avenue and Madison Street.
Court_TowerThe 16-story tower is expected to be complete by fall of 2011 and will allow for a more integrated and efficient criminal courts system, with courtrooms and jail cells housed in the same building. The $340 million project has taken advantage of lower costs on construction materials and is currently running under budget. The project has emerged from legal entanglements as a good example of public sector development succeeding in a time of economic uncertainty. Plans call for the demolishing of the First Avenue jail, which will be replaced with a pedestrian-friendly plaza. The tower, being developed by Gilbane and Ryan Cos., looks to be the next downtown development project to come in “on time and under budget.” For more information on the project, including video of the topping off ceremony, please vist:  Maricopa County Court Tower.
Also on Monday, The Arizona Republic reported that Maricopa County Board of Supervisors had agreed to purchase two buildings totaling more than 300,000 square feet at the Grace Court office complex for $20.5 million. Future plans may include moving the the Sheriff’s offices from the Wells Fargo building to Grace Court, located at Seventh Avenue and Adams Street.