Awards & Accolades

1. The Trailhead, a 40-acre mixed-use development at 83rd Avenue and Happy Valley Road in Peoria, was named Retail Project of the Year by the Arizona chapter of NAIOP. Developed by Pederson Group, with Butler Design Group as the designer and Campbell Development as the contractor, the $100M-plus project includes 140KSF of retail anchored by a 63KSF Safeway, a 350-unit multifamily complex and a church. The site also features bike paths, pedestrian links and gathering spaces designed to connect with nearby neighborhoods and Sunrise Mountain Preserve.

Groundbreakings

2. Legacy Partners has broken ground on Olea Scottsdale, a 433-unit, three-story rental community at 19550 N. 76th St. in North Scottsdale. Plans call for 325 garden-style apartments and 108 townhomes across 38 buildings on 18 acres at the NWC of Legacy Blvd. and Miller Road. Designed by KTGY, the project is slated for phased completion in 2027.

3. Google Fiber has begun building out in the Warner Ranch neighborhood of Tempe. The 85KLF project is being coordinated in conjunction with road repairs to minimize disruptions and resident impacts. The project was issued a permit under Tempe’s new Fiber License and Right-of-Way Use agreement, which was established in Q4 2024.

4. Mountainside Fitness has broken ground on its second Queen Creek location. The 42KSF facility will open in December. Mountainside is also planning locations in Gilbert’s Morrison Ranch and Peoria’s Vistancia communities.

Progress Reports

5. Optima has begun pre-leasing 7220, the first rental tower at its $1B Optima McDowell Mountain development in north Scottsdale. The eight-story, 210-unit building is expected to open in September. A second debut tower, 7230, which includes 196 condominium units, launched sales in May. The 22-acre community at Scottsdale Road and Loop 101 will include six residential towers, 36KSF of retail and restaurant space, and a 10-acre central park.

6. Casino Del Sol and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe marked the topping out of their new 163KSF property, located just off I-10 in Tucson, with a beam signing ceremony. The project includes a 52.3KSF gaming floor, multiple dining options and a four-level parking garage. Designed by Yaeger Architecture, the development broke ground in January and is expected to be completed by November 2026.

Completions

7. Wexford Science & Technology has opened pre-leasing for 800 PBC, a 200KSF lab and innovation building at 800 N. 5th St. in downtown Phoenix. Designed to anchor the next phase of the Phoenix Bioscience Core, the project includes lab space, hospitality-style lobbies, conferencing areas and outdoor collaboration space. It follows Wexford’s earlier 850 PBC facility and is being leased by Wexford and Cushman & Wakefield.

8. Construction is complete on The Flats at Jasper, the first Build-to-Rent community in Prescott Valley, located at 4901 N. Jasper Pkwy. Developed by Atlantic Jasper and built by Mosaic, the horizontal rental neighborhood comprises the first 240 rental homes in the Jasper master-planned community. The 26.1-acre project offers cottage-style units that range between 760SF to 1KSF. Mosaic has now completed three communities totaling nearly 750 homes in Jasper.

9. NexMetro Communities has opened Avilla Vista Norte, a 191-unit Build-to-Rent community in north Phoenix near Interstate 17. The gated development offers one-, two- and three-bedroom homes with private backyards, front porches and available garages. It is NexMetro’s 22nd Valley community and the fourth to open in the past year.

10. Sun State Builders announced completion of Findlay Hyundai Prescott, a 35KSF automotive dealership located at 1315 Auto Park Dr. The $11.5M design-bid-build project features a four-car showroom, customer lounge, enclosed service drive, 17 full-service bays, two new vehicle delivery bays, an automated car wash and a large parts storage area.

Read more on AZBEX

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Optima has locked up all the needed approvals and will start work on its one billion dollar mixed-use community called Optima McDowell Mountain Village.

The project, located at Scottsdale Road and the Loop 101 Freeway will include six concrete-framed, eight-story buildings that will consist of 1,330 luxury residences and 36,000 square feet of commercial and retail space. The development will be a mix of condominiums and apartments.

Each of the six buildings will include a rooftop deck with an Olympic-length swimming pool; a sauna, spa, and cold plunge and a running track that will follow the perimeter of the roof. Indoor amenities consist of a fitness center and yoga studio that look out over the lushly landscaped courtyard; a sauna and steam room; a residents’ club with game room and theater; an indoor basketball and pickleball court; an outdoor pickleball arena; a golf simulator and an outdoor putting/chipping area.

Optima McDowell Mountain Village is putting an emphasis on sustainability, including rainwater harvesting and solar panels liberally scattered throughout the project.

Read more on Connect CRE

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Award-winning real estate development firm, Optima is partnering with Mitsui Fudosan America, Inc. for the development of the first building within its newest Arizona residential development, Optima McDowell Mountain, located on 22-acres on the southeast corner of Scottsdale Road and the Loop 101 Freeway in North Scottsdale.

The first building will consist of 210 rental residences, which just broke ground this month and is located on the southwest corner of the site. The overall development will comprise six, eight-story apartment and condominium buildings that will include 1,330 luxury residences and 36,000 square feet of commercial and retail space.

Read more on Rose Law Group Reporter

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Local development and design studio Optima has announced the six-tower residential McDowell Mountain development in Arizona, designed to harvest up to 210,000 gallons of rainwater in an underground vault.

Currently under construction in North Scottsdale, McDowell Mountain will contain six, eight-storey residential buildings clustered around a 10-acre yard.

Renders show the buildings clad in brown-tinted glass with plants cascading off balconies. The buildings are mainly rectangular, although certain sections jut out towards the central green space to portion off the large central space into more discrete plazas.

The buildings will be elevated on pillars, with programming such as dining and seating areas pictured underneath. Roofs will be landscaped with trees and low-lying bushes, as is the large, central yard.

The concrete-framed residential buildings will contain 1,330 condominiums, as well as a slew of outdoor amenities such as Olympic-length swimming rooftop pools, running tracks and pickleball courts.

According to Optima, the development is the “next evolution in environmentally friendly, state-of-the-art, all-inclusive residences” and includes a number of sustainable strategies, such as rooftop solar panels, high-efficiency heating and cooling and direct connections to surrounding bike paths.

The development’s irrigation system will also be powered by a private rainwater harvesting system, which is planned to be the “largest in the US” according to the studio.

“Home to the largest private rainwater harvesting system in the US, the project is designed to collect rainwater for all on-site irrigation and reduce residential and commercial water consumption,” said the team.

Although Optima has designed and built three other similar residential developments in Scottsdale, this will be the first to incorporate such a large rainwater harvesting system.

According to Optima architect David Hovey Jr, who designed the project with David Hovey Sr, the harvesting system was incorporated into the design while Scottsdale was undergoing a drought.

The retention system was designed as part of a deal to enable the development, along with aquaphor credits purchased by the developer for the city.

“There are two water concepts that we gave to the city as part of zoning,” Hovey Jr told Dezeen. “One was that we actually just gave [water] to [the city], and then we also put the tank on site, which handles all of our irrigation.”

“For this particular development, this water solution came from the fact that we were in the middle of a drought. It really pushed us to think creatively about how we can get the elected officials who are making the decision on this project comfortable with another 1,330 units.”

Water rights in the desert landscape of the American Southwest are complicated, as decades-long political battles have ensued over its main water source, the Colorado River.

The water body has been divided into several basins, which provide commercial, residential and agricultural water to surrounding cities and towns.

These municipalities each have their own regulations regarding water rights, and as such, developers such as Optima address these issues using different approaches.

“I was really happy with the way the city was able to listen to us and to come up with a creative solution to enable housing to keep up with the population growth that we’re having out here, [but] have a water sustainable solution,” said Hovey Jr. ”

McDowell Mountain is currently in phase one of construction, with the first tower set to open in Fall 2025 for move-ins.

Elsewhere in Arizona, Jones Studio has designed an educational centre that will highlight the “preciousness” of water in the state, and Dig Studio and Lake Flato revamped the Scottsdale Civic Plaza.

Read more on Dezeen

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Optima, a luxury real estate developer, has launched sales for the first condominium tower at its $1 billion Optima McDowell Mountain community in North Scottsdale, marking the company’s return to Arizona’s for-sale residential market after a four-year hiatus.

Located on a 22-acre site at Scottsdale Road and Loop 101, the community had already generated nearly $27 million in early reservations as of mid-June, reflecting strong demand for the amenity-rich and architecturally distinctive homes.

The debut tower, named 7230, will include 196 luxury condominiums ranging from 728 to 2,204 square feet. Floor plans will include one-, two- and three-bedroom options, with starting prices estimated in the $600,000s. Residences will feature floor-to-ceiling glass, landscaped private terraces,
smart-home integration and designer kitchens. Buyers will have the option to personalize finishes or combine units into larger custom residences—a feature that has driven more than 60% of early reservations.

“This is a significant milestone for Optima,” said David Hovey Jr., AIA, president of Optima. “We’re bringing everything we’ve learned over the past four decades into this new community.”

The full development will include six eight-story towers featuring a mix of for-sale condominiums and rental apartments, along with 36,000 square feet of retail and dining space. Approximately 75% of the site—about 16 acres—will be dedicated to open space, including landscaped areas, walking
and biking trails, and a 10-acre central park.

Each building will offer roughly 1.5 acres of rooftop and ground-level amenities. The 7230 tower will include a Sky Deck with panoramic views of the McDowell Mountains, a 50-meter heated lap pool, rooftop running track, spa, saunas, fire pits and indoor-outdoor entertainment areas. Additional
amenities will include a fitness center, pickleball and bocce courts, golf simulator, movie theater, coworking spaces, pet spa and children’s play areas.

The community also embraces sustainability with what is expected to be the nation’s largest private rainwater harvesting system, capable of storing 210,000 gallons for irrigation. It will be the first project in Scottsdale built under the new International Energy Conservation Code and Green
Construction Code. Additional green features include solar panels, self-irrigating vertical gardens, 100% underground parking to reduce surface heat, and electric vehicle charging stations.

The first apartment tower is expected to open in fall 2025, with the condominium tower scheduled to follow in summer 2027. The Optima McDowell Mountain Sales Gallery is open by appointment.

Visit Optima McDowell Mountain for more details

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. — Real estate development firm Optima has received city approval for Optima McDowell Mountain Village, a $1 billion apartment and condominium project in North Scottsdale.

Plans call for six buildings comprising 1,330 luxury units as well as 36,000 square feet of commercial and retail space. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring or summer 2023.

Each of the six buildings within the development will contain its own amenity offering, including a rooftop deck with Olympic-length pool, sauna, spa, running track, outdoor kitchen and lounge seating. Each rooftop will offer views of the McDowell Mountains.

The ground floor of each building will be outfitted with a lobby, fitness center, yoga studio, steam room, game room, theater, indoor basketball and pickleball court, golf simulator, massage room, business center and dog park.

The project will be the largest private rainwater harvesting site in the U.S., according to the developer. The residences are expected to use half as much water as the average Scottsdale multifamily residence and a quarter as much water as the average Scottsdale single-family home. Optima is also providing the city with 2,750 acre-feet of water that will be deposited into the Scottsdale water system.

The community will also be the first project in Arizona to be built under both the new International Energy Conservation Code and International Green Construction Code. A few of the sustainable features include: 75 percent open space that will be a combination of artificial turf, xeriscape landscaping and native plants; high-performance mechanical systems and solar panels; 100 percent underground parking to mitigate the heat-island effect; and Optima’s signature vertical landscape system.

The vertical landscaping system features self-containing irrigation and drainage. Plants at the edge of each floor grow up and over the edge of the building. The plants help protect homes from the sun and create additional privacy.

Optima McDowell Mountain Village will be Optima’s most sustainable project to date, according to David Hovey Jr., president and COO.

Optima is a privately held development firm with offices in Arizona and Illinois.

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Contracts, Bids, Proposals

ARIZONA

Optima is planning to develop the Optima McDowell Mountain Village on the southeast corner of Scottsdale Road and the Loop 101 freeway in Scottsdale. It will include six eight-story concrete-framed apartment buildings containing 1,500 units that will be a mix of rental units and condominiums. The complex will include 31,000 sq ft of commercial space and underground parking. Each building will have a rooftop pool and running track, solar panels and a vertical landscaping system with self-contained irrigation and drainage systems. Construction is expected to start in August. The project is valued at $1 billion. Optima, 7157 E. Rancho Vista Drive, Scottsdale, 85251. DR#22-00556369.

ARIZONA

Pew & Lake is planning to build the PHX Surf Park in Maricopa. It will include water slides, a lazy river, real sand beaches, an infinity pool, spa, concert stage, an RV park and hotel space. The project is valued at between $25 million and $50 million. Pew & Lake, 1744 S. Val Vista Drive, Mesa, 85204. DR#21-00652849.

The Arizona Dept. of Transportation is planning to carry out an improvement project to State Route 101 in Scottsdale. The project entails adding one lane in each direction for five miles between Princess Drive/Pima Road to Shea Boulevard. The project is valued at $143 million. Arizona Dept. of Transportation, 1655 W. Jackson St., Phoenix, 85007. DR#21-00664604.

ARIZONA

The city of Phoenix is planning to carry out Phase 1 of a rehabilitation project at the 91st Avenue wastewater treatment plant in Tolleson. The project entails replacing solids treatment equipment, including centrifuges, pumps, motors, heat exchangers, cake pumps, sludge hoppers, boilers, piping, valves and control instruments. PCL Construction Inc. was chosen as the construction manager. The project is valued at $46.1 million. City of Phoenix Water Services, Attn: John Masche, 305 W. Washington St., Phoenix, 85003. DR#19-00835270.

NEVADA

The Washoe County Regional Transit Commission is planning to carry out Phase 2 of the Sparks Boulevard improvement project in Sparks. The project will add roadway capacity by widening the boulevard between Greg Street and Baring Boulevard and add bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Construction is expected to start in March 2024. The project is valued at $60 million. Washoe County Regional Transit Commission, Attn: Jeff Wilbrecht, Project Manager, 1105 Terminal Way, Reno, 89502. DR#17-00710839.

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The sustainable residential neighborhood Optima McDowell Mountain Village in North Scottsdale has broken ground on its first building, which will be one of many within the development to offer unique desert living in the prime location of Scottsdale.

Located on 22 acres on the southeast corner of Scottsdale Road and the Loop 101 freeway, Optima McDowell Mountain Village is the newest Arizona residential development of award-winning real estate development firm, Optima, and is set to provide state-of-the-art homes, as well as all-inclusive, health-based amenities for residents and visitors.

Optima has partnered with real estate company Mitsui Fudosan America, Inc. (MFA) to develop the residential community’s first building, which broke ground this month and will consist of 210 rental residences. When complete, the entire Optima development will comprise six, eight-story apartment and condominium buildings that will include 1,330 luxury residences and 36,000 square feet of commercial and retail space.

“We are very excited to begin this partnership with an organization of the caliber of Mitsui Fudosan America that shares our commitment to exceptional design, the highest quality construction, resident-centric property management, and the creation of sustainable neighborhoods,” says David Hovey Jr., AIA, president and COO of Optima, Inc.

Designed by David Hovey Sr., FAIA, and David Hovey Jr., AIA, each of the six buildings will feature the sophisticated architectural detail that characterizes Optima’s Arizona projects, along with resort-style amenities, including: a rooftop sky deck with a 50-meter Olympic-length swimming pool; a sauna, spa and cold plunge; a running track following the perimeter of the roof; outdoor fire pits; lounge seating; outdoor kitchens with barbecues and dining spaces; and sheltering arbors covered with vines. Every rooftop will offer spectacular views of the McDowell Mountains to the east, vibrant sunsets to the west, Pinnacle Peak to the north and Camelback Mountain to the south.

The ground-floor level of each building will boast spacious, well-appointed lobbies in addition to a fitness center and yoga studio looking out to a lushly landscaped courtyard; a sauna and steam room; a residents’ club with game room and theater; an indoor basketball and pickleball court; an outdoor pickleball arena; a golf simulator; an outdoor putting/chipping area; indoor and outdoor kids’ play spaces; a massage room; a dog park and pet spa; and a business center and conference room.

In addition to premier Scottsdale living, Optima McDowell Mountain Village will provide residents with 36,000 square feet of commercial and retail space. The residential community is also ideally located near the shopping, dining and entertainment of Scottsdale Quarter and Kierland Commons and easily connects to Downtown Phoenix, Glendale, Old Town Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa and Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

The community will be the first project in Arizona to be built under both the new International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and International Green Construction Code (IgCC). Sustainability features include 75% open space that will be a combination of artificial turf, xeriscape landscaping and native plants; high-performance mechanical systems and solar panels; 100% underground parking to mitigate the heat-island effect; and the largest private rainwater harvesting system in the U.S.

The development will also feature Optima’s signature vertical landscape system, which provides self-containing irrigation and drainage and allows for sustainable shading using vibrantly-colored plants that create additional privacy, protect homes from the sun, filter the air and lower ambient temperature.

Read more on Arizona Foothills Magazine

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As Optima McDowell Mountain takes shape in North Scottsdale, award-winning real estate firm Optima is setting a new benchmark for sustainable luxury with its $1 billion mixed-use community, featuring meticulously designed residences, cutting-edge green building techniques, expansive open space and community-driven amenities designed for modern desert living.

Designed by internationally acclaimed, award-winning architects David Hovey Sr., FAIA, and David Hovey Jr., AIA, Optima McDowell Mountain marks a significant leap forward in sustainable design and development, positioning itself as a national model for water conservation and green building. Home to the largest private rainwater harvesting system in the U.S., the project is designed to collect rainwater for all on-site irrigation and reduce residential and commercial water consumption. Additionally, through a partnership with the City of Scottsdale, Optima has secured 2,750 acre-feet of immediately available water—equivalent to over 30 years of full residential and commercial occupancy—ensuring a reliable water supply for the city.

It will also be Scottsdale’s first development built under the newly adopted International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and International Green Construction Code (IgCC), setting a new standard for responsible growth while safeguarding natural resources and fostering a vibrant, future-focused community. The project reflects decades of collaboration between Optima President David Hovey Jr., AIA, and Anthony Floyd, AIA, who founded the City of Scottsdale’s Green Building Program in 1998. Floyd has left an indelible mark on green building and sustainability practices in both the Valley and Optima.

“Optima McDowell Mountain is the culmination of everything we’ve worked toward over the past four decades regarding sustainability, architecture and community integration,” said Hovey Jr., AIA. “From the largest private rainwater harvesting system in the country to 75% open space at grade level, paired with architecture that embraces and celebrates the beauty of the Sonoran landscape, we believe this project will set a precedent for sustainable design and architecture in the Valley and will be a testament to what’s possible when innovation, architecture and sustainability work in harmony.”

Among its most notable environmentally friendly initiatives, Optima McDowell Mountain will feature:

• The largest private rainwater harvesting system in the U.S.: A state-of-the-art system designed to capture and store approximately 210,000 gallons of rainwater in an underground concrete vault, repurposing it for irrigation and minimizing overall water use.
• 75% open space: The development will incorporate 14 acres of open space, with over 70% available to the public and 30% reserved for residents. The landscape will include a combination of native xeriscaping, shaded seating areas, putting greens and a network of pedestrian and bicycle pathways.
• Optima’s signature vertical landscaping system: This self-sustaining system allows lush, drought-resistant plants to cascade down the facades of the buildings, providing natural insulation, filtering air pollutants and reducing the urban heat island effect.
• Advanced energy-efficient building systems: The buildings will incorporate solar panels on the roof, high-performance VRF heating and cooling systems, induction cooktops in the residences and EV charging for residents and guests in the parking garage.
• 100% underground parking: By moving all parking below ground, the development mitigates heat retention at the surface level, further enhancing its sustainability profile.
• Green codes: The community will be the first project in Scottsdale to be built under both the recently adopted International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and International Green Construction Code (IgCC).

The first condominium tower is expected to begin selling this spring, with the first rental tower welcoming new move-ins in September. Registration is open to be among the first to learn about upcoming sales and leasing opportunities. For more, visit OptimaMcDowellMountain.com.

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