by Peter Corbett – Aug. 21, 2008 11:53 AM
The Arizona Republic
Scottsdale’s contentious clash over height has reached its northern neighborhoods with developers of the Scottsdale Epicenter hoping to build a pair of five-story hotels at 91st Street and Bell Road.
That would put the 60-foot buildings just east of Loop 101 and within about a mile of three residential “ranch” communities – McDowell Mountain, DC and Windgate.
“It really doesn’t fit,” said Bob Vairo, Coalition of Pinnacle Peak president. “It’s too dense and too tall.”
The coalition, a watchdog civic group, will oppose a rezoning that would allow the developer to build above the current limit of 36 feet.
Focus of height debate
Without a change in direction, Scottsdale Epicenter could become a new epicenter of the city’s debate over taller buildings. Most of that verbal sparring has centered on downtown, but the issue has also emerged in the Scottsdale Airpark and further north at Loop 101 and Scottsdale Road.
Last week, the Scottsdale Planning Commission reviewed the Hampton Group’s plan for and suggested that it consider changes.
Election season politics
Donn House, Hampton Group managing director, said the company plans to meet with commissioners individually to learn more about their concerns before coming back with any revisions next month.
“It’s election time and everyone is concerned about height,” House said in explaining the commission’s initial reaction to the project.
City planners have supported the plan and the area includes a regional overlay designation that makes it suitable for taller buildings, House said.
“This is not detrimental to the housing or the view from the freeway,” he said.
The 28-acre project, north of the Alltel Ice Den, is just about a half mile east of Loop 101. It is in an area that is appropriate for taller buildings, House said.
Towers of power
A full-service hotel of 225 rooms and a limited-service, extended-stay hotel of 130 rooms would be built along the power line corridor that is the eastern boundary of the site. The 130-foot transmission line towers are more than twice as tall as the proposed hotels, House said.
Scottsdale Epicenter would include a bank, restaurants and retail development serving visitors to WestWorld events and the surrounding neighborhoods, he said. It is the first piece of a much larger office and commercial development planned on 125 acres of leased state trust land.
COPP fights for views
The Coalition of Pinnacle Peak is concerned that the taller buildings will detract from views of the McDowell Mountains and the Desert Discovery Center, which is under development at the foot of the McDowells.
However, there are buildings of up to 56 feet in the Perimeter Center to the west of Loop 101 in the area.
Development south of Bell Road in the area is generally low-scale buildings not more than three stories tall.
The Hampton Group could take its plan back to the Planning Commission on Sept. 24.
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