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Scottsdale hopes land deal could add parking
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WALK IN THE PARK: Joe Campbell of Scottsdale hikes at Pinnacle Peak Park. The park offers a 3.5-mile hike with a 1,300-foot elevation gain.
Tim Hacker, Tribune
Scottsdale officials are hoping to reach a parking agreement with a new landowner who recently bought a key parcel next to Pinnacle Peak Park.
The development firm JTW PPL, the successful bidder on the former state land parcel, is a venture of John Wanninger, who is also partnering on developing the $650 million Solis project north and east of Scottsdale and Camelback roads in downtown Scottsdale.
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The developer on Monday bought the 17-acre parcel of land just southeast of the 150-acre Pinnacle Peak Park, near Jomax and Alma School roads, at an Arizona Land Department auction for nearly $13 million.
Although the developer declined to comment on what is planned for the site, it's zoned for commercial use, and has been described by the state Land Department as a possible resort site.
Bob Vairo, Coalition of Pinnacle Peak president, had asked the city to consider buying the parcel at auction to preserve overflow parking from Pinnacle Peak Park on 102nd Way, which bisects the land. COPP, an area watchdog group, plans to meet with the developer soon, and Vairo said the hope is that 100 parking spaces could be added to the park's existing 50 spaces.
"I'm hopeful that some agreement can be reached," Vairo said.
Mayor Mary Manross said city officials plan to sit down with developers and hammer out an agreement to allow expanded parking. The City Council has preferred to discuss any possible agreement in two closed meetings.
Two other firms registered at the auction but did not bid.
Wanninger's other project, formerly called Waterview, recently relaunched as Solis Scotts-dale Resort and Residences. That project would include 250 hotel rooms in the five-star urban resort, about 140 residences, 15 penthouse single-family homes, retail, restaurant and office space and a one-acre park.
The developers' plan to move the Salt River Project electrical substation now sitting on the site to the northeast corner of Indian School Road and 68th Street, a commercial site they purchased for about $7 million, has raised objections from some potential neighbors worried that the substation will harm their businesses and property values.
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