Waterfront — view’s great, smell’s not

The Scottsdale Waterfront, the shining example of downtown’s resurgence, offers more than the glamor of two residential high-rises, high-end boutiques and trendy restaurants — there’s also the smell.

At times, there’s no avoiding the stifling stench while strolling past shops, curb-side eateries, million-dollar condos and the Fiesta Bowl Museum at the outdoor urban setting between Scottsdale Fashion Square and the Arizona Canal.

“When people are sitting out here, they’ll leave,” said Kirsten Garner, an employee of Sauce who was bussing the outside tables along Marshall Way. “I definitely hope they’ll do something about it.”

Scottsdale, which has been hearing complaints for about the past six months, is in discussions with Waterfront representatives about the development’s private sewer line along Camelback Road that city officials say causes the odor. Hydrogen sulfide gas created by the restaurant sewage is what’s likely being smelled by pedestrians, said Marshall Brown, city water resources planning and engineering director.

Meanwhile, the city is estimating spending up to $2 million to repair a city-owned sewer line that travels south along Marshall Way between the Nordstrom garage and western Waterfront shops and restaurants and eventually out to a larger line at Goldwater Boulevard.

It has not been determined whether Waterfront’s private sewer line, which feeds into the start of Scottsdale’s sewer line, is responsible for the deficiencies in the city-owned line that may include capacity and gradient, or sloping, issues. An engineer has been hired to investigate Scottsdale’s sewer line.

Scottsdale’s request for qualifications released this week estimates the construction project could cost between $1 million and $2 million with an anticipated completion date in October. The City Council is tentatively scheduled to award a contract in June.

But don’t look for the city project to put an end to the odor.

“By having the public system up to standard, it will help us ensure the odor problem is not spread farther or gets worse,” Brown said. “But it will not fix what is going on over there (in the private system).

“It’s all interrelated and that’s why there is a parallel track with the (Waterfront representatives) to deal with the issue.”

Opus West, developers of the high-rise condos, and Golub & Company, developers of the 200,000 square feet of office and retail buildings, both issued brief statements.

“We understand this is a city sewer system issue that the city has been diligent in working to resolve,” said John Boyd, senior director of real estate for Opus West in Phoenix.

Kathy Koster, a Chicagobased Golub & Company spokeswoman, said: “We are not familiar with the city’s plans, but if the city desires additional improvements, we’re glad to know work is being planned.”

The 11-acre Scottsdale Waterfront is home to two identical 13-story residential towers. The 198 units, all but three of which have been sold, have had an average sale price of $1.2 million.

The first residents moved into the west tower in February. The east tower is expected to welcome its first residents by the summer.

Condo residents can walk out their doors and visit a number of restaurants, including those facing Camelback and Olive and Ivy and Sauce on Marshall Way, while shopping at Borders, Swoozie’s or Estilo Boutique.

The council approved the $250 million project in October 2003, including $5.35 million in incentives, plus interest. Construction began in 2004 and the first stores opened in late 2005.

Scottsdale continues to work on improvements to the banks of the Arizona Canal adjacent to the Waterfront project.

SouthBridge, the mixeduse project on the south side of the canal across from Waterfront, will be opening stores and restaurants throughout the year.