Mesa City Council Study Session 26 Jan 2017

Mesa is NOT Escondido, California or Knoxville, Tennessee ....it is unrealistic to even think this city would accrue the same benefits.

Listen to see the action
On a presentation by Jeff McVay for "façade improvements" downtown.
Readers of this plot will not some of this discussion took place in advance of this in the Meeting Minutes of the Mesa Historical Board in a previous post on this blog site
Published 26 Jan 2017
Views: 2
Time: 34:21



Some extracts from the published agenda are below

1 Presentations/Action Items:

1-a 17-0113 Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on an update of the Downtown Façade Improvement Program.
[some details follow]
 


Façade improvements catalyze revitalization efforts, encourage property reinvestment, attract and retain new business, increase property values and sales tax revenue by improving the appearance of street-facing exteriors. In downtown Mesa, the program provides the additional benefit of preserving and accentuating the historic character of the area.
DESIGN PHASE $100,000 CDBG

PROGRAM FINANCING
100% funded by Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
 Design Consultant Selection  DMA, City Manager’s Office, Planning, Engineering, Facilities, Historic Preservation, Housing  10-15 properties

PROGRAM FINANCING
10 year easement on the façade granted to the City Respond to requests from the consultant/contractor and the City in a promptly Commit to both phases, including 15% match

PARTICIPANT SELECTION

PROGRAM FINANCING
CONSTRUCTION PHASE $300,000 CDBG - 150,000 SRPMIC
85% funded by CDBG funding
15% funded by property owner/tenant match

INTENT TO RESTORE ORIGINAL CHARACTER

PROPERTY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
All businesses between 1st Ave and 1st St., Country Club and Sirrine
 Commercial or mixed-use building
 Property owner or tenant may apply (with property owner agreeing to the terms of agreement)
 No delinquent bills, charges, or taxes due to the City
 Project meets all state and local building codes and zoning requirements

ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES (The project must include significant façade improvements that enhance the visual appearance and aesthetic quality of downtown buildings)
 Colonnade replacement with awning, canopy, or other shade solution  Repair/replace/preserve historically significant architectural details  Masonry repair and tuckpointing  Storefront (re)construction  Exterior painting and stucco  Permanent exterior lighting  Permanent exterior signage integrated into the storefront design  Murals if they are professionally painted, provide an important aesthetic improvement  In addition to many other a
APPLICATION AND DESIGN TIMELINE
 February 1st Application period opens  March 1st Application period closes  March 20th Applicants chosen by Ad Hoc Committee. Selected applicants must submit formal application  April 31st Funding becomes available  May Selected applicants meet design consultants  May -June Consultants, property owners and tenants begin meeting and consultant provides example renderings  June-July Consultant returns with design owner and tenant sign-off or request revisions  Early August Ad Hoc Committee reviews designs  September Design Review approval by City
CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE ESTIMATE
Colonnade Removal  January-February 2018  Removal is intended to be 100% funded through grant funding
 Construction  January 2018-April 2018  Properties selected for design will be automatically selected for construction.  Opportunity to meet contractors and rank their preferred contractor  Construction is intended to be 85% funded through grant funding  15% match must be put in escrow before demo and construction begin
 

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Getting the signal?

Published on Jan 24, 2017

Views: 50,786
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3 New Mesa City Council Members Sworn-Into Office 2 Weeks Ago

 
 
 

So why aren't these videos by Mesa Channel 11 NOT PUBLISHED until yesterday?
Ceremonies were held publicly back on 12 Jan 2017 with the official legal oath-taking held on 11 January
[see Twitter posting by city manager Chris Brady below]

3 videos of public event inserted in this post also

And. . .  as you can see [or not] the official new image

Chris Brady‏@MesaCityManager Jan 11

Congrats to Mesa's newest Council members @MesaDistrict1 @MesaDistrict2 @MesaDistrict3 and re-elected @MayorGiles it is now official!

 

VIDEOS



Today's Mesa City Council Study Session @ 07:30 Agenda

Any citizen wishing to speak on an agenda item should complete and turn in a blue card to the City Clerk before that item is presented.

1 Presentations/Action Items:

1-a 17-0113 Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on an update of the Downtown Façade Improvement Program.
[some details follow]
 


Façade improvements catalyze revitalization efforts, encourage property reinvestment, attract and retain new business, increase property values and sales tax revenue by improving the appearance of street-facing exteriors. In downtown Mesa, the program provides the additional benefit of preserving and accentuating the historic character of the area.
DESIGN PHASE $100,000 CDBG

PROGRAM FINANCING
100% funded by Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
 Design Consultant Selection  DMA, City Manager’s Office, Planning, Engineering, Facilities, Historic Preservation, Housing  10-15 properties

PROGRAM FINANCING
10 year easement on the façade granted to the City Respond to requests from the consultant/contractor and the City in a promptly Commit to both phases, including 15% match

PARTICIPANT SELECTION

PROGRAM FINANCING
CONSTRUCTION PHASE $300,000 CDBG - 150,000 SRPMIC
85% funded by CDBG funding
15% funded by property owner/tenant match

INTENT TO RESTORE ORIGINAL CHARACTER

PROPERTY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
All businesses between 1st Ave and 1st St., Country Club and Sirrine
 Commercial or mixed-use building
 Property owner or tenant may apply (with property owner agreeing to the terms of agreement)
 No delinquent bills, charges, or taxes due to the City
 Project meets all state and local building codes and zoning requirements

ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES (The project must include significant façade improvements that enhance the visual appearance and aesthetic quality of downtown buildings)
 Colonnade replacement with awning, canopy, or other shade solution  Repair/replace/preserve historically significant architectural details  Masonry repair and tuckpointing  Storefront (re)construction  Exterior painting and stucco  Permanent exterior lighting  Permanent exterior signage integrated into the storefront design  Murals if they are professionally painted, provide an important aesthetic improvement  In addition to many other a
APPLICATION AND DESIGN TIMELINE
 February 1st Application period opens  March 1st Application period closes  March 20th Applicants chosen by Ad Hoc Committee. Selected applicants must submit formal application  April 31st Funding becomes available  May Selected applicants meet design consultants  May -June Consultants, property owners and tenants begin meeting and consultant provides example renderings  June-July Consultant returns with design owner and tenant sign-off or request revisions  Early August Ad Hoc Committee reviews designs  September Design Review approval by City
CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE ESTIMATE
Colonnade Removal  January-February 2018  Removal is intended to be 100% funded through grant funding
 Construction  January 2018-April 2018  Properties selected for design will be automatically selected for construction.  Opportunity to meet contractors and rank their preferred contractor  Construction is intended to be 85% funded through grant funding  15% match must be put in escrow before demo and construction begin


1-b Appointments to Council Committees, Regional and other Committees and Boards. 1-b

2 17-0117 Information pertaining to the current Job Order Contracting projects.

3 Hear reports on meetings and/or conferences attended.

4 Scheduling of meetings and general information.
5 Adjournment.

Mesa Arts Center: Stage For The World Premier of 'The Nation' on Feb 2-3

That's right - here in the most conservative city in America. Perhaps it's the "right time" in "the right place" to take in a performance about the times in the '60's before diversity became a national mandate taking hold here officially in 1996.
Playbill Magazine made this announcement  today
Casting and Itinerary Announced for Acting Company Tours

By Andrew Gangs Jan 24, 2017

The company founded by John Houseman and Margot Harley will present two plays in repertory, X: Or, Betty Shabazz v. The Nation and Julius Caesar


Marcus Gardley's X: Or, Betty Shabazz v. The Nation concerns the assassination of Malcolm X.
He adapts the framework of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar for his play to “deepen our understanding of one of America’s most complex, compelling historical figures and explores the tumultuous landscape of ideology and activism in the 1960s," according to press notes. “Through the story of Julius Caesar, a rising political star torn down by his most trusted allies, audiences witness the art of persuasion, the ugliness of backroom politics, and the historical patterns we can’t stop repeating. Tackling essential questions about the balance of ambition, personal loyalty, and love of country, Shakespeare’s timeless political masterpiece has never been more relevant.”
For more information and ticketing visit www.theactingcompany.org.

The Acting Company: World Premier X

Presented by Mesa Arts Center as part of the Performing Live Series

 A new play by Marcus Gardley, directed by Ian Belknap about the assassination of Malcolm X—both the story we think we know and illuminating details that have seldom been shared—is brought to vivid, lyrical life in award-winning writer Marcus Gardley’s new play. Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar provides a framework for Gardley to deepen our understanding of one of America’s most complex, compelling historical figures and explore the tumultuous landscape of ideology and activism in the 1960s.

This performance is eligible for Mesa Bucks
Tickets $25.00
https://boxoffice.mesaartscenter.com

Phoenix MSA Multi-Family Apartment Market Had A Good Year in 2016

Read for results about Mesa
The Phoenix MSA continued to see robust year-over-year land sales volume growth rising 43 percent to just over $150 million across 26 transactions, totaling 204.5 acres.
Although total sales volume saw an increase, overall sales price per square-foot decreased to $30.32 as a result of developers purchasing less expensive land in the MSA’s periphery, namely Chandler ($15.44/SF), Gilbert ($7.90/SF) and Mesa ($13.49/SF).
Source: AZ Big Media

Report: Phoenix posts $4.97 billion in apartment sales in 2016

Posted January 24, 2017 by Thomas Brophy

     By all accounts, the Phoenix MSA multifamily market had an absolute banner 2016 investment year fueled, in large part, by both robust jobs and population growth.

On the jobs front, Phoenix area economic development officials worked overtime in luring a whole host of corporate/regional office relocations, tech/manufacturing company openings and existing business expansions.

Top job announcements include: [just to name a few] figures are projected not actual

• ADP’s new Tempe office to bring 1,500 jobs,
• Santander Consumer USA’s regional operations center in Mesa’s Fiesta District set to bring 1,000+ jobs,
• Orbital ATK’s Chandler expansion with 500 new jobs,
• Clearlink’s expansion into Downtown Scottsdale with 500+ jobs,
• Rogers Corp (NYSE: ROG) global HQ move to Chandler and
• Kudelski Group’s international HQ move to Phoenix

According to WalletHub’s analysis of the 150 biggest cities in the country, five (5) Phoenix MSA cities cracked the Top 20 of best places to find a job: Mesa not on the list

Scottsdale at No. 1,

Chandler at No. 7,

Tempe at No. 9,

Peoria at No. 11 and

Gilbert at No. 18.

In regards to population, although growing less than the halcyon days of the 1980/90’s, Phoenix MSA grew by nearly 2 percent to 4,565,900 in 2016.

Phoenix Market Metrics: By the Numbers

The MSA’s total sales volume (10+ unit properties) increased 28 percent, yearover-year, to a market record, $4.97 billion across 376 total transactions with 47,233 total units sold or 14 percent market velocity. 

In fact, Phoenix’s market velocity rate has increased nearly 34 percent since 2013 due to substantial investor interest in value add sales.

Despite besting Phoenix’s 20 year new construction delivery average, 5,300 units, with 7,912 new units delivered in 2016, both average rent and occupancy increased for the MSA, by 7.8 percent to $955 and 0.5 percent to 95.6 percent respectively.

Mesa and Glendale claimed the top spots for the MSA in rent growth at 9.9 percent and 9.5 percent respectively, followed by Phoenix at 8.3 percent, Tempe at 6.3 percent and Scottsdale at 5.6 percent.

Although Scottsdale saw the lowest average rental rate percentage increase of the MSA, it still claims the top spot in actual average rent which at $1,241 is the highest in the region. In regards to occupancy,

Tempe was No. 1 at 96.2 percent despite being No. 2 for unit deliveries and once again bucking analyst expectations of a projected decrease in occupancy due to increasing supply.

Glendale came in at No. 2 with 95.8 percent occupancy, a 1.1 percent year-over-year increase

Phoenix and Mesa were tied for No. 3 with both increasing 0.6 percent to 95.6 percent and 95.5 percent respectively.

Scottsdale, the lone outlier, was the only city in the region to witness a small occupancy contraction of (0.3 percent) to its current 95 percent; due, in large part, to a 7.5 percent net increase in total supply.

Peak Pricing?

Phoenix, overall, is approximately 3 percent above peak 2007 pricing and still well below San Diego’s current $214,742/unit amount.
The 1980’s built product has seen the greatest price per unit increase rising, on average, 18 percent above peak 2007 pricing to its current $90,384/unit.

Market comparison

In fact, 1980’s built product is the only product type to have risen above the 2007 peak.

• Pre-1980s built projects are second, in terms of previous peak-to-current price per unit appreciation, rising to $70,823 or (2 percent) below 2007’s peak,
• 1990-99 built projects are (4 percent) below 2007’s peak currently, $135,318 per unit
• 2000-09 built projects are (6 percent) below peak at $129,786 per unit.

Got Land?

Phoenix MSA continued to see robust year-over-year land sales volume growth rising 43 percent to just over $150 million across 26 transactions, totaling 204.5 acres.
Although total sales volume saw an increase, overall sales price per square-foot decreased to $30.32 as a result of developers purchasing less expensive land in the MSA’s periphery, namely Chandler ($15.44/SF), Gilbert ($7.90/SF) and Mesa ($13.49/SF).

Phoenix MSA Land Sales 2012 to 2016

Tempe saw the highest sales price per SF amount in the MSA, rising 26 percent year-over-year to $56.74 and followed by the City of Phoenix at $34.99 per-square-foot.

The Road Ahead

IPhoenix multifamily’s greatest competitor, single-family home construction, although rebounding, is still far from normal.
Home builders have been struggling with a whole host of issues from labor shortages, rising material costs and lack of available land, particularly in more urban core areas where people want to live.
Last, home builders are facing significant competition from multifamily developers/rehabbers luring, and keeping, would be homebuyers through high-end construction finishes and access to amenities.
While there is some concern about over-building, particularly among Class A multifamily properties, the reality is that Phoenix is still at a net deficit and needs more units to accommodate continued growth which, as it stands now, single-family has been unable to fill that new, net demand.

Let's Not Call It "Weed" Any More

 

Wall Street Veteran Sells Cannabis Operations Stake in $25mm Deal

January 23, 2017 at 5:47 pm             
Exclusive article by Alan Brochstein, CFA

 In yet another example of publicly-traded Canadian companies entering the U.S. cannabis industry, Canadian Bioceuticals (CSE: BCC) (OTC: CBICF), through its CGX Life Sciences subsidiary, announced today the acquisition of a group of companies in Arizona and the option to acquire a licensed cultivation facility in North Las Vegas, Nevada for $25mm.
Source: New Cannabis Ventures  
The company, which recently completed a private placement of C$35.5mm, paid $25mm, including $15mm cash and a $10mm promissory note to acquire assets and a long-term management agreement related to two not-for-profit licensees in the Mesa area in Arizona and two brands
Health for Life, the name of the dispensaries, and Melting Point Extracts.
BCC reported that the Arizona operations have about 5.2% market share in the state with $8.5mm in sales in the year ending March 31, 2016 and a projected $19.2mm in sales for the year ending March 31, 2017.
BCC also acquired the option to buy a controlling position in GreenMart for $9mm by July 1, 2018.
Beth Stavola, who will run CGX Life Sciences, is the CEO of Stavola Medical Marijuana Holdings, the seller of the brands to BCC. Before entering the cannabis industry as an investor six years ago, Stavola was an institutional equity salesperson at Jefferies & Company for 10 years. She also operates CBD for Life.

 

About Alan Brochstein, CFA
Based in Houston, Alan leverages his experience as founder of online communities 420 Investor, the first and still largest due diligence platform focused on the publicly-traded stocks in the cannabis industry.
With his extensive network in the cannabis community, Alan continues to find new ways to connect the industry and facilitate its sustainable growth.
At New Cannabis Ventures, he is responsible for content development and strategic alliances.
Before shifting his focus to the cannabis industry in early 2013, Alan, who began his career on Wall Street in 1986, worked as an independent research analyst following over two decades in research and portfolio management.
A prolific writer, with over 650 articles published since 2007 at Seeking Alpha, where he has 70,000 followers, Alan is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and a frequent source to the media, including the NY Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fox Business, and Bloomberg TV.bout