The highlighted area on this map shows the 330 acres planned to be used for "The District." (Photo courtesy of ASU)ASU president Michael Crow announced Wednesday at a news conference that mixed-use developer Catellus will be the master developer on the new Athletic Facilities District.
The Sun Devil Stadium renovations are still "priority No. 1," University executive vice president Morgan Olsen said. But nobody was discounting this project.
President Michael Crow likes that there isn't just one piece to this project, but that it accomplishes three things at once: "the development of world class amateur athletic facilities," "urbanization and economic development of downtown Tempe," and "the demonstration of how to build a sustainable city."
Crow believes this project will foreshadow future cities in the U.S., featuring sustainability as a No. 1 priority.
Catellus CEO Ted Anteniucci, ASU president Michael Crow, Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell and ASU Vice President Morgan Olsen present a plan for Tempe's Athletics Facilities District on Wednesday, Oct. 8. Catellus will develop the district, which is intended to pay for Sun Devil Athletics. (Photo by Evan Webeck)The timetable — 10 to 20 years — is similar to another project Catellus is in the middle of: the renovation of the Austin, Texas, airport into a living community. Catellus executive vice president Greg Weaver heads that project, and he will head the project in Tempe, too. The company likes that Austin and Tempe present similar challenges and qualities.
"In the city of Austin, you have strong neighborhood groups and strong stakeholder groups," Weaver said. "Here, in the city of Tempe, you have ASU, the athletic supporters, you have the foundation and things like that. You've got to build a consensus on the game plan and ultimately the master plan. In Austin, we did a lot of that."
Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell talks about the countless projects and improvements ASU and the city of Tempe have worked on and will continue to grow in the future at a news conference in the College Avenue Commons on Oct. 8, 2014. Mitchell said College Avenue Commons is an example of the success of the collaboration of ASU and the city of Tempe. (Photo by Ryan Liu)In Austin, that timetable ended up being accurate. Catellus is currently in year 12 of that project, and Weaver expects it to be completed in three years.
In 2010, a business fee was approved to help fund the renovations of Sun Devil Stadium, including the surrounding area, and help build the Athletic Facility District.
The Athletic Facilities District will encompass land already owned by ASU just south of Tempe Town Lake. The University hopes to take advantage of underutilized land, where there is currently a parking lot and the soon-to-be abandoned Karsten Golf Course. However, that course won't be torn down until it absolutely has to, Crow said Wednesday. When it is, though, ASU will have a top-notch course to replace it. Crow said they have a plan and are working toward a "better golf course than we have."
President Crow talks about the sustainability goal and vision ASU has for the city of Tempe at the College Avenue Commons on Oct. 8, 2014. Crow announced mixed-use developer Catellus will be the master developer on the new Athletic Facilities District. (Photo by Ryan Liu)ASU also partnered with State Farm to rent out office space to the north of Sun Devil Stadium, near lot 59. That construction is already underway. Crow mentioned the State Farm partnership multiple times throughout the event and thinks both will have positive impacts on ASU and Tempe.
Catellus presents an impressive portfolio of past projects. Its resume includes Union Station in Los Angeles, Mission Bay in San Francisco and the Los Angeles Air Force Base. It primarily works in California, though it has done projects in Colorado, New Jersey and Illinois. This will be its first undertaking in Arizona.
It is run by President and CEO Ted Antenucci, who rejoined the development company in 2011. He previously served as Executive Vice President at Catellus from 1995 to 2005, before joining another developer, ProLogis, as President and Chief Investment Officer.
The University hopes for The District to become a money-maker that can help fund athletics, rather than take that money away from education or get it from new fees.
Reach the reporter at ewebeck@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @EvanWebeck
