Lumina Update

Tempe’s newest high rise project Lumina recently opened it’s sales office. The show room comes complete with models, mock up’s and plenty of printable information to digest. Like most Tempe high rise condo projects, Lumina is ambitious, it’s tall, it’s upscale and when completed it will contribute towards Tempe’s transformation into an urban center unlike any other in the Phoenix metro area. Lumina will be the second Tempe development planned to combine residential condos and a luxury hotel on the same site. Each will have their own tower, but will share some of the amenities.

The vision calls for 245 residential condos in a 20 story tower offering studio, one, two and three bedroom floor plans with pricing comparable to other Tempe high rise condo projects. The hotel aspect will allow residents at Lumina access to hotel services like, house cleaning, room service, concierge, dry cleaning all at an a la carte basis.

Lumina is in it’s early stages as plans have been finalized, the sales office is open to receive guests and the land is fenced off. I suspect construction will move a slow pace do to the current housing market but if the project builds out it will help reshape the Tempe skyline.

Ten years from now Tempe will be unrecognizable as the small college town it used to be as it transforms into a vibrant urban center, with tall buildings, shops, restaurants, art centers and plenty of play space in Tempe Beach Park, on the Tempe Town Lake and in Papago Park.

For more information on Lumina, Tempe, or other urban developments across the valley contact us directly. We specialize in high rise condo and loft living and would love to help you find that perfect home, investment or retreat.
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Tempe Center For The Arts

The Tempe Center for the Arts opened this weekend in Tempe, Arizona, adding yet another fantastic building to the Tempe skyline along with Hayden Ferry and Centerpoint Condominiums. I don’t know how anyone could not be “wowed” with the architectural diversity, the denser living and sense of community all the high rise condos offer, and the general urban cool that the City of Tempe is cultivating. I can not wait to see what this city will look like in the next couple years let alone a decade from now. My wife and I are sincerely considering moving from the Central Phoenix area to Tempe Mill Avenue. We both think it would be a great place to not only raise kids but a wonderful place to retire. Tempe has it all.

Am I Too Old For Tempe? Here is the beginning of my post. And here is the rest of it.

Recently I had a client from California looking to relocate to the Phoenix area.

This gentleman happened to be an ASU grad and still holds season tickets to ASU football. He was interested in seeing what both the downtown Phoenix and Tempe areas had to offer in terms of condos or lofts considering style, price, and most importantly lifestyle…We started downtown and visited a variety of different properties from the 15th floor of Regency House, to the Artisan on Central and Parkview developments.

While he liked some of the homes we saw, he was stumbling somewhat on the lifestyle. The trouble was he kept drawing comparisons to living in downtown LA, which he felt was great for working and special events but emptied out most evenings and weekend.

This client was looking for more interesting activities after hours and on weekends than downtown Phoenix currently has to offer.
Being an ASU grad he was familiar with Tempe and the whole Mill Ave. vibe, but he had reservations about going back to the “campus” lifestyle. As we drove across the Mill Ave. bridge he asked me a question that has since stuck in my mind: “Am I too old for Tempe?”I thought about this a moment before answering.

The client had been out of college for several years (not decades, but safe to say it had been quite some time since he opened a textbook). He remembered Tempe from his college days and had visited on gameday over the years. What he didn’t realize was that Tempe is starting to grow up and become more refined.
I credit the City of Tempe for this maturation process for having the vision and financial gumption to develop the Tempe Town Lake and Tempe Beach Park areas. The result of that vision is starting to take shape with the Hayden Ferry, Centerpoint, and Northshore developments. Those large projects mixed in with an interesting blend of infill developments are bringing new types of residents to the Tempe/Mill Ave area.

Higher end properties are refining the Tempe demographic. The student population, while still prevalent, is blending with recent graduates, empty nesters, retirees, and seasonal visitors all looking to live in an interesting and vibrant atmosphere.

Add to everything else the Tempe Performing Arts Center, Tempe Marketplace, and the light rail line and we find that the college town is refining itself.

To best answer the question posed: “Am I too old for Tempe?” I took my client to Starbucks corner of 6th and Mill. We sat out front and watched the people stopping in for a beverage, and those walking the brick sidewalks of Mill Ave. Nearly every type of person was represented; young, professional, grandparents, families, working class, and naturally the occasional hippie.

Clearly Tempe is going through a transition and I’m not sure anyone is “too old for Tempe”. This will continue as residents start moving into the new developments and start living, shopping, dining and playing in Tempe.