Two Chandler developments strike the right tone for some, not for others

As I was driving home yesterday, I passed the abandoned hulk that is the ugly skeleton of the aborted Elevation Chandler project at the corner of the 101 and 202 freeways, it occurred to me how much it resembled the partially completed concrete structures common to much of the developing world in which I've served over the past eight years.

It also occurred to me how much more diligence probably should have gone into vetting the project and its backers before it was approved by our City Council. A sentiment no doubt shared by our Council members, now, too. Hindsight is great, that way.

Two more developments in Chandler, Arizona construction news (coming from the journalistic pen of Marshall Terrill and the Chandler Connection). Again, some pleased, some notsomuch.

1. Ocotillo grows up into 2nd city hub (sorry, no permalink)

Civic officials are looking forward to the creation of a second downtown location thanks to a Chandler-based developer. The Chandler City Council unanimously approved four different zoning actions for Downtown Ocotillo, an 11-acre commercial retail, office, hotel and multi-family residential development at the southwest corner of Dobson and Queen Creek roads.

Lawrence and Geyser Development says the mixed-use project will feature a live-work-dine-shop environment and will create a new “downtown” for residents in the Ocotillo area. “It’s a fully detailed and pedestrian friendly development and it truly is a great use for the area,” said Bob Weworski, a principal planner for Chandler who is working on the application. “This development really fits the lifestyle for Ocotillo.”

... But not everyone is for the project. Martin Hazine, who represents George and Tina Tibsherany, who own the nearby Aquila Ocotillo office complex, said the proposed mid-rise buildings are problematic.

“Introducing a five- or six-story building is a concern for us and would have a tremendous impact to the adjacent community,” Hazine told the council, adding that he also felt the parking lots need to be more pedestrian friendly and some of the buildings are too close to the lake.

2. Official: colors too loud: Developer says beauty in the eye of beholder

A city official has sent a message to the developer of a high profile neighborhood in Historic Downtown Chandler: tone it down. The sender is Chandler Vice Mayor Lowell Huggins and the recipient is Tempe-based developer Benton-Robb Development Associates. Huggins says the 54-unit town home development known as 123 Washington, at the southeast corner of Chandler Boulevard and Arizona Avenue, is a great idea but the color scheme is a little over the top. “I get daily complaints about the color scheme and for me, they just aren’t going to work,” he said Monday. “It’s an eyesore.”

Huggins said he likes Robb and wants the development to be a success, but said the bright mustard, red, green and white fusion of colors make him wince. “This development needs to be successful in order to establish a great downtown area and I don’t want them to fail over paint color,” Huggins said, adding that he has asked City Manager Mark Pentz to call Robb to see if he would change the color pattern.

Pentz said Monday there might not be much the city can do.“We really have no authority to ask them to do that because everything has already been approved.”

Councilmember Bob Caccamo said the color schemes were the same as when they were presented to the council. He did, however, add a caveat: “It looks a lot different than the architectural drawings.”

You know, this also reminds me of when I was in business in the software development and publishing industry here in the East Valley. We'd go through a detailed TDR (Technical Design Review) process and outline the interface design and functionality for a new product with our client. Then we'd spend months working on it, managing the deliverables and turning in the project on time and on budget. And then we'd get a call from some executive at the client's firm - a finance officer, for example - who didn't like the color scheme or thought a clickable button should be shaped differently.

It's a strange aspect of human nature that leads to this tendency. Where color is concerned, it's as if everyone becomes a design expert. They also tend to be unaware of how even simple changes in color can have dramatic impact on the whole rest of the design. In software development, for example, it may mean a whole palette shift with a resulting engineering headache. Or it could mean that carefully planned disabled-access features (such as making the color scheme viewable for the colorblind or for otherwise feeble eyes).

Of course, we'd accommodate the client's wishes whenever possible, but when it's one voice among many, and that voice is speaking without the authority of the client's decision-making structure - rather, they're just voicing a personal opinion - AND it's taking place late in the development cycle after the design has been approved and much work and quality control has already gone into the product, we didn't generally feel compelled to bend to the individual's suggestions.

Of course, we were always diplomatic. No point in upsetting an influential member of your client's senior management staff...