Old Town visitors, residents and neighboring businesses, look up – and meet Scottsdale City Center.

Though not by any means all of the piece, this is a big chunk of the massive, unprecedented “Scottsdale Collection” approved by a razor-thin 4-3 council vote Dec. 7, 2020.

Current Councilwomen Solange Whitehead and Kathy Littlefield cast two of the three votes against the project.

Five years later, the 3-acre Scottsdale City Center – one of the anchors, along with the Remi Hotel, of the Yari brothers’ Scottsdale Collection – rolled through a key pre-construction application with little pushback.

After light questions and heavy praise, the Development Review Board unanimously approved a massive addition to the edge of Old Town.

The long-planned project at Scottsdale and Camelback roads moved closer to becoming reality after the Dec. 11 meeting.

The plan calls for 138 “dwelling units,” which may be apartments and/or condos, and 35,000 square feet of commercial space.

The tall project’s short story, as provided by Greg Bloemberg, a city planner:

“The proposal consists of four buildings surrounding a large, publicly accessible plaza space … A pair of two-story buildings front Scottsdale Road and Camelback Road respectively, with the taller 14-story buildings more centrally located on the site to minimize impacts from massing at the pedestrian level along the street.”

Parking?

That will be taken care of by a six-level parking garage, “with two levels sub-grade and four levels above grade that will be concealed from off-site view by the amenity levels of the residential buildings.”

Residential units begin at the fifth level of both buildings, with the first four floors for retail/restaurant use.

The project continues the old-becomes-new transformation of Old Town.

Across Scottsdale Road from Fashion Square, Scottsdale City Center will continue the Yaris’ vision for the formerly modest north end of Old Town.

The new project is next to Steven and Shawn Yaris’ seven-story W Hotel, which they built in 2008, and the even swankier 12-story Remi Hotel, which made its debut this fall.

Looking to the west, City Center residents will wave at those living at the 13-story Waterfront Towers, constructed in 2006.

Five years ago, when successfully (albeit barely) pitching a plan that required zoning and “bonus heights,” the Yaris’ Scottsdale Collection plan called for “several buildings across 6.5 acres with a mix of uses including multi-family residential, office, restaurants and travel accommodations … ranging in height from 60 feet (three stories) to 156 feet (12 stories), consisting of up to 580,451 square feet of commercial floor area, up to 512 units of multifamily residential and the potential for a 164-room hotel.”

Yari empire

The Yaris’ Riot Hospitality Group also runs the booming Cake, Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row, El Hefe and Maya Day and Nightclub.

The brothers almost singlehandedly created the Entertainment District, carving out the long-underused northeast section of Old Town.

Just before the opening of the Remi, Shawn Yari told the Progress the new hotel “is absolutely part of the chess game.

“We had a grand vision for this quadrant many years ago – kicked off by the development of the W.”

According to the pitch for the Remi and City Center submitted five years ago, then revised earlier this year: “The largest owner of real estate in the area, Stockdale Capital, is looking to evolve and mature the greater Entertainment District-area into a mixed-use district.

“Art will be the unifying theme of Scottsdale’s next great neighborhood with extensive shade and buildings designed with varying heights and uses.”

Like the Remi Hotel (originally to be called the Maya Hotel), the City Center project is part of the Scottsdale Collection rezoning.

The brothers’ development projects stretch far from Scottsdale, into Texas and California.

The Yaris’ Stockdale Capital Partners, according to its website, “is a vertically integrated real estate investment firm headquartered in Los Angeles …

“The firm currently manages approximately $2.8 billion in gross assets under management.

‘Inspired design’

At the Dec. 11 meeting, John Tran, a City Center architect, walked the Development Review Board through the project, emphasizing “pedestrian enhancements and ways to bring people into this project.”

He noted the open-air plaza has a large turf area, seating elements and a public art sculpture.

Tran promised “great ambience for this project.”

Tran’s 10-minute presentation was followed by a few detail-oriented questions from DRB members – who then showered City Center with compliments.

“This is going to be a real entryway to Scottsdale,” promised Ed Peaser, a board member since 2023.

“It’s going to be quite an interesting, unique project. I like this project very much.”

“This is a very inspired design,” added David Mason – also on the board since 2023.

“Very good presentation,” said Barney Gonzales, a longtime Scottsdale architect and the Planning Commission representative on the board,

“I did the construction management of the original building that is on there right now,” Gonzales said, alluding to the modest office building on the southeast corner of Scottsdale and Camelback. “Thankfully, I didn’t do the remodel.

“But the thing is, this area is very the most difficult spec I ever did …This is very well done,” he concluded, regarding the City Center plan.

There was no public comment on the project.

Adam Kwasman, the City Council representative on the DRB, did not ask any questions but joined the above-mentioned three in voting for the project.

Board members Jeff Brand and Ali Fakih were not present.

According to the staff report on Scottsdale City Center, “In addition to compliance with the International Green Construction Code, now required for all new development in Scottsdale, this project incorporates design elements that align with the City’s goal of sustainability, including redevelopment of an underutilized site, refuse and recycling bins for residential units, shade canopies over storefronts on the commercial buildings, low water use/drought tolerant landscaping, exaggerated eaves and overhangs over balconies, and high performance glazing for windows.”

The Yari brothers’ application takes it a step further:

“Lush but water-efficient desert vegetation will fill the public plaza and private amenity deck and special attention will be given to circulation along the canal, which cuts diagonally across the corner of the site, breaking the city grid and drawing people into the plaza.”

‘Western flavor’

The Progress asked Councilwomen Kathy Littlefield and Solange Whitehead to summarize their 2020 votes against the Scottsdale Collection – and thoughts on the project, now that the Remi Hotel is up and running and Scottsdale City Center cleared to move ahead.

“We are quickly losing our reputation for a Western, low-profile, city that caters to folks who are looking for that kind of atmosphere,” Littlefield responded.

“It is a unique Western flavor that is increasingly difficult to maintain.”

Whitehead’s reflection:

“While beautiful, the Collection’s building heights did not fit Scottsdale’s Old Town character. In response, I voted on reforms that now protect Old Town’s scale by lowering bonus heights and mandating open space, pedestrian connectivity and improved landscaping.”