QuikTrip Corp. has purchased a portion of the former De Anza Drive-In and plans to open a location there by the end of the year.

Construction of a QuikTrip convenience store and gas station is expected to begin in May, said company spokesman Mike Thornbrugh.

QuikTrip bought the land on South Alvernon Way south of East 22nd Street from Evergreen Development Co. for about $1.2 million.

Greg Furrier and Rob Tomlinson of Picor Commercial Real Estate Services brokered the transaction.

QuikTrip purchased a little more than an acre of the former drive-in site.

The rest of the 20-acre site could be developed into a shopping center, or mixed-use development with both office and retail, Furrier said.

The Tulsa, Okla.-based convenience-store chain – expanding rapidly in Tucson – is operating nine locations locally and has three more under construction, not including the site on Alvernon near 22nd Street.

The store on Alvernon will differ from other stores already operating in Tucson, Thornbrugh said. As part of the company’s new concept, it will be larger and have a different look. Employees will prepare for customers hot and cold coffee drinks, soft-serve ice cream and fruit smoothies.

In Tucson, one of the new-look QuikTrip stores will open at 6385 E. Golf Links Road, near East Wilmot Road, in March, Thornbrugh said.

The company is exploring new concepts even as it has done well with its current stores, he said.

“In this business, if you don’t continue to improve your offer, you won’t continue to enjoy success,” Thornbrugh said.

DID YOU KNOW?

De Anza Drive-In closed in October 2009 after showing movies for 58 years.

Contact reporter Dale Quinn at dquinn@azstarnet.com or 573-4197.

Read more: http://azstarnet.com/business/local/quiktrip-to-rise-on-old-de-anza-site/article_c720b3a6-ec34-5632-992b-ed1e9993a9ba.html#ixzz1n1vHXtRr

In addition, she commented on the 2012 forecast for each market segment: office, retail and industrial.

Click the following link for the full presentation: 2011 Tucson Commercial Real Estate Market Review

AstroSol will own and operate a 6.1 megawatt solar photovoltaic facility using thin-film, amorphous silicon modules from Astronergy, mounted on a fixed-tilt racking structure from Schletter. The power generated from the facility will be sold directly to Tucson Electric Power (TEP) and distributed to the metropolitan area of Tucson.   AstroSol anticipates the project to displace over 7,700 metric tons of carbon dioxide, meeting the electrical requirements of about 1,000 homes per year. The multinational solar company is a partnership between Astronergy Solar Inc., a Chinese solar panel maker, and Solmotion GmbH, a German solar project developer, uniting into the newly formed company AstroSol Inc., who owns all member interest in the special purpose project company AstroSol Tech Park AZ LLC.  The project is managed by vis solis LLC, Franklin, TN, the U.S. subsidiary of Solmotion.

This project will bring a new solar technology application into the Solar Zone.  With the industry`s average conversion efficiency currently between 6-8%, the 9% conversion efficiency of Astronergy`s thin film makes it highly competitive for use in many large-scale applications. The manufacturing process consumes fewer raw materials and less energy, which makes it more cost effective, closing the gap between renewable energies and traditional energies.  Under high temperatures like in Arizona and low light, Astronergy`s high efficiency tandem thin film modules convert electricity more effectively than many other types of photovoltaic modules.   
“We literally hit the ground running the last week of December 2011,” said Carlos Mayer, Managing Owner of vis solis LLC as well as Chief Operating Officer of AstroSol Inc.  “This was possible because of the great relationship Astronergy had built with the Tech Park Authorities, Tucson Electric Power, North American Development Bank, and other stakeholders of the project.”   

Power generated by the AstroSol array will be provided to TEP customers through a 20-year purchase power agreement. With more than 25 megawatts (MW) of solar generation online already, TEP expects to dramatically expand that capacity to more than 200 MW by the end of 2014 through a combination of company-owned resources, privately developed projects and distributed generating systems.

“We’re very pleased to be working with AstroSol to help bring this significant project to the Solar Zone,” said David Hutchens, President of TEP and its parent company, UniSource Energy Corporation (NYSE: UNS). “AstroSol’s array will produce clean, green energy for our customers using one of Arizona’s greatest natural resources – sunshine.”

AstroSol Tech Park AZ LLC recently received certification from the Border Environment Cooperation Commission and received financial approval for a $13.15 million loan from the Board of Directors of the North American Development Bank to construct the project.  Construction on the 38.5-acre parcel of land in the Solar Zone commenced in December 2011 with power generation anticipated in May 2012.

“The Solar Zone is the ideal environment for cutting-edge solar technologies to be evaluated side-by-side. The UA Tech Park has emerged as one of the leaders for the testing and evaluation of leading solar technologies at the utility grid level,” said Bruce Wright, the Associate Vice President for University Research Parks.  “AstroSol and vis solis complement the Solar Zone with its unique multinational perspective and technology collaboration.”

About UA Tech Park

The UA Tech Park advances the University of Arizona’s research mission and its efforts at technology development and technology commercialization. The UA Tech Park contributes $2.7 billion annually to Pima County’s economy. It is one of the region’s largest employment centers hosting 50 businesses and organizations that employ nearly 6,500 people. The UA Tech Park is also home to the Arizona Center for Innovation, a technology business incubator, and two educational institutions – UA South and Vail Academy and High School.  The UA Tech Park is dedicated to sustainable development and operations. The Park recycles all it domestic and industrial waste water for use on site. It has implemented a recycling program and is upgrading existing buildings to energy efficient operations including the installation of new automated controls for heating, cooling, and lighting.  The UA Tech Park has been nationally recognized as one of the premier university research parks in North America. Learn more about the Park at www.uatechpark.

About the Solar Zone

The Solar Zone is the global hot spot for the next generation of energy production, product development, testing and commercialization.  The first-of-its-kind, solar centric research park offers a supportive, integrated and competitive environment that features:

-          18.5MW of solar power generation using multiple technologies

-          Research and development of energy storage and other new solar technologies

-          Manufacturing and supply chain capacity

-          Testing and demonstration of eight solar energy systems

-          Research, technology, talent and collaboration with the University of Arizona – A top 15 U.S. research university

-          The UA Tech Park is working in collaboration with Tucson Electric Power to advance the Solar Zone that support the development of the solar industry in the region.

About vis solis

vis solis (lat. for “the power of the sun”) designs, builds and operates world-class solar electric generating systems – providing complete engineering, procurement, construction, financing, operation and management for solar photovoltaic energy projects. vis solis has completed more than 30 megawatts of solar photovoltaic power plants in Europe and North America and has another 30 megawatts in progress in the USA. To date, vis solis has completed projects with a total value exceeding U.S. $100 million.

Through its world-wide network of suppliers and technical expertise, and its strong relationships with manufacturers, vis solis provides its customers the highest level of performance at the most competitive prices. vis solis’ success is built on experience and integrity. Its owners and directors have strong credit and an excellent track record with banks and customers.

About Tucson Electric Power

TEP provides safe, reliable power for more than 402,000 customers in the Tucson metropolitan area. TEP was recognized last year as one of the top ten solar electric utilities in the nation for per-capita additions to its solar energy portfolio, according to the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA). TEP was also recognized by SEPA with a Solar Business Achievement Award for its innovative Bright Tucson Community Solar Program, which allows customers to purchase solar energy directly from their utility. For more information, visit tep.com.

Robert Caylor Construction Co. is developing a six-story building at the northeast corner of Broadway and Stone Avenue. Caylor’s One East Broadway building will have parking, street-level retail, offices and 39 apartment units.

It will also have the taxpayer-funded Pima Association of Governments and Regional Transportation Authority as its main tenant. PAG and the RTA share space and staff.

Caylor, which specializes in urban infill developments, also owns 2 East Congress, the Chase Bank building next door. The design of the new building will complement the look of its historic neighbor but will be more modern, said owner Rob Caylor.

He said he hopes to start construction this fall, for the building to open around the same time as the modern streetcar late next year.

A streetcar stop will be across the street from the building, and that’s a major reason why PAG and the RTA want to move to the new building, said executive director Gary Hayes.

The RTA is the biggest investor in the streetcar project and wants to locate its offices directly on the streetcar line, he said.

For 25 years the PAG has leased space at the Transamerica building, a third of a mile north of the new site.

The PAG regional council approved an informal letter of intent to lease the third and fourth floors of the new building. The council will need to approve a formal lease agreement in the spring.

The letter of intent shows a price of $26.50 per square foot, but that could come down to what PAG is paying at the Transamerica building, about $18 per square foot, after discounts for tenant improvements, Hayes said. That would give PAG/RTA a newer, slightly larger, more efficient space for around the same price, he said.

Did you know?

The Pima Association of Governments was formed in 1972 in response to a federal mandate for local councils of government to review applications for federal funding. Its nine-member board is made up of representatives of each recognized local government.

Contact reporter Becky Pallack at bpallack@azstarnet.com or 573-4346. Read original article in the Arizona Daily Star.

US January Employment Report - A Positive Start to the Year

The US Labor Department reported this morning that the economy added 243,000 payroll jobs in January, the largest increase in employment since last April. In the private sector payrolls increased by 257,000, bringing total private sector employment growth over the last six months to 1.06 million persons. The unemployment rate declined to 8.3% from 8.5% in December. As recently as last August the unemployment rate was 9.1%.

The strongest growth was in the professional business services sector, where employment increased 70,000 jobs. Large increases were also reported in the manufacturing sector (+50,000 jobs), leisure and hospitality (+44,000) and education and health (+36,000). The government sector continues to shed jobs as states and particularly localities are forced to retrench under budget pressures. Office-using employment (made up of the financial, professional services and information sectors) increased 52,000 jobs, the fifth month in a row that these sectors have added more than 40,000 jobs. The last time that happened was from November 2005 to March 2006.

The decline in the unemployment rate is particularly encouraging. This data is obtained from the separate survey households (as opposed to the business survey that provides the payroll employment data) and that survey showed the number of people unemployed fell by 339,000 in January and has plunged by more than 1.1 million in the last four months. The labor force continues to grow, so people are entering the labor force and finding jobs.

The US economy is slowly regaining its footing after the interruption that started last spring. The employment growth of the last two months coupled with indicators of rising business and consumer spending (auto sales in January were the highest since mid-2008) are very positive. It’s still early and there are a number of important challenges facing the US economy including the resolution of European sovereign debt issues, the US budget deficit debate and the 2012 elections. But with corporate profits at record levels and household balance sheets in much better shape, the fundamentals are improving.

For the real estate industry there is nothing more important than employment. More jobs represent more demand for space. So a return to healthy job growth is the most positive sign in the last six months. Rising spending will also spur higher demand for manufacturing, warehouse and other industrial spaces. And, of course, higher consumer spending will help the retail sector.

We are encouraged by this report, however, as the chart below shows, the economy turned in a similar performance a year ago only to falter. We have been cautiously optimistic on 2012 and this report reinforces that outlook.

For additional research reports and business briefings covering the Americas and global markets, visit Cushman & Wakefield's Knowledge Center.

For research reports specific to the Tucson commercial real estate markets, including office, retail, industrial and multifamily, find Market Reports & Studies on PICOR's website.