Elevate AZ | Fall 2019

National Bank of Arizona®

Arizona architecture and design take dwellings to new heights

COMPANY TOWN

Morenci’s progression from mining town to thriving community

PARSING THE MARKET

Masters of Innovation

Experts weigh in on Arizona’s real estate boom

FALL 2019

the only bank you need

We’re proud to announce that National Bank of Arizona has been named one of Arizona’s 2019 Most Admired Companies by AZ Business Magazine and BestCompaniesAZ.

“Without the hard work and passion of our employees, it wouldn’t be possible to receive this recognition. Being selected as one of Arizona’s Most Admired Companies in 2019 is a remarkable honor and a reflection of our organizational culture, which focuses on providing career development opportunities, and overall employee satisfaction.”

- Mark Young, president and chief executive officer of NB|AZ®

VISIT NBAZ.COM TO LEARN MORE

NBAZ.COM | A division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A. Member FDIC

in this issue DEPARTMENTS 02 @NB|AZ

FEATURES

16 Masters of Innovation

Meet four diverse architects who view dwellings in a different light

22 Company Town

Morenci progresses from mining town to thriving community

28 Parsing the Market

Experts weigh in on Arizona’s real estate boom

What’s happening at National Bank of Arizona

04 AZ WORKS Prepare for Takeoff Innovative program pairs ambitious students with talent-seeking companies

06 FOOD & DRINK Tucked In Nestled in a tight-knit Phoenix neighborhood, Tuck Shop feels like home

08 ARTS & CULTURE Desert Heritage Frank Lloyd Wright Scottsdale home inscribed to UNESCO World Heritage List

10 TRAILBLAZERS Through Their Eyes A young big horn sheep crosses the road at a tunnel leading to Morenci.

Visit Mesa CEO champions cause to welcome travelers with autism

12 AZ NONPROFIT The Great Outdoors Payson camp program allows kids to simply be kids

32 EXPERIENCE AZ A moment in Sedona

PUBLISHER National Bank of Arizona EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jenavi Kasper, jenavi.kasper@nbarizona.com PROJECT EDITOR Matthew Pazik, matthew.pazik@nbarizona.com

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Michelle Jacoby, michelle@pb-jcreative.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Nathan Joseph, nathan@responsecreative.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Chris Adams, cwadams@me.com CONTRIBUTORS Sally J. Clasen, Julia De Simone, Bruce Farr, Debra Gelbart, Jake Poinier, Lisa Van Loo PHOTOGRAPHER Mark Lipczynski, mark@marklipczynski.com

Elevate AZ magazine may contain trademarks or trade names owned by parties who are not affiliated with National Bank of Arizona, Zions Bancorporation, or its affiliates. Use of such marks does not imply any sponsorship by or affiliation with third parties, and National Bank of Arizona does not claim any ownership of or make representations about products and services offered under or associated with such marks. Articles are offered for informational purposes only and should not be construed as tax, legal, financial or business advice. Please contact a professional about your specific needs and advice. © 2019 Zions Bancorporation, N.A. All rights reserved.

A division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A. Member FDIC

NATIONAL BANK OF ARIZONA® 6001 N 24th St Phoenix, AZ 85016 602-235-6000

PB+J CREATIVE content + photography + design pb-jcreative.com

ON THE COVER The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Taliesin West in Scottsdale was recently inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List for its significance in the field of architecture. Discover more about this honored distinction and what it means for the Arizona landmark. Page 8.

Photo by Andrew Pielage for the Frank Lloyd Foundation/Taliesin West

Cuisine | Culture | Community

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13th annual Taste of the Biltmore kicks off AZ charity event season

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IX CUISINE, CULTURE and community with the changing season’s crisp, cool air, and you’ve got the perfect way to celebrate fall in Arizona.

National Bank of Arizona will host its annual Taste of the Biltmore culinary event on Thursday, Oct. 10 at the bank’s corporate center in Phoenix. Now in its 13th year, the upscale block party celebrates fine food and drink from some of the city’s most popular restaurants and eateries. “[Attendees] can try different food from across the Valley. It’s a very fun atmosphere.

People eating, drinking and having a good time,” Kimberly Robb, NB|AZ marketing supervisor says, adding that Taste of the Biltmore was initially started as a client appreciation event in 2007.

This year’s event is expected to draw more than 1,200 attendees.

Restaurants include longtime participants Benedict’s Catering, Bruce Brown Catering, Bluewater Grill, and Nothing Bundt Cakes, as well as Provision, Cien Agaves, Salty Sow, Morning Squeeze, Quinoa Esta Bakery, Huss Brewing Co., Scoopwell’s Dough Bar, Nico Heirloom Kitchen, Artizen, Phx Beer Co., Otro Café and Someburros.

Young’s Market Company will also return to supply wine for the evening’s festivities,

while Soundbite will once again provide the entertainment.

And while guests savor and sip the night away, they’re also helping support a Valley nonprofit with its mission to improve the lives of people in Arizona.

Each year, a different charity is selected to receive the proceeds from Taste of the Biltmore.

This year’s benefitting charity is Ryan House in Phoenix, which provides pediatric respite care, pediatric palliative care, and life-enhancing therapeutic activities for children and their families as they navigate life-limiting or end-of-life journeys. Grief and bereavement support for families is also provided. The nonprofit’s team focuses on quality of life and continuity by combining compassion with state-of-the-art care.

Showing its commitment to the community and the nonprofits that serve it, NB|AZ has raised more than $112,000 for Valley charities since its start more than a decade ago.

“As a community bank,” Robb says, “we are thrilled to be able to host an event that gives back to local nonprofits To purchase tickets, visit each and every year.” tasteofthebiltmore.com.

Julia De Simone More information can also be found on Facebook and Instagram.

TEAM EFFORT

Backpacks & Bowl-a-Thons IT’S BEEN A BUSY season for NB|AZ associates, who spent their not-so-lazy days of summer volunteering for projects that benefit students across Arizona. Proving to be a huge success, the bank’s 2019 School Supply Drive collected a whopping 879 backpacks, far exceeding the goal of 600 set by NB|AZ CEO Mark Young.

“Since our associates surpassed the goal, we were able to contribute to three different schools in the metro Phoenix area, as well as six schools in Kingman, Flagstaff, Pinetop, Heber, Welton and Yuma,” says Young.

In addition to collecting much-needed backpacks and school supplies, more than 50 associates raised money for Junior Achievement of Arizona, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preparing Arizona students to succeed in work and life. Not only did NB|AZ associates embrace the hula-themed event to win the coveted “Best Dressed” team award, they also raised enough money to provide Junior Achievement curriculum to more than 150 students in Arizona.

NB|AZ associates spent the summer collecting backpacks and school supplies for students across the state, and raising funds for Junior Achievement of Arizona.

HIGH TECH

New Banking Technology COMMUNITY

NB|AZ Volunteer of the Quarter

Ana Romero is an active volunteer at Caridad Community Kitchen in Tucson.

Home MOrtgage Customers looking to purchase the home of their dreams or wanting to refinance an existing loan can take advantage of NB|AZ’s online mortgage application. Virtually paperless, the service offers flexibility along with the peace of mind that comes with having access to a local team handling the loan from start to finish. The application takes 10 to 15 minutes, and automatic asset and income verification means higher accuracy and quicker pre-qualification.

For information, visit NBAZ.com. *Subject to credit approval and property evaluation.

Loan amounts over $484,350 qualify as jumbo loans.

Terms and conditions apply. Contact a banker for details. NMLS# 467014

Fall 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

EACH QUARTER, National Bank of Arizona selects one associate as the Volunteer of the Quarter. This associate is picked from a wide selection of individuals, all dedicated to giving back to their communities.

For the second quarter of 2019, NB|AZ selected Ana Romero, Executive Banker from the Oro Valley branch, for this distinguished honor. At Caridad Community Kitchen, Ana works with the Senior Meals Team to portion and pack meals for homebound seniors in Pima, Santa Cruz, and Cochise counties. “Our meal pack assembly line is the best,” she says. “The people who volunteer along with me come from all walks of life and we all have the same attitude: Having fun while volunteering!”

Ana feels grateful and humbled for being fortunate enough to give her time and energy to pack meals for homebound seniors. “In some cases, this may be the only meal they have that day,” she explains, adding that she believes no one should go hungry, especially in our communities where there are people with the means to help others.

For Ana, volunteering is about people—the people you’re serving and the difference you make in their lives.

“It’s very rewarding,” she says.

Business access For business owners in need of a marketing loan, capital to grow their business, or the ability to purchase equipment to increase production, NB|AZ has introduced the new Business Access Term Loan or Line of Credit online application process. Applicants may receive a same-day decision and be funded in as little as 24 hours.

There is little to no paperwork, and no pre-payment fees. For more details, visit NBAZ.com/business.

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prepare for Takeoff

Innovative program creates opportunities for students while filling key talent needs for Valley companies

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HEN ROSA ARROYO FIRST learned about Year Up, she admits it sounded too good to be true. “My mom and sister went to a school fair and brought home a brochure about it,” she says. “At first, I was a little skeptical because, I thought, ‘A school that pays you to [attend]?’ ” Not only is the education and career-building program the real deal, it’s creating opportunities for students like Arroyo to expand their options in high-growth industry fields such as computer programming, cyber security, IT help desks, and business operations. In partnership with Gateway Community College’s Central City campus, Year Up offers six months of technical and professional skills training. For their participation in the program, students receive an education stipend of up to $600 a month and can earn up to 30 college credits.

To increase interaction and accountability, students are put into small groups with a single leader, all traveling the year-long journey together. “Part of it is teaching the soft social skills—such as shaking hands, making eye contact, and advocating for yourself—which complements the formal education component,” says Kim Owens, founding executive director of Year Up Arizona.

After the first six months, students earn an internship, where they put those skills to work in a corporate environment in their area of interest, while still receiving ongoing support and guidance from Year Up. “There’s an opportunity divide in our country with millions of young adults ages 18 to 24 who are motivated, but lack the access to jobs in the economic mainstream,” says Owens.

“They might be in a low-income bracket and simply can’t afford to go to college, or they’re working to provide for their families.

Meanwhile, companies have millions of jobs that go unfilled.”

Enter Year Up, which started in Boston in 2000 as a nonprofit organization to bridge that gap. Today, it has expanded to nearly 20 locations across the U.S. Arizona launched in 2015 to address a particularly acute need.

“In 2013, Phoenix ranked No. 23 out of 25 major metro areas in providing opportunities to young adults in our target age group,” Owens says. “Five years later, we’re the fastest-

growing site in the country and, as of January 2020, we’ll be serving more than 1,000 students.”

To ensure a successful transition, Year Up focuses heavily on understanding their partner organizations’ needs. “The goal is to have a young adult be a good fit [for a business] and walk away with a job offer,” Owens explains. “And for the organization, to hire hardworking employees they can retain, as well as feel good about what they’re doing.”

In September, Year Up launched a pilot program at Mesa Executive Park, in partnership with Southern New Hampshire University. “It’s a competency-based program, so students get to finish at their pace,” says Owens, noting that community support has been a critical component of their success. “As a nonprofit, we rely heavily on our corporate [collaborators] such as National Bank of Arizona, who fund and support each young person who goes through the program.”

Julie-Ann Wilson, NB|AZ HR Programs and Projects Manager, says the bank sees the value in supporting local organizations that help prepare young adults gain professional experience, especially in a financial institution.

“It gives us, as an organization, the ability to impact the life of a student by opening doors of opportunity that might not have been available to them.”

Arroyo can testify that the reality has lived up to the promise since she graduated from Washington High School and started the Year Up program in January. In July, she started her internship at the National Bank of Arizona Cornerstone branch at 99th Avenue and Camelback Road in Phoenix, where she is a bank teller assisting customers with transactions and providing information for their financial needs. “[Year Up] did a great job of placing me…it’s something new and something that I never thought I would do,” Arroyo says. “I appreciate the challenge and the opportunity to learn and be open to new things. My favorite part is getting to know all the customers day by day.”

Wilson is hopeful and excited for Arroyo’s future. “There are opportunities for Rosa in banking and I have seen her grow in such a short time with us. I see a bright future ahead for her,” she says. Jake Poinier

Year Up participant Rosa Arroyo (left) with Kim Owens, executive director of Year Up Arizona

“ The goal for us is to have a young adult be a good fit [for a business] and walk away with a job offer.�

Kim Owens Founding executive director, Year Up Arizona Fall 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

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Grace Unger, Owner, Tuck Shop

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tucked in Nestled in a tight-knit Phoenix neighborhood, Tuck Shop feels like home

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INING OUT HAS NEVER been normal for Grace Unger. Even before she became owner of Tuck Shop, the popular dinner destination in the historic Coronado neighborhood in central Phoenix, she remembers eating out with her family was a somewhat unusual affair.

“Going to restaurants was never a normal experience,” Unger remembers with a laugh.

“My mom would get really annoyed because my dad and I would geek out on the food and the plating and the lights and the experience.”

Unger’s father owned a meat manufacturing company in the UK, but later sold the business to move the family somewhere sunnier. As a result, Unger grew up between Phoenix, Melbourne and Manchester. But thanks to her family’s longstanding ties to food and beverage (her grandfather owned the first American-style restaurant in Manchester), she learned early on to recognize the many minute details that go into creating an ideal dining experience.

Later in life, Unger travelled through Europe, Asia and Australia, honing her instincts about the art of dining in each city where she lived, worked and played. In Australia, Unger learned to love the country’s “cafe society,” a tradition of casual neighborhood restaurants where the staff is friendly and always knows your name. From time spent living and working in the south of France, she learned first-hand just how much elbow grease it takes to make it in hospitality.

And she fell in love with a quaint fishing village where she learned champagne and oysters could be a magical and casual affair.

“ I used to go there all the time. I just thought it was so homey. I thought it was the perfect place in the perfect neighborhood.”

Grace Unger, owner, Tuck Shop

buying big houses in these far away suburbs. I think that our younger generations, we’re looking for a closer connection.”

“They want to see each other,” Unger continues. “And when they don’t, they do get that—I hate to use slang—but FOMO (fear of missing out).”

And Unger has more than just her single restaurant in the works. She’s taken on a new role as chief creative officer for True North Studio, a Phoenix-based development company behind a handful of large-scale hospitality projects in and around downtown Phoenix.

Unger will help the company, led by founder and lead developer Jonathon Vento, to open three new restaurants in downtown’s Roosevelt Row neighborhood.

The restaurants, which also will draw inspiration from Unger’s travels in Europe, will open in historic buildings near residential projects.

The largest is Josephine, a modern French restaurant with a dark, cocktail lounge called Coup de Grâce located on the same property. Unger also will open Petit Jo, a casual bakery and café, inside the historic Knipe House, just south of Portland on Second Street. Unger hopes the spot will be a new all-day dining destination for downtown residents.

The parallels between Unger’s Tuck Shop and the new restaurants are no mistake. Unger says Vento sought her out in large part because of his appreciation for her work at Tuck Shop.

“He literally said, ‘Can we just make Josephine a French version of Tuck Shop?’ ” Unger says with a laugh.

Lauren Saria

Fall 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

Through all of this, however, Unger would return to the desert to visit family who lived in Phoenix. And whenever she was here, she would dine at one place: Tuck Shop.

“I used to go there all the time,” she says. “I just thought it was so homey. I thought it was the perfect place in the perfect neighborhood.”

At the time, the restaurant was owned by DJ Fernandez and Jessica Ruiz. But in 2016, when the original owners decided to sell the business to focus on other projects, Unger and her family jumped at the chance.

Tuck Shop, which already was a pillar of the tight-knit Coronado community, became the place where Unger could put all her real-world experience into practice. She wanted the restaurant to be an intimate and comfortable dining experience, but one that also delivered an elevated product.

From the staff—who Unger jokes diners are just as likely to see out after their shift at local bars, as they are running food through the low-lit Tuck Shop dining room—to the decor, Unger works hard to make Tuck Shop feel like home.

The relaxed, yet cheerful dining room offers a mismatched collection of tables and chairs. There’s even a low-slung couch in one corner. The overall effect is a space that feels as much like Unger’s living room as it does the dining room of one of Phoenix’s well-loved restaurants.

Unger says the informality helps Tuck Shop give Phoenix diners something they crave. Something that can’t be served on a plate. “You look at Phoenix and it wasn’t always this way,” she remembers. “It’s a big city, but it’s spread out so it doesn’t feel that way. In 2008, you had all these people

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RANK LLOYD WRIGHT, one of the most prominent architects of the 20th century, envisioned a world in which structures harmonized with both humanity and the environment, a balance achieved in an innovative portfolio that has greatly influenced how individuals built and lived.

Wright’s vision and contributions to the field of architecture achieved a significant milestone this summer when a collection of eight of his major works spanning 50 years was inscribed to the UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage List. One of those works is Taliesin West in Scottsdale.

“A UNESCO inscription is the greatest honor you can receive. It’s highly beneficial and will increase visitor-ship and help support and preserve a unique part of American history for future generations,” says Fred Prozzillo, vice president of preservation of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

There are more than 1,000 World Heritage sites around the world, and Wright’s series is now among only 24 sites in the U.S. and the first modern architecture collection recognized as a cultural one in the country. His works join impressive World Heritage designees, among them the Pyramids of Egypt, the Roman Colosseum, The Great Wall of China and, of course, the Grand Canyon.

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UNESCO evaluates the international importance of a potential World Heritage site, both natural and cultural, based on its outstanding universal value. Wright’s series met the qualifications because the architecture responds to functional and emotional needs, design of the buildings is fundamentally rooted in nature’s forms and principles, and the architecture responds to the evolving American experience but is universally appealing.

Taliesin West began as an experimental camping adventure to test Wright’s design theories that ultimately became a vital artistic and cultural incubator, helping establish his role in the development and evolution of modern architecture during the first half of the 20th century—and which continues to inspire contemporary building design.

Situated on 600 acres in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains, Taliesin West takes its name from Wright’s Wisconsin home, Spring Green, and served as his winter escape and school from 1937 until his death in 1959 at age 91. The desert compound, also a National Historic Landmark, was built and maintained largely by the architect and his apprentices.

“The landscape, the plant life and the mountains of the Sonoran Desert inspired Wright in different ways,” Prozzillo

Desert Heritage

Photo: Andrew Pielage, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

Frank Lloyd Wright Scottsdale home inscribed to UNESCO World Heritage List

says. “We’re fortunate that he choose Arizona to be his winter home and all of us should be proud and excited about the World Heritage site designation.”

To preserve the desert environment, Wright embedded structures into the landscape and used local rock set in wooden forms bound by a mixture of cement and desert sand to construct Taliesin West. Other defining features include canvas roofs to allow light into the interior spaces and the use of redwood beams to incorporate Wright’s favorite Cherokee red accents.

Today, Taliesin West is a living museum and educational workspace that houses Wright’s office and personal living quarters, a drafting room for students, a full kitchen, a large theater, a small cabaret, and housing for residents and staff.

A series of walkways, terraces, pools and gardens connect the buildings. The complex also is home to the School of Architecture (a three-year immersive master of architecture program) and the Frank Loyd Wright Foundation.

Taliesin West is open to the public and visitors can participate in several guided tours that showcase Wright’s “organic architecture” concepts including the open floor plan, indoor/outdoor living, and innovative use of natural light and material, and give a glimpse into the pioneering architect’s life

in Arizona. Special events are also held throughout the year that celebrate the life and work of Wright and his imprint on society.

The UNESCO designation brings global awareness to works created by Wright, but also to the nearly 400 remaining structures he designed. In addition, it will help boost cultural preservation efforts and awareness that are necessary to help fund and maintain the sites and protect Wright’s legacy in modern architecture.

While Taliesin West was, however, one of Wright’s more personal projects, his influence and scope reached across continents and translated to locations that were dramatically different than how Americans lived and built.

Being named as a World Heritage site proves that his concepts were, in fact, universal, and hold value to all mankind, according to Prozzillo.

“It confirms Wright’s effort to change the way we live and build—and that the two should relate. His work is not just important to the American population but all humanity.

The values and ideas that Wright developed transcend borders, other cultures and landscapes, and remain relevant.”

Sally J. Clasen

Fall 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

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Through

Marc Garcia, Visit Mesa president and CEO, at the i.d.e.a. Museum in downtown Mesa

Visit Mesa CEO champions cause to welcome travelers with autism

“I wanted something substantive. Something with meaning, something the autism community would know is legit,” he says.

Wanting more than a gold seal of approval. Garcia aimed to have a program that would elevate Mesa’s profile among a very specific demographic, but also encouraged a new level of empathy and understanding about autism and its challenges within the hospitality industry.

“It had to have standards and challenges, but it also had to be realistic,” Garcia says of the certification process.

That sweet spot for Mesa to earn certification requires that 60 of its businesses that are affiliated with Visit Mesa or the Mesa Chamber of Commerce usher 80 percent of their consumer-facing employees through an autismspecific training course. The 30-minute course gives these employees a new perspective on the condition, allowing them to experience what life feels like for someone living with autism.

“It puts the viewer into the world of someone who has autism,” Garcia says of the training course. “If you’re at the front desk of a hotel or in a restaurant, it’s something you may then be able to more readily recognize.”

It’s an important audience to understand. Statistics indicate that autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder in the U.S., as 1 in 59 children are diagnosed with it every year. Visit Mesa estimates that 32 million travelers with special needs take vacations every year.

“Yes, it’s personal for me. It’s also the right thing to do,” Garcia says. “And, it’s a great business opportunity.”

Others agree. Mesa Fire and Medical has committed to the certification process, as has Mesa Parks i.d.e.a. Museum is one of several Mesa businesses undergoing autism training and Recreation, to help the city become autism-certified which has already for travelers. sent 500 employees through the program and has decided to implement certification as part of its ongoing new-hire process. Some hotels in Mesa have completed certification, and a number of corporations and hospitals have shown interest in becoming involved.

Garcia and Visit Mesa are so confident they’ll reach that 60-business threshold for citywide certification, that they’ve already put time into planning when and where they will announce the achievement to the public. And they’re looking at next steps.

As a way to truly embrace its autism certification, Garcia says Visit Mesa is looking to partner with Marc Community Resources to provide certified professionals to visiting moms and dads who may want a little child-free time. And, they’re looking at employment opportunities for those living with autism within the hospitality industry.

And to think this entire travel and tourism effort started with a vacation.

“It’s gratifying,” Garcia says. “Very gratifying.” Lisa Van Loo

Their Eyes

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Marc Garcia President and CEO, Visit Mesa

Fall 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

ARC GARCIA DIDN’T REALIZE something was missing from the travel and tourism industry until he looked at it through his own lens. After his son, who is autistic, experienced a “meltdown” while on vacation in San Diego, Garcia knew there was an opportunity for a change that would help families like his feel less ostracized.

“You get these very strange looks from other adults in those situations. It’s uncomfortable. Even worse, you’re made to feel unwelcome,” says Garcia, president and CEO of Visit Mesa. “I’m in this business and I’m in a position where I can do something about it.”

So he did—and now Mesa is well on its way to becoming the first autism-certified destination in the country.

“This is just a start for us, by the way,” Garcia says of the effort, which began with Visit Mesa becoming the first ever destination marketing organization to become certified. “I can’t believe how quickly this has grown.”

Visit Mesa began the initiative in April, announcing its goal to make Mesa a trailblazer in autism-sensitive hospitality. By August, there was no question the city would achieve its goal.

“We always felt this was a terrific opportunity to be the first and do the proper training. We want to let the world know we are inclusive,” Garcia says. “You’ll feel comfortable coming to Mesa knowing the hotel is trained, the museum is trained, and that we offer great sensory awareness.”

It’s that very specific training that’s pivotal to earning the certification.

“We always Before launching the felt this was initiative, Garcia researched a terrific organizations that could opportunity to credential a business or be the first and destination. He looked into— do the proper and eventually had a hand in training. We shaping—the standards that want to let the each business or destination world know we would need to meet in order are inclusive.” to be certified.

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UKE CHASE WAS INITIALLY skeptical when his father suggested volunteering at his place of work, Tonto Creek Camp (TCC) in Payson. Although the 18-year-old had fond memories of camp as a kid, it didn’t spark as much interest as his music or social media accounts.

But something changed when the Scottsdale college student gave it a shot by disconnecting online and reconnecting with nature.

“I loved being on Instagram, Snapchat, etc. I don’t even check it anymore; it doesn’t matter,” he says. “[At camp], kids are getting their ‘likes’ from fellow campers, teachers

and staff, just talking and having real conversations. They’re getting to know us [camp leaders] and by the end of the week, we’re not total strangers; we’re best friends.”

According to Tom Fraker, CEO and founder of TCC, the nonprofit camp is primarily dedicated to providing youth in underserved areas, including those in the foster care system, with opportunities to explore the outdoors. The 36-acre property was originally known as Camp Tontozona, which was owned by Arizona State University and served as the preseason training site for the college’s football team for nearly 50 years. Around 2011, TCC took management of it and since

the great outdoors Photos: Tonto Creek Camp

Payson camp program allows kids to simply be kids

entrepreneur and leader.

“Basically, we’re taking an academic approach, but putting it in the outdoors where students are engaged more than in a classroom,” Fraker says.

Students are also drawn to the STEM Camps, which revolve around four specific disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics that meet state standards. So far, 25,000 campers have participated in these camps.

“It’s not like getting lectures in class, but rather, it’s getting hands-on experience,” Chase says. “It’s a great space out there (in nature) for schools to unplug.”

In an effort to make the camp experience inclusive for campers and their families, TCC launched a family camp program this past summer. Lodging and Luke Chase activities took place at Camp leader, Tonto Creek Camp TCC, as well as affiliated camps nearby, including Camp Colley in Happy Jack, Chauncey Ranch in Mayer, and Camp Tontozona in Payson.

According to the American Camp Association, the camp experience builds skills necessary to prepare campers to assume roles as successful adults. A recent independent study at 92 randomly selected camps—with more than 5,000 families across the country participating—showed parents, campers and staff reporting growth in areas such as self-confidence, independence, making friends, exploring and learning new activities, and spirituality, as well as growth experiences for youth that can benefit them through adulthood.

Chase says he’s witnessed this growth. “Most of the kids have never been in a nature setting; some of them were so excited to just see a squirrel,” he says. “But some don’t want to be here. As the week goes by, however, they start to trust you and by the end of camp, they don’t want to leave.”

Since graduating from TCC volunteer to employee, Chase says the best part of his camp experience is how it’s come full circle in his own young life.

“My best memories of camp as a kid were sitting out on the deck, hanging out with my friends, and talking about life and the future,” he says. “Some of the parents I’ve met had never been in the wilderness or slept with their children in cabins. It’s so great to see those bonds—mother and daughter experiences, as well as father and son experiences.

It gives me chills.” Julia De Simone

“At camp, kids are getting their ‘likes’ from fellow campers, teachers and staff. By the end of the week, we’re not total strangers; we’re best friends.”

Fall 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

then, has welcomed more than 65,000 campers and raised approximately $1 million through educational partnerships to cover costs through donations, grants and scholarships.

“I’ve had kids say, ‘This camp was the best day of my life,’ ” Fraker says. “You can’t create an environment for kids to say something like that unless you do it intentionally and outdoors.”

Today, TCC is branded as a Pathways to Learning program with camps running the gamut from the Outdoor Adventure Camp that includes archery, hiking, horseback riding, kayaking and mountain biking; to the Imaginarium Entrepreneur Camp, where campers explore and learn the facets of being a successful

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Greg Geis, Senior Vice President, Residential Mortgage Department

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house & home NB|AZ offers unique residential loan products

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F YOU OR SOMEONE you know is thinking of building a custom home or renovating your current home, you may have a lot of reservations—especially when it comes to how the loan process works when construction is involved.

National Bank of Arizona has created a loan product that simplifies both for new ground-up custom and renovation construction. The One‑Time Close Construction Home Loan* from NB|AZ is efficient and straightforward. The OTC loan offers funds for a longer construction period if necessary than most of NB|AZ’s competitors and incorporates a single simplified loan closing with the ability to lock in at today’s low rates.

“We combine your construction and permanent financing into a single closing (instead of a separate construction loan and a separate permanent loan), which reduces your fees, lessens paperwork and diminishes processing time,” explains Greg Geis, Senior Vice President with NB|AZ in charge of the bank’s Residential Mortgage Department, adding that about 40 percent of all the home loans his department finalizes are One-Time Close (OTC) loans that rely on a six-step approach to assist borrowers during every phase of creating their dream home.

It’s a significant advantage, Geis points out, that the licensed general contractor doesn’t have to secure a loan for the client before construction can begin. The homeowner carries the loan, so construction may begin sooner. Whether a borrower chooses an OTC loan or a more conventional home loan from the suite of mortgage products that NB|AZ offers, they can count on a speedy response.

“We are a local lender, with local processing, underwriting, closing and construction servicing right at our Phoenix location,” Geis says. “With local decision-making and direct phone numbers to their loan officer, the customer can get an answer right away.”

NB|AZ can also look at various elements of the client’s financial profile to help identify the best program to fit their needs, Geis says.

“We have specialty programs, depending on the client’s income profile, that reduce documentation and allow the client to more easily qualify for a home loan.”

For example, according to Geis, Asset Dissipation is a program that allows individuals to finance a home based on liquid assets they possess, such as money in bank accounts, stock or even retirement accounts. NB|AZ also has programs for young professionals, whose income currently is lower than it likely will be five or 10 years from now.

“We also do a significant number of loans for self-employed clients,” Geis says. “Income streams come in different forms for this type of borrower. Income may not be present or verifiable on a current pay stub so our loan officers are very knowledgeable on what to request to help get them qualified for a home loan.”

Debra Gelbart

*Subject to credit approval and property evaluation. Loan amounts over $484,350 qualify as jumbo loans. Terms and conditions apply. Contact a banker for details.

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Designed by Christoph Kaiser of Kaiserworks, the Silo House in central Phoenix is a 1950s corrugated steel grain silo converted into 340 square feet of livable space.

STORY SALLY J. CLASEN PORTRAITS MARK LIPCZYNSKI

Masters of Innovation Meet four diverse architects who view dwellings in a different light—examining both form and function in order to design and reimagine spaces that are efficient, inspiring and gracefully enduring in a sea of sameness

Photo: Shelby Moore

Fall 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

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Christoph Kaiser

CHRISTOPH KAISER’S DESIGN aesthetic can’t be put in a box—or a silo, for that matter. But one thing is certain: the creative departure is deliberate.

Founder and principal of the architectural firm Kaiserworks, his portfolio includes adaptive reuse projects with residential and commercial clients in the hospitality, retail and entertainment sectors. Kaiser’s preservation efforts are evident in neighborhoods like the Roosevelt and Garfield historic districts, as well as in retail hybrid spaces including Changing Hands Bookstore and First Draft Book Bar in the former Beefeater’s restaurant at The Newton in uptown Phoenix.

“There’s something magical about designing something new in old spaces,” he says.

While Kaiser is naturally attracted to breathing life into weathered properties, he’s equally passionate about setting a blueprint for the future with his micro-dwelling concepts that incorporate all aspects of design and technology at a cost-effective price point.

Tucked behind a heritage residence Kaiser renovated in the Garfield district, the Silo House is a 1950s corrugated steel grain silo with an 18-foot diameter and 340 square feet of total livable space. While unarguably unconventional, it illustrates his idea of feasible living that challenges traditional perceptions of domestic housing in an urban setting.

The Kbox, a factory-built shipping container located behind the 1907 Grand Pyramid House, the oldest house of its kind in Phoenix, is

another prototype for scaled-down living Kaiser hopes the masses will embrace.

“The idea is to create sustainable, long-term housing that arrives in flat packs and can be assembled instantly onsite where two people can live comfortably,” he says of the IKEA-like, manufactured house kit.

Kaiser, who grew up in Phoenix and Germany, attended Arizona State University and finished his undergraduate degree in architecture in Stuttgart, Germany. He then earned a master of architecture degree at Harvard University, where he examined the definition of “home” and how to use the American homestead as a rubber stamp for modern-day living as part of his thesis.

His concepts might sound far-fetched, but Kaiser’s model for affordable, innovative micro-living is turning industry heads. In 2018, the Silo House won Dwell Magazine’s best design for small spaces in its annual national design competition.

Though Kaiser is fascinated by what’s coming next, he still lives in the present, creating spaces that balance customer needs with effective design solutions and, most importantly, inspire wonder among their occupants. “Both the Silo House and the Kbox do that.”

Great architecture, according to Kaiser, is designing an interesting space that considers how individuals will react to their entire surroundings, whether it’s a cylinder house in a new-age, master-planned community or a rehabbed happy hour spot.

“We sit close to the edge of what’s out there and bring it to clients,” he says of Kaiserworks’ contextdriven approach, which includes furniture, light fixtures and landscaping design that integrates all architectural elements into one project. Case in point, the Garden Bar, a craft cocktail bar located in a 1930s Craftsman complete with an edible garden. “We want to design every aspect of the user experience.”

Photo: Matt Winquist

Founder/Principal | Kaiserworks

Photo: Marion Brenner

Chamberlin & Associates offices

Christoph Kaiser, Kaiserworks

Photo: Matt Winquist

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Allison Colwell and Michele Shelor, Colwell Shelor Landscape Architects

Arcadia House project

Allison Colwell & Michele Shelor Founding Partners | Colwell Shelor Landscape Architects And collaboration with architects and home builders, a key strategy to create a cohesive footprint. “Often, people don’t value their exterior place. It’s not as big of an investment,” Colwell continues. “But if you don’t give thought to the outdoor space, it’s ugly and no one wants to be there. The ideal situation is we are brought in early and understand the goals. When we work together, the indoor-outdoor connection is stronger.”

Colwell and Shelor’s projects have a running theme: ecologically sustainable and respect for the climate with the use of low-water plantings, limiting lawn environments and lush accent plants in masses.

“Native plants and raw materials are often used as resources to complete their landscape designs. We consider Arizona plantings and materials like steel, concrete and stone—things that hold up well in the climate,” she adds.

The firm’s House of Different Gardens project—which earned the 2015 ASLA Arizona Design Award of Excellence and 2015 ASLA Arizona Design Award of Excellence for its accompanying field guide—showcases their eco-sense, converting the water-thirsty, 7-acre property into a Sonoran desert with a collection of garden galleries that also feature species from other arid regions of the world.

With the Arcadia House project, the landscape designers maintained the integrity of a 1950s ranch redux by integrating the architecture and existing citrus grove, creating a contemporary and seamless transition between the interior and exterior living spaces with garden zones that unite all the elements. The project was recognized with the 2012 ASLA Arizona Design Award of Excellence and 2011 Valley Forward Association Environmental Excellence Crescordia Award.

“Simplicity is important to both of us,” says Colwell. “Not minimalist, but [rather] simple, modern clean lines. When we’re asked to explore other options, it feels foreign to us.

Timelessness is what we are shooting for.”

Fall 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

SOMETIMES, IT’S WHAT’S on the outside that matters—especially if you are Allison Colwell and Michele Shelor, founding partners of Colwell Shelor Landscape Architects. The duo’s award-winning roster includes diverse public works projects, as well as residential clients throughout Arizona.

Colwell and Shelor realized they shared the same design sensibilities while working for Phoenix-based landscape architect Steve Martino and launched their own practice in 2009.

“We started at the bottom of the recession, which really helped us. There weren’t many public-project works at the time and we did a lot of smaller residential projects,” says Colwell. “We weren’t businesspeople, so it helped develop our craft and taught us how to run a business with a lot of time to figure things out without the pressure of having a lot of work.”

The designers discovered their strength lies in creating the hardscape—structures that are incorporated into the landscape—not just plant selection and arrangement. Ironically, plants aren’t the first consideration for Colwell, who also is a registered architect, and Shelor, named the 2016 Arizona ASLA Landscape Architect of the Year.

“We make sure to have strong bones in every project and that architecture is integral to our landscape architecture. Plantings then become another layer that’s woven into the story,” Colwell says. “Plants help mitigate the environment, but we start with strong site planning.”

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Marlene Imirzian

PERHAPS IT’S EASIER to describe the projects Marlene Imirzian hasn’t worked on than those she has. The principal founder and owner of Marlene Imirzian & Associate Architect’s resume covers the architectural gamut, from historic preservation to new builds for commercial, civic, educational and residential clients.

“We develop a broad range of projects, which used to be more common. But now there’s a tendency to be more specific,” says Imirzian, who launched her firm in 1997 and also has an office in Escondido, California. “We’ve always done a broad range of work and that’s what’s probably most interesting about our practice.”

No stranger to industry recognition, the firm was ranked as one of the top 50 firms in the country by Architect Magazine in 2017, and has repeatedly been recognized nationally as a leader in sustainable architecture.

“It’s a big part of our work process and just part of doing good design,” she says of her sustainable nature. “It’s not about, ‘Are you going to pay more for it?’ Whatever we can do to minimize impact is always a consideration for us.”

The key to her practice success, according to Imirzian, is simple: collaboration and sticking to a budget. “Aside from the overall design performance, we are very collaborative. We have a strong relationship with our engineering, landscaping and cost consulting team,” says Imirzian, who earned a master of architecture

from the University of Michigan. “One of the unique factors of our success is that besides optimizing the best design comprehensively possible, we make sure the owner’s project is done within their budget.”

The Life Science Building at Paradise Valley Community College, winner of an AIA Western Mountain Region Citation Award and the Arizona Architects Medal, is a testament to Imirzian’s innovative sustainable approach and ability to maximize a location’s potential. The metal and stone building has two rain-harvesting towers that feed into an underground cistern, which collects water for the site’s desert-adapted vegetation. But the project ticks other design boxes, as well.

“We had a very specific goal from the science faculty to integrate science into the campus experience as a whole. We created a complex that encourages people to visit the building and interact with what is going inside but also is a strong campus gathering spot,” she says of the connectivity achieved through a series of collaboration pods that are open to the campus via a main walkway where faculty, students and visitors can meet and congregate.

Imirzian also is hopeful her sustainability solutions will become a larger part of the community effort to reduce energy use. In 2018, she and senior designer Jay Atherton designed, along with local engineering and construction experts, a 2,170-square foot, energy-efficient, single-family home called HOMEnz for widespread adoption that won top prize in the Sustainable Home Design Competition, which was sponsored by the City of Phoenix and the American Institute of Architects, Arizona.

Home plans for the “near-net-zero energy,” mid-century modern dwelling are available to download for free on the City of Phoenix website and can be built for $158 per square foot.

“It’s an extremely important effort,” says Imirzian. “We hope people will visit the website and understand the moves they can make to build a sustainable home that will eventually affect the overall energy use of homes in the Valley.”

Marlene Imirzian, Marlene Imirzian & Associates Architects

Sustainable office in Sunnyslope

Paradise Valley Community College Life Science Building

Photo: Timmerman Photography

Principal Founder/Owner | Marlene Imirzian & Associates Architects

Photo: Timmerman Photography

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COMPANY TOWN

Home to the largest copper mine in the U.S., Morenci progresses from mining town to thriving community

STORY BRUCE FARR PHOTOGRAPHY MARK LIPCZYNSKI

Fall 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

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The small town of Morenci

is quietly tucked under the tree line of the White Mountains in Greenlee County in southeastern Arizona. Situated roughly 115 miles northeast of Tucson, the topography is typical for the region: the arid chaparral mostly grows desert scrub and, higher up, travelers can find semi-desert grassland vegetation on the rolling hills leading toward the mountains.

It’s a tranquil, unassuming part of the state. But amid the quietude, there is Morenci, which although small in comparison with many other Arizona towns, can claim a sizeable share of the state’s history and importance.

Incorporated as a community in 1872, the settlement of Morenci was founded and established by the Detroit Copper Mining Company, a successful 19th century mining and ore-processing company. Morenci was originally called “Joy’s Camp” after Miles Joy, who was then the mining company’s general manager. Earlier, in the 1860s, prospectors had discovered extensive lodes of copper ore around what is now Morenci and its sister community Clifton, and it wasn’t long before the entire region was booming with mining operations.

A True ‘Company Town’ During the Industrial Revolution—roughly from the mid1700s to the mid-1800s and beyond—the phenomenon of “company towns” entered the national lexicon. Hundreds, if not thousands, of them sprang up like so many wildflowers spread across the American landscape.

Whether they existed as rough-hewn “tent cities” around the Appalachian coal fields or as genteel residential enclaves built up by local manufacturers, they all had one thing in common: a particular company actively founded, planned and ran these settlements and, to a great extent, their inhabitants were employed by the companies.

A few of the more prominent company towns in America include Lowell, Massachusetts; Hershey, Pennsylvania; Corning, New York; and Kohler, Wisconsin (home of the famous Kohler plumbing products). But in the southwest, there perhaps is no more noteworthy company town than Morenci.

What literally put Morenci on the map is the Morenci Mine, where, in no uncertain terms, copper is king. Presently owned and operated by Freeport-McMoRan, an international and highly diverse mining conglomerate, the mine has been in continuous production since 1873.

Over the decades, and through all the mercurial boom and bust attendant upon the mining industry, the Morenci Mine (and its counterparts in nearby communities) has been bought and sold and bought again—most auspiciously, perhaps, by Phelps Dodge, which owned and operated it for many decades before merging with Freeport-McMoRan in 2014. To get a sense of how big the local copper mining operation is in Morenci, as of two years ago, the project encompassed land holdings covering approximately 68,250 acres. With the exception of a couple of years, Morenci Mine has been America’s largest copper producer.

As to the economic importance of the Freeport-McMoRan Mining company to Arizona as a whole, it can’t be overstated.

A report compiled in 2018 calculates the economic impact of the mine on the state as reaching $1.3 billion.

“ When you talk about quality of life and the business community here in Morenci, it’s all about partnership.

Everyone works toward the same goal; it’s a very close-knit community.”

STACEY KOON,

GENERAL MANAGER OF ADMINISTRATION, FREEPORT-MCMORAN

A 2018 report shows the economic impact of the Morenci Mine on Arizona as reaching $1.3 billion.

Mutual Support

grants can be used for community events during the holidays, light parades, river cleanups,” Koon explains. “We do have scholarship programs at the corporate level, but we also have an apprenticeship program locally in which we partner with the local schools, and many of the educational efforts and programs are funded through the United Way [which the company also supports].”

It’s very clear that FreeportMcMoRan’s caring investment in the local communities runs deep. “Some of the grant requests we have funded have gone to engineering studies for water treatment plants for the nearby town of Clifton, and water infrastructure for the town of Duncan…these projects are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, so they are pretty significant, in terms of local investment and support,” Koon says.

National Bank of Arizona, Morenci branch team

Pulse of the Town That particular strain of cooperation and partnership is evidenced throughout Morenci’s small downtown, where a handful of businesses—around 100 to be exact—include a few restaurants, hotels and motels, a grocery and a hardware store, a bank and a boutique, and a couple of gas stations.

Downtown is flanked by a business plaza, which encompasses a theater and a library. Add to those the usual array of service organizations—hospital, churches, schools, administrative buildings, a community center and several recreational parks—and Morenci takes shape as a somewhat classic, small American town, with all the expected trimmings.

Fall 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

It’s nearly impossible to separate the life of Morenci the community from that of the mining company that owns it. Stacey Koon, general manager of administration for Freeport-McMoRan is based in Morenci, where she also lives.

She makes it clear that Morenci and the mine are inseparable from one another. All the homes and buildings in Morenci— new and old, residential and commercial—are owned by Freeport-McMoRan. And all of Morenci’s commerce rises and falls on the strength of the mine.

While the community’s latest census claims roughly 1,500 residents, the mining company locally employs around 3,700 people. Most, if not all, Morencians are connected to the mine, either directly as employees, or indirectly as families of mine employees or as business owners and their employees, who rely on the mine for their livelihoods.

Koon describes the character of the town as strong and principled, and she likens its lifestyle to the type that people all across the country strive to achieve in their own communities.

“When you talk about quality of life and the business community here in Morenci, it’s all about partnership,” she says. “Everyone works toward the same goal; it’s a very close-knit community.”

Koon goes on to describe a multitude of local community programs, scholarships and apprenticeships that are all supported by the mine. But, she adds, that support extends well beyond Morenci’s borders.

“Morenci is the town where our operations are based, but the mine’s support is much broader than just in this town,” Koon notes. “We look to support Greenlee County as a whole because we really are the major industry in the county. We actually focus on community investments in all the county’s communities.”

That support takes many forms, not least the offer of a grant program that’s available to any resident. “For example, the

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“ We’re the only place open seven days a week, all day long. It’s very homey.

People like to come here with their families.”

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JESSICA DUGGER,

CO-OWNER, THE MINER’S DINER & BAR

Jessica Dugger and Tracy Cauthen, owners, The Miner’s Diner & Bar

Locals tend to congregate at one of Morenci’s more popular eateries, aptly named The Miner’s Diner & Bar. The restaurant offers a homey, casual atmosphere, where mine employees and their friends and families can meet for a Mexican-Americanstyle breakfast, lunch or dinner.

“We’re the only place open seven days a week, all day long,” notes Jessica Dugger, one of the diner’s two owners.

Just 18 months ago, she and her business partner Tracy Cauthen purchased what had been the Copper Canyon Restaurant—where they both worked—and they’ve been operating it since. They both saw the town of Morenci as becoming more prosperous and knew they could both add to and take advantage of that growth. They currently operate the business with more than 30 employees. “It’s very homey,” Dugger says of their restaurant. “People like to come here with their families.”

Their restaurant has become the de facto social center of the town. “We’re the only place in Morenci to offer dances on Friday night,” Cauthen notes proudly. “They attract a big crowd.”

From all current reports, it becomes very clear that Morenci was, is and will continue to be the classic “company town” as which it was founded nearly a 150 years ago. There is no denying the importance of copper and of mining to Morenci and, for the most part, its residents are fine with that identity—in fact, they’re proud of it. It happens to be the reason they live and work there; it’s their lives.

Alma Lizarraga Hanson, regional sales manager for National Bank of Arizona’s Southeast Region, oversees sales for the sole bank operating in Morenci. She puts it all in perspective when she says succinctly, “Morenci is a thriving community, driven by the mine and the price of copper.”

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Parsing the Market With Arizona real estate surging, experts weigh in on the topics and trends that really matter

story Bruce Farr

W

hen the topic of Arizona’s real estate and housing market comes up, one can unequivocally say that in recent years, it’s all about “boom” and not “gloom.”

By all calculations, Arizona real estate is trending positively and even moving into “off the charts” territory.

Single-Family Bonanza D. Patrick Lewis, president of the Arizona Association of Realtors, says the Arizona real

estate and housing market has made nothing short of a phenomenal recovery from the dire condition it found itself in 2008 and the years that followed.

“Arizona got hit so hard in that downturn, so it’s taken us a bit longer to come back from it. But we are definitely back to [pre-recession] levels and, in fact, the market is a lot healthier now than it was just before that time,” he explains. “While singlefamily homes in Phoenix remain, hands-down, our biggest seller, what we’re seeing is that the residential resale market is what’s really hot.

New home builders and contractors are still busy, but they’re constrained by the costs of labor and land costs right now. So we’re not seeing them make up D. Patrick Lewis, president, the lack of inventory as we normally would.”

Arizona Association of Realtors Lewis says it’s not just houses that are moving briskly in the Arizona marketplace. He notes that, particularly in the last six months, land sales are also picking up.

Shawna Warner, Realtor with Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty, begs to differ with Lewis on the issue of what’s hot right now, saying that it’s newly built homes that are topping her sales chart these days.

“What I’m mostly seeing is that potential homebuyers want new construction,” she says.

“A lot of my buyers simply want ‘new,’ even if

“We are definitely back to [pre-recession] levels and, in fact, the market is a lot healthier now than it was just before that time.”

Fall 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

Hindsight being what it is, we now have a crystal-clear view of what happened to the market 10 years ago in the wake of the Great Recession. We’re all familiar with the grim statistics of that time, which showed, on average, homes in the greater Phoenix market lost 56 percent of their value. Foreclosures swept across the city and state—as well as the entire country—like a tsunami. By 2011, the median home price in the Valley had plummeted to $118,500.

But that was then and this is now.

Today, real estate is, in a word, thriving.

Zillow, the national online real estate database, rates the statewide housing market as “very hot” at present, calculating the median home value in the state at $254,600, up 5.3 percent over last year. And locally, ArizonaRealEstate.com pushes that figure even higher, reporting that, as of mid-September, the median price of a Phoenix home was $272,500.

And it’s not just Phoenix and the Valley that are performing so positively. Many experts are citing a real estate boom across the entire state right now. Mohave County, for example, is benefitting from an influx of California home buyers, who are leaving their state to escape exorbitant home prices and an overall high cost of living. As a result, Yuma and Mohave counties are seeing large increases in population. Even in Flagstaff and Coconino County, and the White Mountains, real estate is flourishing both in primary and second home sales.

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they’re coming out of one house and purchasing another. I think it’s because they don’t necessarily want to go through the headaches of renovating older properties—they want something that’s already done.”

Warner does agree with most real estate experts in her assessment that supply and demand is a dominant factor in Arizona right now. “[Housing] inventory is low, so it’s placing somewhat of a strain on certain marketplaces.”

Trending ‘Smart’ And what about popular home features today as compared with a few decades ago? What amenities are homebuyers seeking when they start shopping for houses?

Lewis says that today, with new technology blossoming, homebuyers are responding with an everlengthening list of conveniences that were largely unheard of a generation ago. “Smart features, green features… because we live in the desert, energy efficiency and green systems mean a lot to people here,” he explains.

In addition to such vividly “green” systems as solar heating and cooling, popular features that homebuyers are seeking include such conveniences as programmable entertainment systems, integrated telecom systems, security services, eco-friendly

“ Metro Phoenix has almost always been more affordable than the U.S. average, but that is about to change as incomes have not kept pace with rising home prices.”

Catherine Reagor, real estate reporter, The Arizona Republic

appliances and high-tech thermostats, to name just a few.

“Primarily, though,” Lewis adds, “the bottom line is that they want value for their money—they want to know that their investment in their communities and their homes is going to pay them dividends in the long run.”

The Affordability Factor Every puffy white cloud has a patch of grey. With the housing market thriving and having become a “sellers’ market,” the natural counterpoint to that development is for home prices to rise—and rise they have.

The problem, as some experts see it, is that Arizona income levels haven’t risen proportionally to the price of real estate.

“While the job market itself is really strong right now, wages seem to be showing the slowest growth and have been a bit stagnant over the past few years,” Lewis notes. “So that does push homebuyers into other areas. But, really, it’s lack of inventory that’s driving things right now. We are such a hot market with regard to job growth. In fact, I think we’re No. 5 in the country, and Maricopa County is No. 1 in terms of population growth. So, due to those factors, our inventory of homes right now is at about one and a half months, which is incredibly low. And that’s what’s really driving the affordability issue right now.”

The Arizona Republic real estate reporter Catherine Reagor rightly states in a recent article that with real estate business surging and creating a sellers’ market, home prices and rents have soared locally. “It’s a lot tougher for many to buy or rent now,” she wrote, adding that the ‘supply-and-

By the Numbers: Arizona Home Values The median home value in Arizona is $254,600.

In Phoenix, the median home value is $242,800, increasing 5.5% over the past year. The market is predicted to rise another 2.6% by May 2020.

Arizona ranked no. 14 in America with median home values increasing by 7.5% over the past year.

This is higher than the national average, which saw home prices increase by 7.2% or about $15,000 more than the year before.

At a Glance: Factors in Arizona’s real estate boom Employment grew by 3.4%, which is higher than the national average of 1.7%.

Population grew by 1.6% outpacing the national population growth rate of 0.7%.

Source: AZEconomy.org

Job gains were significant in the construction, health services, education, professional and business services and leisure and hospitality sectors. About 68% of the net job gains in 2018 were from these four major sectors.

Jobs in Arizona’s manufacturing sector—a high-wage sector with annual pay estimated at about $73,000—grew by 8.9%.

Housing permits increased by 3.5% statewide driven by permits for single-family starts.

According to U.S. News & World Report, Arizona’s capital city ranks 26th in Best Places to Live and 17th in Best Places to Retire.

Healthy Future?

And what about the future? With history as proof, everyone knows that real estate markets can fall just as quickly as they rise, so they remain somewhat unpredictable for the longer term. Lewis is bullish on the coming real estate market, however. He says that, notwithstanding some unforeseen calamity occurring, Arizona’s short-term real estate future looks bright.

“From an economy standpoint, we’re really in a strong position as a state,” he says. “We think we’re going to continue to see strong growth here in Arizona; we haven’t seen a lot of the riskier mortgage products returning, so that helps our position greatly. While we are seeing some signs of an economic slowdown nationwide, the combination of job creation and climate—along with the infrastructure we have, particularly in Phoenix—will continue to keep our real estate market strong.

“That being said,” he adds, “it has been a seller’s market for the better part of the last five years, and while we may see that change in the short term, demand continues to be very strong here right now.”

Fall 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

demand’ model is creating an affordability issue that will likely get worse before it gets better.

“When it comes to buying a home, comparing incomes to home prices is a key method to track affordability,” Reagor noted. (It’s important to point out that while the Valley’s median home price has climbed more than 45 percent since 2013, the median household income increased by just about 15 percent.) “Metro Phoenix has almost always been more affordable than the U.S. average, but that is about to change as incomes have not kept pace with rising home prices.”

She added that it’s the reason housing advocates and the real estate industry are banding together to raise money for affordable housing, and Arizona lawmakers have given the state’s housing trust fund a $15 million boost this year.

Lewis, too, says that new legislation will help ease the affordability challenge. “Regarding affordable housing, right now,” he says, “the National Association of Realtors actually put forward a bill that makes it easier for FHA-funded condominiums to be FHA-certified. And the nice part of that is it will help boost affordability for people to qualify under Fannie Mae or DDA loan products.”

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Sedona, AZ

Known for its stunning red rock landscape, Sedona has long been a magnet for adventurous travelers and those seeking a Zen-like experience. In the last decade or so, Sedona has become more than a tourist attraction, evolving into a burgeoning city ripe with economic opportunities.

Find out more about Arizona’s favorite retreat in the next issue of Elevate AZ.

PHOTO Mark Lipczynski

Fall 2019 | ElevateAZ.com

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BANKING ON

Community

Nonprofit organizations play a significant role in making our state better, which is why NB|AZÂŽ volunteered more than 6,500 hours in 2018.

Social services, cultural and professional organizations throughout the state rely on us to provide the financial services they need to take them to the next level. Through our specialized financial solutions and our ongoing commitment to your cause, we strive to meet your financial needs so you can focus on your mission.

Contact Pamela Keefe in Nonprofit Banking at

602.212.5634

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