Jan. 19 – Feb. 2, 2013
www.SanTanSun.com
Development restarts between boom, bust by Tracy House
Development is once again underway in the SanTan Sun area, particularly in the unfinished Southern Chandler portion. Residential and commercial projects that halted during the recession are bustling with activity. But the City, once a housing boom hub with national notoriety, will not return to peak construction levels as it jogs, rather than sprints, towards build out. The pickup in construction can be attributed to the lure of relocating to the Valley of the Sun, says Jeff Kurtz, planning administrator for the City of Chandler, who notes Chandler is often near the top of the list. “Chandler tends to be one of their first ‘go-look-ats.’ We’re lucky that
way. It’s because of the planning we’ve done, the community, the council and the expectations. We continue to see successes.”
Residential returns
Chandler saw the bulk of its singlefamily residential family growth prior to 2008. Currently it’s averaging about 50 permits per month in contrast to hundreds of permits per month during the peak. “Chandler’s at a build out stage,” Kurtz explains. “What we have seen is a deletion of available residential land. We are not going to continue to see the single-family growth we used to see.” Kurtz says resurgence is visible see Development page 6
APARTMENT DEMAND: Job growth, high occupancy in single-family homes and a tougher lending climate have resulted in wait lists for apartments in Chandler. LIV Avenida, pictured here, is now open at Arizona Avenue south of Queen Creek Road and is one of several new multi-family projects, and among the first since 2008. Submitted photo
CRMC seeks Level 1 trauma status Top volunteer seeks matches, saves lives of their $1,000 grants, so it was pretty Barbara Lucas understands the lifeamazing.” changing power of a bone marrow Lucas’s work on behalf of marrow transplant. The Paseo Trail resident transplant recipients began in 2005, has seen friends and co-workers when a co-worker’s nephew died after receive desperately needed marrow an unsuccessful search for a marrow donations and go on to lead healthy donor. Around the same time, a friend’s lives. And, she’s watched, heartbroken, young daughter was diagnosed with as others lost their battle with leukemia. leukemia, lymphoma and other ailments “If she didn’t respond to treatment, while waiting for a match that never she’d also need a marrow transplant,” see Marrow donor page 8 materialized. Both scenarios drive Lucas, a registered nurse whose tireless work on behalf of the National Marrow Donor Program’s Be The Match Registry recently earned her the organization’s 2012 Volunteerism Award, as well as top spot in the 2012 Wells Fargo & Company Volunteer Service Awards – an honor that came with a $25,000 grant for Be The Match. “I had about four weeks of being in shock,” recalls the Wells Fargo accommodations consultant, who learned in August she’d been chosen to receive her employer’s award, and in September that she’d be SUPER RECRUITER: Chandler resident and Wells Fargo employee honored by Be The Match. Barbara Lucas began recruiting bone marrow donors in 2005 “Wells Fargo has 270,000 and accepted the Be The Match’s 2012 Volunteerism Award in employees and only one top Minneapolis last fall. Lucas also received Wells Fargo’s top 2012 award. I was hoping to get one by K. M. Lang
GROWING UP: Expansion at Chandler Regional Medical Center means faster, better quality care for area residents. This rendering includes a five-story tower, now under construction. Level 1 trauma services will likely begin later this year, before the tower is complete. Submitted photo by Tracy House
Hoping for the best but preparing for the worst, Chandler Regional Medical Center (CRMC) joins a distinct group of hospitals in the Valley by seeking a Level I trauma designation. As the southeastern-most hospital in the Valley with this merit, CRMC will be able to provide Level I trauma care to the East Valley. Brian Tiffany, M.D., Ph.D., chief of staff and emergency room physician at CRMC and Mercy Gilbert Medical centers, says this is critical for citizens living in the East Valley.
“This matters because of the travel distance that’s involved,” Tiffany continues. “From the time of the initial injury to the time you get into the door at a trauma center matters greatly on your outcome and how you do. You want to spend the first hour of time you’re injured, the ‘Golden Hour,’ being treated, not being transported.” Level 1 traumas, says Tiffany, could include a car accident with a patient with unstable vital signs, someone who has been shot or stabbed, an injury in the trunk or chest, an accident with see Trauma care page 7
Volunteer Service Award. Submitted photo
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