East Valley Business - 12.20.20

east valley

Volume 3 Issue 23 Mesa, AZ

December 20, 2020

Visit Mesa launches geocaching promotion

BY RUDY CAVAZOS Tribune Contributor

F

IN THE BIZ

or those looking to enjoy time outdoors, geocaching is an option for you and Visit Mesa has launched the new Fresh Foodie Trail GeoTour to promote East Valley agritourism attractions.

The new tour leads geocachers to farm stops along the award-winning Fresh Foodie Trail as they collect a series of limited-edition stickers along the way.

Geocachers who can find all 10 stickers will earn a digital souvenir through Geocaching.com, and Fresh Foodie Trail Recipe booklet and a branded wooden spoon from Visit Mesa.

About a year ago, Visit Mesa released its first GeoTour in partnership with Geocaching HQ to bring the fun treasurehunting experience to help visitors as they explore the city.

“By placing geocaches at our area farms, we are leading visitors directly to these locations where it’s our hope they will also shop, dine, order take out and learn more about each attraction they visit,” said Michelle Streeter, Visit Mesa spokeswoman.

Geocaching is a popular outdoor activity. The Geocaching App, which is free to download on a phone, has a GPS plus a map that helps guide people to hidden containers called geocaches.

“It’s a solitary sport, complies with social distancing, the rules of geoPublic Notices ............... page 3 © Copyright, 2020 East Valley Tribune

Vertuccio Farms, an agritainment center in Mesa, is one of the stops on the geocaching tour. (Special to the Tribune) caching ensure the activity is always outdoors in public areas,” Streeter explained.

The farm-themed GeoTour not only serves as a method for visitors to explore the area but also encourages visits to local businesses in the area.

“Visitors might not have taken the time to experience these farms before and if geocaching leads them there, we at least helped share in the discovery of new business here locally,” Streeter said.

Throughout the Fresh Foodie Trail GeoTour, there are nine stops; Jalapeno Bucks BBQ, True Garden Urban Farm, Vertuccio Farm and other local (USPS 004-616) is published weekly

Mailing Address: 1620 W. Fountainhead Pkwy., Suite 219, Tempe, AZ 85282

(480) 898-6500 Steven Strickbine, publisher Paul Maryniak, executive editor

farms.

“Visit Mesa already actively promotes the collection of agritourism attractions… developing the Fresh Foodie Trail GeoTour now brings curious visitors to their doorstep,” Streeter said.

GeoTours in Mesa came around right as the city was named the country’s first Autism Certified City.

“We learned that geocaching is popular with kids on the autism spectrum and families often engage in geocaching activities… this prompted Visit Mesa to develop their first GeoTour,” Streeter said.

Information: visitmesa.com/geocaching

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Area malls' owner optimistic about future

BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Tribune Staff Writer

T

he COVID-19 pandemic and associated shutdowns have hurt shopping malls across the country, but executives with Macerich see some small signs of improvement heading into 2021.

Macerich, the California-based real estate investment company that owns and operates Scottsdale Fashion Square, San Tan Village Mall in Gilbert, Superstition Springs Centers in Mesa and Chandler Fashion Center, last month held a conference call with investors and told them conditions improved between the second and third quarters this year.

Macerich said the overall occupancy rate for the company’s malls was at 91 percent – down three percent from the same time one year ago.

Traffic at Macerich’s malls was at about 80 percent compared to a year prior and sales were trending at 90 percent compared to one year ago, according to the call.

Zacks Equity Research, an investment research firm, reported that Macerich’s revenues of $185.8 million for the third quarter were down 19.6 percent compared to a year ago.

But the Macerich executives noted some signs of optimism. They noted that all of its malls had reopened as of Oct. 7 and it had around $630 million in cash and cash equivalents, up from $573 million in June.

Macerich is also seeing improved rent collections, which had become a problem for malls earlier this year after many states shuttered retail stores.

The company collected about 80 percent of its billed rents in the third quarter, up from 64 percent in the second quarter.

Additionally, Thomas O’Hern, CEO of Macerich, said Macerich came to deals with most tenants who missed rent payments to defer back rent payments to 2021 “in many cases in exchange for landlord-friendly amendments to leases.”

That included deals with most of the com-

Macerich owns Superstition Springs Center in Mesa and just before the pandemic hit in March reported filling the remaining vacant space left by Sports Authority.(Special to the Tribune) pany’s top-200 retailers.

Of those 200 retailers, Macerich had reached agreements with 147 of them and was nearing agreements with another 23, according to information presented on the call. Even with those deals in place, Macerich or related entities have a number of lawsuits pending in Maricopa County Superior Court for unpaid rent.

Macerich-owned entities have at least nine active lawsuits alleging breach of contract against tenants at Scottsdale Fashion Square and Chandler Fashion Center, including The Disney Store, Gap, Banana Republic, Express, Guess, The Children’s Place, J. Jill, Talbots, MAC Cosmetics and Windsor Fashions.

Macerich leadership said the closure of local stores during the pandemic and retailer bankruptcies was largely to blame for the drop in occupancy.

Kingmore said Macerich is in the process of paying off loan deferrals for a total of 19 properties.

This all came after Macerich invested $140 to $160 million to renovate Scottsdale Fashion Center and build a luxury wing that

EAST VALLEY BUSINESS

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opened up in late 2018 featuring high-end retailers like Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Bulgari.

Not all experts thought the expansion was a smart play, even pre-pandemic, as online shopping continues to eat into traditional retail sales.

“Absolutely bad idea,” said Hitendra Chaturvedi, professor of supply chain management at Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business.

Chaturvedi said the pandemic is only accelerating the shift away from brick-and-mortar retail experiences to online shopping and has also hurt sales of luxury clothing items like those sold in the new wing at Fashion Square.

“When you are buying a Gucci or high-end… you typically end up going out with people and going to places where you can show off some of the stuff,” Chaturvedi said.

“With us staying at home, if you look at the data, you will see that high-end shoes and clothes and accessories sales have come down.”

In November 2019, the Fool reported Macerich’s malls posted yearly sales per square foot of $800, up from $707 the year before.

DECEMBER 20, 2020

Public Notice Pool Service / Repair Advertisement of Sale

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the under-signed intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed said property pursuant to the rs • Concreteon • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair Arizona Self-Service Storage Act, Arizona Statutes 33-1704, Section H, Enforcement of Lien.

The Undersigned will sell at public sale by competitive bidding on or after December 23, 2020 at 9:00am using an online auction at www.storagetreasures.com, said property has been stored and FALL SPECIAL! located at US60 Self Storage, 1661 $500 OFF COMPLETE S Alma School Rd,REMODEL! Ste 105, Mesa, AZ 85210. Property to be sold as ears Experience follows: • Dependable & Reliable Misc. household goods, personal items, furniture, clothing, toys and/or business fixtures and items belonging to the following: Tenant Name Unit # Not Ceo a licensed contractor.

Jr. Ray 200 Marcos Cortez 648 Christina Juarez 603 Louis Burgess 801 Maryorie Martinez 204 William Daley 704 Angel Ortiz 311 Monique Jenkins 204 Sale subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between owner and obligated party. Items sold “as is”, CASH ONLY, and Buyer must pay a security deposit and broom sweep/clean the unit. Go to www.storagetreasures.com to bid on unit(s).

Published: East Valley Tribune, Dec. 13, 20, 2020 / 34992

Public Notices

uan Hernandez

PebbleOcracking, O L Plaster R Epeeling, P ARebar IR

City of Mesa Public Notice

howing, Pool Light out? I CAN HELP!

City of Mesa FY 2019-20 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER)

Call Juan at

Notice of 5-Day Public Comment Period December 20, 2020 – December 24, 2020

480-720-3840 Roofing

es, shingles, flat, repairs & new work e Estimates • Ahwatukee Resident Over 30 yrs. Experience

480-706-1453

Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099

Public Notices

Advertisement of Sale ICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undered intends to sell the personal property deed below to enforce a lien imposed on said erty pursuant to the Arizona Self-Service StorAct, Arizona Statutes 33-1704, Section H, Enment of Lien. The Undersigned will sell at c sale by competitive bidding on or after mber 23, 2020 at 9:00am using an online aucat www.storagetreasures.com, said property een stored and located at US60 Self Storage, S Alma School Rd, Ste 105, Mesa, AZ 0. Property to be sold as follows:

. household goods, personal items, furniture, ing, toys and/or business fixtures and items nging to the wing:

nt Name Unit # r. Ray 200 os Cortez 648 tina Juarez 603 s Burgess 801 orie Martinez 204 am Daley 704

Date of Publication: December 20, 2020 Michelle Albanese, Housing & Community Development Director City of Mesa 200 S. Center St., Building 1 – Mail Stop 9870 P.O. Box 1466 Mesa, AZ 85210-1466 480-644-4546 Notice of 5-Day Public Review Period for the City of Mesa’s FY 2019/2020 Annual Performance Report (CAPER) In accordance with 24 CFR 91.05(c)(2) and subpart B of the federal regulations relative to citizen participation for Community Planning and Development Programs and applicable waivers made available to those requirements through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), a 5-day public comment period regarding the City’s draft Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER) will begin on Sunday, December 20, 2020 and end on Thursday, December 24, 2020.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires the City of Mesa to submit an annual report describing its performance using federal and other resources to meet priorities and objectives set for in the City’s 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan and 2019-2020 Annual Action Plan. This report provides a review of activities carried out under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) programs to address the needs of low and moderate income, homeless, elderly, and disabled residents in the community during the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

An electronic copy of the CAPER will also be available for review at the same time and may be found on the City’s Housing and Revitalization website at: https://www.mesaaz.gov/residents/community-development/plans-amendments-reports Comments regarding the City’s draft CAPER may be submitted by the general public. Comments should be submitted by mail or hand delivery to: The City of Mesa, Housing and Community Development Division, Attn: Michelle Albanese, Housing & Community Development Director, 200 S. Center Street, Bldg. 1 – Mail Stop 9870, P.O. Box 1466, Mesa, AZ 85210-1466; or, by e-mail to CommunityRevitalization@mesaaz.gov. All comments must be received no later than 11:59 pm on Friday, December 24, 2020 to be considered.

Published: East Valley Tribune, Dec. 20, 2020 / 35144

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