TEMPE, Ariz. (JULY 31, 2013) – Development partners Sunbelt Holdings and Ryan Companies joined Arizona State University (ASU), State Farm executives, government officials and local business leaders to celebrate the start of construction of Marina Heights, the 2 million square foot project along Tempe Town Lake. State Farm will lease approximately 1.9 million square feet in the development.
“We are so proud to be a part of the team that is bringing this major corporate project and thousands of new jobs to Tempe. With the completion of this transit-oriented development, the vision for Tempe Town Lake will be realized,” said John Graham, president and CEO, Sunbelt Holdings.
Ryan Companies begins construction this month of Marina Heights. The 20-acre, $600 million mixed-use development will include five office buildings leased by State Farm, retail amenities and a 10-acre plaza that will be constructed over the next four years. The first 370,000 square foot building is expected to be complete by mid-2015.
“Along with our design/build partner DAVIS, we are thrilled to unveil the renderings and design of this new campus today,” said John Strittmatter, president, Southwest Division, Ryan Companies, “We look forward to celebrating many more construction milestones over the next four years.” Renderings of the building design can be viewed at www.sunbeltholdings.com/marinaheights.
Marina Heights is adjacent to ASU Sun Devil Stadium and ASU’s Athletic Facilities District. “The groundbreaking on July 31 demonstrates our partnership with State Farm who shares our strong commitment to education and the development of future generations. We look forward to opportunities to expand this partnership in new areas as advances in innovation and information technology provide opportunities for future programs,” said ASU President Michael M. Crow.
The new State Farm facility will provide claims, service and sales support to State Farm customers. Once completed, State Farm will have capacity for up to 8,000 employees in the greater Phoenix area.
“We are pleased to be part of this collaborative project as we expand to a multi-functional facility in Tempe,” said Mary Crego, senior vice president, State Farm. “This is one of many changes to position State Farm to meet the evolving needs of our customers and better serve communities across North America.”
Also celebrating the commencement of construction today were Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell and Governor Jan Brewer.
“We are proud State Farm has chosen Tempe for this major employment center,” said Mayor Mark Mitchell. “This corporate expansion will be the catalyst for attracting thousands of jobs and even more quality development around Tempe Town Lake. We look forward to welcoming State Farm employees into our community and hope that Tempe will be their city of choice to live, work and play.”
“Arizona has cultivated one of the premier business climates in the nation, and companies are taking notice,” said Governor Brewer. “I thank State Farm and its development partners for recognizing everything our state has to offer. This project is great news for the Arizona economy, and testament to our pro-growth principles and highly-skilled workforce.”
Following the construction kickoff event, State Farm will host a State Farm Career Showcase at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel from noon to 7 p.m. Open to the public, the “showcase” is for those interested in working for State Farm and wanting to learn more about the nation’s largest insurer of homes and autos. The showcase will include displays, video, and allows an opportunity for visitors to have conversations with State Farm associates. The company says that a Career Fair will be scheduled later in the summer.
About Sunbelt Holdings
Sunbelt Holdings has been a recognized leader in real estate development, management and investment throughout the Southwest since 1979. Over the years, the firm has gained an understanding of the area’s unique characteristics that only time and experience can teach. Sunbelt entered the local market more than 30 years ago with a strong presence in commercial development and asset management. Early projects like the Phoenix Gateway Center remain successful icons. Recent acquisitions of turn-around assets have provided unique opportunities to add value in the ‘class A’ office market with the Hayden Ferry Lakeside project in Tempe, and the PV|303 industrial project in the West Valley. Sunbelt also developed some of the Valley’s most beloved residential communities including McDowell Mountain Ranch in Scottsdale, Power Ranch in the East Valley and Vistancia in the Northwest Valley. In all, Sunbelt has developed over 50,000 acres of land over the past 30 years. For more information, please visit www.sunbeltholdings.com.
About Ryan Companies US, Inc.
Ryan Companies US, Inc. is a 3rd generation, family-owned national developer, designer, capital investment consultant, builder, and real estate manager specializing in fully integrated solutions for more than 75 years. Key Ryan market sectors include: office, retail, distribution, mission critical, public, and health care; and additional product experience includes work on mixed use, hospitality and multi-family housing. Ryan serves customers throughout the United States having completed over 170 projects in the past 5 years. Ryan has offices throughout the country in the NorthCentral, Midwest, Great Lakes, SouthEast, SouthCentral, and SouthWest regions. Ryan’s SouthWest Region has developed over 20 million square feet since opening its Phoenix office in 1994. For
more information, please visit www.ryancompanies.com.
About Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a New American University – a major public educational institution, a premier research center and a leader in innovation. Our vision is described by our three core principles: excellence in scholarship, access to education and impact in our global community. As a New American University, ASU is intellectually vibrant, socially conscious and globally engaged. For more information, please visit www.asu.edu.
About State Farm
State Farm and its affiliates are the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. and is a leading insurer in Canada. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, their 18,000 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts – more than 79 million auto, home, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 44 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit www.statefarm.com.