At the event last night, we were pleased to learn that out of those 30 nominees Dave Cheatham won top honors in the Broker category and will be featured in the July/August 2013 issue of the AZRE Magazine.

The industry categories recognized are:

• Architects & Engineers
• Attorneys
• Brokers
• Developers
• Economic Developers
• Financiers & Accountants
• General Contractors
• Property managers
• Subcontractors

The nominees are evaluated by a selection committee using the following criteria:  length of time in the community; accomplishments in the commercial real estate industry; and work in the community.   From the individuals nominated, AZRE elected the top person in the industry in their respective category.  The winners were honored at a reception May 16^th at the former McCormick & Schmick restaurant at the Esplanade attended by several hundred professionals in the commercial real estate field.

AZRE | Arizona Commercial Real Estate is Arizona’s only publication dedicated to covering up-to-date happenings within commercial development, brokerage, finance, construction, architecture, real estate law and property management.

REstoreD will be assisting Arizona Charter Schools Association by providing accurate data to young leaders in order to determine markets that meet demographic characteristics for new schools. Velocity Retail has been known for years as a leader in site data for analysis for retail big boxes. These large retailers have depended on the data produced by Velocity Retail to provide them with locations that meet the site specific analysis for the stores’ targeted demographic.

The new leaders of charter schools who are emerging from Arizona Charter School Association’s training program are much better equipped to meet specific needs for starting and running highly rated schools in Arizona. This much needed program is designed for “school leaders and teams founding high performing schools for low income students. Beginning with the Aspiring Leaders Fellowship, participants will build the skills and mindsets of an effective school leader through workshops and site visits to America’s best charter schools.”  New Schools for Phoenix is one of the leading programs nationwide for training future leaders.

Velocity Retail Group’s REstoreD division analyzes and provides adaptive re-use solutions for vacant and obsolete big box retail. Many of these sites have become less-viable retail uses with the prevalence of mobile technologies, social networks

The group has a goal of cultivating the opening of 25 highly effective schools serving low-income students over the next five years.  With the capacity for educating 12,500 students, these new schools will triple the number of low-income students attending an “A” school within the Phoenix Union High School District boundaries.

The group seeks the support of Arizona’s philanthropic and business communities to dramatically increase high school graduation rates and college attendance among low income and Hispanic students in Phoenix.

New Schools for Phoenix creates programs that provide leaders and teams the tools and resources they need to found high-performing schools.  Beginning with the Aspiring Leaders Fellowship, the participants build the skills and mindsets of an effective school leader through workshops.  They also receive assistance in applying for grant funding.  The result is a comprehensive two-year charter incubation experience to help educators become successful and effective in serving low income and minority students.

Goodwill of Central Arizona is expanding their existing store and training center into a 35,882 square foot facility at 6750 W. Peoria Avenue in Peoria.  The current store and training center were previously in separate suites within the shopping center and will now be housed in the same storefront.  The training center is increasing in size from 2,700 square feet to over 7,000 square feet.  Goodwill is represented by Andy Kroot of Velocity.   The Landlord is First Chino Hills Properties, LLC, an entity formed by Ethan Christopher, LLC, Aric Browne is their representative.

Velocity’s Chip Thor and Dave Cheatham negotiated a 3,830 square foot lease on behalf of Four Peaks Brewing Company at Sonora Village at the southeast corner of Frank Lloyd Wright and Hayden Road in Scottsdale.  This is an existing location for the tenant with a newly extended lease term.

Judi Butterworth of Velocity Retail leased a 7,575 square foot space to Naber’s Music Bar & Eats, and entity of 1 D and D, LLC.  The
restaurant will be located at 825 N. 54^th Street (Ray / 54^th Street) in Chandler.  The local operators are offering new comfort food for lunch and dinner and a late-night menu.  The western-themed venue will have live music, feature local and regional beer and wine and plan to open in August of this year.  Pavilions Holdings, LLC is the landlord, they were represented by Paul Serafin from De Rito Partners.

Velocity’s Andy Kroot represented Goodwill of Central Arizona in a new twelve year 29,919 square foot location at 1625 W. Camelback Road in Phoenix, Arizona.  The landlord is AT Park Lee AZ, LLC.

Mattress Firm signed a 10 year lease at the southwest corner of 22^nd Street and Harrison Road in Tucson, AZ.  Mattress Firm was represented by Darren Pitts, Michael Clark, and Dave Cheatham of Velocity Retail.  The landlord is an entity formed by Bourn Advisory Services of Tucson, whose representative was Alan Tanner.  The 3,800 square foot store is expected to open in December for this year.

Velocity Retail’s Andy Kroot leased a 24,492 square foot location at 455 E. Warner Road in Chandler to Gold Medal Gymnastics.  The new facility is a relocation of an existing site allowing Gold Medal to expand their programs and services.  The company was founded in 2004 by former Olympic gold medalist, Amanda Borden-Cochran and her husband, Brad Cochran.  CBRE’s Mike parker and Evan Koplan represented the Landlord, Aviv Realty ADA in the transaction.  The location is expected to open in November 2013.

Velocity’s Judi Butterworth represented Audio Express in a new 4,417 square foot location Chandler Village, located at Chandler Boulevard and 54^th Street in Chandler, Arizona.  The landlord, BAMA Chandler, LLC was represented by Adrienne Bryant at De Rito Partners.  The tenants signed a five-year lease and plan to open in August of this year.  Audio Express’s parent company is Freight Sales, Inc. which has 43 stores in 8 states with 10 under the Audio Express banner throughout Arizona.

Velocity’s Jim Edwards and Larry Miller leased a 2,100 square foot location to Flair Gifts and Boutique at Tatum Plaza located at the southeast corner of Tatum Blvd. and Cave Creek Road in Phoenix.  The Tenant is relocating from their current location at Tuscany Village, and signed a five-year lease with plans to open in June of this year.  CBRE’s John Rehling and Aaron Retts represented the landlord in this transaction.  The tenant is the original Lotions & Potions owner with a location still operating on Mill Avenue in Tempe.

Andy Kroot of Velocity Retail represented Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop/Everything Bagel in a new 1,800 square foot location at 4017 N. Scottsdale Road in Old Town Scottsdale.  The store opened April 30, 2013.  This is Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop’s 6th location in the Valley with many more in the works for 2013/2014.

Jim Edwards and Larry Miller of Velocity leased a 1,245 square foot store to Polished & Pamper Mani-Pedi Spa at Dobson Baseline Plaza located south of the southeast corner of Baseline and Dobson in Mesa, Arizona.  Edwards and Miller represented the Landlord, Tang Enterprises in the five-year transaction.  The store is expected to open in July.

The industry categories honored are:

• Architects & Engineers
• Attorneys
• Brokers
• Developers
• Economic Developers
• Financiers & Accountants
• General Contractors
• Property Managers
• Subcontractors
• Up & Comers

AZRE | Arizona Commercial Real Estate is Arizona’s only publication dedicated to covering up-to-date happenings within commercial development, brokerage, finance, construction, architecture, real estate law and property management.

The event to announce the winners this year will be held May 16^th from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at the McCormick & Schmick’s restaurant at 2575 E. Camelback Road, Suite 175.  The fun-filled event is attended by hundreds of local and national commercial real estate professionals.  Tickets are still available for those who would like to attend.  Click here for more information and to purchase a ticket.

“‘Our life together can be better.’ That’s the opening sentence of an important new book by Jim Wallis called On God’s Side: What Religion Forgets and Politics Hasn’t Learned About Serving the Common Good. Wallis wrote it while taking a three-month sabbatical last year, in the midst of the 2012 election — a break that allowed him to get a broader perspective on what was going on in American public life. The book draws inspiration from Abraham Lincoln’s famous line: “[M]y concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side…” For Wallis, the key to being on God’s side is a focus on the common good. But, as Wallis saw vividly during his sabbatical, that doesn’t seem to be the direction things are currently headed in our country. Instead of strengthening our commitment to equality, social justice, and our sense of unity as a nation, our public and political discourse is breaking us apart.”

Politics and national leadership do not seem to be the appropriate places to look in order to “get a broader perspective on what [is] going on in American public life.” There are other ground-level forces that are finally speaking out, and I’m not convinced that we are headed in the wrong direction. The millennium generation (ages 13-35) have a different way of living, and a real value system that is catching on. We are receiving direction from spiritual leaders as well, who are moving away from an internal focus to an external focus on dealing with those who are struggling financially and the problems they face.

This new generation of teachers is succeeding. One of the best examples is the new school system in New Orleans. What was once one of the highest failing areas is now a thriving, successful example of how to develop and teach our K-12 schools.

Let’s remember that real change comes from the ground up. As this new era begins, and it is a new era, watch how many people become involved in helping the less fortunate. This is where the “broader perspective” of the American public is headed, and is what smart politicians will soon recignize.

Velocity Retail Group’s REstoreD division analyzes and provides adaptive re-use solutions for vacant and obsolete big box retail. Many of these sites have become less-viable retail uses with the prevalence of mobile technologies, social networks and cloud databases which have transformed how retailers operate. The REstoreD division is leading the way to create innovative solutions for these buildings adapting them to locations that provide jobs and revitalizing the surrounding area. REstoreD is a collaborative effort that brings together the diverse real estate disciplines of office, industrial, multi-family, education, health-care, quasi-government agencies, and public private partnerships.

Being able to capitalize on new printing technology that allows the graphics to be printed directly on the sign board, rather than the traditional painted sign allows for much more creativity.  “Our business is about creating a sense of place for shopping centers by bringing retailers into the center to generate shopping excitement,” said Cheatham.  “This new property sign projects this vision and helps us stand apart from the typical leasing sign in our market.  We believe this will help our clients have a competitive advantage when we are marketing their listings,” he added.

“There is renewed energy in the retail arena, and we thought this was a good time to do a little ‘spring cleaning’ of our own and refresh our face in the market.   Bringing change to the way we appear in the market is part of our commitment to continually grow and evolve in our business,” said Cheatham.

Look for these new property signs throughout Arizona as we convert all of our listings this spring.  Read more about this topic on GlobeStreet.com.

In her book, Carr says: “In September 2005, just days after Katrina, the Louisiana school board placed thousands of employees on unpaid leave, and three months later fired them.

“In November 2005 the state legislature removed most of New Orleans public schools from control of locally elected school boards and placed them in the Recovery School District (RSD). Key officials then turned them over to charter schools operators. These actions effectively stripped both locally elected school boards and teachers unions of their authority, paving the way for unprecedented remaking of an urban school system.”

Today, New Orleans has the largest percentage of charter schools of any city in the country. The legislation allowed the Louisiana Department of Education to take over schools that were labeled as “failing” and place them in the RSD, which operates separately from the New Orleans Public School system. In addition, dramatic reforms were brought to schools that were still traditional, or so-called “direct run,” public schools. The law forever changed the landscape of education in New Orleans, and most people in New Orleans, including Governor Bob Jindal (R), and the lead strategist in President Clinton’s campaign for president, James Carville (D), agree that the education system in New Orleans is a model for the rest of the country.

To obtain a copy of Sarah Carr’s book Hope Against Hope, visit her website at http://sarahelizabethcarr.com.

Velocity Retail Group’s REstoreD division analyzes and provides adaptive re-use solutions for vacant and obsolete big box retail. Many of these sites have become less-viable retail uses with the prevalence of mobile technologies, social networks and cloud databases which have transformed how retailers operate. The REstoreD division is leading the way to create innovative solutions for these buildings adapting them to locations that provide jobs and revitalizing the surrounding area. REstoreD is a collaborative effort that brings together the diverse real estate disciplines of office, industrial, multi-family, education, health-care, quasi-government agencies, and public private partnerships.

As reported on AZRE Magazine’s website, Dave Cheatham, Managing Principal at Velocity Retail commented, “We are excited to report that the Phoenix area has recorded six straight quarters of improvement both in vacancy and leasing activity.  The Phoenix market is clearly on its way to continued health at a gradual and steady pace,” he said.

For over three years, since the end of 2008 the vacancy rate steadily increased to 13.54% which was the peak.  Now for six consecutive quarters the vacancy rate has declined in Phoenix.  The vacancy at the end of the 1^st quarter of 2013 is 11.48%, which is over two percentage points less than it was at its peak.

The first quarter numbers also show that of the six sub-regions in Phoenix, one third are back to a healthier single-digit vacancy, with one third close behind.  The North sub-region has the lowest vacancy, ending the first quarter at 8.8%, with the Southwest area not far behind at 8.9%.  The Northwest area is next with 10% vacancy, followed by the Northeast at 10.2%.  These four areas are leading the market in having the lowest vacancy.  The two areas with the highest vacancy are the Southeast region which is at 13% and the Central region has the highest vacancy in the Phoenix area of 13.3%.

The company prepares quarterly updates which are packed with details that provide market intelligence and high-level analysis.  Velocity tracks details on the entire retail market base of 175 million square feet in buildings over 10,000 square feet.  This pod cast series steps up Velocity’s offering to the marketplace and establishes a new source for their clients to help them make educated decisions on their retail real estate.  While this is part of a much longer presentation, the pod cast provides the viewer with a good solid overview to arm them with relevant information.

Dave Cheatham, managing principal at Velocity commented, “Bringing the X Team into our suite of services provides our clients with a national platform and a depth of experience unrivaled in the retail sector. This alliance allows Velocity to have a program that equals or exceeds any other platform of the major national firms, including other industry networks. Within the group are over 450 retail-focused professionals across the network, with an average industry experience of over 20 years. The additional resources we have access to are exceptional.”

Being part of the X Team is a very involved process with only one affiliate in each major market, and being asked to join the X Team is an extensive vetting process. A number of companies in Arizona were competing to be chosen in this market. Velocity Retail’s inclusion into this elite group of retail professionals is another step in the company’s commitment to continually grow and evolve their business platform for the benefit of their clients. By harnessing the national power of the X Team, Velocity is able to provide expertise in the major markets throughout North America.

In 2012 the X Team consummated retail lease and sale transactions in North America that totaled over $3.5 billion value and over 38 million square feet. X Team President, John Cumbelich said, “Each partner that joins the X Team is the very best at what they do in their respective markets. It is great to be reunited with Dave, Darren and the entire organization. We worked together for many years while at CBRE, and they are at the top of their game in Phoenix.”

“Joining the X Team is almost like a reunion of sorts,” said Cheatham. “Many of the senior partners were people we worked with during our time at CBRE. This alliance is exciting as it brings our past relationships full circle while folding in new relationships in the many local offices throughout the country. In meeting and talking with the various offices, we have picked up where we left off a few years ago, and haven’t missed a beat,” he added. These alliances across the country are a key component to the X Team’s mission to provide first-class partner offices in every major market in North America. The group is able to do this with exceptional people and proven local firms.

About X Team

X Team is an international alliance of retail real estate specialists with offices located in major cities throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. X Team partners average more than 20 years of industry experience, with expertise in major markets worldwide, specializing in tenant, property and developer/landlord representation, workout services, property dispositions and retail investments. X Team services include transaction negotiation, portfolio analysis, lease valuations, acquisitions, and asset assessment and valuation. For more information, please visit www.xteam.net.