On April 24, the Alhambra Village Planning Committee recommended approval of the Omninet Phoenix project, with a vote of 13-2. The Phoenix Planning Commission recommended approval with a unanimous vote at its May 9 hearing. The City Council will hear the case July 2, at 4:00 P.M. in Council Chambers, 200 W. Jefferson St.

Plans call for a 250-foot residential tower with 222 units. There will be about 5,000 sq. ft. of retail space on the first floor and a parking garage with 18 townhomes "wrapped" around it as a buffer to the St. Francis neighborhood. The parking garage will provide more than the required number of spaces, with one floor of below-level parking and five levels above ground. A park-like terrace, with a swimming pool, spa, and clubhouse/exercise facility will be located on top of the garage.

According to the Arizona Business Gazzette (April 20, 2007), 4800 N. Central Avenue LLC of Phoenix sold the 99,969-square-foot parcel for the proposed tower to Omninet Central LLC of Beverly Hills, Calif. for $5 million. Randy Grouskay of Colliers International Phoenix represented the buyer, and Rob Bookbinder & Preston Long of Bookbinder Realty represented the seller.

Here are some relevant links. Click the picture of OmniZilla to view:

1. City of Phoenix Planning Department Staff Report Z-116-06-4, April 23, 2007.

Recommendation for approval of the Omninet project,
with stipulations (5 MB download)

2. Artist's renderings of the Omninet project (will open in a pop-up window).

a. Oblique view looking north along Central Avenue, showing the
M&I Bank Building and Uptown Plaza for comparison. Drawn to scale.

b. View along Central Avenue, looking East,
between Mariposa and Pierson streets.

c. View along First Street, looking West,
between Mariposa and Pierson streets.