PHOENIX (3TV / CBS 5) – It is considered to be one of the most famous crossings in the valley. “It just seemed a lot bigger than what we discussed,” said neighbor Katherine Cecala.
Construction began that week on a multi-million dollar project called The Grove Phoenix on 44th Street and Camelback Road. The project includes a luxury apartment and office building as well as the first hotel concept by restaurant owner Sam Fox.
The hotel, which will be located near 44th Street and Camelback, will have 141 rooms, a plaza courtyard with seating, an expansive fitness center, an ultra-luxurious spa and a members’ club.
“In the discussions, the planning discussion about development, they talked about a modest rooftop lounge, a small rooftop lounge,” said Cecala. She lives less than a block from where the hotel is being built.
“Now that they have the largest rooftop restaurant in Arizona instead,” said Cecala. Cecala was part of a group of neighbors opposed to the project in 2019 when it was first announced. “We were very concerned about the height. We didn’t want this corner to be like 24th Street and Camelback with lots of tall skyscrapers,” she said.
Now that she’s seeing development come to life, she’s not convinced the developers are keeping the neighborhood in their sights. “A really big restaurant could have more noise and more light,” said Cecala.
The developers hired a solid consultant to investigate how to limit the noise emanating from the roof of the building.
The builders compromised with the neighbors by reducing the hotel height from 25 feet to 59 feet. They also hired a solid consultant to look into how to contain the noise from the roof of the building. “I think this is going to be a great restaurant and hotel. How do we keep what is really great about these neighborhoods at the same time,” said Cecala.
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