Marina Heights
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.”
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.
