Billion-dollar projects at odds here
Oct. 16—"Let me tell you about the very rich," F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote. "They are different from you and me."
Then again, he never spent time in North Scottsdale.
Here, a couple of uber-rich neighbors are — in terms of squabbles, at least — just like the rest of us.
You may complain that your new neighbor put up a big umbrella that blocks your view.
Or they may complain your outdoor lights are going right in their windows
Neighbors don't get much richer than Optima, known for its "striking urban and suburban luxury residential communities" in Kierland and elsewhere, and ASM, a multinational tech leader.
In a brewing battle between billion-dollar projects, Optima was here on Scottsdale Road and Mayo Boulevard first.
For its McDowell Mountain Village of 10-story buildings — featuring rooftop pools and other extravagant trimmings and housing 1,330 luxury apartment and condo units — Optima battled to win Scottsdale City Council approval in November 2022.
Mayor David Ortega and council members Tammy Caputi, Tom Durham and Linda Milhaven approved the project over fierce objections from neighbors.
Kathy Littlefield, Betty Janik and Solange Whitehead voted against — but were outgunned.
"Residents told us loud and clear to anyone who was listening in the last election that they wanted to slow down the development in Scottsdale," Littlefield said at the meeting, to little avail.
In spring 2023, the Development Review Board unanimously approved plans for Optima McDowell Mountain Village.
One board member called it "a fantastic project for Scottsdale," with another chiming in "very stunning and beautiful."
Even Janik, then sitting as the council representative on the Development Review Board, was glowing:
"You have set the stage for Scottsdale development," Janik told the Optima mastermind.
David Hovey Jr. graciously accepted the praises, telling the board "We had over 300 letters of support and only six letters in opposition."
Eighteen months later, as a fast-paced construction races the mammoth Optima project to the finish line, Hovey was back before the Development Review Board.
Hovey took the podium at the Oct. 3 DRB meeting to point out one or two problems with his new neighbor.
He noted he raised some polite objections two weeks earlier at the council meeting in which a development deal between the city and ASM was approved.
Unlike the Optima project, ASM does not require rezoning to build what it said will be a corporate headquarters and research lab. The tech company expects upwards of 1,200 workers here.
Yet, a few things in ASM's plan "could have an adverse effect" on the Optima project, Hovey said.
The main culprit: A five-story garage right up against Optima's east border that would block views, throw light into windows and potentially cause major aesthetic disturbances.
Those who opposed Optima's project may find a little irony here.
Hovey insisted he wasn't trying to throw the Dutch-based company under the bus.
He called what ASM submitted to the review board a "fantastic design" — except for "some very important issues."
"We've been working closely with ASM" since the council meeting, Hovey told the DRB.
"We have been developing a fantastic relationship with them. They've been very responsive."
Hovey stressed Optima is willing to open its own pockets to help solve — or, using his term, "bury" — what he calls a massive problem.
"We have an offer to ASM for Optima to pay for the difference between a five-story parking garage — and then burying its (lower) three floors," Hovey said.
DRB praises ASM
Board members listened to Hovey with interest. He was allotted far more time than speakers generally are given during the public comments section.
The board stressed it wasn't there to referee neighbor disputes. Rather, board members said, they were charged to make sure ASM's plans met city guidelines.
As Jeff Brand, one of the volunteer board members, noted: "negotiating a below-ground option ... is totally up to you guys," referring to ASM and Optima.
Feeling all that and more was accomplished, the Development Review Board unanimously approved ASM's "request for approval of a site plan, landscape plan, and building elevations for an office building, research and product development lab, and above-grade parking garage.
ASM emphasized at the council meeting it will be doing research — not production — on its 20-acre U.S. headquarters near Mayo Boulevard alignment and an extension of 76th Street.
ASM's corporate campus is to be built just south of the Loop 101 near Scottsdale Road.
As they did 18 months ago for Hovey and Optima's design, Development Review Board members showered praise on ASM's plans.
Comments from the board to ASM representatives included: "really good examples of large scale garages;" "the design intent is very elegant;" and "You have done a tremendous job."
Littlefield, who opposed Optima and is now the council representative on the DRB, joined in approving ASM.
But she said with a nod to Hovey/Optima, "I'm hopeful that some of the problems that we've been discussing here today can be alleviated and worked on and come to some mutually satisfactory conclusions for everyone."
Just like regular people work out their differences, in other words.
