SouthBridge Rising Downtown Scottsdale

By Peter Corbett The Arizona Republic

It has been overshadowed by the grander scale of the 13-story Scottsdale Waterfront but developer Fred Unger's SouthBridge project is poised to make its own dramatic statement in downtown Scottsdale.

SouthBridge's $41 million first phase is rising up to four stories above the south bank of the Arizona Canal, southwest of Scottsdale and Camelback roads.

The project is expected to open by March, with 66 residential units planned over the next two years.

Taking its name from a new span over the canal, SouthBridge will include a mix of seven restaurants and shops with homegrown roots rather than national brands.

Scottsdale restaurateur Peter Kasperski of Cowboy Ciao will operate four restaurants at SouthBridge .

Kapsperski's partner Nobu Fukuda will move his See Saw restaurant into SouthBridge and will unveil another one called Shell Shock.

Jennifer Croll, a Scottsdale fashion retailer, will operate a large store with other retailers sharing the space.

Scottsdale renaissance taking place with SouthBridge project

Developer Fred Unger of Scottsdale-based Spring Creek Development said that the four-story SouthBridge project will be a transition from the 13-story Scottsdale Waterfront, with its condos, stores and restaurants, to the lower profile shops and nationally recognized art galleries along Fifth Avenue and Marshall Way .

A new canal bridge and a plaza with a cascading water feature will link the project that flanks the Arizona Canal , southwest of Camelback and Scottsdale roads.

"We want it to be the heart and soul of downtown Scottsdale ," said Unger, adding that he is hoping SouthBridge will be recognized as one of the nation's best public places.

SouthBridge, the Scottsdale Waterfront and the Arizona Canal are at the center of Scottsdale 's redevelopment binge that has seen $2 billion in private investment downtown over the past three years, according to city officials.

Scottsdale 's early builders turned their backs on the irrigation canal, a barrier that cuts diagonally across the city. They treated the waterway like an alley. Civic leaders for decades hoped to turn the canal into an asset with landscaped pathways, water features and bridges.

Unger and others failed in the 1990s to revive the canal and downtown, but the area renaissance is now in full swing.

Scottsdale Waterfront's retail and office component is nearly complete. Plus, thousands of condominium owners will soon begin moving into the Waterfront towers and a half dozen other high-end downtown condo projects.

Spring Creek Development also plans to build 66 residential units at SouthBridge over the next two years, depending on market conditions, Unger said.

Completion of the 3-acre SouthBridge development next spring and the influx of residents will bring a noticeable change to downtown, said John Little, Scottsdale 's downtown administrator.

"The social dynamics begin to change in a fundamental way," Little said. "That really begins to transform downtown into another neighborhood."

It also will bring deep-pocketed residents to the canal banks and SouthBridge , which intends to give them something unique.

Unger, who renovated the nearby Royal Palms Resort and Hermosa Inn, explained that SouthBridge will rely on individually owned restaurants and shops rather than leasing to national chains and retailers.

"I still believe in independence," he said. "I'm not a chain person."

Home-grown qualities

Scottsdale restaurateur Peter Kasperski of Cowboy Ciao will operate four restaurants at SouthBridge , including the Mexican Standoff and an Italian eatery called Digestif.

Kasperski's partner Nobu Fukuda will move his See Saw restaurant into SouthBridge and will unveil another one called Shell Shock, with seafood and Japanese finger food.

A European-style cafe, the fine-dining Estate House and a chic restaurant lounge called Canal also are in the mix.

SouthBridge 's 30,000 square feet of retail will include home furnishings and fashion. It will be anchored by Jennifer Croll, a Scottsdale-based fashion retailer that will share space with other boutique retailers.

Chains in nearby mall

Shoppers looking for chain retailers can take the bridge over to Scottsdale Waterfront or continue north to Scottsdale Fashion Square .

The home-grown aspect of SouthBridge adds to the project's risk - banks were wary, Unger said - but could pay dividends for the 400,000-square-foot project.

"I think it's extremely far-sighted," said Little, the city administrator. Like historic downtown Phoenix, "Scottsdale's downtown is trying to create a sense of place, something unique and original and special. I think the exclusion of chain stores south of the canal helps reinforce that in a strong way.

"It really is a departure from Anywhere, USA ."

SouthBridge also includes two office condos and two levels of free public parking.

Scottsdale contributed $5 million for the underground parking garage and $11 million for the bridge and canal-bank improvements, Little said.

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