Land swap for research parks OK'd

Aug. 17--A land swap between the University of Arizona and KB Home was completed Thursday, paving way for two huge research parks involving the university to be built on the South and Southeast sides.

The land swap is critical for the 573-acre UA Science and Technology Park off South Rita Road and a planned 350-acre project at East 36th Street and South Kino Parkway that would feature retail space, an upscale housing development and a 65-acre UA biosciences park.

The fate of the two projects has been on a roller coaster ride for two years as the tech park was bogged down in a fight over annexation into the city and a proposal to water a golf course there with drinking water.

The 36th-and-Kino project, dubbed "The Bridges," was sidetracked by a bitter fight over a big-box store to be built there.

Both projects later gained City Council approval. The store, likely a Wal-Mart, was given a green light after the developers gave $2 million for neighborhood-betterment programs. The annexation was given the OK after drinking water was prohibited as an irrigation source for the golf course.

The plan to swap 65 acres on the South Side, where the biosciences park will be built, for 120 acres at the tech park, where KB will build homes, has long been publicly discussed. A press conference Thursday was a celebration that the deal finally came together.

"It's the critical component," said Bruce Wright, UA associate vice president for economic development. "This is the event that sets us all in motion."

Wright said the agreement paves the way for the university to move forward with building a hotel at the tech park. The hotel needs approval by the Arizona Board of Regents in September, he said, with financing going to the bond market in early 2008 and construction beginning in mid-2008.

Work will also begin in earnest on building the roads and infrastructure at the tech park, Wright said. The UA will also begin preliminary steps for the remainder of the tech park to be annexed into the city, he added.

John Bremond, president of KB Home's Tucson division, said the company would move forward with its plans at the park but said it may not build houses there until late 2008 because of the slow housing market.

"This is truly a great day," Bremond said.

At the biosciences park, the university will move forward in early 2008 to put out a request for a master developer to partner with the UA to construct 660,000 square feet of office space, laboratory space and hotel and conference space. The university is also applying for millions in federal grants to build the infrastructure there, Wright said.

The 36th-and-Kino site will also include an upscale KB Home development and a big-box store as part of 110 acres for a "power center" -- which includes 1 million square feet of retail space. The big-box store will likely be a Wal-Mart, but that is not specified in the plans.

Councilwoman Shirley Scott called the land swap "one of the biggest land deals in Tucson's most recent history."

Nothing can push the developments off course now, said Councilman Steve Leal, who was the councilman at the center of the Wal-Mart fight. "We know where we're headed," he said.

--Contact reporter Rob O'Dell ar 573-4240 or rodell@azstarnet.com

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