Paradise Valley, AZ Experts in Container Rental, Sales & Customization

Homeowners of luxury estates at The Palmeraie in Paradise Valley are frustrated with the stop-and-go construction pace of their new homes.

Construction is again on pause for the $2 billion, 122-acre luxury master-planned community — which includes the Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley resort — because Five Star Development is entering the final phase of financing for the project.

"The lender transition process includes a short-term pause of the work to allow a clean transition," said Richard Frazee, director of construction at Five Star Development. "The lender will announce the loan closing within the next two weeks and then construction activity will resume."

But homeowners — who declined to comment for this article for fear of retribution — say construction has stalled too many times since they bought their properties several years ago when Five Star Development launched home sales. Many of them have been renting apartments, waiting for construction to be completed.

Construction is nearing completion for the first group of the 80 Ritz-Carlton Villas, and will be ready for occupancy starting this spring, Frazee said. Those condominiums are fully sold out except for one, which is priced at $6.1 million.

The Ritz-Carlton Estate Homes are under construction with more than half of the 32 single-family homes sold, Frazee said, with the first homes expected to be completed later this year. Available homes are priced from the high $8 millions.

Click through the gallery for a look at architectural renderings of the estate homes, villas and hotel:

Meanwhile, Frazee said he expects the Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley resort to open by the end of the year. Group businesses have begun booking at the resort, while leisure bookings are expected to commence within the next few months.

He said the shopping and dining portion of the project is currently in the design board review approval process by the town of Paradise Valley and the city of Scottsdale.

Rome-based Fendi Private Residences also will begin sales this year for a boutique collection of 41 luxury condos averaging 3,500 square feet on the Scottsdale side of The Palmeraie.

The Palmeraie project had been plagued by nearly a year of litigation with the town of Paradise Valley regarding who was responsible for infrastructure costs. But they reached a settlement agreement in June 2021.

The litigation and the Covid-19 pandemic held up construction over the past few years, and F. Roberts Construction is the third general contractor named to lead construction of The Palmeraie.

The Business Journal visited the construction site in summer 2020. Click through the gallery below to see images.

PARADISE VALLEY, Arizona — A Paradise Valley city court said a driver that was caught speeding on a red light camera didn't show up at court and now has an arrest warrant.

The misdemeanor complaint form obtained by 12News says Robert Orona was recorded on the red light camera driving at 120 mph in Paradise Valley. The camera was located at Lincoln Drive and Tatum Boulevard.

The complaint alleges Orona broke reckless driving and excessive speed laws.

A summons for Orona was issued at the end of January for a Feb. 21 court date. The court says Orona did not show up and that is when the arrest warrant was issued.

Data from the Arizona Department of Transportation shows that roadway fatalities have been gradually rising in Arizona over the last decade:

ADOT offers driving tips on its website to help keep people safe on the road.

"There’s always room for improvement when it comes to road safety," the department said on its website.

ADOT's suggestions include:

Find more tips on the department's Driving Safety Homepage on ADOT's website here.

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov, by calling 511, downloading the AZ 511 app and through ADOT’s Twitter feed, @ArizonaDOT," the department said.

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After four years as Paradise Valley town manager, Jill Keimach has announced her plans to retire, effective May 12.

The Town Council was notified of her decision in mid-January, according to a press release. Keimach announced the departure publicly on Feb. 10.

“Jill has been a tremendous asset for our town, the town staff and for council in the face of some incredible challenges. Her guidance and strong leadership have benefited every member of our community,” said Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner in a prepared statement. “She has faced every obstacle head on, and, with a collaborative approach and great skill, humility and integrity, and has made the town a better place across the board for all our benefit. We are so grateful that Jill remains as committed as ever to the town, and with the time she has provided for a new hire and her work to ensure a successful and smooth transition, our town will go from strength to strength.”

Under Keimach’s leadership the town weathered the COVID-19 pandemic, negotiated many key agreements benefiting the town, and worked on the issue of short-term rentals in Paradise Valley among other issues and challenges.

Keimach joined the Town of Paradise Valley in May 2019 as the town manager and has been responsible for working with staff to implement the policies adopted by the mayor and council. She also has been responsible for the day-to-day operations of all departments and staff within the town.

She joined Paradise Valley after serving as the city manager of both Alameda, California, and Moraga, California. Prior to that, she was the community development director for both Fremont, California, and El Cerrito, California.

“We have been incredibly privileged to have Jill’s guidance and expertise for the last four years,” said Vice Mayor Scott Moore in a prepared statement.

“Her contributions, often behind the scene, have helped to preserve the character and charm of our town. Jill’s calm demeanor and deep knowledge of the issues will be hard to replace.”

The town will be recruiting for a permanent town manager, and Keimach will continue working on specific projects for the town on a part-time basis.

“I have felt so privileged to have worked with such a supportive and impressive mayor and council and exceptional town staff. I will forever cherish my time in Paradise Valley and with the council’s full support, I am excited about continuing to assist Paradise Valley however needed in the future,” said Keimach. “This town has a wonderful future ahead. We have been able to enhance our organizational professionalism while also retaining the town’s character and beautiful aesthetic — and that is a great foundation to build on.”

Keimach has a master’s degree in city planning and bachelor's of architecture from the University of California, Berkeley. She is also a member of the International City/County Managers Association, American Institute of Certified Planners, and the American Institute of Architects.

We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.

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Danielle Durack doesn’t want to listen to sad songs right now.

“I don’t need to fuel the fire,” she says.

The born-and-raised Phoenix singer-songwriter announced in February that she is leaving the Valley for Nashville in May. The departure is stirring up more than enough sentimentality.

So for now, she’s sticking to bumping The 1975.

Durack settled on heading to the Music City six months ago, but says only recently has it started to sink in, perhaps because she’s started tying up her nostalgic loose ends. A few weeks ago, Durack stopped by Saguaro High School — her alma mater — to speak to a choir class about the music industry, a favor for her former teacher GayLin Tutnick.

Durack credits Tutnick with helping her appreciate music on a deeper level, and revisiting the old stomping ground was a reminder of just how important a local network is.

“It reminded me of where I started,” Durack says. “It made me so nostalgic and made me feel so lucky to have the experience I had at my high school, hearing [Tutnick] talk to her kids and seeing their faces, how inspired they are and were — and I was.”

The 27-year-old musician formed her first band with members of her high school choir class. An old classmate still makes Durack’s paper flyers for shows. She has crashed with fellow Saguaro alumni while touring new cities.

As she thinks about her time in Phoenix, Durack knows she will miss the familiarity of local venues, where seeing the same faces every time can make a show feel like home. More than anything, she’s grateful for the career advancements she’s been able to make in her hometown.

After all, just a day after her interview with Phoenix New Times, she caught a flight to Austin, Texas, to open for indie rocker (and Daisy Jones & The Six star) Suki Waterhouse.

“I’ve had such a supportive community here in Phoenix,” she says, before pausing to try to find the right words. “It’s everything.”

Durack has worked at a local pizzeria for the last three and a half years, but doesn’t have anything lined up for work in Nashville. She’s hoping the move will put the pressure on to pursue music full time, because of course, there’s more to the industry than writing songs.

With radio hits driven by TikTok presence, a big piece of the equation is creating social media content, which Durack says can be frustrating and time-consuming.

“I spend like 30 minutes composing this stupid little video that maybe some people will find funny,” she says. “It feels like buying a lottery ticket, but you’re spending 30 minutes buying your lottery ticket.”

Durack is hoping the extra free time in Nashville will also help her find a booking agent. Planning a tour is something she describes as “a puzzle that all has to come together at the same time,” so getting help with that process is at the top of her to-do list.

For Durack, it’ll inevitably feel strange making career strides in a new city. So before leaving, she wants to keep reminiscing. In the coming months, she plans on making a trip to the Heard Museum, hiking Flatiron, and revisiting old journals, where she’s been writing songs since she was 10 years old.

“It’s fun to look back on what was so emotionally fraught as a seventh grader,” Durack said. “Sometimes there’s wisdom in there that doesn't feel very potent while you’re writing it, then you look back and it makes more sense now.

“It’s a nice grounding exercise for me, reminding me where I’m from, who I am.”

Also planned on Durack’s nostalgia tour is a farewell show with local jazz pop band Palo Brea, who is also moving to Nashville this spring. The concert will serve a dual purpose: an opportunity to celebrate both acts’ time in Phoenix … and a fundraising yard sale for some of Durack’s plants and household items.

The co-headlining "Pharewell, Phoenix" show will be tonight — Friday, March 10 — at The Venue on Washington, 1520 East Washington St. Doors are at 7 p.m., with the show starting at 8 p.m.

As for what listeners can expect from Durack, she has finished a forthcoming album, which she says is sonically similar to 2021’s No Place. On it, there are songs about loss, and relationships old and new. Naturally, Durack also expects songwriting inspiration to come from the emotional whirlwind of leaving the Valley behind.

“It’s usually the bad things in my life that end up getting written about, because I need to process through them,” she says, before issuing a correction. “Not bad — challenging, I guess, is the better word.”

The American Kennel Club^® (AKC^®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2023 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 16 and Sunday, December 17, 2023.

The 2023 event will showcase the top canine athletes and will also include popular attractions such as the Best Bred-by-Exhibitor competition, the AKC National Owner-Handled Series Finals, and the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes. The show will once again take place alongside the AKC Agility Invitational, the Obedience Classic and AKC Fast CAT Invitational, with junior events in Conformation, Agility, Obedience and Rally.

Leading the charge as Best in Show judge for the 2023 National Championship is Mr. Clay Coady of Paradise Valley, AZ and Mr. Terry Stacy of Durham, NC will judge Best Bred-by-Exhibitor in Show. The judges for Junior Showmanship, the National Owner-Handled Series Finals and the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes will be announced at a later date.

“The lineup of judges for this year’s show is impressive,” said Show Chairman Dennis B. Sprung. “The AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin continues to be a must-attend event, and with Clay and Terry at the helm, it will be a thrilling competition for breeders, exhibitors and judges.”

Judges for the seven variety groups and the Miscellaneous Classes at the AKC National Championship are:

SPORTING – Ms. Pluis Davern – Royal Oaks, CA

HOUND – Mr. Charles Olvis – Lake Wales, FL

WORKING – Mrs. Victoria Seiler-Cushman – Xenia. OH

TERRIER – Mr. Harold “Red” Tatro III

TOY – Mrs. Rosalind Kramer – High Point, NC

NON-SPORTING – Mr. David Kirkland – Sanford, NC

HERDING – Dr. Carmen Battaglia – Roswell, GA

MISCELLANEOUS CLASSES – Mr. Desmond Murphy – Monroe, NY

Judges for the seven Bred-by-Exhibitor variety groups are:

SPORTING – Mr. Dana Cline – Albany, GA

HOUND – Mr. Daniel J. Smyth, Esq. – Bermuda Dunes, CA

WORKING – Ms. Rita J. Biddle, Esq. – Eagle, MI

TERRIER – Ms. Kathleen J. Ferris – Holland, PA

TOY – Mr. Andrew Brace – United Kingdom

NON-SPORTING – Mr. Robin Stansell – Clayton, NC

HERDING – Mr. Jon R. Cole – Nashville, TN

BREED JUDGING FOR THE AKC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP:

*Panel subject to final approval.

About Best in Show judge Clay Coady:

Clay Coady competed in his first dog show at the age of 12, with his first pure bred dog, a Samoyed named Snow. He didn’t win, but it ignited a passion for the sport that still burns to this day. His career in dogs was blessed by the good fortune to work with the very best of people and dogs. In his teens he worked for legends Ben Brown and, later, Larry Downey. In his 20s, he set out on a successful professional handling career with his then-wife Bergit. Before it was over, he would handle some of the top-winning dogs of their time for some wonderful clients, finishing and specializing dogs in every group.

Mr. Coady retired from handling in 1999 to focus on his business interests including boarding kennels, veterinary clinics and pet supply businesses in the Phoenix, AZ area. He has been judging since 2001, and presently is approved to judge breeds in every group as well as the Sporting, Working and Terrier Groups, and Best in Show.

About Best Bred-By-Exhibitor judge Terry Stacy:

Terry Stacy purchased a Cocker Spaniel in 1952 and began showing as a Junior Handler. He bred his first Cocker Champion in 1955 which led to numerous other Champions. After an education at Marietta College, he became Kennel Manager for the Downsbraugh Kennels of Mr. and Mrs. William Brainard where he worked with Smooth Fox Terriers, Welsh Terriers, Greyhounds and Labrador Retrievers. A successful career of 15 years as a professional handler followed. He finished titles on breeds in each of the 6 Groups then recognized by the American Kennel Club as well as winning many Best in Show and Group awards.

In 1978, Terry began a career as a Dog Show Superintendent for MBF Dog Shows. Three years later he was hired by the American Kennel Club where he worked another 15-year career as Vice President of Dog Events and later was elected Senior Vice President until he retired in 1995.

Mr. Stacy resides in Durham, NC with his wife Jackie who judges All Breeds. As a judge of 5 Groups, Mr. Stacy has judged shows throughout the world.