As journalists, we ask questions all day long. So, we’re turning over the mic, asking Phoenix New Times readers what questions they have about this sprawling city we all call home. In our new series, the Weekly WTF, you get a chance to have your questions heard and, possibly, answered. Together, we can all learn more about what makes metro Phoenix tick.
Recently, Lynette in Phoenix asked about Chase Tower:
This building has been fenced off for years. What’s the plan and timeline for whatever is happening with this spot? The fencing blocks the pedestrian walk signal at the southeast corner of Central Avenue and Van Buren Street, plus it takes up much of the sidewalk that makes it difficult to walk around. Is it against city code to impede the public sidewalk like that? Whose responsibility is it to fix this building right in the center of our downtown business core?
The short answer: The plan seems to be to renovate and find new tenants. But the details and timeline for the project are murky. And that fence? Yup!
The longer answer is this: Chase Tower’s last tenant and namesake, J.P. Morgan Chase, began moving its employees and offices to a new corporate campus in 2017. By the end of September 2021, they were completely out. It’s sat empty ever since. As the tallest structure in the state for more than 50 years — although not for much longer! — that emptiness is noticeable to say the least. (Just ask this sorely disappointed Redditor.)
It’s currently owned by real estate company Viola Lordsmeer LP, which bought the building in 2018. Viola Lordsmeer is owned by billionaire and Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola. JDM Partners was in charge of the building’s redevelopment and has a photo of the building on its website, but no other info about the project. As of 2025, the building had been gutted, and the plan was for the tower to have a hotel, office space, residential units and commercial businesses. Things were supposed to maybe really get going in 2026, but we’re in 2026 and the year is halfway over, so….
The city’s Planning and Development Department didn’t have any updates, which means there’s nothing in the pipeline zoning-wise. Gregg Bach, a spokesperson for the Phoenix Department of Community and Economic Development, said the city is in touch with JDM Partners about the project and is working with them “to attract potential tenants to this important downtown redevelopment project.”
Bach told New Times to contact JDM Partners for more information, but JDM could not be reached. New Times also reached out to Viola’s representative, who said he’d look into the issue but hasn’t otherwise responded.
It does seem plausible that something will happen in the next few years, at least.
The Department of Community and Economic Development mentioned the property in a recent update on the Entertainment District presented to City Hall in April. It listed Chase Tower and its parking garage as possible real estate “activation” opportunities. While the development “reinvests in the Tower to attract new tenants, additional investments should better activate the quasi-public plaza surrounding the building,” the plan reads. It suggests attracting food and beverage businesses and adding shade infrastructure. The tower was a medium-term goal for the department, with an expected timeline of the next three to five years.
As for that pesky fencing: After New Times reached out about the issue, Phoenix Street Transportation Department spokesperson John Trierweiler said the department sent out an inspector, who “did notice some areas where the fencing could’ve been creating a trip hazard for pedestrians.” He added that the issue has been fixed.
So, while we can’t help fill up Chase Tower, at least we could help you with that, Lynette.
Clarissa Sosin
Source link