A green light has now been signaled for the construction of what will be the tallest structure in Phoenix: the 50-story, 541-foot-tall Astra building.
Set for construction on a two-acre site at the intersection of Second Avenue and Van Buren Street, the project belongs to Aspirant Development of Scottsdale.
Members of the Phoenix City Council, after listening to the concerns and objections of some residents who said that the Astra is too tall and too big, gave their approval to what will be a 2 million square-foot building.
The features associated with the big project are big, too: 697 apartment units and 229 luxury hotel rooms. The Astra will also house 185,000 square feet of office space, along with 36,000 square feet of commercial space.
The project has been in the talking and planning stage for roughly five years, with the developer conducting a series of public input meetings. Despite those meetings, objections remained.
Aspirant, a prominent commercial real estate and residential developer in metro Phoenix, was the builder behind The Stewart, a 19-story, 312 luxury unit apartment complex at 800 N. Central Avenue.
Upon completion, the Astra will surpass in height the 40-story Chase Tower building at 201 N. Central Avenue, which was built in 1972.
By Garry Boulard
