Downtown Scottsdale eyesore demolished

• A former eyesore was demolished in downtown Scottsdale, clearing the way for a proposed project known as On the Waterfront.
• Plans call for a four-story building with a restaurant on the ground floor.
• The applicant is asking for approval on a site plan, building elevations and landscape plans.

A long-standing eyesore in downtown Scottsdale was recently demolished, clearing the way for a proposed redevelopment project.

Plans call for a four-story building with a street-level restaurant and a second-floor bar on the northeastern corner of Scottsdale Road and Shoeman Lane.

A residence and a penthouse would occupy the third and fourth floors with a single-level parking structure underground, according to plans submitted to the city by Phoenix-based TriARC Architecture and Design, the firm designing the project.

The project, formerly Delux Scottsdale, is now being called On the Waterfront. And it's planned for a now-vacant site in Scottsdale's downtown entertainment district.

The parcel had once been home to a three-story office building, but for several years it stood as a partially torn down steel skeleton. Dan Symer, senior city planner, said a demolition permit was pulled in 2007. However, the building didn't fully come down until December.

Next door to the site is the Upton, a contemporary American restaurant that opened in late November, replacing Petite Maison.

Sean Zimmerman, a co-owner of the Upton, said the team is hopeful the redevelopment project will draw more people to the restaurant. He said they expect it will complement the Upton and surrounding area.

"I really felt this is the last parcel on Scottsdale Road right now that has blight," Zimmerman said. "When we saw it come down, we were very excited we will not be alone anymore."

The Scottsdale City Council approved a rezoning earlier this year to accommodate the project.

The applicant is asking for approval on a site plan, building elevations and landscape plans from the Scottsdale Development Review Board.

The requests do not go to the City Council for approval, Symer said.

CF Waterfront Investments, LLC owns the parcel at 4443 N. Scottsdale Road.

A representative for the company was unavailable for comment.

The address for CF Waterfront Investments is the same as corporate offices for Christie's Cabaret, a Memphis, Tenn.-based chain of strip clubs.

Christie's has locations in Glendale, Tempe and Phoenix, according to its website.

Steven Cooper is listed as the sole member of CF Waterfront Investments.

Bill Crawford, president of the Association to Preserve Downtown Scottsdale's Quality of Life, said he and other business owners are "happy with the investment and redevelopment."

However, he said they have some concerns about the project. Crawford said they asked Scottsdale's city manager to include a stipulation in documents, "forever preventing the property from being used for any type of adult-entertainment business."