PHOENIX-Opus West breaks ground on an estimated $8-million project even though the 5.5-acre sale won't close until August. The University of Phoenix's West 101 Gateway has 30,000 sf dedicated to the school and the balance headed to the lease market.

GILBERT, AZ-Longbow Construction's extra room comes as a 5,984-sf building, one of two completed earlier this year at the 51-acre Fiesta Ranch Commerce Center. The three-year lease's cost is $159,660 over the term.

PHOENIX-The private investor overcomes some hurdles in a 65-day escrow, but the sale of the 9th Place Apartments finally gets stamped as done. The new owner will make some immediate repairs and then fill four units that went dark during escrow.

PEORIA, AZ-The Mack Co. is planning a 365,000-sf development of showroom and warehouse space at the junction of Loop 101 and Thunderbird Road. The land acquisition is poised to close by year's end, with construction ramping up in first quarter 2005.

ANTHEM, AZ-Palo Rojo Investments of Melville, CA uses 1031 Exchange money and closes two loans to buy the 10,584-sf Anthem Village Center and a 6,612-sf block in Fletcher Heights Plaza. In all, $5.7 million crosses the closing table.

CAVE CREEK, AZ-A local developer and manager of flex-ownership vacation resorts purchases 19 units at the Rancho Manana Resort. With an estimated $7 million ready to invest, the buyer eyes a Q4 groundbreaking for an additional 20 units.

PHOENIX-Adler Realty Investments will roll out an incentive-laden leasing strategy to fill 2600 Tower, a 323,607-sf, class B office building with a 65% occupancy. Whatever it takes to get "warm bodies in the space" will be done, the broker vows.

PHOENIX-Closing $80,000 above the asking price, the Garden Springs complex passes to a Phoenix couple, who takes an aggressive approach by waiving a physical contingency and funneling money to the seller after entering escrow. The deal closes at $1.4 million.