For several years, I have watched 44 Monroe being built, floor by floor. At the same time, I watched the prices at 44 Monroe increase. No surprise there. But now it is time for the new residents to begin to move in and a few are unable to make the move (They can’t sell their suburban home or they got married and their spouse is afraid of heights…) These people bought in early, paid their down and selected upgrades, before the price increases. Today, it is possible to buy a select few of these units at the same pre-construction prices.

Example: The developer is selling floor Plan C, 965 sq ft, 1 bedroom/1.5 bath, 9-29 floors, no upgrades, for $483,100-$779,900. You can get the same unit on the 16th floor unit, including upgrades, at the original contract price of $455,000. For details, click here.

So, if you have ever had the desire to live at 44 Monroe, and many of you do because you write asking about them all the time, get in touch with me again. I will be happy to discuss this with you.

urbanliving360.com - Downtown Phoenix lofts, high-rises, and unique condominiums

High-end business travelers will not be the only ones to benefit from the addition of Hotel Monroe to our turf. Sure we love witnessing the transformation of this historic Valley Bank Building into a luxury boutique hotel taking shape at Monroe Street at Central Avenue. But what really gets us going is picturing ourselves meeting friends at the underground wine bar, The Vault, then deciding whether to grab a bite at the bistro, splurge on fine-dining or head straight for the rooftop bar for some star-gazing, all on site. (And of course, hopping the light rail home!)

Located on Monroe Street at Central Avenue, Hotel Monroe is on track for a late November opening according to Grace Communities, also the developers of downtown Phoenix’s 44 Monroe high-rise condo project. We’ll be ready when they are, so save us a table: Happy hour, anyone?

On March 19th, the Phoenix City Council will most likely approve a great new urban-chic boutique hotel called aloft. Nestled between 44 Monroe and CityScape, this 107-room W Hotel brand will sit on the SE corner of Central Avenue and Adams. Of particular interest to us Downtown Phoenix residents is that its ground floor retail could include a much needed downtown drug store. We aren’t the only ones excited- check out this You Tube video about aloft in Green Bay.

Other aloft brand hotels are scheduled to open in the Phoenix metropolitan area:
Chandler - Opening February, 2009
Glendale - Opening October, 2008
Phoenix-Airport - Opening March, 2009
Tempe - Opening January, 2009

This June, Scottsdale developer Grace Communities expects to finish the first dozen floors of its 34-story Downtown Phoenix high-rise, 44 Monroe - the tallest residential building in Arizona. By August, the rest of the building interior will be completed. The 196-unit condo tower will bring more full-time residents to downtown, a key component of long-term plans to bring vitality and foot traffic to the neighborhood. Cost: $160 million. For a hard-hat tour of the building, call 480-232-9699.