Life Coach in Paradise Valley, AZ

Homeowners of luxury estates at The Palmeraie in Paradise Valley are frustrated with the stop-and-go construction pace of their new homes.

Construction is again on pause for the $2 billion, 122-acre luxury master-planned community — which includes the Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley resort — because Five Star Development is entering the final phase of financing for the project.

"The lender transition process includes a short-term pause of the work to allow a clean transition," said Richard Frazee, director of construction at Five Star Development. "The lender will announce the loan closing within the next two weeks and then construction activity will resume."

But homeowners — who declined to comment for this article for fear of retribution — say construction has stalled too many times since they bought their properties several years ago when Five Star Development launched home sales. Many of them have been renting apartments, waiting for construction to be completed.

Construction is nearing completion for the first group of the 80 Ritz-Carlton Villas, and will be ready for occupancy starting this spring, Frazee said. Those condominiums are fully sold out except for one, which is priced at $6.1 million.

The Ritz-Carlton Estate Homes are under construction with more than half of the 32 single-family homes sold, Frazee said, with the first homes expected to be completed later this year. Available homes are priced from the high $8 millions.

Click through the gallery for a look at architectural renderings of the estate homes, villas and hotel:

Meanwhile, Frazee said he expects the Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley resort to open by the end of the year. Group businesses have begun booking at the resort, while leisure bookings are expected to commence within the next few months.

He said the shopping and dining portion of the project is currently in the design board review approval process by the town of Paradise Valley and the city of Scottsdale.

Rome-based Fendi Private Residences also will begin sales this year for a boutique collection of 41 luxury condos averaging 3,500 square feet on the Scottsdale side of The Palmeraie.

The Palmeraie project had been plagued by nearly a year of litigation with the town of Paradise Valley regarding who was responsible for infrastructure costs. But they reached a settlement agreement in June 2021.

The litigation and the Covid-19 pandemic held up construction over the past few years, and F. Roberts Construction is the third general contractor named to lead construction of The Palmeraie.

The Business Journal visited the construction site in summer 2020. Click through the gallery below to see images.

PARADISE VALLEY, Arizona — A Paradise Valley city court said a driver that was caught speeding on a red light camera didn't show up at court and now has an arrest warrant.

The misdemeanor complaint form obtained by 12News says Robert Orona was recorded on the red light camera driving at 120 mph in Paradise Valley. The camera was located at Lincoln Drive and Tatum Boulevard.

The complaint alleges Orona broke reckless driving and excessive speed laws.

A summons for Orona was issued at the end of January for a Feb. 21 court date. The court says Orona did not show up and that is when the arrest warrant was issued.

Data from the Arizona Department of Transportation shows that roadway fatalities have been gradually rising in Arizona over the last decade:

ADOT offers driving tips on its website to help keep people safe on the road.

"There’s always room for improvement when it comes to road safety," the department said on its website.

ADOT's suggestions include:

Find more tips on the department's Driving Safety Homepage on ADOT's website here.

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov, by calling 511, downloading the AZ 511 app and through ADOT’s Twitter feed, @ArizonaDOT," the department said.

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Evacuations were ordered for Sedona neighborhoods on Wednesday evening after rain storms soaked Arizona.

Valley residents saw thunderstorms late Wednesday afternoon and evening as rain showers from northern Arizona descended into the south-central part of the state following a rainy morning in the region.

The thunderstorms were expected to last until the early morning hours on Thursday. The storms were expected to die off between 2 and 4 a.m., with possible light rain expected as they move out of the region.

Evacuation orders throughout Sedona

Some residents in Sedona were warned to evacuate Wednesday evening because of flooding in Oak Creek.

Sedona said in a statement around 6 p.m. that a dozen areas including the Rancho Sedona RV park and the Center for the New Age were in “go” status, meaning they should evacuate immediately.

The National Weather Service in Phoenix said a flood warning was continuing until late Thursday morning for Oak Creek near Sedona, affecting Coconino and Yavapai counties.

Officials said that because of snowmelt at higher elevations and rain, people should expect higher than normal water flow in Oak Creek. Minor to moderate flooding was forecast, affecting access roads, buildings and residences along the creek, the weather agency said.

The waterway was expected to rise Wednesday evening to 15 feet, a foot above flood stage.

A shelter for the area was set up at the gym of Camp Verde Middle School.

The evacuation orders due to elevated water levels in Oak Creek were in the following areas:

How much rain will fall in Phoenix and other areas?

New rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch are expected across the Valley on Wednesday, with higher rainfall amounts expected as the result of the evening thunderstorms.

Expected Valley rainfall:

Flood warnings in West Valley

The weather service issued a flood warning Tuesday between Granite Reef Dam and Tempe Town Lake, including areas in the West Valley, as the increased precipitation and snow melt are expected to cause elevated water flow throughout the region.

"Right now we have the flood warning extending through Saturday, but I wouldn't be surprised if we extended it several days into the future from there as everything makes its way downstream," said Jessica Leffel, a meteorologist for National Weather Service Phoenix.

The flood warning went into effect at 8:05 p.m. MST on Tuesday and will last until 5 p.m. MST on Saturday.

Leffel said the flood warnings may be extended past Saturday if weekend precipitation remains high. Crossings in the West Valley downstream of Tempe Town Lake along 67th Avenue and 91st Avenue west of Loop 202 in metro Phoenix were expected to possibly flood as elevated water flows continue.

The elevated water flows are the result of upstream snowmelt prompting dam releases and the Wednesday rainfall throughout the Valley, thus leading to potential riverbed flooding along the Salt River in Phoenix.

Salt River:The Salt River is flowing. Thank open dam floodgates

Cooler, with a slight chance of rain during the weekend

Cooler temperatures settled into the region Wednesday as highs drop off into the upper 60s to low 70s across south-central Arizona and mid-70s along and west of the Lower Colorado River Valley, according to a weather service forecast discussion.

Thursday will bring mostly sunny skies over south-central Arizona, though lower-than-average temperatures and winds will persist over the weekend and into early next week. Thursday will see a high of 70 degrees and a low of 50 degrees accompanied by southwest winds between 5-10 mph.

Friday will be mostly sunny throughout the day before cloudy skies move into the area in the early evening, though rain wa not expected. The high will be 71 degrees with a low of around 55 degrees accompanied by winds around 5 mph.

Saturday and Sunday will see a 20% chance of rain showers, though the weather service is unsure if the prediction will come to fruition. Leffel said the weekend precipitation chances will depend on how a series of weather patterns develop over the next few days.

Valley temperatures are expected to warm slightly heading into the weekend, though they will remain below the seasonal average. Saturday will be mostly sunny with winds between 5-10 mph and lows around 54 degrees. Sunday will follow suit with a low around 53 degrees.

Tips for driving in rain and flooded areas

The weather service and the Arizona Department of Transportation warned Valley residents to allow extra time for their morning commutes as widespread rain and cloudy skies impacted the area early Wednesday.

The active flood warnings throughout the state prompted ADOT to push the message "turn around don't drown" in order to urge Arizona drivers to turn around if they encounter a flooded roadway. It takes just 12 inches of water to carry away your vehicle, according to the department.

"Nearly half of all flood-related drownings occur when motorists attempting to cross a flooded road are swept downstream," the department said in a Wednesday morning tweet. "There's no destination worth risking your life over."

The Arizona Department of Transportation recommends the following safety tips for driving near flooded areas:

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

PHOENIX – Blasting winds disrupted flights out of Phoenix and shut down roads around cities and towns to the north Wednesday as a major winter storm created hazardous conditions.

Rain fell on most of the Valley, the National Weather Service reported and thousands were without power, according to utility company outage maps.

Salt River Project’s map showed the majority of the 6,215 Valley outages would be resolved by around 10:30 a.m.

Arizona Public Service customers were hit hardest in northeastern Arizona, where 12,427 were without power around 7 a.m.

In metro Phoenix, an estimated 3,739 were without power but by 8 a.m. it was down to 539.

The weather service recorded wind above 50 mph in multiple Valley locations Wednesday morning, including Paradise Valley, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Mesa-Phoenix Gateway Airport, Luke Air Force Base and Deer Valley Airport.

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The Federal Aviation Administration showed flights could be grounded at Sky Harbor.

As of 10 a.m., 58 flights were canceled and 93 were delayed, according to the airport.

A wind advisory was in place for the Valley until 8 p.m.

Up, north, a winter storm warning was in effect in Flagstaff until 11 p.m.

“It is definitely a unique storm system,” Cindy Kobold, a meteorologist with the weather service, told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

Early-morning winds surpassed 65 mph – Flagstaff Airport reported 68 mph before dawn – and combined with snowfall, forced closures of roads all the way to the New Mexico border:

• Interstate 40 between US 93 and the Arizona-New Mexico state line (MP 72-359) • State Route 87 between Winslow and Payson (MP 342-252) • US 180 north of Snowbowl (MP 236-248) • SR 260 between Indian Pine and Greer (MP 385-360) • SR 260 between Camp Verde and SR 87 (MP 220-252) • SR 260 between Star Valley and Heber-Overgaard (MP 257-302) • SR 89A Sedona and I-17 (MP 375-398) • I-17 between SR 179 and Flagstaff (MP 298-340) • SR 64 near the Grand Canyon (MP 240-264) • US 191 near Alpine (MP 225-252)

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.

Hospitality

The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie has announced the appointment of its leadership team under the guidance of General Manager Steven Szenasi ahead of the resort’s 2023 opening.

A new build Ritz-Carlton resort, The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley is the centerpiece of a $2 billion, 122-acre luxury master-planned development of The Palmeraie, according to a press release.

With extensive backgrounds in five-star hospitality, the team includes:

Amy Ballard, director of sales and marketing

In her role, Ballard will be responsible for the resort’s overall positioning and revenue performance as well as marketing and public relations initiatives. A seasoned hospitality leader with more than 25 years of experience across diverse markets including New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Scottsdale and Vancouver, Ballard has served in various sales and marketing roles at such properties as The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park; The Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown; The Beverly Hilton; OPUS Hotel Vancouver; JW Marriott Parq Vancouver and the DOUGLAS.

Maria Ferraris, director of residences

In her role, Ferraris will manage the team of residence ladies and gentlemen who deliver Ritz-Carlton service to the resident homeowners at The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie. Ferraris joins the team after a long tenure with various Ritz-Carlton Residences including The Ritz-Carlton Club, St. Thomas; The Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences, Lake Tahoe; The Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences, Vail; The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach and most recently, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Miami Beach. She is a graduate of Boston University’s School of Management, the press release stated.

Charles Njuguna, director of engineering

In his role, Njuguna will be responsible for overall building and grounds maintenance with particular attention towards safety, security and guest satisfaction. Njuguna started in the engineering field in his home country of Kenya and has been with Marriott International for more than a decade serving in various roles at The Ritz-Carlton, Doha in Qatar; The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman; JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa; Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountains and Scottsdale Marriott Old Town.

In her role, Rodriguez-Postorino will develop relationships with business partners to position The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie as the premier location for high-end meetings and incentive events. With Marriott International since 2012, Rodriguez-Postorino has served in various sales and special event roles with properties such as Orlando World Center Marriott; The JW Marriott and The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grand Lakes. Rodriguez-Postorino is a graduate of the University of Central Florida, Rosen College of Hospitality Management.

In her role, Regaldo will ensure core elements of The Ritz-Carlton service are in place to serve the residence owners at The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie. As a graduate of The Eller College of Business at The University of Arizona, Regaldo began her career in the hospitality industry at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas before returning to Arizona where she joined the team at The Phoenician as a guest experience expert and later an ambassador for The Canyon Suites.

“The time has come to assemble our first-in-class leadership team for The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie,” said Szenasi, resort general manager. “I am incredibly fortunate to work alongside these individuals as we progress toward opening and creating memories for our beloved Ritz-Carlton guests.”

With 215 guestrooms, The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie expects to be one of the finest resorts in North America, the press release stated. Situated over 20 acres, the hotel features abundant oversized suites and detached casitas. Guests will be greeted with unobstructed views of Camelback Mountain and can enjoy Arizona’s idyllic sunsets from spaces that promote the resort’s indoor/outdoor living ethos.

“We have brought exceptional leaders to The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie, who will enliven The Ritz-Carlton mystique at this iconic property,” said Bob Kharazmi, managing director for luxury operations, U.S. and Canada, Marriott International.

Developed and owned by Scottsdale-based Five Star Development, the resort is surrounded by 80 single-level Ritz-Carlton Residences Villas, ranging in size from 1,700 to 4,800 square feet, and 32 single-family Ritz-Carlton Residences estate homes, from 5,500 to 12,000 square feet. The Villas and Estate Homes are whole-ownership and Ritz-Carlton branded, serviced and managed.

Residence owners will have their own clubhouse that will encompass a common lounge area along with a junior Olympic sized-pool; fitness facilities; private, landscaped grounds; a dedicated director of residences; concierge who will curate world-class experiences for homeowners; priority access to hotel amenities, and a host of a la carte services such as in-residence dining, housekeeping and engineering services.

For more, visit RitzCarlton.com or call 866-779-7489. To inquire about residential opportunities, The Ritz-Carlton Residences Gallery, 6720 N. Scottsdale Road, suite 120, is open by appointment only.

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Keywords

Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie, Five Star Development,