A rendering of the artHAUS community in the Midtown Phoenix Arts and Entertainment District.
A rendering of the artHAUS community in the Midtown Phoenix Arts and Entertainment District.

Sales are under way for the 25 condo units at the artHAUS community in the Midtown Phoenix Arts and Entertainment District. Jason Boyer, AIA, principal of Phoenix’s Studio Ma, developed and designed the project.

Located across from the Phoenix Art Museum, artHAUS sits next to the Willow Historic District and minutes away from the McDowell and Central Avenue METRO light-rail station. The complex contains seven three-level townhomes, 15 two-level homes, and three single-level flats, which range in size from 560 to 1,900 square feet. The community was 50% sold as of January, and its remaining units range in price from $254,000 to $511,000.

Jason Boyer, AIA, principal of Studio Ma and designer and developer of artHAUS.
Jason Boyer, AIA, principal of Studio Ma and designer and developer of artHAUS.

Market Conditions

Over 48,000 new jobs opened up in the Phoenix metro area during the 12-month period ending in September 2016, according to a regional report by research and data analysis firm Yardi Matrix. This equates to a 3% year-over-year uptick, far above the 2.3% national rate.

The education and health services sector has led the MSA's growth, with 13,800 new jobs filled, a 4.9% rate of growth year over year. (Arizona’s four largest health systems led this growth with a pledge to add 8,500 new jobs in 2016.) The area’s mining, logging, and construction jobs also added 9,600 new jobs, a 9.3% YOY gain, and the professional and business sectors added 6,500 positions in the same period.

More than 10,500 new units are under way in the metro area, and over 23,000 more are in the planning stages. Multifamily transaction volume has expanded by 25% YOY, up to $4.6 billion for the 12 months ending in November 2016. Rents for existing units rose 5.9% YOY through November, and the median home price reached $215,943, up 5.8% YOY.

Taken together, the booming economy, expansive job growth, and rising rents add up to a robust environment for new residential development in Phoenix.

“Aspirational” Housing

The development, placement, and design of the artHaus community fills a need and desire for what designer Jason Boyer calls “aspirational housing,” as opposed to “affordable housing.” Boyer believes artHAUS will appeal to residents who are invested in the style of living the Midtown Arts and Entertainment District offers, and who might be willing to spend a little more to achieve it. Millennials, particularly Arizona State University students, and baby boomers are among the community’s target demographic.

To this end, artHAUS has traded the customary multifamily swath of on-site services for a series of community partnerships in its heavily amenitized location. This move not only cuts down on the cost of an artHAUS unit, but also allows the community’s residents an opportunity to engage with the larger neighborhood.

As a community designed, built, financed, and marketed entirely in Arizona, artHAUS maintains a membership in the Local First Arizona business association. The Clarendon Hotel and Spa, located two miles from artHAUS, offers free pool and cabana services for artHAUS residents, as well as a community partner discount for hotels and spa services. Discounts are also available for yoga and other classes at Sutra Studios, fitness services at Central Park Square Athletic Club, and annual memberships to the Phoenix Art Museum.

The interior of a three-story unit at artHAUS.
The interior of a three-story unit at artHAUS.

The artHAUS community design aesthetic incorporates simple, geometric forms defined by clean lines, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a light/dark contrast color palette. Its units ring a series of semi-private interior courtyards, which provide natural light throughout the complex. Each of the units includes a private outdoor balcony.

The artHAUS complex is built to meet Energy Star and LEED certification and incorporates water savings and water recycling, on-site solar energy, smart-home features, and energy-efficient building processes and materials. Electric-vehicle charging stations are available to residents, as are bicycle accommodations and below-ground parking.

Phoenix currently stands out for its economic strength and its allowance for infill development. Boyer notes that 43% of the land fronting nearby 7th Avenue is vacant, and Yardi Matrix says the area’s pre-recession residential development surplus is filling up after almost a decade of absorption. New construction is on the rise too, with nearly 8,100 multifamily units added last year—a 1.7% increase in completions year over year. Ample opportunities exist for small, community-oriented infill projects like artHAUS, and with 50% of its units sold, buyer demand stands strong.

Other Studio Ma projects in the Phoenix area include the George single-family home community; Manzanita Hall at Arizona State University; and a 2011 addition to the Phoenix Art Museum.