Biltmore-area renovation geared toward the "new age" of the office
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The Biltmore Commerce Center at 32nd Street and Camelback Road. Photo: Jeremy Duda/Axios
A prominent office building in Phoenix's Biltmore area is getting a massive makeover.
Driving the news: Work began in June to transform the Biltmore Commerce Center at 32nd Street and Camelback Road to Bond — no "the," just Bond.
- The $52 million renovation by Valley developer George Oliver will remake the center into a building for people seeking a "best-in-class office experience," partner Charles Jerkovich told Axios Phoenix.
Details: Bond will feature a full, "country club-style" gym; locker rooms with a sauna, steam rooms and a cold plunge; a game room with darts and billiards tables; a 120-person training area; a 22-person jewel box boardroom; a concierge; and an in-house food-and-beverage operation that'll include a central coffee and cocktail bar called Cultivate.
- Jerkovich said they're not ready to announce the chef who will run Cultivate, but it'll be a "really prominent name."
Zoom in: Jerkovich said Bond will focus on "the new age of office."
- People are no longer staying away from the office because of COVID, Jerkovich said. They're staying away because they've figured out how to work remotely, and companies will do whatever is most productive.
- When workers come to the office, he said they're often doing so for collaboration, face time with employers and career advancement.
- The project's name comes from "the bond of being in the office, of being together."
What's next: The first phase is expected to be completed in summer 2024, with the remainder of the project finished by the end of next year.
- There are still tenants in the building, so the renovation must work around them.
Context: This is George Oliver's sixth office redevelopment in the Valley, all of which are "high-end, experiential" projects.
- "We got a little lucky. What we were building before COVID is what works in this post-COVID environment," Jerkovich said.
What he's saying: "We build these spaces so companies that do want their employees to come to the office, they're not dreading it. It's a place where they can get a lot of the things they were getting at home," Jerkovich said.