Sprouts Center, a 55,615-square-foot grocery anchored shopping center at 5225 E. Southern Ave. in Mesa, was recently sold for $18.5 million, according to John M. Leonard, regional manager of the Marcus & Millichap’s Atlanta office.

“This transaction highlights the desirability of grocery anchored centers during any cycle. Despite generating a significant amount of offer interest within a short amount of time, we were competing with rapidly rising interest rates paired with static deal pricing,” Marc Irvin, first vice president investments in Marcus & Millichap’s Atlanta office, said in a release.

Marcus & Millichap is a commercial real estate brokerage firm specializing in investment sales, financing, research and advisory services.

Irvin had the exclusive listing to market the property on behalf of the seller, an Arizona based private investor. The buyer was a Fresno, California, based family trust in a 1031 exchange, according to the release.

“Extensive networking ultimately landed the best buyer for our client. This deal happened as a result of interacting with others and not relying on just passive marketing via the Internet. Having specialized experience enabled us to predict nuances during the due diligence process that helped facilitate a successful close for the buyer and seller,” he said.

Ryan Sarbinoff, regional manager in the Phoenix office, was the broker of record and assisted in this transaction.

For information, go to MarcusMillichap.com.

By The Associated Press

Memphis Grizzlies (31-14, second in the Western Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (23-24, 10th in the Western Conference)

Phoenix; Sunday, 8 p.m. EST

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK NBA LINE: Suns -8.5

BOTTOM LINE: Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies visit the Phoenix Suns. Morant is 10th in the league averaging 27.2 points per game.

The Suns are 18-13 in Western Conference games. Phoenix is sixth in the league with 11.9 offensive rebounds per game led by Deandre Ayton averaging 2.8 offensive boards.

The Grizzlies are 15-11 against conference opponents. Memphis leads the league with 13.4 offensive rebounds per game led by Steven Adams averaging 5.0.

The two teams match up for the fourth time this season. The Grizzlies defeated the Suns 136-106 in their last matchup on Jan. 16. Morant led the Grizzlies with 29 points, and Mikal Bridges led the Suns with 21 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Ayton is averaging 17.5 points and 9.9 rebounds for the Suns. Damion Lee is averaging 1.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Phoenix.

Morant is averaging 27.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 7.9 assists for the Grizzlies. Jaren Jackson Jr. is averaging 15.4 points over the last 10 games for Memphis.

LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 3-7, averaging 103.8 points, 45.0 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 6.0 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 43.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.3 points per game.

Grizzlies: 9-1, averaging 125.3 points, 51.2 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 9.2 steals and 6.9 blocks per game while shooting 48.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.4 points.

INJURIES: Suns: Cameron Payne: out (foot), Devin Booker: out (groin), Chris Paul: out (hip), Landry Shamet: out (foot), Deandre Ayton: out (illness).

Grizzlies: Danny Green: out (knee).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

When international travelers visit Portugal, some may look for a big chain you’d find in, say Phoenix. But AlmaLusa, a boutique hotel brand founded in 2016, is banking on travelers looking for something more authentic.

“For the brand, the goal is to showcase Portuguese culture,” said Sofia Brandao, director of sales and marketing for AlmaLusa. That’s reflected in everything from the art on the walls to the items sold at their boutique. Even the water provided in the rooms is filtered and bottled by a local supplier.  

So far, the formula seems to be working. The luxury boutique hotel brand has a 92 percent booking rate at their first hotel, the AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado in the heart of Lisbon (located in a former arsenal), said Brandao.

It launched its newest hotel, in Comporta, late last year. Now it’s working on another hotel opening in Lisbon this summer. The AlmaLusa Sé, with 25 rooms, will be a couple of blocks from the AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado property.

“It’s all about putting together something that could deliver a story,” Brandao said.

The Hamptons of Europe

Just over an hour south of Lisbon is the small fishing and farming village of Comporta, located on a long stretch of sandy beach, often named one of the most beautiful in Portugal. It has good local restaurants, white sand beaches, and surrounding rice patties.

It’s one of those places the locals all know but is only appearing on travelers’ maps now — with some publications referring to it as the “Hamptons of Europe” due to its similar coastal exclusivity.

The AlmaLusa Comporta, which opened in November, is the only hotel in the town itself. While other hotels say they’re in Comporta, they’re actually in nearby towns or on the outskirts, while AlmaLusa is central, with a 15-minute walk to the beach. Many of the other lodging options are villa rentals. 

“Comporta is a village that dates back two centuries, and so we wanted to create a place that harmonized with the community and nature,” Brandao said. “The building had to have respect for the people who were there before us.” 

AlmaLusa, like many boutique hotels right now, prides itself in its sustainability efforts — focusing on all the typical points of using less energy and avoiding plastic when possible. Yet the brand says it takes things further than just saving water.

“Sustainability for us is also about caring for the community,” said Brandao. “We give priority to partners who are local.” 

That community support is reflected in things like training and hiring locals, promoting experiences led by local guides, and encouraging guests to try local dining options and not just stay on the property. 

Encouraging guests to leave the property works from a community-supporting standpoint. Still, it may prove a bold move financially, as more real estate projects pop up in the area that likely won’t have the same mission.

Tourism Shift

It makes sense that highlighting Portuguese culture would be one of AlmaLusa’s main selling points. The name alone is a tip-off. Alma means “soul” in Portuguese, while Lusa is short for Lusitanians, which Brandao points out were one of the first inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula. 

“Every time we want to refer to our culture, we use the word ‘Lusa,’ and it distinguishes us from the Spanish,” said Brandao, because the Lusitanians were located more in what is now Portugal. 

Back in 2012, AlmaLusa’s founder and CEO, Miguel Simões De Almeida, saw a lack in Portugal of small boutique hotels that had a uniqueness in service that would make the guest feel like a member, explained Brandao. 

Before launching AlmaLusa, Simões De Almeida opened Aquapura, a luxury hotel and spa in the Douro River Valley, which Six Senses acquired in 2013. 

“We’ve seen a big shift in travelers to Portugal wanting something between big chains and the smaller options with a lack of service,” said Brandao. With an emphasis on character-filled boutique hotels, and a goal of updated, inclusive service, AlmaLusa wants to be the hotel brand that fills that gap.

“We describe AlmaLusa as providing modern, intelligent luxury,” said Brandao. To them, that equates to free water, free wifi, and free use of mobile phones in the room to make local and international calls (well, a free 30 minutes of international calls per day, anyway). 

While service is a priority — it’s considered a luxury brand, after all — the company’s staff strive to avoid coming across as stuffy, whether that’s in Comporta or Lisbon. Don’t expect to see any bellboys in suits.

“Our guests are wearing jeans, and they don’t want to walk into a place that feels so formal,” Brandao said.

Also, AlmaLusa is banking on another tourism trend Brandao has noticed in Portugal — more and more travelers doing self-drives around the country.

“Twenty years ago, it was unthinkable for travelers to visit a destination like Porto or Lisbon and then travel to another,” said Brandao.

If travelers continue to explore more “off the beaten path” locations on road trips, there’s much more potential for growth in Portugal. AlmaLusa has branched out with Comporta, and the question remains whether they can keep the momentum up and open more properties throughout the country that travelers are willing to visit.

ArchWell Health opened an office in the community at 10050 W. Bell Road, Suite 35. Company and office staff, along with some residents, were on hand for a grand opening.

ArchWell Health’s goal is to provide seniors access to excellent health care and healthy living options, irrespective of their economic situation. The center establishes state-of-the-art neighborhood health care featuring an advanced, senior-focused care model. Focused on providing comprehensive primary care for seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, ArchWell Health empowers members to live healthier lives by offering them a higher level of care, a more positive experience and a focus on preventative options.

The Sun City center is one of 10 that opened in the Phoenix area in the last four months.

At ArchWell, the patient-to-doctor ratio is well below the national average, ensuring doctors have the time they need with each individual patient to solve their health challenges. Additionally, the doctors and care team are specifically trained to care for seniors who have more challenging health conditions than the general population, and a higher rate of chronic conditions. Patients at ArchWell Health will receive care that is well coordinated, as compared to the fragmented care that many seniors experience today.

“The health care needs of the senior population are often multi-faceted, so our goal is to establish long-term relationships to monitor and respond to the physical and emotional needs of our patients,” said Carl Whitmer, ArchWell Health co-founder and CEO. “At each ArchWell Health center, our primary care providers will be supported by social, nutritional and behavioral health services teams to ensure the care our patients may need; allowing our patients to achieve the best quality of life physically, mentally, and emotionally.”

Age: 47

Current occupation: Policy Specialist

Community involvement: Former D6 Chief of Staff

Community involvement in Ahwatukee: Involved in supporting various citizens groups throughout Ahwatukee.

Education: Lewis & Clark College

Why are you running for City Council?

Phoenix is at a tipping point: we can either continue following current policies mirrored from other states – policies that have badly degraded our greatest coastal cities – or we can focus on developing and implementing truly local solutions to our biggest problems, including crime, roadway safety, homelessness, and housing. I’m running to fight for those local solutions and the opportunity to keep (and improve) the Phoenix we all know and love.

Why are you the best candidate for the District 6 Seat?

I’m a nerd. A wonk – the guy politicians keep in the back room writing position papers and exploring policy solutions. I’ve spent the better part of the last 5 years developing solutions for Phoenix – to address our homelessness crisis, improve roadway safety, better support our first responders, reduce the cost of housing, and more – that I believe will improve conditions for all our citizens.

What credentials/experience make you the best person for the council seat?

I served for almost 5 years as staff chief for Sal DiCiccio, and am deeply versed in all areas of city operations. More importantly, Ahwatukee needs someone unafraid to hold the council accountable. Regardless of the outcome of this race, Democrats will have a super-majority at City Hall. We don’t need another automatic vote for their agenda, we need someone to push back the worst ideas, find ways to make the rest work better – that’s what I will do.

What are the three city-wide issues you want to address in 2023?

Affordable housing, homelessness, and public safety are my top priorities. And while we won’t be able to “solve” issues that big in a year, we can make enormous progress with some simple changes to city code and ordinances – addressing homelessness by leading with services, reducing unnecessary time barriers and regulations that drive up the cost of new housing, and improving working conditions and benefits for police officers so that we can recruit the numbers we need.

What are the top three issues facing Ahwatukee specifically and how would you try to address them this year?

1) Roadway safety: perform traffic studies at 17th & Chandler, 17th & Liberty, and a few other intersections. Pursue roadway changes, improved lighting in those areas to reduce accidents. Hire more cops.

2) Add a Fire Station / Police Substation: on the West end of Ahwatukee using development and impact fees from the new construction going in there.

3) Homelessness: push to shift our approach to lead with services and improve treatment & recovery options to reduce our growing homeless population.

What two things is City Council doing right and why?

1) Water: as a state, Arizona is in a water crisis, but due to excellent planning and management, Phoenix has more than enough water available to support our growing population for 100+ years to come.

2) Parks & Recreation: Phoenix has done a magnificent job of managing, expanding, and improving our best-in-the-nation urban park system. I still think we need more pickleball courts, more fields, etc. – but the city has excelled in delivering service in these areas.

What two things is City Council doing wrong and why?

1) Planning & Development Services: simply put, the office is in crisis. It takes forever for even the simplest plan review or inspection. P&D is still remote working – we need them back in the building. And we need to immediately expand outside contracting of engineering services to clear the backlog the department is facing.

2) Homelessness: current approaches to homelessness have not achieved the intended results, and are enabling, not addressing chronic street homelessness. It is more humane to push people into treatment than it is to continue to ignore them on the street. We need to work with the state and county to significantly expand diversion and treatment services, provide controlled & structured camping or semi-permanent tent options for those who absolutely refuse treatment, then enforce a ban on urban camping citywide.

Has Phoenix done enough to address its public safety pension debt? If not, what do you think should be done to accelerate paying it off?

Phoenix missed a golden opportunity when the city received over $1.5 billion in two rounds of federal covid funding to use some of those monies to significantly reduce our unfunded pension obligations.

Every year for the next 22 years, the amount Phoenix is paying for those debts will rise, with serious impact on our ability to provide services our residents need. I would like to set a policy where every year that we have a surplus, we divide it in three: one-third for debt reduction, a third for one-time infrastructure investments, and one third which could be used for ongoing service expansions.

What three opportunities must the city take advantage of in 2023? How might Ahwatukee benefit from them?

1. Super Bowl – great opportunity for our local hotels, restaurants, and shops.

2. Homelessness – there is real movement for the first time in years to do something about a system that is spending a ton of money, without doing much to help people. We can turn that around this year.

3. One-time revenue from Taiwan Semi – Ahwatukee is too often forgotten by city leaders, and capital needs have accumulated. TSMC’s construction is going to generate hundreds of millions in one-time revenues. Some of those funds need to pay for improvements in Ahwatukee, too.

As a city council member, how would your office specifically try to help the Ahwatukee business community? Please be specific.

Expand ALEX Bus service – the Ahwatukee Local Express is a valuable service to businesses in the area whose workers need better options for public transportation, and should be expanded in both hours and frequency of service.

Two, as mentioned above, permitting in Phoenix has become a mess, and is costing business owners significant sums of money due to delays before they can open – we need to get that straightened out ASAP.

Three, make sure we have more first responders on duty in Ahwatukee to answer calls in a more-timely fashion at both homes and businesses, ensuring the safety of residents and employees alike.

What do you think you can do as a councilmember to get the city Parks & Rec department to complete Desert Foothills Park?

This is one of those situations where, frankly, you need someone willing to pitch a fit who won’t take “no” for an answer. I helped pickleball players last year get some multi-use improvements to the tennis courts at Desert Foothills, but the park is still a half-developed embarrassment, with far more room for amenities than we are making use of.

Years of polite requests have been ignored. I’m criticized sometimes as a disruptor – but this is a perfect example of when you need a disruptor, not another rubber stamp.

Pickleball fans in western Ahwatukee contend they are underserved. Is there something you as a councilmember can realistically do for them?

Pickleball is the fastest growing recreational sport in America. We need to add about a dozen new dedicated pickleball courts at Desert Foothills Park (and more throughout other parts of the city). The expense is minimal, the use is maximal, this is one of the best investments we can make in our flatland parks, and one I’ll be pushing for from day 1.

The 2023 GO bond issue allocated $50 million for arts and culture while deferring inclusion of a third fire station for far west Ahwatukee. Do you agree with that decision?

Not at all. Ahwatukee needs that station. Emergency response times in large parts of the community are far too high. It was an absolute travesty that the safety needs of Ahwatukee were once again brushed aside in favor of massive handouts to politically-favored insiders.

Do you think Ahwatukee need additional police patrols and if you do, given the department’s manpower situation and the city’s many fiscal challenges, how would you propose it be done?

Yes, absolutely we need more police patrols in Ahwatukee. In the last few years, but especially since the completion of the 202 South, crime has risen, drivers are out of control, and we don’t have enough cops on patrol to properly protect the community. All that said, anyone who tells you there is an easy or quick answer to this crisis is lying. We do not have enough officers to adequately support public safety anywhere in Phoenix. Fixing that will primarily depend on the actions and words of the city council over the next few years. The applicants we need simply will not be there unless this council demonstrates their consistent and clear support for our officers. My opponent is a former police officer, yes. But in 2020, he was quick to embrace the anti-police protest movement. I have never and will never waiver in my support for the Phoenix Police Department and hardworking men and women who wear the uniform.

How would you assess your relationship with the current members of City Council insofar as your ability to wrangle support for programs/support in District 6? Do you have a relationship with any and if so, who specifically?

Outside of the public view, my experience is that everyone at City Hall gets along fairly well. Carlos Garcia is a great guy; we just disagree about everything politically. Laura Pastor and her office I consider friends, especially Michael Petersen-Incorvaia, owner of the most spectacular shoe collection in the history of City Hall. Betty Guardado is a fierce fighter for her constituency, and we agree on far more than most people would realize. Jim Waring is someone I always enjoyed working with, and admire.

Housing affordability is a much discussed challenge facing the Valley in general and Phoenix in particular. This is. two-part question:

How would you assess what the city is currently doing to make housing available for working families?

Phoenix’s current approach to having enough low-income and workforce affordable housing largely amounts to grandstanding in pubic while privately praying someone else comes along and solves the issue for us. Worse, Phoenix’s labryrinthine bureaucracy and endless permitting delays are adding enormously to the cost of every unit of housing built in our city.

What would you advocate be done?

Make it cheaper, easier, and faster to build housing. Government subsidized low-income units currently cost Phoenix almost twice as much to build as it costs private developers to build luxury housing – over $350,000 per apartment – so we’re never going to have enough money for the city to solve the problem that way. We must make workforce affordable housing profitable for developers by eliminating the time delays and unnecessary regulatory requirements that are currently baked into our codes.

What city department needs closer scrutiny of its spending and spending decisions and why?

Arts & Culture – they’re good at buying overpriced crafts that my brother-in-law could knock out in a few hours with a C&C machine in his shop. We should at least get art for art money. But, realistically, all of them, because without Sal DiCiccio there, no one left on the council has shown much interest in focusing on finding efficiencies and holding departments accountable for bad spending choices. That’s a role I intend to fill.

Would you support water conservation measures that would impose use restrictions on households and businesses? What use restrictions would you specifically support and why?

Mandatory? None. Incentivized? Plenty. Phoenix residents have done a magnificent job of improving water conservation and reducing total use. Yes, there are still things we can do – for example, providing trees and shrubs for homeowners willing to tear out grass lawns and replace them with more appropriate native vegetation. But the number one incentive is that water is not cheap here, it will keep getting more expensive; businesses and homeowners alike recognize that, and are taking steps already to address their water use.

What would you do to strengthen the relationship between Ahwatukee’s HOAs and your office?

It’s critical for city leaders to recognize HOA boards are the elected representatives of their community, and my door will always be open to them. But this is a little complicated because, from a legal perspective, the city does not and cannot recognize HOAs: they constitute a private contract among individuals. I received numerous requests to have the city enforce HOA rules and requirements, or who wanted us to intervene in decisions coming in front of an HOA. That isn’t possible, or appropriate, and every time I’ve watched a councilmember insert themselves in inter-HOA issues, it ended up ticking everyone off.

Is there a need to strengthen the District 6 seat’s relationship with Ahwatukee HOAs?

My door is always open, my cell number can be given to anyone who wants it, and I’ve never turned down a meeting with a community leader. But, also, see my previous answer.

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America will launch its 2023 Educating America Tour in Phoenix on Thursday, Feb. 16 with a free Alzheimer’s and Caregiving Educational Conference at the Ahwatukee Event Center, 4700 E. Warner Road in Phoenix.

The free conference, which begins at 10 a.m., is open to everyone and will allow participants to learn from experts in the field of Alzheimer’s disease, brain health, and caregiving, according to a press release. To register, go to www.alzfdn.org/tour.

“Knowledge is a useful and powerful tool that can help make any situation easier to navigate, especially something as challenging as caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s president and CEO. “Connecting families with useful, practical information and support that can help them now and be better prepared for the future is what this conference is all about. Whether Alzheimer’s is affecting your family, you are a caregiver or just want to learn more about brain health, we invite you to join us on Feb. 16.”

Sessions during the AFA conference will include:

• Preventing Alzheimer’s disease: From Cradle-to-Grave — There are many theories on ways to delay or prevent Alzheimer’s disease. What is the best strategy? Jeremy Pruzin, MD, will provide a general overview of Alzheimer’s disease and discuss two important areas in prevention: modifiable risk factors such as lifestyle choices and vascular risk factors, and promising, presymptomatic, pharmacological strategies that are currently being tested in clinical trials.

• Aging in Place Along the Alzheimer’s Spectrum — Many older adults prefer to age in place and live in their own homes, however, every living situation should be determined by where they will get the best possible care. Is the caregiver able to alter their life to provide the support their loved one needs? Or are they better off in a dementia-care setting?

• What Happens Next? Best Practices in Palliative Dementia Care — Many families choose palliative care for their loved ones to optimize their quality of life and mitigate pain or discomfort as dementia-related illness reach the later stages of the disease progression. By assessing and treating the pain or discomfort they may be experiencing, palliative care provides an extra layer of support.

There will also be a special presentation, Highlights of a Baseball Reminiscence Program, an initiative designed to promote socialization and improve quality of life for individuals living with dementia and their caregivers, by the Phoenix-based Society for American Baseball Research.

Free, confidential memory screenings will be conducted throughout the day.

For more information or to register, go to www.alzfdn.org/tour.

INDEPENDENT NEWSMEDIA

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is looking for applicants to replace Agua Fria Justice Precinct Constable Doug Clark.

Clark resigned, and his position opened on Dec. 31, according to the county.

Constables execute, serve and return processes, warrants and notices, and they attend justice courts when required, county officials stated in a release.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is responsible for filling the position and, by law, the appointee must be a Democrat, like Clark, live in the Agua Fria Precinct and be a registered Arizona voter. The appointee will fill the position until a special election in 2024.

For more: the full precinct boundaries here.

Applicants should send their letters of interest along with a resume to the Office of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, 301 W. Jefferson, 10th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85003 or email it to ClerkBoard@maricopa.gov.  Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24.

All documents, including applications filed with the clerk’s office will become public records. Applicants are subject to a background check.