Developer and builder Mortenson, in partnership with PGIM Real Estate and Urban Development Partners, recently broke ground on its anticipated The Beam on Farmer class-A office building in downtown Tempe. The five-story 184,000-square-foot office building is the first in the state to feature exposed Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) construction as the primary structural system.

The CLT process utilizes young trees and combines layers of natural timber for an eco-friendly building approach. CLT creates zero waste and will capture 3.5 tons of carbon dioxide. Scrap material from CLT production is also used to create other products or biofuel.

“Obviously COVID was a major curveball to this project, but the team remained committed to the core thesis of the development and we couldn’t be more proud to bring the first class-A cross-laminated timber office building in the state to the downtown Tempe market,” said George Forristall, director of real estate development at Mortenson. “Now more than ever, we believe this unique product offering will set the new standard for a healthy workplace and deliver an unparalleled experience to future tenants.”

Located at 401 S. Farmer Ave., The Beam on Farmer will have a modern-meets-vintage mix of solid timber, concrete, steel and glass, and offer users a healthy building experience with contactless features from “car to cube”.

“The Beam on Farmer sits in the most sought-after office submarket in the Valley,” said Ryan Timpani, JLL managing director who serves as the project’s exclusive leasing broker along with Mark Gustin, JLL managing director. Completion of the Beam is anticipated in May 2022. The project architect is RSP Architects.