LaPour plans JW Marriott conversion for downtown Phoenix office tower

LaPour is advancing plans to turn a 19-story Arizona Center office building into a 340-room JW Marriott Downtown Phoenix. The project targets rising demand for upscale hotel rooms in a downtown market buoyed by convention activity, tourism and major civic and business growth.

Why it matters: - Downtown Phoenix is adding demand drivers but still lacks enough luxury hotel inventory. - The proposed conversion would reuse an existing office tower rather than build a hotel from the ground up. - The project could strengthen Arizona Center’s role in the city’s next phase of downtown growth.

What happened: - LaPour announced plans for a proposed JW Marriott Downtown Phoenix at Arizona Center. - The project would convert a 19-story office tower into a 340-room hotel. - The site is in downtown Phoenix, across from the new Cleaverman restaurant by Pretty Decent Concepts. - The announcement came as LaPour framed the project as an adaptive reuse office-to-hotel conversion. - The project remains in the planning stages.

The details: - The hotel would feature a resort-style inground swimming pool overlooking Arizona Center’s 1.5-acre grotto. - The design calls for about 15,000 square feet of meeting and ballroom space on the 18th and 19th floors. - Planned amenities include outdoor event venues, signature food and beverage concepts, a fitness center and a Club Lounge. - The existing tower has 13-foot floor-to-floor heights. - The building also has expansive glass with city and mountain views. - The floor plates are described as well suited for luxury hotel operations. - LaPour said the JW brand was chosen for its appeal to leisure travelers, business travelers and event planners. - The project is backed by the Burton Family. - Daryl Burton said he saw no future for an office building at the site and wanted to change the use. - More information is available on LaPour’s website.

Between the lines: - The proposal reflects a broader trend of converting older office assets in markets where demand for hospitality outpaces demand for conventional office use. - LaPour is betting that walkability, event traffic and downtown amenities can support an urban resort concept. - The project also signals confidence in the continued rebound of downtown Phoenix as a business and leisure destination.

What's next: - LaPour will continue planning the hotel conversion. - The project’s timing, financing and construction schedule were not disclosed. - Demand could rise further if Phoenix Convention Center expansion plans move ahead and tourism growth continues. - The success of the proposal will likely depend on approvals, capital deployment and the pace of downtown growth.