AZSBC office, Gateway AZ move to Phoenix
Mar 13, 2019
The Arizona Southern Baptist Convention office and Gateway Seminary Arizona Campus began 2019 with a move from Scottsdale to Phoenix.
The $2.392 million sale of the Scottsdale property on Hayden Road closed Dec. 17, and the $1.2 million purchase of the Phoenix property was finalized days later.
“This relocation has been a great blessing to the convention and the seminary,” said David Johnson, AZSBC executive director. “We believe this facility will serve us well into the future.”
The Phoenix property, purchased from Calvary PHX church, is located one block west of I-17, between Cactus and Thunderbird roads.
“We are more accessible and centrally located than we were previously, and we have more space than we did in our previous location,” Johnson said. “In addition, the new building is configured in a way that is more suitable to our work. We also have access to the facilities of Calvary PHX, right across the street.”
While the 1.07-acre-property is less than half the size of the Scottsdale property, the building is about 13,500 square feet — 2,500 more than the previous location.
Part of the space was move-in ready. Remodeling — which Johnson estimates will cost $350,000 — is underway for the rest of the space. This includes renovating the area for Gateway’s library, offices and classrooms and, on the AZSBC side, providing an office for Johnson and meeting space.
Outside, improvements have included painting and roof work. Still to come will be resurfacing the parking lot and adding a security fence.
“Additional proceeds from the sale have been placed in an investment account for future capital improvements and maintenance,” Johnson said. “This will reduce the amount of Cooperative Program funds that will be needed to maintain the building and allow us to give more funds to SBC mission causes.”
The late December-early January move was the culmination of 13-month process from the time of the initial unsolicited offers by real estate developers to purchase the Scottsdale property and the unsolicited offer by Calvary PHX to sell the office complex to the AZSBC.
The new AZSBC address is 12801 N. 28th Dr., Ste. 1, Phoenix, AZ 85029. The new phone number is 602-843-1030. The 800 number remains unchanged: 800-687-2431.