REAL ESTATE NEWS

One of Gilbert’s most popular and successful OB/GYN offices has recently expanded to better serve patients in south Gilbert, south Chandler and Queen Creek.� Valley Women for Women, a full-service, all female OB/GYN practice has opened a new 10,000 square foot office in UTAZ™’s, � Mercy Point Medical Center Located at Val Vista Drive and Melrose Street just South of the San Tan 202 Freeway and the Mercy Gilbert Medical Center in Gilbert.

According to Dr. Mia Van Eken, who co-founded Valley Women for Women with Dr. Denise Belisle, more affordable space was available nearby but lacked the appeal of the single-level UTAZ™ layout. “We really place a premium on both comfort and convenience for our patients,” she said. “We didn’t want women who are expecting or visiting with small children to have to negotiate stairs or elevators.� In addition to its proximity to the hospital, we chose this building because it’s single-level and has plenty of parking right outside our entrance.”

“You can really tell this office was designed by women for women,” Van Eken said.� For a more relaxing ambience, halogen lighting is used in the reception area, and each of the four check-in desks is positioned to ensure privacy.� A curved wall with large flat-screen televisions give the space a more residential character, complemented by rich, wood paneling. The lobby’s restroom is outfitted with a changing table, and bathrooms are equipped with “pass throughs” so patients needn’t go outside with urine samples.

Beyond the reception area, each of the 18 exam rooms has been laid out so that the beds are pointed away from doors, another measure to respect patients’ privacy. � The ultra-sound room has a large-screen TV so the whole family can see and there’s a special “non stress testing” room outfitted with an oversized, leather reclining chair, flat-screen TV and low lighting to enhance relaxation.

In addition to co-founders Van Eken and Belisle, the staff includes four other doctors, five nurse practitioners and a physician’s assistant.� Services include prenatal care, delivery, postpartum care, in-office colposcopies, endometrial biopsies, LEEP procedure, Cryotherapy, Well Woman exams, med spa, in office lab services, 3/D and 4/D Ultrasound and more.

For more information, call 480-782-0993 or visit www.valleywomenforwomen.com

Private insurance agent Jason Crespo, owner of a UTAZ™ office in the Sun Lakes UTAZ Professional Village™ in Chandler, never planned on a career in helping people meet their insurance and financial needs.

“I always tell people no one goes to college believing or wanting to be an insurance agent,” said the Ocotillo resident who recently opened his practice in Sun Lakes. “I kind of fell into it.”

Having started in the business 19 years ago, he spent 11 years in the Valley working for the Atlantic Insurance Group Financial Services specializing in claim litigation. His contact with the public inspired him to become an independent agent.

“I found I enjoyed helping people out,” he said. “When people are in accidents they need a lot of help. I learned compassion for people in bad situations. I learned compassionate-customer service skills and found that I really cared for our clients.”

He brings that compassion and care into his business.

“I wanted to do something as little different,” he said. “My purpose is not to open my doors and hope for business to come in. I care about the individual needs of my clients. I put a lot of energy and concern into meeting those needs and providing the best service possible.”

He said a trend in the insurance business, where more often than not people are being referred to an 800-number rather than a personal agent, is lessening the quality of customer service in the industry.

“People have gotten away from having their own insurance agent,” he said. “People are going online in hope of saving a little bit of money. What they get is a different customer service representative who quotes insurance rates each time they call an 800-number. Sure, they save a little bit of money but they lose the personal relationship one has with their own agent.”

He said those who use the Internet to get coverage lose out in the end.

“When you have your own agent we help you review your family portfolios and identify appropriate coverage. Without a personal agent one is at risk of not having such coverage. When you have a personal agent, you have someone who knows you, whose hand you can shake and who you can meet face-to-face. I would like to see people get back to having an insurance agent who understands their needs. If I could do that and save them some money as well, then they stand to be at an advantage in today’s market.”

Mr. Crespo had more than as few good reasons for opening his business in the Sun Lakes UTAZ™ Professional Village.

“Ocotillo and Sun Lakes anchor a very professional and progressive community,” he said. “The demographics include young-professional families and retirees who themselves were professionals. That is the reason I moved my business from Mesa to Sun Lakes. The lower commute time is also a big plus.”

He said the location is perfect for the type of service he provides.

“I offer property and casualty insurance, life and health insurance and I use the top companies like Met life, Hartford and Progressive,” he said. “By representing many companies I have opportunities to place my clients where their needs are best met.”

Another plus is he has family in the community.

“My parents live in Sun Lakes,” he said. “They moved from the east coast. They strayed in Arizona for a few years and decided to stay here permanently.”

Married, with a 6-year-old daughter, he still has time for his main passion.

“Wakeboarding,” he said! “I love to wakeboard. Whenever we get a chance we take advantage of a local lake, bring our boat and have a great time.”

His keen sense of business and value were key in his choosing to purchase and locate in a UTAZ Professional Village™.

“On the business side, purchasing an office proved to be a much smarter investment than leasing,” he said. “Leasing would have cost more per month than buying. The investment will pay off in the long run and it doesn’t put stress on our monthly overhead. It is more cost effective. And not only was it more cost effective, I was able to afford more space.”

He also appreciated the design opportunities a UTAZ™ building shell provides.

“I have a real nice office,” he said. ‘A real plus was the ability I had to design my own space. I’m real proud on how it turned out.”

Another factor was the quality and workmanship of the UTAZ™ office shell itself.

“When you look at an office shell built by another company, most developers do not include costly items like built-in cooling and heating systems, solid dividing walls and concrete-slab floors. UTAZ™ provided these as part of the package. In all, the location, the value, the advantage of owning rather than leasing, the design opportunities and getting more square footage for my investment all helped in making my decision to purchase a UTAZ™ office.”

Dr. Alison M. Fry, M.D., a lease-to-own office renter in the Boston UTAZ Professional Village™ in Gilbert since January 2008, wants to do more for her patients than treat the symptoms of illness.

Her goal is to prevent illness and help patients achieve optimum health through better nutrition, lifestyle changes, fitness training, preventive medicine and a focus on wellness.

She named her business “The Art of Wellness - Medical Partner in Health and Prevention”, which provides high-quality treatments and state-of-the-art health prevention programs for patients, to capture the full spectrum of the medical services she provides.

“As a practicing family physician, I had grown tired of doing assembly line medicine and putting Band Aides on problems,” she said. I decided to focus more on the underlying pathology and causes of illness and issues like weight management, smoking cessation, nutrition and fitness, hormone therapy and providing patients with a variety of health supplements.”

She said fitness has always been a passion for her and she brings that passion into her work.

“I have always had a desire to help people”, she said. “I get great joy teaching and helping people develop their own passion for health and wellness. In our practice, we understand that wellness is an important part of life. It is a lifestyle which ensures maximum physical and mental health. Our prevention programs and treatments take a holistic approach to the body and the soul. Every step is fine-tuned to the specific needs of our patients.”

Her Art of Wellness team includes: Liza Allen, fitness instructor; Pam Barker, personal trainer; Lindsey Peterson, nutrition coach/dietician; Kathy Locher, licensed massage therapist; Kurt Wright, personal trainer; Patricia Carter; office manager; and Steven Colucci, Dr. Fry’s husband and marketing director.

“We offer free 30-minute consultations to review our wellness offerings and our patients’ needs,” she said. “We help our patients pick a personalized wellness plan.”

Her decision to become a medical practitioner was not made until after she graduated from college and came naturally after her work helping disadvantaged people in South America.

“I worked in a refugee camp in Honduras,” she said. “I was inspired by the experience and that was when I decided to become a doctor.”

She advises young people considering medical careers to be as concerned for their own health as they would be for their patients.

“You should try from the beginning to maintain a balance between personal wellness and your professional work,” she said. “That is what I had to do and that is what one should do to really enjoy being a physician.”

She said her family and friends provided the support and guidance she needed to succeed.

“I had wonderful teachers in my life,” she said. “My family has always been totally supportive of me.”

Married, with three children, ages 15, 3 months and 3 years, the responsibilities of motherhood and being a physician leave little time for reading and hobbies.

“I used to love to read a lot of books,” she said. “I don’t have the time now. I also love hiking biking, being outdoors and doing things to promote my own health and fitness.”

She said she had been looking for offices to rent before coming to UTAZ™ and after speaking to a number of physician friends who owned UTAZ™ offices she looked at offices in the Boston UTAZ Professional Village™ and was sold.

“It was the location,” she said. “In addition to being a quality office space it was an exceptional location to open my business. It was close to my home, perfectly situated and I loved the lease-to-purchase agreement. The UTAZ™ people were helpful, answered all my questions. I was very happy with the experience.”

Will she look to expand to another UTAZ™ office after she purchases the one she now leases?

“Absolutely,” she said.

For Sales Information Contact:
Terri Tobey at 480-776-3500
or 480-544-5865 mobile

For Dr. Mahshid Asrari of Asrari Endodontics, LLC, an owner of a UTAZ professional office in the San Tan Professional Village in Gilbert, the comfort of her patients is vitally important.

“My office is designed like an upscale spa,” Dr. Asrari said. “It doesn’t look like a dentist office. When patients come in we give them MP3 players and neck pillows so they can listen to music and relax. Almost every person who walks in comments on our décor and have a different experience than what they expected. The tension they had before coming to my office just slips away.”

As a root canal specialist, she is well aware of the apprehension patients have when facing such a procedure and it is paramount for her that her office provides a sense of comfort and professionalism that helps ease the fear in her clients and soothes the spirit as well. In addition to maximizing the design potential and qualities a UTAZ office provides, Dr. Asrari carefully explains the procedure to her patients and answers every question to further their understanding and ease their concern.

“I designed the office to put my patients at ease,” she said. “But an upscale office is pointless unless the patients receive the highest quality care. I strive to perform a flawless procedure on each and every tooth. Whether performing a root canal, apicoectomy, apexification or other endodontic procedure, I take great satisfaction in achieving the treatment goal on each patient every day.”

Like many satisfied owners of a UTAZ office, UTAZ’s impeccable reputation drew her to visit other UTAZ Professional Villages. Seeing the great locations, monument signage, accessibility, the 13-foot high ceilings and quality construction, she saw the potential and made up her mind.

“When I looked at the offices built by UTAZ, I was impressed with the construction,” she said. “All the comments I heard were positive. I looked at other dental offices. UTAZ had the best reputation.”

Since opening her first office in the San Tan Professional Village, located on the southeast corner of Lindsay and Pecos roads, she has seen her business steadily expand and flourish. “”It is a growing area here” she said. “We still have fields across the street. It can only get better when they are developed.”

Married with two children and living in the East Valley, Dr. Asrari came to the United States to attend Utah State University, where she received her Bachelor of Science degree. She then attended Marquette University School of Dentistry, where she received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree, Specialty Certificate in Endodontics and Master of Science degree. A quality office, quality care and service, are the maxims by which Dr. Asrari runs her business.
“When I finish a root canal and the patient tells me she had a truly positive, comfortable experience, I know she will tell her family and friends, and maybe, she will even thank her dentist for referring her to me,” Dr. Asrari said. When asked if she would consider buying another UTAZ office when her business expands to the point where she can do so, Dr. Asrari was emphatic. “Yes, definitely,” she said.

For Sales Information Contact:
Terri Tobey at 480-776-3500
or 480-544-5865 mobile

When Dr. Michael Hudson made his decision to open his own dental practice in 2004, he knew right from the start he wanted a location that would maximize his business and an office he could be proud of and impress patients.

For Hudson Dental & Orthodontics, his business, the decision was clear. He purchased a professional office condominium in the UTAZ Spectrum Professional Village and hasn’t looked back since.

“Having grown up in Gilbert I knew there would be tremendous population growth in our town over the coming years,” Dr. Hudson said. “I wanted a location for my office that would take advantage of that growth. I felt the UTAZ Spectrum Professional Village was a great place to open my office. And I was right. We have homes all around us and most of my patients live nearby. People know we are here and they come. The Spectrum community is a perfect place for my practice.”

Dr. Hudson said there is more to drawing patients to a dental practice than just good service.

“We are a family practice,” Dr. Hudson said. “That is how we treat all our patients. I get to know them. I want to know who they are. There is an old saying that people don’t care how much you know until they know who you are. The first thing they care about is that you care about them. The next thing they look at is the kind of office you have and if it is impressive.”

He believes UTAZ professional office condominiums provide the opportunity to create such office space.

“The design, the quality and the interior of my office work together to impress people and create a professional image,” he said. “When people walk in they see they are in a nice place and this inspires confidence before they even come into the inner office. The location and the quality of our office combine to help increase our patient base and increase revenue.”

He said he finds the advantages of owning an office far outweigh leasing.

“The first advantage is obvious—that is instead of throwing money away in rent you are building equity,” he said. “When you own the property you also don’t have to worry about your landlord relocating and having to suddenly move your business. Owning allows you to keep your tenant improvement costs minimal. You can dictate the design of your interiors.

A lifelong Gilbert resident, married with three children, Dr. Hudson has grown deep roots in his community and is planning to stay for the long run.

When his business grows to the point where he could expand to a second office there is no doubt it will be a UTAZ office condominium.

“When I get to the point where I see a future place of growth, I’m certain it will be with UTAZ,” he said.

For Sales Information Contact:
Terri Tobey at 480-776-3500
or 480-544-5865 mobile

Components that constitute the UTAZ Difference, such as great locations for their office condominiums; accessibility; high-visibility signage; quality building shells; concrete flooring; high-quality building materials; thick insulation; no internal pillars; 13.5-foot high ceilings; pre-installed mechanical systems; and high-quality craftsmanship are what tenant improvement architect Marty Fifer of Fifer Design Studios appreciates when designing interiors for medical practitioners and professionals.

With six years experience practicing in Gilbert, Mr. Fifer has designed numerous spaces in the East Valley. He believes the UTAZ Difference provides him with the foundation he needs to create unique and beautiful interiors for his clients.

“We are a very customer oriented, creative-architectural interior design firm with a high focus on medical, dental and corporate service,” Mr. Fifer said. “UTAZ shells are of better quality construction. UTAZ has well thought out plans; provides very functional layouts and completes their projects on schedule.”

He said exceptional UTAZ design components for him are the lack of columns in the interiors and the height of the ceilings.

“The biggest thing is the ceiling heights and the simplicity of the building structure,” he said. “The lack of columns and few undulations provide flexibility for moving windows and doors. The shell contractors they use are very professional. The UTAZ shell construction and craftsmanship is of the highest quality and some of the best I’ve seen.”

Mr. Fifer said buyers realize savings by not having to install air-conditioning and heating units as they need to when using other builders and also save money by not having to lay down concrete floors.

“UTAZ provides savings for its customers,” he said. “The air-conditioning units are already in. The concrete slabs are down. UTAZ shells are finished products that make it easier and cheaper for us to design the interiors.”

Mr. Fifer’s firm specializes in designing dental offices and he found UTAZ to be perfect in meeting specialized design needs for dentists.

“Our experience in designing dental suites for doctors in UTAZ Professional Villages has been exceptional,” he said. UTAZ has paid particular attention to the needs of dental office requirements. The buildings always have enough mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems to adequately accommodate dental needs and few undulations in the exterior envelope and no interior columns allow a great deal of design freedom for our interior architectural designs.”

Time in construction and design means money and Mr. Fifer appreciates the cooperation and service UTAZ provides during the design process.

“There is very much cooperation in getting information we need,” he said. “Everything is well organized. There is not much left to interpretation.”

Mr. Fifer’s firm can be reached at (480) 733-2631.

For Sales Information Contact:
Terri Tobey at 480-776-3500
or 480-544-5865 mobile

Dr. Taylor Kim, owner of a UTAZ professional office condominium in the Higley Park Professional Village in Gilbert, is proud of his practice and services he delivers.

He believes in providing the best dental care possible to his patients in an environment that calms and soothes, comforts, instills confidence and appreciation — environments UTAZ Development excels at creating!

After a year practicing at the Higley Park Professional Village location, Dr. Kim remains optimistic his choice to purchase professional office space from UTAZ was the right one and his revenues will continue to increase over time.

“I think I made the right choice,” Dr. Kim said. “My revenues are sustaining and considering I am here at this office part-time, my business continues to grow.”

UTAZ’s reputation for constructing quality buildings, providing excellent services and building in prime area locations with high visibility and growth, was not the prime motivator for his purchase in the Higley Park Professional Village.

It was good old-fashioned word of mouth that drew him there.

“I heard it from a friend,” Dr. Kim said. “I had also heard about UTAZ’s reputation so I drove past one of their buildings one day, saw the sign and saw the opportunity.”

Dr. Kim said one factor in bringing in patients is the key location of his practice, which is near major transportation routes and the visibility of his building.

“Specifically, being near a freeway provides access for my patients”, Dr. Kim said. “I have patients who come to me from areas outside Higley and Gilbert. Access, visibility, the architecture, the image of being in a UTAZ Professional Village and the location combine to attract quality patients.”

Dr. Kim noted the advantages of purchasing professional office space rather than leasing.

“I’ve leased offices before,” Dr. Kim said. “The advantages of owning rather than leasing are many. When you own you can incorporate your ideas into the design of the office. You take pride in your ownership knowing you are building equity. My choice was to pay somebody else to lease office space or pay myself.”

Dr. Kim’s dental office was featured in 2006 in the dental industry publication, “Sidekick” and lauded for its design and architecture.

Dr. Kim said his experience with UTAZ has been totally positive and he would consider expanding to a second UTAZ location when business permits.

“For the most part, I am very satisfied with UTAZ,” he said. “If I had the funds I would do it again.”

Dr. Kim can be reached at (480) 279-0079.

For Sales Information Contact:
Terri Tobey at 480-776-3500
or 480-544-5865 mobile

Architect Rajiv Kapadia of SPG Studios Architectural Firm, a commercial tenant improvement architect working with UTAZ Development, takes great pride in his work.

With more than 20 years experience as an architect and four years owning his own commercial architectural company in Chandler, he appreciates professional office building shells that maximize creativity and provide the best bang-for-the-buck for his clients.

For Mr. Kapadia, UTAZ provides a quality foundation to create interior space that more than meets the dreams and expectations of his clients.

“The most important thing for me is to be able to translate how the product looks in the minds of my clients into reality,” he said. “I talk to them to learn exactly what they envision so I can get the materials and provide for them a budget they can meet to achieve their vision. I look for a middle ground between what they want and they could afford.”

The differences between UTAZ building shells, which come with concrete floors, installed air- conditioning units, spacious interiors with no pillars, quality roofing, quality insulation, and other built in improvements, provides Mr. Kapadia opportunities to cut costs and create quality interiors.

“The first thing you note is UTAZ has a nicer looking product,” he said. “They dress up the exterior. They make the place attractive. They have good landscaping. They take time to pick great locations. Clients tell me their businesses are doing well because of the locations, in addition to the great amenities.”

He said a number of other builders don’t put in concrete floors in their shells, something UTAZ maintains as a standard.

“I found a few builders do not put in concrete floors like UTAZ does,” he said. “That can create problems for us architects and add costs to a client’s budget. If the concrete is fresh and a client has to put in a new floor, the flooring material can fail. It may seem like a minor thing but when they see the flooring fail, it causes upset.”

Mr. Kapadia said the higher cost of a UTAZ building shell is more than offset by the savings a potential buyer can realize.

“A lot of building shells do not come with the mechanical units, air-conditioning and heating, installed, like UTAZ buildings do,” he said. “Other buildings cost a little less in the beginning but can cost a lot more in the long run.”

He said one saving his clients realize, is not having to hire an engineer to get a certificate for weight load, when the mechanicals are pre-installed.

“Having to prove adequacy and getting the permits for the units increase the time line and costs,” he said. “With UTAZ buildings, we don’t have to do that. It’s much easier with the units already up there.”

Mr. Kapadia noted the insulation in exterior walls in UTAZ shells and the 13.5-foot ceilings that are standard, as additional plusses.

“A lot of builders don’t provide those,” he said. “High ceilings create more space. Insulation, cuts on costs. You may pay a little more for a UTAZ shell but the location, exteriors and all the other things clients don’t notice make it easier for us to do our job. When we work on a UTAZ shell we don’t even have to send an engineer out to do a site visit. We count on UTAZ maintaining consistent quality.”

Mr. Kapadia can be reached at (480) 629-8091 or (602) 738-6439.

For Sales Information Contact:
Terri Tobey at 480-776-3500
or 480-544-5865 mobile

UTAZ professional office condominium owner Dr. Dale Guthrie of Gilbert Pediatrics and Twilight Pediatrics believes in delivering quality pediatric care to his young patients and setting a foundation for a happy and healthy adult life early on in their treatment.

Having set exacting-professional standards for his practice, Dr. Guthrie also believes in providing the best medical environment possible for his patients to reflect and enhance the quality of his care.

That is why the doctor became a member of the UTAZ family, moving his practice of 19 years from Mesa four years ago to Greenfield Medical Plaza, a UTAZ Professional Village in Gilbert, and is now expanding his practice to a second UTAZ Professional Village at Power Ranch in Gilbert.

For Dr. Guthrie, the UTAZ Difference is not just about the superior quality of the buildings, the creative design opportunities UTAZ structures allow, the dynamic locations, prestigious signage, excellent parking facilities, great accessibility and 13.5-foot high ceilings that create a secure feeling of spaciousness - it’s about the personal touch and integrity of UTAZ itself.

“I probably would not have taken a step toward owning a UTAZ building if I didn’t know UTAZ President Craig Willett personally,” Dr. Guthrie said. “He is a man of integrity; a man who could be trusted. He personally bent over backwards to get us into ownership. He took a lot of time and showed us that he cared. It was his personal touch that made the UTAZ difference.”

On addition to his trust in the company itself, Dr. Guthrie remains pleased with the UTAZ product and qualities which enhanced his practice, increased his patient base and convinced him to expand his business into a second UTAZ Professional Village.
“To me, I like the idea of a structure that has superior roof insulation and an attic,” the doctor said. “It provides for a higher resale value. I like the plan, the design, the use of quality material and the fact that UTAZ stands behind what they do.” Not only does Dr. Guthrie work in Gilbert, but lives in the town as well with his wife and six children, four who are graduates of Gilbert High School. Dr. Guthrie also has one grandchild. His commitment to the town, his community and the children he treats is solid and long-term.

“I don’t know if there is a better place to live and raise a family,” Dr. Guthrie said. “That is why we purchased a second UTAZ office in Gilbert. We believe in this community.”
Dr. Guthrie prides himself in being an owner of a UTAZ Professional Village office building and encourages professionals and medical practitioners seeking office space, to try the UTAZ Difference for themselves.

“We tell our associates and peers to try UTAZ,” Dr. Guthrie said. “We tell it to folks time and time again. We always give them glowing recommendations. We are extremely happy with our UTAZ experience and hope to see others share this as well.”

For Sales Information Contact:
Terri Tobey at 480-776-3500
or 480-544-5865 mobile