While the rest of the country struggles with layoffs, reduced work days and hours and employee furloughs, commercial construction in Douglas is the highest it has been in years.
 Construction on Carl’s Jr., located at Fifth Street and Pan American, should be completed by April. |
Douglas currently has two commercial structures under construction with discussions about more coming. That does not include the remodeling of the old Mega food store on 10th Street, now the home of Advanced Call Center Technologies (ACCT).
The new commercial construction along Pan American – Best Western Hotel and Carl’s Jr., retail center — are expected to be completed in April and employ between 100 and 125.
Call Center
ACCT celebrated its official grand opening on Wednesday, February 18, with cake, sandwiches and handshakes.
Conducting the open house and initial speaker was Mayor Dr. Michael Gomez.
He spoke about the positive effect that the new call center is having on all of Douglas, but particularly the east side.
“This building had been vacant for 17 years. It became a blight on eastern Douglas” until the relationship with ACCT, Gomez said.
“I am proud and the city is proud to have this partnership with ACCT.”
During the meeting, Gomez also praised the work of city staff including City Manger Curtis Shook and Public Works Director Carlos dela Torre and the Douglas Prison for their help.
“We are pleased and fortunate to be in Douglas,” said Joseph Lembo, CEO of ACCT.
“We have had a great working relationship with the city and manager Curtis Shook. Our clients are so impressed with the work being done here.”
Currently, 383 people are employed by ACCT with a capacity of more than 700. It is anticipated that the center will be fully staffed before the end of the year.
Currently, the average monthly payroll is more than $600,000.
Carl’s, Pizza Patron open in April
The number of area restaurants will grow by two in April, with the completion of the Carl’s Jr., Center, located on Pan American and Fifth.
The opening will mark the first new chain restaurant opening since Eddie Rivera opened the doors of Denny’s several years ago.
It is also the first commercial construction since the strip mall was completed on Third Street a few years ago.
The store is taking shape and will offer all the favorites people are use to having at Carl’s Jr. The restaurant features a variety of chicken and beef selections including gourmet hamburgers and a variety of sides.
The other restaurant, which will be located in the four-unit strip mall behind the Carl’s Jr., is Pizza Patron.
It will be the first restaurant for this chain in southern Arizona. Other Arizona locations include Avondale, Chandler, Glendale, Guadalupe, Mesa and Phoenix.
Pizza Patron offers a Mexican twist on the traditional pizza, and in addition
to traditional pizza toppings, also includes Chorizo and Jalapenos.
The first Pizza Patton store was opened on April 16, 1986, in the Pleasant Grove section of Dallas, Texas.
In addition to the Pizza Patron, an unnamed clothing store is also set to move into the strip mall.
Best Western moving along
After a few short delays due to weather early in the construction process, Best Western is moving along quickly and is expected to be completed by April.
Framing and utility installation has been completed and now the crew is working on finish work.
The three-story hotel, located near the corner of Pan American and 7th Street, will have 69 rooms, a meeting room, a swimming pool, fitness room along with a kitchen area and computer lounge.
The hotel will have four different types of rooms —- two queen-bedroom, King bedroom, King bed suite and King bed with Jacuzzi.
Construction began in July but went through some short delays due to monsoon rains.
Comments
the results are in wrote on Jun 3, 2009 11:31 AM:
Shame on you past and present city leaders wrote on Mar 17, 2009 1:09 PM:
What the city is really doing is providing a placebo for a community that needs a strong financial injection. Please, what the city is doing is bring all of these burger joints and other dining establishment to entice the Mexican trade which provides the biggest impact to the Douglas economy. Those working at the call center, Carl's Jr., or the Pizza Patron will not have any money left to go enjoy the labors of our "city leaders"! When you bring in manufacturing, promote education, and encourage our youth to seek middle management and leadership positions then I will applaud your efforts! Not this jewel which is nothing more than cheap costume jewelry that seems real but truly only benefits the city by the rent paid to the city for leasing the buiiding to ACT. Shame on you! "
Info Geek wrote on Mar 2, 2009 7:08 PM:
High turnaround and low pay are the benchmark of all call centers.
If this call center is the jewel of our (Douglas) economic future we are truly in trouble. What we need are jobs in Manufacturing.
This would be sad if we are resting our future on this Call Center. "
DHS Grad wrote on Mar 2, 2009 3:59 PM:
People making $18,000-19,000 per year are not going to be vested in building the sense of community. They will be struggling to support their lives. Mayor Gomez-thank your city manager and public works director when stable, middle-income jobs are brought to the community. "
Give Credit Where Credit is Due wrote on Mar 2, 2009 3:58 PM:
Citizen of Douglas wrote on Feb 27, 2009 1:02 PM:
As professional as Mayor Gomez would like to have people think he is, he has failed to recognize the previous Mayor and Council for their participation in all the negotiations that brought this business to Douglas. It is the only right thing to do. Where are his professional ethics?
Citizens of this community acknowledge how Mayor Gomez seeks recognition in anyway, shape or form he can get and this is a fact! "
DHS Alum wrote on Feb 27, 2009 6:39 AM:
to Stanley Tucci wrote on Feb 24, 2009 1:30 PM:
Stanley Tucci...bah "
DHS Grad wrote on Feb 24, 2009 12:34 PM:
Many people (including me, a Phoenix resident) don't live in our beloved hometown because of the lack of opportunity we'd find there. DHS grads deserve more than burger-flipping, call center duties, and turndown servicing.
A job is a job and many of us are grateful for any employment. I'd like to hear of more jobs created outside of the prison, Border Patrol, and low-end service positions. Low wages and transient populations do little to help the community.
Douglas residents deserve more middle-class opportunities, not more fast food. I'd like to see the city's leaders step up and recruit some of those businesses. "
Stanley Tucci wrote on Feb 24, 2009 6:54 AM:
A mexican twist on Pizza???
Oh heck! Why don't they open up a chinese food place with a Mexican twist on Chow Mein?
Only in Douglas, I can see it now.
The Taco Pizza, The Enchilada Pizza, The Burrito pizza.
If its geared for the citizens of Douglas make sure they sell Beer and tequila
Pizza Patron... BAH! "