Scottsdale is a vibrant city just 20 minutes from the heart of downtown Phoenix, AZ. With over 200 golf courses to choose from, support for the arts and the Fashion Square Mall in historic downtown Scottsdale, it is a destination city for people throughout Phoenix and the surrounding area. It’s a desirable area for commercial real estate, and numerous Phase 1 ESA’s are conducted every year to test the potential for open lots to be used as a commercial real estate location.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING

It’s important to work with an experienced environmental consulting firm in Scottsdale, Arizona when getting an ESA for real estate purposes to make sure a property, whether it is undeveloped or developed, is suitable as a commercial building site. An investment into a quality environmental consulting firm is worth it, as the investor will know the land is free from environmental hazards and ready to build a commercial investment in Scottsdale, AZ.

OBTAINING A PHASE 1 ESA

It is necessary to complete a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment before the real estate transaction goes through. For most lenders, a phase 1 ESA is a requirement. An Environmental Site Assessment protects the buyer and the seller by identifying any potential hazards in, on or at the property so that they can be dealt with. Any environmental hazards that are discovered will need to be managed so that the construction can occur, or the site will have to be let go as a potential commercial building site. Phase 1 ESA’s help protect both parties from lawsuits and will prevent certain construction delays. If the property is not suitable as a commercial building site, the buyer can back out of the deal once the Phase 1 ESA comes to this conclusion.

Gutierrez-Palmenberg, Inc. (GPI) offers ESA inspections in Scottsdale, AZ, and ESAs in other cities in Arizona. The company is based out of Phoenix, and serves commercial land developers throughout Scottsdale and the surrounding towns. As a local contractor, Gutierrez-Palmenberg, Inc. brings a strong understanding of the terrain, area waterways, and the impact of such waterways on the landscape. It is important to work with a local environmental consulting and engineering firm when having an ESA inspection done.

THE ELEMENTS OF A PHASE I ESA

Investors new to the Scottsdale, AZ area, or for those who are new to commercial investing, it is beneficial to know what happens when a Phase 1 ESA is done on a parcel of land, and understand each part of the Phase 1 ESA checklist. The Phase 1 ESA report provides the investor with valuable information regarding any potential hazards of the land and determines the suitability of the land as a commercial investment property. The first step includes a site visit to check the conditions of the land and to compare the property to any comparable properties nearby. Previous property conditions are reviewed as part of this first step.

Once the site visit is complete, all records of the land are reviewed. This includes state, local, federal and tribal databases to look for hazardous substance reports, the presence of underground or above-ground storage tanks, and to check for any reports of environmental disasters that have occurred on the site.

Previous owners, as well as current property owners, are interviewed to discuss the property, and to see if there are any environmental issues noted by those that have owned the property before.

HIRE AN ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING FIRM BEFORE A SALE

When hiring a Scottsdale, AZ environmental engineering firm, or one in the surrounding Phoenix metro area, GPI is ready to schedule a consultation. Contact GPI to learn more about ESA reports, their cost, and the services offered by this environmental engineering company.