Southeast Valley Development News

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by Obadno

https://azbigmedia.com/real-estate/mixed-use/culdesac-development-approved-by-city-of-mesa/

Very happy to see this, great project scale and location for downtown mesa. Would love to see one of these go in near downtown maybe south of Lincoln on the lightrale line, clear out some of those blighted lots.

Fingers crossed. If Culdesac can actually build on Site 17 in Mesa, I'd trust them to build anywhere.

[muertecaza]

Another standard 4-story apartment building has started construction in DT Mesa at 2nd Ave/Pomeroy. You can see the work on Streetview which was updated in October:

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4106888,..._ep=EgoyMDI1MTExNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Rendering from the City:

https://i.imgur.com/jZTRhMf.jpeg

Nothing special, but it has OK street frontage, and it's great to continue to build the critical mass of residential units in DT Mesa.

[combusean]

I honestly prefer simpler designs than the overengineered stuff that looks like it tries too hard to pass design review boards.

The mormon apartments for example look great.

[azsunsurfer]

More news about the Palo District….looks like it will be a “woman focused” medical and sports campus.

With Sharon Harper involved at least I know something will be built…albeit with a feminine touch!

https://www.abc15.com/news/business/palo...r-fiesta-mall-with-health-campus-planned

[combusean]

8 story office building proposed across the Mesa Arts Center. I don't have a subscription so anyone is free to fill in some details.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/loc...-story-high-rise-office-asu/88866082007/

[muertecaza]

Here you go

Originally Posted by combusean

8 story office building proposed across the Mesa Arts Center. I don't have a subscription so anyone is free to fill in some details.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/loc...-story-high-rise-office-asu/88866082007/

A vacant, desolate one-story building along Mesa’s Main Street could be transformed into an eight-story building with Arizona State University’s partnership.
The city is set to release a bid in the coming weeks to redevelop a site in front of the Mesa Arts Center.

But the city is confident that with ASU’s partnership, it will be able to attract Class A users, said Jeff McVay, the city's urban transformation manager.

The City Council gave McVay’s team the thumbs up to seek developers who could build out the site under the vision it had established. The council also told staff to continue negotiations with the university to transform the city’s downtown post office into new classroom and studio space to expand its footprint.

The site known as 51 – 55 East Main Street was originally built in the 1980s, McVay said. The city purchased the site when it was to build the Mesa Arts Center, but it was later left out of the plans. Over the years, it was used as a café and, most recently, by Benedictine University.

Currently, it's used as storage for the city but has since gone into a “certain level of disrepair” that would need “a significant amount of improvement,” which would not be cost-effective to do, McVay said.

The bid application would bring back life and use to that area of the city, planners hope.
McVay said the bid application will be released in March or early April and will be open for 30 to 60 days. After that, McVay and his team will review applications from developers who will expand on the preliminary plan set by the city.

The first floor would be reserved for retail space, and the second floor for event space to support the Mesa Arts Center.

Class A office space would likely fill the rest of the space, he said.

McVay said the office space would not be as speculative but would likely require pre-leasing with an expectation that ASU will take up a certain amount of space within that building.

The city has no Class A office space in the downtown core. It only has lower-classified workspaces, according to the city's data. Across the city, Mesa has 1.5 million square feet of Class A across 13 buildings, with nearly 33% of that space vacant, according to city data.
McVay said the city will retain ownership of the land and enter into a long-term ground lease with a private developer. He said it was too early to know the finances of the project.

The redevelopment of the city’s downtown post office could add 350 ASU students to Mesa, bringing the total to 1,200.

The city owns the land where the post office along Center Street sits. It would redevelop the space as studios, computer classrooms and workstations.

Mesa’s lease with the United States Postal Service ends in 2028.

The city plans to build a smaller retail post office near the current one to keep downtown service. A cost estimate to build the post office was $3.3 million, McVay said.

ASU’s renovation of the current post office was estimated to be nearly $25 million, with an additional $5 million for infrastructure improvements.

McVay said it was too early to know how the city and university would split the cost.
The city has also identified two other locations for ASU's future expansions that could one day lead to 3,000 students. He told the city council it was important to move forward with ASU expansion to keep the momentum in downtown.

"That snowball is starting to roll down. The gains we have achieved so far in developing this downtown arts and innovation district could be stalled," he said.

[combusean]

Whats up with the thumbs down lol

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by combusean

Whats up with the thumbs down lol

Whoops haha, posting from my phone and flubbed it.

Seems good overall, more integration with ASU is all good

[TllrSkyline-01]

Proposal for former Fiesta Mall site. 2 new hotels.



https://azbigmedia.com/real-estate/palo-...sta-mall-site-in-mesa-gets-2-new-hotels/

Palo District at former Fiesta Mall site in Mesa gets 2 new hotels
Sunny Day Sports revealed plans for two new hotels within the Palo District, the transformative redevelopment of the former Fiesta Mall site in Mesa. The hotels are designed to support the district’s emerging role as a national destination for women’s health, elite athletics, innovation and community engagement.

Together, the two hotel concepts will add approximately 600 rooms to the district and serve distinct but complementary needs tied directly to the Palo District’s core uses — including sports, sports medicine, research, business, leisure and tourism.

The first hotel is planned as a 400-key, modern-lifestyle property with a chef-driven restaurant and meeting spaces located adjacent to the planned sports stadium. This new hotel is designed to be one of the Palo District’s most dynamic gathering places. Envisioned with contemporary architecture, vibrant social spaces, and a distinctly urban, design-forward feel, the hotel will cater to businesses for conferences to travelers seeking an energetic, experience-driven stay — from visitors exploring the district’s restaurants, entertainment, and innovation hub to athletes drawn by major events.

While the hotel will also accommodate visiting sports teams, coaches, officials and fans, businesses and tourism, its broader focus is on creating a stylish, flexible environment that reflects the forward-looking identity of Palo District.

It will also fill a significant need in the area for higher-end hospitality and lodging for visitors to the project and other parts of the East Valley, as other hotel properties in the area have declined since Fiesta Mall’s downturn.

The second hotel, planned to be a 200-key extended-stay, 3.5-star concept, is designed specifically to support families, fans, tourists, researchers and visitors to the district’s Women’s Health Campus. Sunny Day Sports in partnership with Plaza Companies is in final discussions with several major hotel companies to identify which brands and flags would be the best fit for the project. Both are expected to open in early 2028.

“These hotels are not standalone projects — they are essential infrastructure that supports the mission and functionality of the Palo District,” said Vicki Mayo, CEO of Sunny Day Sports. “Whether it’s elite athletes coming to compete, tourists and sports fans flocking to new attractions, families supporting loved ones receiving care, or researchers and clinicians collaborating on-site, these lodging options are designed to meet real needs and enhance the experience of everyone who comes to Palo.”

The hotels will complement the district’s first-of-its-kind Women’s Health Campus, a $100 million investment focused exclusively on women’s health, wellness, research and performance. They will also support the district’s broader mix of sports facilities, medical and office space, restaurants, retail, entertainment and community amenities.

By integrating lodging that aligns with healthcare and sports uses, Palo District aims to set a new standard for mixed-use redevelopment — one that prioritizes purpose-driven design, community benefit and long-term economic impact.

The Palo District redevelopment spans approximately 80 acres and is currently in the master-planning phase, with phased construction expected to begin following city approvals. Additional announcements regarding hotel partners, operators, and timelines are anticipated in the coming months.

[muertecaza]

Originally Posted by TllrSkyline-01

Proposal for former Fiesta Mall site. 2 new hotels.

It's certainly ambitious. I'm not plugged into NWSL expansion talks, but I have not seen much concrete information about an expansion team in Phoenix. I assume that would be a prerequisite to these plans coming to fruition. But it's a great spot for a stadium IMO.

[Remi Kotten]

A joint MLS/NWSL bid would be ideal. Hopefully the Rising will be able to make the move up!

[builder03]

Planned for the NEC of Main St and Centennial Way

https://azbex.com/planning-development/164-room-ac-hotel-planned-for-main-st-in-mesa/

[muertecaza]

I'm pretty much always "build baby build," but this one is testing the strength of my convictions. I have a lot of fond nostalgia for the Natural History Museum, and would be sad to see the old building go. Plus there is still so much undeveloped or underutilized land in Mesa it seems like a misalignment of priorities to be knocking down a cool museum building that is now nearly 100 years old. But I'm still interested to see where this goes.

https://www.themesatribune.com/news/gran...9f0243d-dd1c-47b8-be31-96f71bf0291b.html

[bidwillsbiggestfan]

Originally Posted by muertecaza

I'm pretty much always "build baby build," but this one is testing the strength of my convictions. I have a lot of fond nostalgia for the Natural History Museum, and would be sad to see the old building go. Plus there is still so much undeveloped or underutilized land in Mesa it seems like a misalignment of priorities to be knocking down a cool museum building that is now nearly 100 years old. But I'm still interested to see where this goes.

https://www.themesatribune.com/news/gran...9f0243d-dd1c-47b8-be31-96f71bf0291b.html

i generally agree, the existing building is more than fine. there are emptier lots/uglier buildings to replace for the "global" draw they're looking for. also that top portion looks very similar to the burton barr central library

[exit2lef]

This sounds like an awful idea. Demolishing and completely replacing AZMNH will put the museum out of business for several years, undermining the financial goals being used to justify this project. If AZMNH is ready to expand, there is a surface parking lot across the street on the south side of Pepper Place and a parking garage next door. Either one could be transformed into another wing of the museum or a mixed use development combining museum space with a hotel.

Even if this plan made sense from a financial point of view, it invites scope creep, as seen by the comments of kooky creationist Dorean Taylor. Sure, Mesa could have an expanded museum, but it would make the city a laughing stock by promoting supernatural superstitions as somehow equivalent to scientific evidence. I’m surprised that Jen Duff, usually the voice of wisdom on the Mesa City Council, supports this. I hope she knows something I don’t.