A 40-acre project featuring 700,000 square feet of luxury town homes, condos and retail space shows the mixed-use fever that has engulfed the Valley in recent years has spread to Chandler. Town officials said ParcLand's homes near Alma School Road and Loop 202 will be similar to brownstone row houses, and starting prices will range between $330,000 and $450,000.

The city has already approved plans by Valley-based Kitchell Corp. and Monterey Homes to build the project, and the developers said they will break ground in six to 12 months and finish by 2009.

Although the project won't have as many retail offerings as northeast Phoenix's Kierland Commons - an upscale shopping center built in 2000 - a company involved with the project said there would be a resemblance.

"I think it will have a very similar feel in terms of quality," said Mark Sleeth, vice president at Kitchell, which is building the retail and office components.

According to plans the developers submitted to the city, the project will be divided equally between residential units and the 205,000-square-foot office and retail component.

Jodie Novak, senior city planner, said the design is unique in Chandler.

"It's a very nice product," she said. "It definitely is a quality development."

Sleeth said Chandler's educated and well-paid demographic makes it ripe for a project like ParcLand.

"There are lots of people who choose that lifestyle," he said. "(It) really fits a nice niche."

Sleeth said his company is still in the early stages and doesn't know which retailers they'll target, but said they would be high-end specialty shops with restaurants and possibly a spa.