The last major General Plan to be approved in Mesa was back in 2002 (2025 General Plan), which had many focal points, one being on residential housing growth on a horizontal level and also a new “city” in the Gateway region. However, the vision for Gateway was focused primarily on industry, not an urban mix of uses. Six years later, with the help of a few high-profile developers and very positive economic forecasts from various institutes, the 2025 General Plan has been amended. Most “growing” cities have general plans, which are blueprints for anticipated future growth and land uses. The East Valley city is now ranked 38th in city population in the country.
The Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport currently abuts the General Motors Proving Grounds site to the east. The GM facility sits on about 5000 acres of land, which was recently purchased by DMB Associates of Scottsdale and Pacific Proving, LLC. DMB owns around 3,200 acres, while PP owns the rest. The former general plan, which strictly called for industrial use, would not allow such a high density and mix of uses that each company is proposing. The amendment, which was approved by City Council Monday night with a twin 7-0 vote now allows for the developers to use the General Plan to their advantage, when they submit actual plans to the city in the coming weeks.
In most cases, developers need to be consistent with the general plan of the city they are working with. Their development plans are not actually required to be consistent with the GP for it to be approved, but it is quite hard to get anything approved, let alone a project of this size, if you are not complying with existing city documents.
Each company has a vision for a massive, mixed-use master planned community that will bring thousands of jobs and thousands of homes to a very valuable region. DMB has also recently announced a few companies it is teaming up with to complete their project, dubbed “Mesa Proving Grounds”. DMB’s project will include a Gaylord Hotel and Resort, Tom Fazio Golf Course, a shopping center of some sort from Westcor and other office, residential and entertainment uses. The Gateway region has been under the spotlight for some time now, especially after a few world-renowned aviation companies took interest in the proactive airport. DMB plans to start construction shortly after General Motors actually leaves the site when their lease ends next summer. No dates have been announced by Pacific Proving, which will have to wait at least until fall of 2009 to start building as well.
Local analysts who were hired by DMB estimate the Mesa Proving Grounds site could potentially consist of the following at build-out:
- 20 million square feet of total commercial space
- 14.5 million square feet of which will be office space
- 1.2 million square feet of retail space
- 4,000 hotel rooms
- 15,000 dwelling units
- A potential 37,500 residents and up to 91,800 permenant jobs
- Mesa would collect more than $40 million a year in sales tax revenue
