By Adrienne St. Clair for Arizona Builder’s Exchange
JLB Partners has submitted a rezoning approval request to the City of Scottsdale to build a new community that will include both residential units and office space on McDowell Road in southern Scottsdale.
The community, called “The McDowell,” will be built on the 12.3 gross acres (11.6 net acres) that are currently occupied by Chapman Scottsdale Autoplex. The dealership plans to relocate by this October. JLB Partners plan for approximately 371 residential units and 8KSF of flexible office space in the new mixed-use neighborhood, valued between $60M and $75M.
The project, which will feature two-, three- and four-story buildings, is bordered on the north by McDowell Road. Single-family residential housing runs immediately south of the property. The lot’s western boundary is the Crosscut Canal, while the eastern boundary includes Scottsdale RV.
According to the project proposal, The McDowell will help revitalize the McDowell Corridor and help fill an increasing demand for new housing in southern Scottsdale.
The current zoning of the location is Highway Commercial, consistent with the needs of Chapman Scottsdale Autoplex. JLB Partners propose that the zoning designation be changed to Planned Unit Development.
The McDowell proposal cites several reasons why the project will succeed. First, the plan boasts an attractive location. The spot is close to downtown Scottsdale, Phoenix and Tempe. The owners also suspect the residential units will benefit from the close proximity to the Crosscut Canal, Papago Park, Sky Harbor International Airport, the Phoenix Zoo and the Desert Botanical Gardens.
Not only will new residents benefit from the project, but the project will also benefit the surrounding areas. The proposal claims that “incorporating new residential units and office space is essential to the success of southern Scottsdale and the McDowell Road Regional Corridor.”
Plans for The McDowell were guided by Scottsdale’s 2001 General Plan, which includes six guiding principles designed to inform project design. The six guiding principles, which prioritize things like sustainability, lifestyle, economic vitality and preservation of open space, have been specifically incorporated into the proposal and addressed by the owner.
The proposal promises that the final product will “contribute to the live, work and play land use balance promoted by the General Plan” and the plan for southern Scottsdale.
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