By Tasha Anderson for AZBEX
The Boyer Company is planning a multifamily and commercial development as part of the Rio 2100 mixed-use development in Tempe.
Known as Rio East, the project will be located on 14.2 acres at 98 South River Drive. Applicant, Quarles & Brady LLP, on behalf of The Boyer Company, is requesting a Zoning Map Amendment from Heavy Industrial to Mixed-Use, High Density District; a Planned Area Development Overlay for three lots; and a Development Plan Review approval, including site plan, elevations, and landscaping for the project.
The Rio East site consists of three lots. Lot one consists of an existing 174KSF office building and 260.9KSF parking garage that completed construction in May 2020, known as the Rio 2100 East Office Building. Lot two will house a 336-unit multifamily development comprised of a mix of 44 studio, 180 one-, 107 two- and 4 three-bedroom units, as well as a 171.3KSF parking garage. Lot three will house approximately 13.5KSF of retail and restaurant space in three buildings.
“The residential building is a contemporary interpretation of Spanish Pueblo Revival architecture, concrete and stucco in light white with darker warm accent colors,” according to the project documents submitted to the city. The project uses “wood components ceiling beams and porch posts, landscaped courtyards and sheltered patios and balconies, flat rooftop with rounded parapets and accents of pitched roof sections and decorative metal railings and building elements.”
The commercial buildings will be a similar contemporary style as the existing office building and commercial buildings to the west. “The buildings primary materials are integral colored concrete in a warm grey, painted EIFS in an off-white and tan.”
Amenities for the multifamily development will include pool and lounge areas, outdoor kitchen and bar, dog park, courtyard areas with artificial turf, passive recreation and active amenity spaces. The parking garage will be five levels and will be wrapped by some of the apartment units. A total of 1,616 parking spaces will be provided for the project, which includes parking from the Lot one office development.
According to the documents, the first formal application for Rio East was made on October 26th, 2020, with the final submittal on January 8th, 2021 with design revisions and completion of the traffic impact and parking analysis documents. The City of Tempe heard the most recent requests at its January 26th Development Review Commission meeting. The project is scheduled for its first City Council public hearing on February 11th and its final public hearing on March 25th.