Kaplan Multifamily has proposed a 612-unit apartment community with commercial and non-residential uses for a 13.26-acre site near Recker and Williams Field roads in the Cooley Station community of Gilbert.
The developer is requesting a General Plan amendment and rezoning to allow two, four-story apartment buildings, 15KSF of commercial space and more than 25KSF of non-residential uses on the ground floors of the two apartment buildings.
The apartments in District at Cooley Station would be in two buildings. The non-residential could include retail, a fitness outlet, workspaces and/or an urban grocer. Such uses require a conditional use permit. The retail-commercial component would be free-standing in buildings of one or two stories.
The proposal also includes a first for Gilbert – apartment units wrapped around an internal parking garage.
There was only one attendee at a neighborhood meeting the developer held in April.
In a Gilbert Planning Commission study session earlier this month, Commissioners questioned the value of multifamily over commercial and requested an explanation as to the developer’s request to reduce the amount of glass in the public street-facing ground floor retail for 75% to 50%.
Garrett Residential at Cooley Station
In the same study session, Commissioners also examined a request from The Garrett Companies to develop a mixed-use development with 358 apartments, 23KSF of retail and a hotel on two parcels in Cooley Station.
Garrett Residential at Cooley Station would be located at the SWC of Verde Drive and Williams Field Road. A future transit center, which features in Garrett’s plan, will be located nearby south of Somerton Blvd. Garrett says it intends its project to provide commercial and retail choices for people using the center.
Some Commissioners took exception since there is no timeline for the transit center’s development. Some also said the project seems to be trying to add residential where it may not be an appropriate fit.
No dates have been scheduled for either project to return to the Commission for further discussion or for a vote. (Source)
