By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
Another 566 apartment units could be on the way in Tempe following the March 14th Development Review Commission’s recommendations for approval of four requests from multifamily developer IDM Companies.
IDM has requested a general plan amendment, rezoning, Planned Area Development overlay and development plan review of its IDM Fountainhead project, planned on 8.24 acres of a total 24.95-acre site at Priest and Alameda drives, east of the I-10.
The proposal seeks to build 566 apartments in two new five-story buildings, as well as a third, two-story building that will serve as a clubhouse and amenity area. The planned unit breakdown, according to the planning staff report, is 90 studios, 225 one-bedroom and 251 two-bedroom units.
In describing the site plans, the submittal says, “The IDM Fountainhead is a mixed-use development with approximately 566 multi-family units, at a density of approximately 23 dwelling units per acre (“du/ac”). The Site is proposed to be comprised of two 5-story structures containing studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. Each structure will also contain a 5-story parking structure, a leasing center, and an open-space courtyard. In between the structures, a full amenity package will be offered including a fitness center, community clubhouse and resort-style pool. Amenity, open-space, and perimeter areas will be landscaped with a variety of vegetation to provide shade and an increased sense of place.”
In a creative move, the developer is requesting designation for the project as a mixed-use plan, rather than wholly residential. There are already four office buildings and two parking structures on the overall site, which satisfies commercial requirements for a mixed-use designation. IDM envisions the overall project as a campus-style setting, according to the submitted narrative.
Surrounding property uses consist of industrial/mixed-use to the north, industrial to the west and east, and industrial, commercial and single-family residential to the south.
The residential portion of the property will have a density of 69 units/acre. However, the density for the total site will only be 23 units/acre. The maximum density for the PAD concerning the development portion of the site is 69 units, and the requested zoning cap is 25 units. Thus, the combined mixed-use designation including the existing office space would satisfy both requirements.
The existing parking structures provide 1,599 spaces for the office component, and the structures for the multifamily development would add 1,043. The office development also has 151 bicycle parking spaces, and the multifamily addition would include 540 more.
In keeping with the campus aesthetic for the site, planning staff notes the landscaping for the project is “significant.” A total of 44% of the overall site will include landscape coverage, and the heavy concentration of landscape accents along the frontage “should create an improved pedestrian experience,” according to the report.
After detailing the various specifics of the plan, the narrative concludes by identifying several benefits to the overall area if it is allowed to proceed. “Some of these benefits include increased pedestrian activity, additional quality housing, diversification of available land uses in the vicinity, and desired redevelopment of vacant and underutilized land. The proposal is compatible with,” it says. “The surrounding context and with ground level activity, human-scale architecture, ample parking and connectivity around and through the project, increases the functional land use relationships on an underutilized property, while strengthening the economic stability of the City, and enhancing its critical infrastructure.”
Per the submitted project narrative, IDM Companies is the developer. The site has multiple owners, with JDM Partners being the primary. DAVIS is the architectural firm. Landscape design is by Anderson Design Company. HILGARTWILSON is the civil engineer, and the land use attorney is Berry Riddell LLC.
A target construction start date has not been set. In the public meetings concerning the project, representatives said the overall development timeline will be approximately 14 months after construction commences.
Planning staff told AZBEX the proposals were scheduled to go before the Tempe City Council on the evening of March 16. Results were not available by press time.
