By Roland Murphy for AZBEX – BEXCLUSIVE
Developer The Richman Group is requesting a Planned Unit Development rezoning for Helen Drake Village, a planned expansion to the Helen Drake Senior Center near 27th and Northern avenues in Phoenix.
The 4.7-gross-acre site houses the current 14KSF senior center, which offers enrichment programs, field trips, art and educational classes and other activities for community seniors. The expansion will renovate the site and provide 80 new affordable senior multifamily residential units in the first phase.
Project owner the City of Phoenix Human Services Department issued a Request for Proposals last December as part of its initiative to develop affordable and mixed-income housing on City-owned land. TRG’s proposal was chosen in June, and City Council authorized the City Manager to enter into a development agreement for the redevelopment.
The plan includes preserving the existing center and building one new 80-unit residential building, as well as parking and both indoor and outdoor amenity spaces. Units will be one- or two-bedroom. The senior center will be preserved and will include a fitness center, game area, billiards and shuffleboard space, library and a computer lab.
Potential and planned amenities for the residential component include a community room, a wellness studio, an outdoor walking path, bocce ball courtyard and courtyard/seating areas.
The project is intended to allow for the construction of two additional residential buildings in the future. The future construction could add another 124 units, bringing the total count up to 204 and the overall density up to 43.5 units/gross acre.
Current zoning for the site is R1-6 (Single-Family Residence District). TRG has requested a Planned Unit Development to allow for the new project. The proposed building height would be 45 feet, with a building area of 80KSF and lot coverage of 50%.
No hearing dates have been announced.
City of Phoenix is the owner, with The Richman Group serving as developer. The design firm and landscape architect is City Fabrick. Traffic engineering is by CivTech, Inc., and the project is represented by Snell & Wilmer, LLP.
