By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
After nearly two years with little to no movement, plans for Laveen Towne Center—a mixed-use master plan in south Phoenix between Vestar and BRIO Investment Group—are moving forward with a significantly expanded property size and the addition of a new use component.
The project was first reported in January 2023 and planned for a mixed-use development on 40 acres with retail and specialty shops, restaurants and entertainment uses centered around the historic Hudson Farmhouse in Laveen. (AZBEX; Jan. 6, 2023)
BRIO purchased the 90-acre total site at the SEC of Dobbins Road and Loop 202 from the Arizona Department of Transportation in 2020, and the original plans predicted a summer 2024 groundbreaking and fall 2025 opening. When the project was first announced, multifamily and other commercial developments were mentioned as possible future phases.
The Future is Now
BEX research staff tracked the development proposal closely, but other than the January 2023 Phoenix City Council approval of a development agreement to reimburse Vestar up to $25M for infrastructure improvements, a May 2023 article reporting the opening was pushed to spring 2026, and two updated marketing brochures—one of which listed Sam’s Club as a possible tenant—there were no new filings or updates.
Then, land use law firm Snell & Wilmer filed a Planned Unit development submittal with the City of Phoenix on March 26 of this year. The project is now planned for the entire 90-acre property and includes a diverse residential component in addition to the commercial offerings.
Originally planned for 400KSF, the PUD submittal states the commercial uses will now be 530KSF “focused upon community servicing uses such as sit-down and quick-serve restaurants, personal services and specialty shops, a department store featuring groceries and general merchandise, a warehouse club, and a family entertainment facility.”
The update has also added up to 1,456 residential units. These units could cover nearly every format of housing. According to the submittal, the housing types could include “multifamily, condominium, single-family attached or detached development options, as well as the possibility for modern assisted living.”
In describing the property condition and infrastructure, the submittal says, “The site is currently underdeveloped and vacant. It is the site of a former and now vacant farm which has ceased operations. The Site generally flat and is characterized by grass ground cover with few trees. The site is surrounded by ADOT right-of-way to the west, Dobbins Road to the north, 59th Avenue to the east, and the site of a future residential development to the south. An exposed SRP canal runs the length of the northern PUD perimeter.”
The submittal says Laveen Towne Center will be divided into two distinct development areas. “To promote flexibility and livability, Development Area 1 will permit mixed-use commercial and residential development. To ensure that the heaviest commercial and retail concentration is located along Dobbins Road, which bifurcates the center of the Village Core, no residential development is permitted within 1,020’ of this alignment. The residential component of Development Area 1 is designed to offer an upscale multifamily living experience that complements the retail uses, while also providing housing diversity within the Village Core.”
Development Area 2 will be restricted to the residential uses described above.
The non-residential area will be situated on the northern portion of the property. The center section will feature mixed-uses, and a narrow strip that abuts ADOT land to the east and the LIV South Mountain community to the south will be entirely residential.
Renderings and elevations by BMA Architecture for the multifamily component refer to it as Cold Springs MF.
According to the submittal, “The land use plan for the Development makes use of a hierarchical structure, wherein proposed land uses decrease in intensity as distance from Dobbins Avenue and the Village Core increases. The Development emphasizes cohesion, compatibility, and consistency across its different land use types. The final plans for the Development will ensure overall harmony among the various land uses through improved pedestrian connectivity and visual consistency.”
The property will include an homage to the Hudson Farm operation. The overall architectural design for Laveen Towne Center plans to draw its inspiration from Laveen Village’s agricultural roots and historically rural character while simultaneously incorporating contemporary elements for the modern resident and shopper, according to descriptions in the submittal narrative. “The Development honors Laveen’s rich agricultural history through the use of inspired colors, materials and architectural elements, ensuring meaningful growth without disturbing the established and celebrated community character.”
As of May 21, no hearings have been scheduled. For a PUD rezoning case, there are typically between one and three submittals, which are then followed by a reviews and hearing by Village planning authority—in this case the Laveen Village Planning Committee—and then a hearing by Phoenix Planning and Zoning and, finally, a hearing and vote to approve or deny the request by the Phoenix City Council.
The property will be developed by Vestar and BRIO Investment Group. The design firms are Butler Design Group and BMA Architecture. ABLA Studio is the planner and landscape architect. Optimus Civil Design Group is the civil engineer, and traffic engineering is by CivTech. Snell & Wilmer, LLP is the project zoning attorney.
