By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
Mesa’s Planning and Zoning Board has approved a site plan application for the 6.6-acre first phase of development at EastMarket, a 32-acre area at the NEC of Ray and Ellsworth roads in the larger 3,200-acre Eastmark area.
Phase I will include a 23KSF Sprouts Farmers Market. Local news sources report Sprouts has signed the lease and plans to open the store in 2027. The first phase will have a total build area of approximately 55KSF. In addition to Sprouts, there will be four other commercial and retail tenants ranging between 4.7KSF and 7.2KSF. A bank with a drive-up ATM is being considered as a separate pad site.
Plans were submitted for review last year that included “500 multifamily units, retail, a hotel, restaurants and a market area,” according to another local news outlet and reported in the Nov. 8 subscriber-only issue of AZBEX. According to the DATABEX project database, “Major Land Use Budget Transfer and Site Plan Review requests were continued indefinitely at the 11/13/24 Planning & Zoning Commission meeting.”
The updated and recently approved presentation in the Phase I project narrative says, “This updated site plan application proposes a Major Site Plan Approval for the Common Bond commercial/retail site. Development of this initial anchoring site will set the stage for the development of Eastmarket, which represents an important capstone commercial/retail space with anticipated surrounding high-density residential uses. When Eastmarket is ultimately completed, including the development of this first phase, it will be consistent with the originally envisioned concept for a cohesive mixed-use environment and activity area.”
Though now separated from the commercial portion of EastMarket, the developers note the future multifamily component remains essential for the area’s overall success. “To maintain the integrity of a mixed-use development and foster the success of the quality tenancy that is desired for EastMarket, the multi-family component is an important part of the development of the larger commercial property,” the narrative says.
“In the future, the Master Developer will continue to propose that residential units be transferred from Development Unit I to Development Unit 4, consistent with the Land Use Budget Transfer process outline…. It is important to highlight that the overall success of this project as well as the future commercial within the 32-acre site is highly dependent on the development of additional residential to support the site and to ensure that the highest quality of tenants are secured.”
The EastMarket master developer is a joint venture between DMB Associates, Inc. and Brookfield Residential called DMB Mesa Proving Grounds, LLC. Common Bond Development Group will develop Phase I. The Phase I design firm is Suite 6 Architecture + Planning.
