By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
The next evolution of the Bella Storia master plan is underway, following a recent master site plan and an associated component review of the 12.96-acre Bella Storia Commercial plan by the Gilbert Design Review Board.
Bella Storia is a nearly 80-acre master planned site at the NWC of Power and Williams Field roads. The development vision includes single-family, multifamily, restaurants, retail and other commercial components.
The overall project dates back to 2022, and AZBEX was the first outlet to report on plans for the multifamily component early last year. (AZBEX; Feb. 4, 2025)
The 13-acre site is zoned General Commercial with a planned area development overlay. Gilbert DRB met May 6 to consider the site plan, landscaping, grading and drainage, elevations, floor plans, lighting, colors and materials and to consider approval of a master site plan. The meeting was for input only. No action was requested.
The development plan for Bella Storia Commercial calls for 90.3KSF of building space. The submitted description reads, “The subject property, located at the northwest corner of Williams Field and Power Road, has remained largely unchanged, with the eastern half of the site consisting of older commercial buildings constructed in the 1970s within unincorporated Maricopa County and the western half as farmland.
“With significant development occurring in the surrounding area over the past 15 years, the owner believes there is now sufficient market demand to redevelop the 12.96‑acre site for new commercial uses. The property is part of the larger… Bella Storia PAD that includes two multi‑family developments and a single‑family neighborhood currently under construction. The proposal includes 90,289 square feet of retail and restaurant space in a series of one and two‑story interconnected and freestanding buildings that will be constructed in two phases.”
Primary access to the commercial component will be from Williams Field and Power roads. Secondary access will be via Haskell Street at the NWC and from the multifamily component to the north. The commercial center will be built around a village center concept, with parking around the buildings.
The plan calls for 14 buildings in total and will feature both sit-down and drive-thru restaurants, personal services and soft goods retail, such as apparel and bedding. Buildings will range from 4.3KSF to more than 7.5KSF. Two of the buildings are planned for two stories, while the majority will be single-story.
According to the submitted narrative, “The project places commercial goods and services at a major crossroads corner shared by Gilbert and Mesa, with proximity to the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and ASU Polytechnic Campus. The services anticipated are geared to local needs and focused on convenient neighborhood access by auto, bicycle or on foot.”
Known tenants will be confirmed during the design review submittal and approval process and will be the focus of Phase I. Phase I will deliver 56KSF of construction, while the remaining 34.3KSF will come during Phase II, which will be built according to market demand.
Phase I’s scope of work also includes the perimeter development, parking lots to the north and the main spine roads. Head-in parking, landscape and hardscape adjacent to the Phase II buildings will be constructed during that phase and beyond, as needed.
The overall Bella Storia development owner was previously identified as Di Bella Family LLP. Its manager, Francesca Muscarello, is also the manager of the commercial component’s listed owner: Power Road-Williams Field, LLC. The project narrative says the commercial component design was created in connection with the Muscarello family.
The project representative is Colliers Engineering & Design. Suite Six Architecture + Planning is the design and landscape planning firm, in association with G.K. Flanagan Associates.
