By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
The Phoenix Planning Commission voted in favor of a rezoning that would allow UMOM New Day Centers to build a 192-unit multifamily development on 6.89 acres at the NEC of 39th and Grand avenues.
The Alhambra Multifamily development site is currently covered by two different multifamily zoning types. The rezoning will establish a single zoning designation of R-4A (Multifamily Residence – General).
Surrounding land uses consist of a school bus depot, a used car dealership, a restaurant, a freight railway and other industrial uses.
According to the staff report prepared for the Commission and the submitted conceptual site plan, the proposal calls for a 192-unit affordable community. The project will create two four-story buildings and include 288 parking spaces (including standard, compact and ADA-accessible), 44 bike parking spaces, a clubhouse, a central amenity area with seating and children’s play equipment, landscaping and common areas.
There will be a single entry and exit point, which will be located on 39th Avenue.
The planned unit mix is made up of 76 one-bedroom, 24 two-bedroom, 60 three-bedroom and 32 four-bedroom apartments.
City staff recommended several stipulations in its recommendation for approval of the rezoning request. These include shaded bicycle parking, charging facilities for electric bicycles in at least 10% of spaces, and a bicycle repair station.
Another stipulation mandates at least two green stormwater infrastructure elements, which could include stormwater harvesting basins, bioswales or permeable pavement.
The property owner for the Alhambra site is School District No. 68 (Alhambra Elementary School District). UMOM New Day Centers is the developer. The design firm is Perlman Architects. The project is represented by Quarles & Brady LLP.
UMOM and Affordable Development
UMOM New Day Centers is a non-profit organization focused on addressing homelessness through employment and affordable housing development. According to the group’s website, its “programs are built around a simple formula: jobs + housing = ending homelessness. We work hand-in-hand with every person we serve to solve that formula alongside them. From emergency shelter to affordable housing, UMOM offers a full slate of vital services, rooted in a foundation of trust and proactive support.”
The organization’s housing efforts date back to at least 2016, the same year the DATABEX project database was first launched. Not including the Alhambra proposal, DATABEX lists five UMOM developments in Metro Phoenix, with four developments completed and another under construction.
As the table shows, Alhambra Multifamily is UMOM’s largest planned development with nearly 100 apartments. The group’s average development size, not counting Alhambra, is 74 units.
The five developments completed and under construction total 372 units. By building Alhambra Multifamily as planned, UMOM’s portfolio will increase to 564.
