By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
Residents and stakeholders planning to attend this week’s Gilbert Planning and Zoning Commission meeting should clear their schedules and plan for a long night.
Among other items in a packed agenda, the Commission will discuss five planned multifamily developments totaling more than 1,200 potential new units.
Morrison Ranch II
Going down the agenda, the first development under consideration is Morrison Ranch II – a 236-unit apartment proposal from P.B. Bell. The approximately 16.7-acre vacant site sits at the SEC of Elliot Road and Beebe Street.
According to the submitted narrative, the luxury community near the Loop 202 freeway, “will appeal to working professionals, employees, and young families that desires a unique, amenity rich, and pedestrian friendly lifestyle near major employment hubs and distinctly local restaurants and retail. This project provides a needed housing option that is currently underserved in this area.”
Planned amenities include a swimming pool and spa, a clubhouse with a business and lounge space, fitness center, children’s play area, dog park, a barbeque area and a recreational gathering space.
The accompanying staff report says the development will be made up of four-, eight- and 16-unit two-story structures.
The development team consists of developer P.B. Bell, design firm BMA Architecture, civil engineer EPS and landscape architect anderson.
The applicant is requesting approval of a design review case for the new development. Wednesday’s meeting is for discussion purposes only, and no vote will be taken.
Highland Park
New Village Homes is seeking approval of a design review package for an approximately 16-acre site south of the SEC of Val Vista Drive and Warner Road. The developer had earlier submitted requests for a minor general plan amendment and rezoning for a low-density multifamily planned area development.
The south side of the planned development will have cottage style units with 39 three-bedroom and 27 two-bedroom configurations, each with an attached garage. The north side will feature 72 two-bedroom, two-story townhomes, also with attached garages.
Highland Park’s primary amenity will be a farmhouse-style clubhouse with an attached pool deck, according to the staff report.
The development is planned in one phase, but the potential exists to develop a second phase on two additional parcels north of the current site.
No vote will be taken in Wednesday’s meeting.
Morrison Ranch Multifamily (Morrison Ranch Apartments)
Owner LG Morrison Ranch LLC (Leon Property Group) wants to build an apartment community of 231 units across 20 buildings on 16.6 undeveloped acres near the NEC of Higley and Warner roads.
According to the submitted project narrative, the units may be available for sale or lease. Design elements will be in keeping with the surrounding Morrison Ranch community.
The buildings will be arranged in a compound character with courtyard areas featuring a swimming pool, structured shade, barbeque areas and passive space. Trails will connect to the amenity area and outside of the community, including a planned commercial development to the west.
This project is also being presented for discussion only.
Stillwater Rivulon
The next development up for discussion is Stillwater Rivulon, a 352-unit proposal from Nationwide Realty Investors for a 10.3-acre site on the SWC of Lindsay and Pecos roads.
The developer is requesting a minor general plan amendment, rezoning from business park to multifamily, and an amendment to the existing Rivulon Planned Area Development.
As proposed, Stillwater Rivulon will consist of five-story buildings with a total unit mix of 28 studios, 228 one-bedroom, 82 two-bedroom and 14 three-bedroom layouts.
Planned amenities include a pool, courtyard with accessory uses, fitness area and other indoor amenities.
The project narrative says the development is “a key aspect to the overall Rivulon master plan and has long been envisioned here. The Property has been meaningfully programmed to fulfill the vision of the employment park and is designed in a way that complements the office and retail components without any external impacts on surrounding properties.”
No action has been requested as part of the meeting agenda.
Information supplied to BEX Research staff from Stillwater Capital gives an estimated construction start as Q1 of next year and an anticipated completion of Q2 2025.
Higley Apartments
Higley Apartments is the last multifamily item on the August 3rd agenda, but due to a clerical error on the part of Gilbert Town staff, the latest project documents were not uploaded to the Town website. Consequently, this brief will rely on previously submitted information.
Fore Property Company is looking to build a four-story, 261-unit development at the NEC of Higley and Baseline roads. The site is planned around a central clubhouse with fitness and amenity spaces. Open spaces and courtyards centered around the various buildings on the site will provide additional amenities.
According to the design review application narrative submitted in May, the planned unit mix will feature 170 one-bedroom, 87 two-bedroom and four three-bedroom units.
To accommodate the increased volume the development will bring to Higley Road and Banner Gateway Drive, the developer will also make improvements to the intersection.
Gilbert Multifamily Snapshot
INSERT GILBERT MF SNAPSHOT XLS SOMEWHERE IN HERE.
The addition of more than 1,200 units to Gilbert’s multifamily pipeline should come as no surprise. In early July, a nationwide analysis of luxury apartment development put the town as Number One in the United States over the past 10 years, followed by Chandler in the second position and Scottsdale in fourth.
A review of the DATABEX project database for multifamily projects in Gilbert shows a healthy history of development since 2016. Not including master plans, the database lists 57 multifamily projects with a total unit count of 13,208 and a total construction cost estimate of slightly more than $2.45B.
