By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
A long-planned mixed-use residential development in south Phoenix may get a new life under recent requests submitted to the City of Phoenix.
Matrix Equities requested and received a rezoning at the SWC of 59th Avenue and Dobbins Road in 2022 for a development featuring a planned retail center, 207 traditional multifamily units and 197 Build-to-Rent units. The plan was collectively known as Matrix at Dobbins. (AZBEX; July 12, 2022)
The DATABEX project database shows Phoenix City Council approved the rezoning request with stipulations in November 2022. In December 2022, a request was filed to divide the property into three parcels. Speculation at the time was Matrix Equities would develop the BTR component and other developers would build the apartment and retail portions. BEX research notes show commercial, apartment and BTR uses were still planned as recently as this February.
Now, however, a request to modify stipulations under the rezoning has been submitted to the Phoenix Planning Hearing Officer that signify a major change in plans is underway.
According to the submitted project overview, “The Site consists of approximately 38.96 gross acres (35.95 net acres) located at the southeast corner of 59th Avenue and Dobbins Road. The proposed development includes a town center and retail plaza area (hereafter ‘Lot 1’) on the northern and western portions of the Site and is intended for commercial use. The remaining portion of the Site includes a multi-family residential community (hereafter ‘Lot 2’) consisting of three hundred sixty (360) dwelling units with a density of approximately 24.83 dwelling units per acre (du/ac).
“The purpose of the PHO is to establish modified stipulations to support the proposed site plan while maintaining compatibility with surrounding development and the long-term vision of the area.”
Now referred to in the submittals as 59th & Dobbins, with RAI Holdings named as the developer, the overview says the site will “incorporate an agrarian-inspired development theme that emphasizes a connection between the built environment and open space areas.”
Plans include enhanced landscaping, shaded outdoor areas and a central open space between the commercial and multifamily portions that will act as the development’s central focus point and provide a gathering space and visual connection between the two sections.
The conceptual site plan shows the commercial section planned for 54.5KSF of restaurant uses and 61KSF of retail.
The requested stipulation changes for the Lot 1 component update the governing site plan to replace the plan submitted in 2022 and remove references to the previously planned Lot 3. They also reduce the required open space for Lot 1 from 28% down to 15% to allow for expanded commercial development. The central open space will still be provided between the two lots and will now include pickleball courts.
In the multifamily Lot 2 component, requested changes will update the maximum unit count from 214 apartments to 360 and increase the required open space from 10% to 20%.
The Lot 3 horizontal component and its stipulations will be completely eliminated.
The PHO submittal still lists Matrix Equities as the owner. The development team page identifies RAI Enterprising Holdings as the developer. The commercial architect is Upward Architects, while the design firm for the multifamily portion is BMA Architecture. ABLA is the planning/landscape architecture firm. The civil engineering firm is EPS Group, and legal representation is provided by Berry Riddell LLC.
The requests are scheduled for a virtual hearing on May 20.
