By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
The Dinerstein Companies has submitted a request for design plan approval for Legacy North Apartments at Crossroads—a 443-unit apartment and townhome development at Legacy Blvd. and Miller Road—to the Scottsdale Development Review Board.
The 20.5-acre, R-5-zoned site was purchased in an Arizona Land Department auction in March by real estate investor Michael Lieb’s Legacy 76, LLC. A news report at the time said the buyer planned to partner with The Dinerstein Companies on a multifamily development for the site.
At 443 units, the site has a planned density of 23 units/acre. Although the development is comparatively large for Scottsdale in terms of unit count, it remains below the 25 unit/acre recommended maximum set forth in the Scottsdale General Plan 2035 approved by voters in November 2021. General Plan 2035 lists “High Density” as “generally more than eight and up to twenty-five dwelling units to an acre of land.” Anything greater falls under the heading “Highest Density.” No location in the city is assigned for Highest Density, and the term exists only in the document’s glossary.
In its submittal, the developer describes a project aimed at preserving the site’s unique desert character while simultaneously introducing a modern, urban living environment. A key component of the plan is a wide-view corridor that separates the three-bedroom townhomes on the north of the site from the one- and two-bedroom apartments to the south. The east-west corridor runs the entire site length and features “outdoor living rooms” and seating views oriented toward the McDowell Mountains. The plan also features large setbacks from the major roadways around the site and gated walkways and landscape buffers to enhance the desert/suburban experience.
To balance the suburban component, the submittal says, “The architecture is inherently urban, with three-story townhome and apartment buildings. Outdoor spaces are shaped by residential buildings featuring design elements that are deeply influenced by desert modern architecture. These include large simple vertical massing and planar surfaces contrasted by large horizontal shading elements and deep recesses that provide shade for the buildings.”
The unit mix calls for 182 one-bedroom, 153 two-bedroom and 108 three-bedroom units. Describing the development’s architectural character, the submittal says, “The 15 and 20 plex apartment buildings border Legacy Blvd. and Miller Road with a 25’-0” setback, which creates a buffer that protects the site and allows for desert plants to line the roadways. Townhomes along Miller Road are set back more than 75’-0” allowing room for a dog park and protected outdoor amenity areas with views towards the McDowell Mountains.”
All the units will share central amenities, including a pool and deck, a leasing building with co-working space and a clubroom, a fitness building, several outdoor “rooms,” dog parks and a pedestrian loop around the entire site. A trail easement north of the site will provide a connection to Thompson Peak Park.
No hearing date has been announced as of press time. The Dinerstein Companies is the developer and general contractor. KTGY Architecture + Planning is the design firm. The civil engineer is Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc.
