By Scott Shumaker
Source: East Valley Tribune (Mesa, Arizona) (TNS)
April 8: A company known for creating a “car-free” network in Tempe has stepped up in its attempt to create a “car-free” progression at Mesa’s famed Site 17.
Culdesac, a new company committed to walkable communities, is proposing to build a mixed-use progression on city-owned land at the southwest corner of Mesa and University Drive, comprising up to 1,000 residential complexes and between 25,000 and 50,000 feet of commercial space.
Last week, the City Council approved a memorandum of understanding between the city and Culdesac that kicks off final negotiations to outline the main points of a progression agreement for a property that has been vacant for more than three decades. Culdesac’s housing proposal includes a mix of apartments and townhomes. .
So far, the broad outlines of the agreement come with the city’s major relief on the same number of parking spaces as before for a residential assignment — just 800 spaces in total. It’s a small number, but not as radical as the company’s allocation in Tempe. , which does not have parking for residents.
Still, the plan also echoes a trend the city of Tempe has endorsed for several giant downtown skyscrapers approved in recent months.
Downtown Tempe is building a walkable core. Those who live or now find almost everything they want within five blocks. There’s also the Tempe streetcar, as well as several stops along the downtown light rail, Orbit buses, as well as Uber, Lyft, Waymo, and motorcycle services to get other people around.
Recently, the City of Tempe unveiled an 89-parking lot plan for a 13-story, 239-unit apartment building.
Mesa’s assignment would be the company’s third development. Jeff McVay, the center’s chief transformation officer, estimated that it would take ten years to build the assignment in three phases.
“It’s a wonderful brand,” Mayor John Giles said of the new Site 17 contender. “Culdesac is a huge hit in Tempe and. . . It’s a feather in our hat. “
He added that the company “stands out for its quality and innovation. “
Culdesac beat out the candidate as a beloved spouse on the board of directors in October. The company’s work in Tempe has generated a lot of buzz in the national media, however, Site 17 will offer other demanding situations besides Tempe.
For one thing, it’s farther from light rail than Culdesac’s Tempe location, which sits next to an exercise station.
The 25-acre Site 17 has been a graveyard of shattered dreams for many developers for more than 30 years, with one proposal after being abandoned.
There’s also a legacy of grief and mistrust tied to the site, as the city’s acquisition of the land in the 1990s displaced a working-class, predominantly Latino, single-family housing community. Some of the acquisitions use eminent domain.
The city purchased the land for the sake of economic progress and revitalization, but it has not generated a return for the community.
Last year, a proposal by Miravista Holdings for a mixed-use residential complex with eight-story buildings on Site 17 failed, leading to a new request for proposals in August.
Mesa executives need to see how the page is turned and have expressed enthusiasm for Culdesac, however, the discussion ahead of the 5-to-1 vote to approve the deal has revealed some potential sticking points for a final deal.
Councilmember Mark Freeman reiterated that he’s not comfortable with the major parking relief planned at Culdesac: less than one parking area per unit.
“We’re going to have a parking problem. I feel it in my bones,” he said.
Freeman also believed that the city would have to make a circular about community commitments before moving forward with a new project. It’s been years since the last public meetings related to the redevelopment of the site.
In public comments, Mesa architect Tim Boyle echoed Freeman’s considerations about parking. He noted that Site 17 is a third mile or more from the nearest streetcar.
Boyle, a former member of the Planning and Zoning Board, wondered how many citizens would decide to live without a car in Arizona’s hot summers and was concerned about the consequences of underground parking development.
“What we found in our progress is that when other people don’t have enough parking spaces, they park somewhere else,” he said.
Boyle and some council members have also expressed a preference for the allocation to include homes for sale.
Culdesac’s concept includes townhomes for sale in Phase 2, but the city said the company will have the final say on whether to hire or sell based on the results of a market study.
The existing plan for Culdesac Mesa envisions “multimodal” infrastructure at the site to connect citizens to soft rail transit and other transportation systems and reduce the need for car travel.
During a review session, the use of shuttles to establish connections between Site 17 and the rest of downtown was discussed. The infrastructure could also come with a charging station for e-bikes or scooters. Culdesac’s founder, Ryan Johnson, is an e-bike evangelist who claims to own more than 70 of them.
Downtown District Four Councilmember Jenn Duff defended the parking discounts for Culdesac, stating that the downtown progression is intended to be more transit-oriented and more walkable than other parts of Mesa.
Duff said Mesa offers many other ways of living, and prospective citizens contemplating downtown Mesa are interested in an efficient way of life through the car.
“We want to centralize where we park (downtown),” he said. “It’s a huge improvement in quality of life when we focus on people” rather than the car.
But the parking factor probably won’t go away: Councilmember Julie Spilsbury said she was excited about Culdesac’s project, but shared Freeman’s considerations about parking.
She strongly advocated for offering a giant amount of downtown parking spaces, but is in favor of moving the deal forward so the city can begin the negotiation process.
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