THE
RACE GOES ON!
Commercial Development in the North
Valley is booming but its pace varies by community.
by
Kathleen Stinson
NORTH
VALLEY – The race is on to develop commercial properties in
the Desert Foothills and across the North Valley.
But
the rate of such growth varies–from full throttle in Cave
Creek to a steady pace in Anthem. As the population grows,
commercial development is quick to follow as developers take
advantage of the new markets.
“Retail
follows the people and the rooftops of new homes,” said Ed
Lewis, developer of the $100 million Easy Street Project planned
for Carefree. Located in the town center, the Easy Street
Project is moving forward at full speed–its first phase is
set for completion in two years.
But
not all commercial property in Carefree is moving as fast.
There are about half a dozen undeveloped parcels on the perimeter
of the town center, only two of which have approved site plans.
In addition, there are two undeveloped properties remaining
in the heart of the town center along Easy Street. The town
recently changed its zoning in order to facilitate development
of these properties.
Lewis’
plan is to build retail on the first floor and condominiums
on the second and third floors, and include underground parking.
He was attracted to Carefree, Lewis says, for its old‑fashioned,
pedestrian friendly town core.
“Downtown
Carefree is unique in its pedestrian infrastructure; that’s
what we like and what we’re amplifying,” Lewis said. “Ninety‑nine
percent of the retail (in Maricopa County) is either strip
mall or neighborhood grocery centers.”
Anthem,
by contrast, is nearing full build‑out and commercial
development has been progressing at a uniform rate.
“The
pace of commercial growth in Anthem, since the beginning,
has been very steady and vibrant,” said Jim Tomlin, director
of commercial planning for Pulte Homes, parent company of
Del Webb Corp. which created the master‑planned community.
All the commercially zoned land in Anthem has been sold, he
said, adding that “every one of the sold parcels either has
plans in process or plans approved” for development.
Darren
Gerard, deputy planning director for Maricopa County, said
there are only four areas zoned commercial in Anthem that
have not yet been completely developed. They include the area
around Gavilan Peak Parkway and Anthem Way, which is nearing
build‑out; the intersection of Daisy Mountain Drive
and Gavilan Peak Parkway; the Gavilan Peak and Daisy Mountain
area near the water treatment plant; and the Anthem Village
Center at Daisy Mountain Drive and Anthem Way.
The
northwest corner of Daisy Mountain Drive and Gavilan Peak
Parkway has some construction underway for a mixed development
of retail and office, Gerard said. Near the water treatment
plant, some offices are planned but no building permits have
been submitted yet. He noted construction is also underway
on a child day‑care center and retail establishment
in Anthem Village Center.
In
some instances, such as the area east of 7th Street in Desert
Hills, a lack of infrastructure, not the market, is affecting
commercial development. “All kinds of” commercial developments
for that area have been proposed, but those projects are being
held up because the area is served by septic tanks, not a
sewer system, according to Gerard.
But
in Cave Creek, developers are scrambling to build on what
is left of the undeveloped commercial space along Cave Creek
Road. “All parcels are in escrow and they’ll be coming with
development proposals,” said Ian Cordwell, planning director
for the town. The tract extends along the south side of Cave
Creek Road from Schoolhouse Road to just west of the Buffalo
Chip Saloon. It consists of a 44‑acre parcel containing
20 acres of commercially zoned land, Cordwell noted.
Despite
the rising cost of land, the number of development applications
in Cave Creek has not slowed, he said. Applicants in 2005
filed as many site plans for commercial and multi‑family
condominiums that year as were filed over a three‑year
span from 2002 to 2004.
“Development
is moving pretty fast in Cave Creek – coming off a red‑hot
market, it’s slowed a little,” said Jeff Yaeger, a leasing
agent with Century 21 Distinguished Properties in Scottsdale.
One
reason for the interest in the Cave Creek commercial market
is its unique character and the fact that commercial property
is in limited supply, Yaeger said.
Currently
under construction along Cave Creek Road is an 8,000‑square‑foot
restaurant and retail center. The project is the vision of
Cave Creek residents Janene and Marshall Woodbury. “It’s kind
of the end of the road–from the almost totally different urban
Scottsdale,” Marshall Woodbury said. He noted that he’s fielded
a number of inquiries from people who want to open a restaurant
and other establishments, but until the walls are up no decisions
will be made. Yaeger said the center is expected to be ready
for tenants in October.
Farther
east along Cave Creek Road is Stagecoach Village, a 105,000‑square‑foot,
12‑building complex of retail and office condominiums
currently under construction. The shopping, office and restaurant
complex is expected to be finished in early 2007.
Ken
Moore and Mike Zipprich, managing partners in a group of LLCs
which own the property, plan to sell the condominiums to “mostly
end‑users” such as retail and medical, real estate and
other offices.
“Cave
Creek has finally reached a time where its growth and potential
is ready for this type of shopping center,” Moore said. He
further related that Prescott artist Brad Williams has been
commissioned to create life‑size bronze sculptures for
the center.
The
area east of Interstate 17 is also experiencing a commercial
boom.
Although
the northeast corner of Carefree Highway at I‑17 is
for the most part built out, across North Valley Parkway to
the west of the Tramonto Marketplace a Home Depot has recently
opened. And according to Jordan Feld, village planner with
the City of Phoenix, other retail businesses, including drive‑in
banks and fast food, are planned nearby.
Proposed
for the area south of the Dove Valley Road alignment at I‑17
is a 500‑acre development that will include a mixed‑use
center comprised of multi‑story buildings with large‑square‑footage
office spaces. The center will look “very urban, like a mini
downtown” and include cultural and entertainment venues, Feld
said.
