By Richard Dyer
Twitter: @RHDyer

A developer’s plans to construct a four-story apartment building adjacent to a roundabout have been dropped along with the rezoning application.

WCG Partners LLC, represented by Paul Poteet and Marco Diaz of Summa Terra Ventures, had requested a rezoning of three parcels of approximately 4.5 acres for a 152-unit leased project coined, “Superstition Ridge Apartments” at the southeast corner of Superstition Boulevard and North Apache Trail/State Route 88.

“The applicants have withdrawn their petition for rezoning. We also got confirmation from the property owner that the property is no longer under contract for escrow,” Apache Junction Development Services Director Larry Kirch said at a recent council meeting.

“The planning commission did vote 5-0 to turn it down; at that point, the applicant withdrew,” he said.

The location was not right for the development, Mayor Jeff Serdy said. “And I think everyone is relieved that they’ve pulled it. I think people liked the project, just nowhere near this location,” he said.

Meridian and Baseline would be a better location for such a project, he said.

Later he suggested that the property near the roundabout would be perfect for a resort.

“A mini, low-profile resort with underground parking,” Mayor Serdy said.

“It would be a good place for a hotel. Not four stories --- a low-level,” Councilmember Robin Barker said.

If an apartment complex were built at the location, it should be no more than three stories tall, Councilmember Gail Evans said.

“I, personally, didn’t have a problem with it, other than I would prefer three stories,” she said. “Because that location right there in that busy roundabout would be hard for a business to be there, single-family homes wouldn’t necessarily want to be in a roundabout, but high-density apartments --- I would prefer townhomes or condos. But we need the density in the downtown area,” she said.

Accepting the withdrawal of the rezoning application was approved in a unanimous vote of the City Council on June 2. Councilmember Christa Rizzi was not at the meeting.

The apartments were a project of Summa Terra Ventures, a regional real estate development company out of Springville, Utah, that specializes in multi-family entitlement and development, Tanner Hiatt, senior project manager, said in a project narrative.

There were to be two, four-story buildings and 267 parking stalls. The unit mix included 24 studio units, 84 one-bedroom/one-bath units and 44 two-bedroom/one-bath units.

The complex was also to have a pool, eight pickleball courts, a leasing office, game room and workout space, he said.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley
@RHDyer

rdyer@iniusa.org

Meet Richard
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.  

Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. 

Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.

Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.

Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.