A special use permit has been approved for a comprehensive sign plan for the Grid Mesa mixed-use development west of South Mesa Drive and south of East Main Street.
The Mesa Board of Adjustment on Feb. 1 voted unanimously in a consent agenda with other items to approve the permit for property in the T5 Main Street and T5 Main Street Flex Zoning Districts.
The requested sign plan would allow for modifications to attached permanent sign type sizes, attached permanent sign allowances and sign placements provided in the city’s sign ordinance, staff planner Emily Johnson said in a written staff report.
“The (comprehensive sign plan) includes project identity signage, which are defined signs that will be used within the development with The Grid branding; as well as tenant identification signage, which defines attached signage options for future tenants to select from up to 1 square foot of signage per linear foot of street frontage,” she wrote.
Jamie Cowgill of JRC Design is the applicant. The city of Mesa is the owner.
The front face of the project is primarily food options for take-out, sit-down restaurants, a market for local shopping on the first floor and a libations establishment, according to a written project narrative from JRC Design and Young Electric Sign Co.
“The second floor is a unique high-tech commercial office — but with a custom ground floor/street lobby entrance. Above this are dorm-like studio apartments and more apartment units on the garage rooftop, with surrounding row-house-type units at street level,” it states.
The east elevation combines murals and architectural lighting on the stair and elevation tower as well as other large wall spaces facing the street and interior resident spaces.
“The Grid Mesa comprehensive signage package is proposing unique sign types that aren’t specifically defined as types allowed in the current sign code for zoning applied. Most of (the Mesa sign code) works well for the ‘old town’ portion of the downtown, but not so much for this new mixed-use, high-density, repurposed site,” the narrative states. “Our request provides for a flexible sign criteria that will promote superior design through architectural integration of the site, buildings and signs.”
The seven-member board conducts public meetings to hear and decide requests for variances, special-use permits and interpretations of the city of Mesa zoning ordinance and sign code. Members are appointed for staggered terms of three years, according to the city’s website.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on Twitter @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Richard Dyer Managing Editor | East Valley @RHDyer
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.
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