Two Mesa grocery store sites to become EOS Fitness Centers
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EOS Fitness operates state-of-the-art fitness facilities throughout the southwest in the current markets of Arizona, Las Vegas and California. The facilities we build are designed to help our communities form exercise habits with a culture of belonging.”
Hilery Hixon, EOS Fitness Centers construction and development coordinator
Former grocery store buildings at 2740 E. University Drive and 9101 E. Baseline Road in Mesa are to be redeveloped as EOS Fitness Centers.
The Mesa Board of Adjustment on Feb. 1 voted unanimously in a consent agenda with other items to approve substantial conformance improvement permits at both locations to allow deviations from certain development standards for the redevelopment of commercial centers.
Also approved were special use permits to allow for a reduction in the required number of parking spaces and to allow large-scale commercial recreation facilities in the limited commercial zoning district.
The substantial conformance improvement permit requests maintain the existing nonconforming conditions for the foundation base and the rear landscape setbacks, which do not meet requirements of Mesa’s zoning ordinance. The sites are being brought into substantial conformance with new landscape islands and landscaping throughout the parking lots, Planner Chloe Durfee Daniel said in two written staff reports.
“Large-scale commercial recreation facilities are permitted in the (limited commercial) zoning district with the approval of a (special use permit). As fitness centers are classified as large-scale commercial recreation, the applicant is requesting a (special use permit) to allow a large-scale commercial recreation facility at this location,” she stated in both staff reports.
The fitness business has more than 800,000 members across 68 clubs, including 26 operating in the metropolitan Phoenix region, Hilery Hixon, EOS Fitness Centers construction and development coordinator, said in a letter to the city’s planning department.
“EOS Fitness operates state-of-the-art fitness facilities throughout the southwest in the current markets of Arizona, Las Vegas and California. The facilities we build are designed to help our communities form exercise habits with a culture of belonging,” Hixon said.
University Drive
Sustainability Engineering Group is the applicant and Safeway Inc. No. 1567 is the owner of the 4.03-acre site at 2740 E. University Drive.
“(A) total of 512 parking spaces would be required for the proposed fitness center use. The applicant is requesting a (special use permit) to reduce the number of required parking spaces to 209 and has submitted a parking demand study to justify the requested reduction,” Durfee Daniel stated in a staff report.
The existing 54,389-square-foot Safeway grocery building is to be remodeled, according to a written justification and compatibility statement from Sustainability Engineering Group.
“The proposed improvements would remodel the existing building and maintain the building footprint and infrastructure. The developer intends to update the exterior building elevations by refreshing existing stucco, doors and trims with new paint,” it states.
Baseline Road
Sustainability Engineering Group is the applicant and Dominick’s Finer Foods LLC is the owner of the 4.72-acre site at 9101 E. Baseline Road.
“(A) total of 546 parking spaces would be required for the proposed fitness center use. The applicant is requesting a (special use permit) to reduce the number of required parking spaces to 301 and has submitted a parking demand study to justify the requested reduction,” Durfee Daniel states in a staff report.
An existing 57,807-square-foot building formerly occupied by Safeway is to be remodeled, according to a second written justification and compatibility statement from Sustainability Engineering Group.
“The proposed improvements consist of remodeling the existing building while maintaining the footprint and infrastructure. The developer intends to update the exterior of the building by refreshing the existing stucco, (concrete masonry unit), doors and trims with new paint,” it states.
The seven-member Mesa Board of Adjustment 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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