The Able Steel Fabricators development is on the north side of the 4100 block of East Quartz Circle and the west side of the 3300 to 3500 blocks of North Norwalk in Mesa.
City of Mesa
A new 16,875-square-foot building is to be constructed at the east end of the site.
Able Steel Fabricators is expanding its industrial development north of McDowell Road and west of Greenfield Road in Mesa.
The Mesa Planning and Zoning Board voted 5-0 Sept. 25 as part of a consent agenda with other items to recommend that the Mesa City Council approve rezoning 10.2 acres to general industrial with a planned area development overlay and major site plan modification. Board members Genessee Montes and Jamie Blakeman were absent.
The property is across the street from Quail Run Park and adjacent to a city of Mesa police and fire training facility, Planner Jennifer Merrill said during a study session prior to the meeting.
“There is an existing fabrication building, office buildings, outdoor storage areas and quite a few vehicular-circulation routes throughout the site that circulate through the outdoor storage yards. The main access to the site is from Quartz Circle at the southeast corner of the property,” she said. “The proposal — the reason for this request — is to allow the construction of a new 16,875-square-foot building at the east end of the site.”
Greg Hitchens of Hitchens Associates Architects is the applicant. 4150 Investments LLC is the owner.
Able Steel Fabricators was founded by Jim and Chuck Clark, father and son, in Mesa in 1975. Their original location was at 837 S. Center St., Hitchens wrote in a project narrative.
“Prominent Mesa buildings that they have supplied the steel for over the years include Mesa’s tallest building, the Bank of America building at 1201 S. Alma School Road; the Mesa Municipal Courts building at 250 E. First Ave.; and Sloan Park, spring training stadium for the Chicago Cubs,” it states.
“Able Steel Fabricators needs to expand their business operations as demand for their fabrication services continues to increase. This expansion will include the purchase of new automated equipment,” it states. “Presently none of their existing buildings are capable of housing the new equipment so a new building is needed.”
The seven-member Planning and Zoning Board conducts hearings and makes recommendations to the city council on requests for changes in zoning and on required site plans. It also considers and recommends changes in the city’s long-range plans and in the municipal code concerning planning and zoning matters. Members are appointed for staggered terms of three years.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@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.
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