The Mesa Design Review Board discussed the design and landscaping of the fabrication center on 38 acres during the board’s July 14 meeting.
City of Mesa
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The proposed Boeing fabrication center will incorporate a 100-meter secure perimeter around the building to comply with the government’s intelligence community directive relating to physical and technical security standards for the site.
Boeing plans a 267,761-square-foot expansion of a manufacturing facility for fabrication of specialized carbon military parts approximately 1,700 feet north of the northeast corner of Greenfield and McDowell roads in Mesa.
The Mesa Design Review Board discussed the design and landscaping of the fabrication center during the board’s July 14 meeting. Vice Chair Ryan Circello and Board members Shelly Udall and Megan Neal were absent.
The addition is planned on the north side of an existing building. A special-use permit is being sought to exceed the allowed 40-foot height in the Falcon Field overflight area, Staff Planner Charlotte Bridges told the board.
“The site plan shows the construction of the addition and it’s a single-story building. It’s 60 feet in height — that’s measured to the top of the parapet on the ... northeast wing of the building and then there’s a stair tower that would be at that 60-foot height,” she said.
Three access points are planned to shared parking, Bridges said.
“The new drive aisles connect to the existing drive aisles. Parking would be available to all employees and guests across all of the sites,” she said.
It is to be a tilt-panel concrete building like the existing building. Form liners and three shades of gray are planned, Bridges said.
The landscape plan shows new landscaping along Greenfield Road, trees and shrubs in the parking lot islands, with trees along a pedestrian pathway that leads to the front door or to the entry of the building, she said.
“But around the rest of the site it’s a secure area because of what’s happening in this building so as part of the project they are also requesting an alternative landscape plan to reduce the number of trees and shrubs around that perimeter of the building to keep that ... visually secure,” she said.
The proposed Boeing fabrication center will incorporate a 100-meter secure perimeter around the building to comply with the government’s intelligence community directive relating to physical and technical security standards for the site, according to a written project narrative,
“The proposed Boeing fabrication center ... adjacent to the existing Boeing fabrication center, will be a one-story 263,386-square-foot building for fabrication of highly specialized carbon military parts,” it states. “The proposed building will utilize the loading areas along the east and south side of the existing Boeing fabrication center building, keeping them screened from the public view.”
Mesa Design Review Board members liked the design and had one suggestion for the landscaping — to use thornless plants near pedestrian areas.
“Overall this project makes good sense to me considering the past approvals and how we’re trying to tie the design together from what we originally approved,” board Chair Dane Astle said.
Board member Denise Dunlop liked that there is shared parking.
“I’m always a proponent for that. I think we are so overparked most of the time and I appreciate that,” she said. “I also really appreciate making the additional landscape. It’s very lush and heavy... There’s a lot of focus around those pedestrian walkways, which I think is great — trying to produce that shade — but try to think about maybe some thornless trees that are just overhanging those sidewalks... Most of the islands in the parking lot look they are big enough that someone opening a door and getting out and getting stabbed by a tree is probably minimal but it is the walkways.”
The all-volunteer Mesa Design Review Board is unique in that its composition is set by the zoning ordinance to include two architects; two from other design professions such as landscape architecture, engineering, urban planning, interior design or other design-related background; one contractor or developer; and two residents, according to the city’s website.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines, https://www.yourvalley.net/civility-checklist/.
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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