Chicago Cubs minor league players living quarters, adjacent hotel planned in Mesa

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

The design and landscaping for a 36-unit private residential facility for seasonal baseball players affiliated with the adjacent Chicago Cubs Minor League and spring training complex were discussed recently by the Mesa Design Review Board.

The facility is to be constructed next to a new 103-room Candlewood Suites hotel at the northeast corner of North Price Road and West Rio Salado Parkway in Mesa, at the former site of a Maricopa County animal shelter. Boardmember Denise Dunlop was absent from the meeting

On the development’s north side is a city of Mesa parking lot and on the east is the Chicago Cubs spring training facility, Staff Planner Joshua Grandlienard said during the design review board’s Feb. 10 meeting.

“There’s going to be two accesses — one access off of Cubs Way as well as one entrance off of Rio Salado,” he said. “Here’s the proposed landscape plan — a variety of species including oak as well as mulga, in addition to the other shrubs as well as other tree species.”

The five-story, 65-foot-tall multiple-residence building is to have a secure access for residents. It is also to have a sports court, putting green, barbecue area, outdoor lounge and 13,400 square feet of first-floor common, administrative and support spaces, it states in a project narrative.

“The multiple residence incorporates thin brick veneer, selected in colors and horizontal banding patterns inspired by traditional Chicago brick architecture. This design choice subtly references the heritage of the Chicago Cubs and the players who will reside in the facility, giving the building a contextual and place-specific identity,” it states.

The four-story, 57-foot-tall select-service hotel is intended for general public use and occasional team-related lodging. It is to have a pool and patio, it states in the project narrative.

“Both buildings form a unified lodging campus with shared circulation and parking, while maintaining independent operations and dedicated amenity areas tailored to their respective programs,” it states. “The site’s proximity to the Cubs facilities makes it ideally suited for specialized player housing and hotel functions that support sports tourism.”

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/.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley

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.