A St. Vincent de Paul thrift store at the Tempe border in Mesa is to be converted into a medical office that will be run by the nonprofit.
The Mesa Design Review Board on Sept. 9 discussed the look and landscaping for the facility on 0.6 acres at 2352 W. Main St.
A total of 26 parking spaces will be provided for the 10,289-square-foot building, Staff Planner Tulili Tuiteleleapaga-Howard said, according to the live Zoom audio of the meeting.
“It’s a smaller site. As you can see, existing today is the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store. The building as it stands today is to be renovated and then converted into the proposed medical office,” she said. “No modifications have been proposed to change the building footprint — it will stay as is.”
The landscape plan shows two Argentine mesquite trees on either side of the site, some southern live oak on the west side and Mexican bird of paradise trees throughout the site as well as additional shrubbery, Tuiteleleapaga-Howard said.
The free specialty care medical clinic is an expansion of St. Vincent de Paul’s Phoenix clinic. It will be for the under/uninsured working poor and open by appointment only, Patrick Donaldson, St. Vincent de Paul chief of staff, wrote in a project narrative.
“This area of Mesa is designated as a medically underserved area and this clinic will have the capacity to serve 3,000 patients a year. Additionally, this clinic will offer significant clinical learning opportunities for health care learners from local universities and hospitals supporting essential workforce development for health care workers,” he said. Finally, it’s estimated that at capacity this clinic will save local hospitals over $12 million a year in uncompensated care costs.”
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. 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.
By 
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here