A new retail center named The Shops at Lake Pleasant is in the works at Happy Valley Road and Lake Pleasant Parkway and the developer has begun the process of bringing tenants to the 26-acre property.
The Peoria Planning and Zoning Commission recently approved the property for two fast food restaurants and an automotive repair user.
The items were listed on the consent agenda and the commission unanimously approved them for conditional use permits to allow for their respective uses.
The Shops at Lake Pleasant project is the creation of Vestar, which marks the return of the developer after a 13-year construction hiatus. The developer manages more than 30 million square feet of space in seven states throughout the West, including Desert Ridge Marketplace and Tempe Marketplace.
Officials with Vestar would not say the names of any tenants lined up for The Shops at Lake Pleasant.
The developer acquired the 26 acres from the Arizona State Land Department, and will have about 90,000 square feet of retail space. The center is scheduled to open in late 2022, adjacent to another shopping center Vestar developed several years ago, Lake Pleasant Towne Center, anchored by large retailers Home Depot, PetSmart and Kohl’s.
Rather than new construction, Vestar has focused on updating and refreshing its existing properties, including Desert Ridge Marketplace. Tempe Marketplace also is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation. Upgrades include LED screens, interactive and public art spaces, improved landscaping, signage and more.
Philip Haldiman can be reached at phaldiman@iniusa.org, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman.
Meet Philip Haldiman is an award-winning journalist who most recently took first place for investigative reporting in 2023 from Arizona Newspapers Association. He joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2015, covering Sun City West his first year. Since 2016, he has covered the city of Peoria. Prior to coming to INI, he was a reporter with The Arizona Republic for seven years, covering numerous cities throughout the Valley. Before that, he was a freelance writer.
Community: Haldiman spearheads the Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes Awards program, honoring local individuals and businesses that give back to the community. He has hosted local candidate forums over the years and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Haldiman also served as a member of the Journalism Program Community Advisory Board at Glendale Community College. Outside journalism, Haldiman served as a member of the city of Peoria Complete Count Committee for the Census, 2019-2020. Lastly, he has served as a member of his HOA governing board since 2021.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a BA in Theater.
Random Fact: Haldiman is a fourth-generation Arizonan as well as wrote and produced an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.
Hobbies: He enjoys hiking Arizona’s mountainous landscapes and is currently working on a play for the stage.
Peoria,
Arizona,
Lake Pleasant Towne Center,
retailers,
Home Depot,
PetSmart and Kohl’s,
The Shops at Lake Pleasant,
commercial,
fast food,
auto repair,
Desert Ridge Marketplace,
Tempe Marketplace
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