Permit sought for new building at St. Timothy Catholic School in Mesa

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

A permit is being sought to allow deviations from development standards for a new two-story multiuse building at St. Timothy Catholic School west of Alma School Road and north of Guadalupe Road in Mesa.

Allowing a substantial conformance incentive permit for the building is to be discussed at the Mesa Board of Adjustment’s 5 p.m. study session and 5:30 p.m. meeting Sept. 6 in the lower council chambers, 57 E. First St. in Mesa.

The seven-member board conducts public meetings to hear and decide requests for variances, special-use permits and interpretations of the city of Mesa zoning ordinance and sign code. Members are appointed for staggered terms of three years, according to the city’s website.

The St. Timothy Catholic School site is legally nonconforming use as it does not conform to the current Mesa zoning ordinance standards regarding setback requirements and minimum parking standards, according to a written staff report from Planner Samantha Brannagan.

The building for kindergarten through eighth-grade students is to include classrooms, a media center, cafeteria and administrative offices.

“This proposed building will replace an existing building, which at one point was used as a chapel but is now used for classrooms,” Brannagan said in the written report. “The western most one-story building facing South Alma School Road will be demolished for construction of the new multiuse building. Due to existing conditions onsite, achieving full conformance with the (Mesa zoning ordinance) would require significant alterations including the existing buildings, parking area and on-site circulation.”

To bring the site into substantial conformance with the city’s development standards, the applicant proposes the following improvements as identified on the site plan and landscape plan:

• Addition of three new parking stalls, with existing parking stalls to be restriped and new concrete curbs;
• Addition of five new landscape islands;
• New landscaping along the frontage to Alma School Road as well as improvements to perimeter landscaping; and
• Installation of new walkway paths between buildings and new pedestrian connection to South Alma School Road.

Vince Di Bella of Adaptive Architects Inc. is the applicant. St. Timothy Roman Catholic Parish Mesa is the owner.

The maximum student capacity is 255 and will not change. The average enrollment has been 190 to 205 students, and for 2023-24 is 179, Di Bella said in a written project narrative.

“The new building will allow separation of the older grades and provide specialty classrooms that they currently do not have on campus — such as music, media center, life science — and provides for a better educational experience. The new building does not alter school capacity but rather augments the school experience,” he said. “The building design is reflective of similar architectural styles present in the existing buildings and campus. Façade treatments have been applied throughout the exterior of the building with relief patterns and openings that strengthen the style of architecture.”

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.

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.