The number of parking spots required at a 292,000-square-foot industrial building for Project Aspire, a pharmaceutical manufacturing business planned in Mesa that is to initially have 500 people working there, has been reduced and a special-use permit for an alternative-compliance off-site parking plan has been approved.
The Mesa Board of Adjustment voted 5-0 Aug. 6 to approve the parking reduction and permit for the 13-acre site at 7236 E. Warner Road. Board members Heath Reed and Troy Glover were absent.
Adam Baugh of Alex Hayes, Withey Morris Baugh PLC is the applicant. HUB at 202 OWNCO LLC is the owner.
A total of 519 parking spots are required and the applicant is seeking a reduction to 159 at the site called Building 3A, Staff Planner Joshua Grandlienard said at a study session prior to the meeting.
“As part of this there are 470 parking spots as part of a shared parking agreement ... in that off-site parking area east of this overall development. The applicant is proposing a shuttle service for any kind of employee that would need that parking area to bring them on-site,” he said. “There are also an additional 83 parking spots located on the north side of the building ... within a secured truck court.”
The development is in the city’s general plan designation for “industrial-evolve,” Grandlienard said.
“The intent for this area is for high-intensity industrial such as manufacturing, which this use is. It is pharmaceutical manufacturing. And because of that — and also because of their overall office needs — that is why the expanded request is here before you today,” he said.
Project Aspire employs 750 people nationally across eight states. In Arizona, it employs more than 300 people in two East Valley locations. The business plans to employ approximately 500 people in Mesa in the first year at this location and possibly 2,000 by the fifth year, according to a project narrative from Withey Morris Baugh PLC.
The original site plan for the building had approximately 159 parking spaces and a large truck loading area. Project Aspire has secured a parking agreement with a nearby property owner at the Santos Soccer Complex east of the HUB at 202. The soccer fields are not used during the day and seasonally in the evenings throughout the year, it states in the project narrative.
“Project Aspire desires to relocate certain employees and operations pursuant to a lease of Building 3A and requires a special use permit for a parking reduction and alternative compliance parking plan to accommodate the intended use based on proposed improvements related to Project Aspire,” it states.
The seven-member Board of Adjustment 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.
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.
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