The planned look and landscaping for a commercial development with restaurants and the expansion of a self-storage business on 4 acres east of Greenfield Road on the north side of University Drive were discussed at a recent meeting of the Mesa Design Review Board.
The property is zoned limited commercial, where restaurants and retail are permitted and self-storage businesses are allowed with a council use permit, Staff Planner Sean Pesek said during the board’s Sept. 12 meeting.
“The applicant is proposing a two-story mini-storage facility in the northern half of the lot, and this is meant to be an extension of the existing self-storage,” he said. “Two commercial buildings are then proposed in the southern half — there is pad B, which is multitenant and includes a drive-thru restaurant user; and then pad A is a freestanding drive-thru restaurant user.”
Materials include concrete masonry units, brick veneer, stucco and horizontal metal paneling. Commercial access will be from University Drive and mini-storage access from Greenfield Road, Pesek said.
The landscaping plan includes desert museum palo verde, blue palo verde, willow acacia, shoestring acacia, mesquite, Mexican bird of paradise and yucca.
Sean Lake of Pew & Lake PLC is the applicant. 4312 LLC is the owner.
A climate-controlled self-storage facility and a retail/restaurant component are planned, according to a written project narrative.
Pad A is to be a fast casual restaurant with a street-facing patio and drive-thru lane of approximately 204 feet of stacking; pad B is to be a multitenant building with retail and a fast-casual restaurant with a drive-thru lane of approximately 150 feet of queuing; and pad C is a two-story plus a basement climate-controlled storage facility as an expansion to the existing Extra Space Storage facility to the east, it states.
“Envisioned in this application is a mixed-use commercial development including new restaurants and retail offerings and a low-intensity, indoor, climate-controlled storage facility that is designed to be consistent with the surrounding properties,” it states. “The proposal will have a positive impact on the area by bringing new investment and providing services that will support the growing needs of local residents, businesses and employers.
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