Retail shops planned near University and Power in Mesa

By Richard Dyer
Twitter: @RHDyer

Two multi-tenant commercial buildings are to be constructed in Mesa on 1.6 acres east of Power Road on the south side of University Drive.

Neighborhood retail shops are planned, according to a project narrative provided by John Reddell of Scottsdale-based John Reddell Architects.

“The site itself is a very difficult site. We worked with staff for several months developing what is a buildable pad area,” Mr. Reddell said at the Feb. 9 Zoom meeting of the Mesa Design Review Board.

“We had restrictions from SRP overhead lines — there are major power lines that run through there — along with the city of Mesa has high-pressure gas vaults out in front of our site along University. So it’s just been a very tough site, but working with staff I believe we’ve developed something that’s a very pleasant and very nice looking building,” he said,

Parking is to be the south of the building. Perimeter landscaping such as trees, shrubs and ground cover are planned, Mesa Planner Charlotte Bridges said at the meeting.

Sand-finish stucco, silver stucco accent, red metal awning, powder-coated metal frame, anodized dark bronze-frame clear glass and a stone veneer are planned, according to the colors and materials board shown at the meeting,

“The elevations for the project include multiple materials. The three ... main materials are stucco, a stone veneer and the storefront glass, which is on both the north side and the south side of the project. And then additional metal awnings are provided over the entryways into the tenant spaces,” Ms. Bridges said.

A plant that is not low-water-use is listed on the landscape plan, board member J. Seth Placko said.

“There’s one plant — the ‘skyflower’ — on the plant legend. I do not believe that is on the low-water-use plant list,” he said. “I’m not familiar with it.”

A different shade of accent red should be used for the building, board member Jeanette Knudsen said.

“I don’t mind the choice of the red. I would like you to keep in mind that this particular red is called a bright red and ... your colors that you’re using are more of the earth tones, so I would recommend if you could ... kind of dirty the red, look for a red that’s not so bright,” she said.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley
@RHDyer

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.