By Richard Dyer
Mail | Twitter: @RHDyer

A 448,933-square-foot industrial building with 78 dock doors is planned north of Germann on the west side of Sossaman Road in Mesa.

Preliminary design for the industrial development on 27.7 acres recently was discussed by the Mesa Design Review Board.

An almost 450,000-square-foot building is to be constructed primarily of tilt concrete panels, Staff Planner Jennifer Merrill said at the board’s April 12 meeting.

“The entries and detailing are along the east elevation facing Sossaman. There are 78 dock doors that are screened from view and they are on the north and south sides of the building,” she said.

Michael Van Omen of Deutsch Architecture Group is the applicant. GCC II GP LLC is the owner.

Wetta Ventures LLC, an Arizona real estate investment and development company, plans to develop the vacant land for the Gateway Commerce Center II, according to a written project narrative.

“The property will have a one building of approximately of 448,933 [square feet]. The class A building is expected to have a clear height of 40 feet and have dock high doors and grade level ramp doors. Three driveways are provided with separate truck/vehicle traffic circulation paths/roads. The two loading dock areas are fully screened by 8-foot-high masonry walls,” it states. “The proposed building is designed for multiple tenants, with two corner entries on the east side of the building. The light industrial use of the building prefers to have walls uninterrupted by windows in the warehouse portion of the building.”

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 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.