Tempe Development Review Commission recently approved several development documents for a new seven-story U-Haul moving and storage facility at Tempe Town Lake, located at 500 N. Scottsdale Road.
At its Jan. 28 meeting, the commission voted unanimously to approve a planned development overlay to establish development, two use permits to expand the existing storage facility and to allow for vehicle rentals, and a development plan review for the U-Haul project.
City planner Diana Kaminski explained in a city staff report that the existing site has been used for self-storage since 1984 and has never been platted.
“The property shares driveway access with a small retail building — formerly Audio Express — which has now been acquired by U-Haul and will be reused for a new retail use,” Kaminski wrote.
Kaminski noted that this request did note include the parcel containing the retail building, and there is a condition of approval for a development plan review to be submitted separately.
The existing site consists of 878 storage units, and the proposed development would more than double the number of rental units onsite, creating a total of 1,898 self-storage units within the existing exterior buildings and the new climate-controlled building. This request also includes parking for up to nine rental moving trucks, Kaminski noted.
The commission last looked at this proposal during its Jan. 14 study session, where Jason Morris, representing the project applicant, went over the project briefly — mainly the requested height increase.
The Tempe Development Commission recently approved development documents for a new U-Haul location.
Courtesy City of Tempe/RKAA Architects
(Courtesy City of Tempe/RKAA Architects)
He presented again during the Jan. 28 commission meeting, going over some changes to the project design with the colors and materials used for the buildings’ exteriors. Morris noted that the applicant has been open to and accepting of the city’s stipulations.
“We’re confident that this will be a very well utilized site,” Morris said. “At the same time, we recognize staff’s concerns about the original height requested and would like to work with the city to work within the stipulations that they have requested.”
Some stipulations include additional landscaping requested and the consolidation of the roadways and driveways. The applicant also lowered the building height by one story and is looking into window shields per staff’s request.
Kaminski also spoke at the meeting, going over the project timeline. She said that staff recommended the approval of the applicant’s requests with conditions regarding the building height, coming back within 180 days with a minor development plan review for the retail space and upgrading the buildings among other stipulations.
During the commissioners’ discussion following the presentations, they further discussed the potential traffic impacts from the facility and the changes the applicant had made.
Commission Chair Andrew Johnson thanked the applicant for addressing the concerns, pointing to the reduction in height, the removal of a wave design for a more cohesive exterior and the addition of window shields.
“I just want to say I appreciate the changes,” Johnson said. “Something was always off when I saw those renderings, and I couldn’t figure out what it was, but I think it was that wave band.”
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Meet Caroline Caroline Yu joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2020 as a summer intern covering Scottsdale. As an intern, she continued her coverage of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Tempe. After graduating in 2022, Caroline became a full-time reporter for Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. She is currently reporting for the Tempe market.
Community: She is a supporter of the environment and tries to get involved with related community events.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications, with a minor in French.
Random Fact: She used to be a ballet dancer for 10 years.
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