Design reviewed for new Sun Devil Auto in Mesa

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

A Sun Devil Auto is to be constructed on 5.9 acres approximately 280 feet east of the northeast corner of East Southern Avenue and South Signal Butte Road in Mesa.

The Mesa Design Review Board on Oct. 14 discussed the look and landscaping for the vehicle service and repair facility. Chair Dane Astle and Boardmember Paul Johnson were absent.

The bay doors will face east, the business will be 200 feet from a residential area and will be separated by a 6-foot-tall wall, Staff Planner Charlotte Bridges said.

“The site plan shows a 7,689-square-foot building,” she said. “They don’t have a direct access to this location so they have two shared accesses on Southern Avenue and then two shared accesses off of Signal Butte that will get them to the site.”

Pathangay Architects is the architect. Animas Civil Engineering is the civil engineer.

The service and storage areas are to be screened for the development that is part of a larger group commercial center, according to a written project narrative from Withey Morris Baugh PLC.

“As commercial development has filled in, this remaining portion has yet to build. While a grocer has not materialized, the opportunity to provide a three-lot commercial plan will attract new uses. With this application, Lot 1 is planned for Sun Devil Auto. Lots 2 and 3 are planned for future retail uses,” it states.

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. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines, https://www.yourvalley.net/civility-checklist/.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley

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.