The second public hearing for a new 117,000-square-foot industrial development in Tempe is scheduled for city council’s Feb. 20 meeting, where council will vote on a resolution amending the general plan and zoning map for the project and approving its development plan review.
Tempe City Council held the first public hearing for the new development at 400 W. Third St. during its Feb. 6 meeting. Priest & 3rd, the proposed project, will be across 6 acres and will create a building with 32,500 square feet of office space and 82,500 square feet of warehousing space. There will also be 185 vehicle and 14 bicycle parking spaces.
The applicant for the project is seeking a general plan of land use and density map amendment from mixed-use urban to industrial, bringing it down to no density. The zoning map amendment would change it from mixed-use, high density to general industrial district. The development plan review establishes a site plan, building elevations and landscape plan for the project.
Manjula Vaz, a representative of the applicant Gammage and Burnham, gave a brief presentation at the meeting, providing an overview of the project and the history of the site.
Vaz explained that the site was rezoned in 2022 as multifamily, but after the rezoning, they realized that it would not be feasible to build residential uses at the location.
“The purpose of this rezoning is to go back to industrial, which I think is more consistent with, certainly, the area,” Vaz said.
Surrounding the project site are a lot of industrial uses, which the project will contribute to with the creation of a warehouse, office and industrial building. Vaz noted that there is already a lot of interest in the site.
During council discussion, Councilmember Arlene Chin asked if there were any clients yet signed to the building, to which Vaz said they have been talking to several potential tenants about filling the space.
“It’s a large employer that’s coming from Phoenix that has a need for both large warehouse space and a substantial office space,” Vaz said.
She said that this potential tenant is a type of employer, so while a lease hasn’t been signed, the tenant will likely be an employer that has a need for office and warehouse workers, like Carvana and DriveTime.
Vice Mayor Doreen Garlid also asked about the possibility of using different material for the parking lot on site, mentioning the city’s Rain to Roots program that is behind implementing, maintaining and funding green stormwater infrastructure for equitable urban cooling.
Garlid proposed looking at using a material other than black asphalt that is still a hard surface but capable of absorbing more water than asphalt. Vaz said that she was not sure about that and said she would provide an answer at the final public hearing.
“It’s great if you guys are thinking about that, because that would be really smart in this area,” Garlid said.
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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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Vice Mayor Doreen Garlid also asked about the possibility of using different material for the parking lot on site, mentioning the city’s Rain to Roots program that is behind implementing, maintaining and funding green stormwater infrastructure for equitable urban cooling.
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