Tempe is in the process of creating a new development at a city-owned property that will include 400 mixed-income apartments across six buildings, with 90% of the apartments designated as affordable.
Tempe City Council recently authorized city staff to proceed with a formal negotiation phase with Urban Development Partners and Palindrome to create an agreement for the lease and redevelopment of city-owned land at the northeast corner of Dorsey Lane and Apache Boulevard.
Lisa Goodman, senior procurement officer, explained in a city staff report that Tempe had issued a request for proposal for a “high-quality urban mixed-use development” that would create mostly affordable multifamily housing, a ground-floor grocery and adequate parking.
City staff received six proposals and recommended Urban Development Partners and Palindrome be selected to negotiate the project’s development and disposition agreement.
Goodman wrote that Tempe officials also sought proposals aligned with “the city’s goals for food education and accessibility as championed by the EnVision Center located immediately adjacent to the project sites.”
Affordability for this project is defined as housing available to people with an income between 30% to 80% of the local area median income. Ninety percent of the apartments will be designated as affordable, with the remaining 10% being market rate.
Additionally, the project will include an 11,100-square-foot grocery store at the center of the community, which will also create a covered outdoor community area.
Council voted to authorize the negotiation of the agreement with Urban Development Partners and Palindrome at its April 10 meeting. The vote passed 6-0, with Councilmember Randy Keating absent.
No council discussion was heard on the item, but one resident spoke about the proposed development.
Philip Amorosi, resident and co-chair of the community organization Citizens for Vibrant Apache Corridor, said he wanted to thank city staff and council for “continuing to be aggressive” with creating affordable housing in Tempe.
“These are trying times, and our neighborhoods have been patiently waiting for three years for something to replace our good old Food City, so by combining affordable housing with groceries, that’s a win-win situation,” Amorosi said.
He continued that as a resident of the neighborhood, it’s refreshing to see a new development that’s not student housing and is in support of working-class families.
Once negotiated, the agreement with Urban Development Partners and Palindrome will require council approval on a future agenda.
Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines. Reporter Caroline Yu can be reached at cyu@iniusa.org.
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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