A Flash-Back to June 10, 2018: Coulda, Woulda . . . It's A Done Deal

Massive Mesa Mormon Temple Make-Over Plan could transform downtown Mesa- East Valley Tribune Report by Jim Walsh reproduced by Rose Law Group Reporter 
"An extensive renovation of the iconic Mesa Arizona Temple has the potential of becoming a catalyst for the transformation of the city’s downtown. Using Pioneer Park* and the revamped Temple as its anchor, that transformation could attract an unparalleled revival, said Maricopa County Supervisor and East Valley Partnership President Denny Barney.

Iconic figure from Monopoly

“We’re talking about tens of millions of dollars in private investment down there,’’ Barney said. “I think this will be a catalyst for future investment. . . " 
RIGHT DENNY! . . . but we'll never know since no financial details were ever revealed.

* Blogger Footnote: The original Parks Bond budget approved figure for the renovation of Pioneer Park was $5.9 Million dollars that somehow doubled to $12 Million$ while the eastward Gilbert Road Extension of Valley Metro Light Rail Service was in-progress. One public report stated that the architect for the temple's redevelopment area 'worked with' planners, possibly for the underground installation of city-owned utilities infrastructure.
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Reporter Jim Walsh frames his take on the story like this: (it is) . . . " a classic confrontation between neighborhood revitalization and historic preservation with a landmark of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the center. . . " It's way more than that!
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Here's this report in The Salt Lake Tribune June 7, 2018
THIS WEEK IN MORMON LAND: Plans for 'City Creek South' Unveiled
(Courtesy Intellectual Reserve Inc.) Plans have been announced to redevelop 4.5 acres of land near the Mesa Arizona Temple. This rendering offers a southeast view of the mixed-use community.
City Creek South? You could call it City Creek South or City Creek Lite.
By David Noyce  ·  Published: 3 days ago Updated: 2 days ago
The real estate investment arm of the LDS Church has announced plans to erect a new mixed-use development near the faith’s Mesa Temple, which is being renovated.
The Utah-based church completed a similar — albeit much larger — project in the heart of Salt Lake City with its City Creek Center.
The Mesa makeover, covering 4.5 acres along a light rail line, would include 12,500 square feet of ground-floor shops, 240 apartments, 12 town homes, 70,000 square feet of landscaped open space and underground parking.
“We’ve been planning this project for years,” Matt Baldwin, real estate development director for City Creek Reserve, said in a news release.
 “We’ve talked with city and county government leaders, city planning staff and other local developers. We want to enhance and beautify this block, but we also want to make sure what we’re proposing is what downtown Mesa needs.”
Blogger Note: Did they talk with or get any input from the public??? NOPE.

It is, according to a former Mesa city manager.
“What CCRI has envisioned is exactly right for downtown Mesa right now,” Mike Hutchinson states in the release. “… This project will bring renewed vitality to this key block on Main Street.”and in June last year:
Scope of Mormon Temple-area project in Mesa to be doubled 
"City Creek Reserve is planning to nearly double the size of the redevelopment project west of downtown Mesa’s iconic temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
City Creek Reserve, the church’s real estate division of the church, will expand the redevelopment project from the original 4.5 acres to 8.2 acres, according to spokesman Dale Bills.

 “City Creek Reserve is expanding its mixed-use, transit-oriented redevelopment at Mesa and Main to include additional residences. New townhomes and single-family homes will be constructed on land already owned by CCRI affiliates, increasing the total number of redeveloped acres from 4.5 to 8.2,’’ Bills said in a statement. . . "

As reported on this blog earlier with an image of bulldozing at the site for Residences On Main & Mesa, ". . . Construction has already begun on the project, which Bills said is aimed at creating “a neighborhood with diverse residential unit sizes, comfortably scaled buildings, Mesa-authentic architecture, and landscaped streets and gardens. . . The expanded project was not unanticipated by Mesa preservation officials, who always suspected that there might be a Phase II added to the project. They noted that the church owns additional property south of the original project’s boundary.
Carl Duke, City Creek Reserve’s vice president, is scheduled to brief the Mesa Historic Preservation Board on Tuesday about his plans to demolish the seven historic homes covered by the original demolition permits requested by the company earlier this year, and discuss six additional homes that would be demolished as part of Phase II.
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READ MORE > http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/scope-of-mormon-temple-area-project-in-mesa-to-be/article_72245224-c4d5-11e8-a88f-4fa589377d9d.html_________________________________________________________________________________
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> Source: LDS Missionaries  https://ldsmissionaries.com

Plans have been announced to redevelop 4.5 acres of land along the Main Street light rail corridor in Mesa, Arizona, an area located just west of the Mesa Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A new mixed-use community will replace vacant lots and buildings near the temple, which is currently closed for renovation.

“We’ve been planning this project for years,” said Matt Baldwin, real estate development director for City Creek Reserve (CCRI)), an investment affiliate of the Church.
 “We’ve talked with city and county government leaders, city planning staff and other local developers. We want to enhance and beautify this block, but we also want to make sure what we’re proposing is what downtown Mesa needs,” he added. . . .
Image: Matt Baldwin with Mesa developer Tony Wall and Mike Hutchinson, former Mesa City Manager and Vice President East Valley Partnership
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> Source: The Mormon News Room https://www.mormonnewsroom.org

"We’ve been planning this project for years,” said Matt Baldwin, real estate development director for City Creek Reserve (CCRI), an investment affiliate of the Church. “We’ve talked with city and county government leaders, city planning staff and other local developers. We want to enhance and beautify this block, but we also want to make sure what we’re proposing is what downtown Mesa needs,”