No one would call the kind of expansion you see "urban", although the over-used word "suburban" might be used to describe it.
In common usage is another word with some serious negative connotations in land-use planning lingo: SPRAWL.
Your MesaZona blogger likes the word "Spawn" to describe the current future breeding grounds where people choose to live outside of older city centers - like Mesa, east and south.
What do we get beyond "urban centers" and how to develop new areas for places to live and places to work: real estate speculation for investments in vast tracts of open acreage to incentivize residential/commercial/industrial growth > spending on highways and loops and installation of utilities (water, sewer, electric and gas power lines, fiber optic/broadband hook-ups and networks) > scattered business parks, industrial and manufacturing corridors inside the "inner loops", tech centers and data centers, new employment corridors and multi-modal airport zones that can capitalize on transportation logics.
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Neither does Mesa after his arrival 12 years ago.
You might notice that this 2nd Quarter 2019 Newsletter is getting published ahead of time (it's usually April-May-June).
Along with the usual "Mesa In The News" column that just reprints what is published, Bill has highlights he wants you to know about.
THE ECONOMIC REPORTER Second Quarter 2019
The QUICK JAB
By Bill Jabjiniak
Economic growth and Opportunity Zones driving new industrial development in Mesa
"Since January 2018, more than 30 industrial buildings, consisting of nearly 2.5 million square feet, have been constructed, are under construction, or are currently in the entitlement process in the City of Mesa.
Many of these projects are located in Mesa’s Opportunity Zones.
Companies including Piper Plastics, EuroContempo, EdgeCore, and PotatoBarn have all broken ground or opened space in the last 12 months in both the Falcon District and Mesa’s Gateway Area.
In fact, so much activity has occurred in and around Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport that in Oct. 2018, the Phoenix Business Journal identified the area as “the next industrial development hot spot.”
LINK to the entire Economic Reporter Newsletter is inserted farther down
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Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is the former military base Williams Field. It is very close to the Gilbert boundary.
An Employment Corridor
Take a look at the numbers from the sources they use for community impact. How's that for Return-On-Investment?
Public Investment: $504,000,000
Private Investment: $ 87,000,000
Investment dollars from the public are about 500% more than dollars from private interests.
What does that tell you? Benefits for the public _______
Benefits for private investors ______________________
(Fill-in the blanks . . . )
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The federal Opportunity Zones program, which enables investors to defer and discount capital gains tax owed should they invest in a qualified Opportunity Fund, has driven much of the interest in industrial speculative space in Mesa.
Eleven census tracts in Mesa have been designated as Opportunity Zones, further incentive for companies and developers to invest in Mesa.
A map of Mesa’s Opportunity Zones can be viewed here.
The chart below includes a sampling of the current opportunities and industrial developments in Mesa.
As the economy continues to strengthen and more information is published about the Opportunity Zones program, we expect to see steady interest in these and other properties:
| Recent Industrial Development in Mesa | ||||||
| Site Name | Location | Bldgs | SF | Delivery Date | District | Opp. Zone* |
| Gateway Technology Commerce Center | Ray Rd. between Sossaman Rd./ Hawes Rd. | 2 | 138,901 | May 2019 Under Const. | Gateway | Yes |
| The Landing | Ray Rd. between Sossaman Rd./ Hawes Rd. | 6 | 281,085 | Q2 2019 Under Const. | Gateway | Yes |
| Sunbelt Holdings | NEC Elliot Rd./ Loop 202 | 2 | 286,000 | TBD | Gateway | No |
| The Landing 202 | SWC Hawes Rd./ Ray Rd. | TBD | 500,000+ | Q1 2020 | Gateway | Yes |
| Falcon Field Business Center | 3110 N. Greenfield Rd. | 1 | 42,228 | Available Now | Falcon | No |
| Longbow Gateway One | 3115 N. Higley Rd. | 1 | 147,435 | Available Now | Falcon | Yes |
| Falcon Industrial Park | 1715 & 1737 N. Rosemont | 1 | 29,412 | Apr. 2019 Under Const. | Falcon | No |
| Falcon Commerce Park | 1710 N. Higley Rd. | 3 | 130,689 | May 2019 Under Const. | Falcon | No |
| Majestic Falcon Field | NWC Higley Rd./ Ingram St. | 1 | 85,554 | Dec. 2019 Under Const. | Falcon | No |
| Longbow Gateway Phase 2 | NEC Higley Rd./ Longbow Pkwy | 3 | 211,050 | TBD | Falcon | Yes |
| Metro East Valley Commerce Center 2 | 709 E. Auto Center Dr. | 2 | 363,600 | Sep. 2019 Under Const. | US 60 Corridor | No |
| * Denotes whether properties are in one of Mesa's Opportunity Zones. Take a look at > (www.MesaAzOpportunityZones.com) | ||||||
Mesa’s Available Properties
Follow along if you wish and watch the developments move from concept to completion using our new Active Development map at www.selectmesa.com/mesadevelopments. Additionally, viewers can experience an aerial 360-degree, interactive tour of Mesa’s business districts at www.AerialMesa.com.
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It is interesting to note that the right side includes contact information for members of the Economic Development Advisory Board and a link to their page on the official City of Mesa website
Voting Members
Rich Adams (20) - 1st TermPresident & CEO
Southwest Business Credit Servicesrich@swbcs.com
Southwest Business Credit Servicesrich@swbcs.com
Brian Campbell (21) - 1st TermAttorney
Campbell Law Group of Arizona, PLLCbcampbell@campbellazlaw.com
Campbell Law Group of Arizona, PLLCbcampbell@campbellazlaw.com
James Christensen (19) - 2nd TermPresident & CEO
Gateway Commercial Bankjamesc@gcbaz.com
Gateway Commercial Bankjamesc@gcbaz.com
Deb Duvall (19) - 1st TermCommunity Volunteerdebbieduvall@cox.net
Jim Kasselmann, Vice Chair (20) - 1st TermGeneral Manager
Dexcomjames.kasselmann@dexcom.com
Dexcomjames.kasselmann@dexcom.com
Matt Likens (19) - 1st TermPresident & CEO
GT Medical Technologies, Inc.
mlikens24@gmail.com
GT Medical Technologies, Inc.
mlikens24@gmail.com
Natascha Ovando-Karadsheh, Chair (20) - 1st TermAssociate Broker/Owner
KOR Propertiesnataschak@KORproperties.com
KOR Propertiesnataschak@KORproperties.com
Dominic Perry (20) - 1st TermAssociate
Avison Youngdominic.perry@avisonyoung.com
Avison Youngdominic.perry@avisonyoung.com
Ex-Officio Members
John GilesMayor
City of Mesamayor@mesaaz.gov
City of Mesamayor@mesaaz.gov
Chris BradyCity Manager
City of Mesachris.brady@mesaaz.gov
City of Mesachris.brady@mesaaz.gov
Sally HarrisonPresident & CEO
Mesa Chamber of Commercesharrison@mesachamber.org
Mesa Chamber of Commercesharrison@mesachamber.org
Jeffrey S. Pitcher
Partner
Stinson Leonard Street LLPjeff.pitcher@stinson.com
Partner
Stinson Leonard Street LLPjeff.pitcher@stinson.com
Staff
William JabjiniakEconomic Development Director
City of Mesawilliam.jabjiniak@mesaaz.gov
_______________________________________________________________________________City of Mesawilliam.jabjiniak@mesaaz.gov
https://www.selectmesa.com/about/news-room/economic-reporter-newsletter/second-quarter-2019
