Yahoo News! German Discount Grocer Aldi is proposing "Aldi Commons", a 4-story, 257-unit apartment complex in Gilbert

 

Aldi supermarkets proposed 257 apartments

Cecilia Chan, East Valley Tribune (Mesa, Ariz.)

Wed, July 19, 2023 at 7:17 AM MST·4 min read

Jul. 19—German discount grocer Aldi is proposing a four-story, 257-unit apartment complex near the southeast corner of Arizona Avenue and Desert Lane that will offer a number of amenities, including pickleball courts, a 2,500-square-foot swimming pool and outdoor game areas.

• Planning Commission gave a thumbs-up last week to Aldi Commons' site plan. Council in December unanimously approved a minor General Plan amendment, allowing for the development to proceed.

"I think it's a pretty cool-looking project," acting Chairman Brian Andersen said at the July 12 study session. "Everything looks great at our end."
The subject site is 10 acres and Aldi Commons will be built on the eastern 4.91 acres while an Aldi store will be built on the west half along Arizona Avenue at a future date, according to senior planner Keith Newman.

• Newman later said that that no date has been set yet for formal action by the commission as staff is still finishing up the second review of the multifamily proposal.

"As far as the Aldi grocery store is concerned, they have not yet submitted a Design Review application so we really have no idea as to when they plan on building the store," he said.

• At the study session, Newman said a five-level garage with 489 parking spaces will wrap around the apartment units, allowing tenants to access their residences from the garage.

The seven surface parking spaces at the northwest corner of the property will be used mainly for the leasing office for prospective tenants, he added.

• The multifamily project will include a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Aldi plans for a courtyard at the heart of the development with a resort-style pool and spa, a variety of lawn and outdoor games, barbeques and lounge-style seating.

On the west side of the building will be a public plaza with landscaping, benches, hammocks and a fire pit. Other amenities include a state-of-the-art fitness center, a club house with a coffee bar, social gathering rooms and seating areas.

Gilbert Sun News

1 day ago

Aldi supermarkets proposed 257 apartments | News | gilbertsunnews.com

The site is located in the Northwest Corridor, one of the oldest and densest employment areas in Gilbert that the Town is in the process of revitalizing.

The Urban Land Institute took a look at the corridor a few years ago and one of the recommendations included more multifamily development to support employees working there.

Aldi was approved for two locations in Gilbert in 2018. The first location opened in February 2021 near Pecos Road and Val Vista Drive.

Pairing an Aldi supermarket with apartments is not new.

Similar projects have developed in communities, including Washington, D.C. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Fort Myers, Florida and Chanhassen, Minnesota.

Aldi is reportedly the nation's third largest grocery retailer, behind Kroger and Walmart. It has 2,293 stores around the country.

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