The 22.5 acres at the northwest corner of Higley and Ray Roads may soon look very different if the mixed use buildings being heard by the Gilbert Planning and Zoning Commission are approved. Agritopia EpiCenter, billed as the capstone of Agritopia, is planned to include true mixed use buildings with a max height of 60’, retail on the first floor, and loft style apartments above. Stand-alone multifamily are also part of the plan.
Where these buildings abut residential the max height will be reduced to 3 or 4 stories, but on 22.5 acres, this will certainly be a different look and feel for Agritopia, even with stepped back heights. Residents of the new development will not have direct vehicular access to the rest of Agritopia, but some of the patios and balconies will face the existing single family residential units there. This has all the ingredients for fireworks, but proper planning and community involvement can do wonders for making good neighbors and vibrant communities. Considering the huge and deserved success of Agritopia and Joe’s Farm Grill, the odds are good that this will be done well. I think I’d have to agree with Rose Law Group’s founder Jordan Rose who says “Joe Johnson is a genius.”
