By Parker Leavitt |The Republic | azcentral.com
The Gilbert Planning Commission has supported a Phoenix developer’s request to abandon plans for a major commercial center in south Gilbert while striking a last-minute compromise to preserve at least some retail space in the underserved area.
Vestar, a company that manages large-scale Valley shopping centers such as Tempe Marketplace and Westgate City Center in Glendale, believes a “power center” at the southwestern corner of Higley and Riggs will never pan out because of a relatively-sparse population, a rising trend toward e-commerce and the proximity of other commercial land.
Instead of luring big-box stores like Target and Home Depot to the 50-acre parcel, Vestar wants to sell the land to Toll Brothers to build about 100 houses. To do so, the company needs the town to sign off on a major amendment to the voter- approved General Plan.
The Planning Commission’s 5-2 vote on Dec. 4 allows the case to advance to the Town Council for a final decision on Thursday, Dec. 19.
The commission’s recommendation, however, came with a major stipulation: Vestar must retain at least 15 acres directly on the corner of Higley and Riggs for commercial uses, although that requirement could be removed or adjusted by the Town Council.
Vestar originally submitted plans in 2007 for the Greer Towne Center at the foot of the Santan Mountains in south Gilbert. The vision included two major anchor tenants flanked by several smaller shops and nine stand-alone pad sites, which often develop as restaurants or banks.
But the economy took a nosedive.
