By Parker Leavitt, The Republic | azcentral.com
After months of debate and steady opposition from neighbors, the Gilbert Town Council this week rejected commercial developer Vestar’s request to replace plans for a major shopping center with new homes.
With a split 3-3 vote on March 27, the council declined the developer’s controversial request to nix most of the 55 acres of commercial zoning on the southwestern corner of Higley and Riggs roads.
Vestar, the developer behind such shopping destinations as Tempe Marketplace and Desert Ridge Marketplace in Phoenix, several years ago rolled out plans for a regional commercial center at the south Gilbert intersection.