(Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Brookfield Residential.)
By Rose Law Group Reporter, Photos by Arianna Grainey/City of Apache Junction
(APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZ.) On Tuesday, Brookfield Residential, alongside D.R Horton’s Phoenix East division and the City of Apache Junction, broke ground on the first phases of the East Valley’s newest communities at the Superstition Vistas. The Superstition Vistas are 275-square-miles of Arizona State Trust land located in north central Pinal County. This area is equal in size to Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler, and Tempe combined and is the largest contiguous parcel of land near a metropolitan area that is held in trust by the Arizona State Land Department.
Within the larger Superstition Vistas lies a 2,783-acre parcel where the first master-planned communities have broken ground. Located in the easternmost boundary of the Phoenix-Mesa metropolitan area, the communities sit just south of Elliot Road, bordered to the west by Meridian Road, east by Idaho Road and south by Ray Road. This location offers majestic northeastern views of the Superstition Mountains and southern views of the San Tan Mountain Range and is conveniently located near the US 60 and State Routes 202 and 24.
The first two master-planned communities of Superstition Vistas are being developed by Brookfield Residential, developer of the highly successful nearby Eastmark community and the West Valley’s Alamar community, and D.R. Horton, the largest volume builder in the United States since 2002. These communities are expected to open in 2023.
These two mixed-use projects will offer at least 40 acres of commercial use, over 20 acres for an elementary school site, 73 acres dedicated to outdoor and recreational space and 10 acres for a public safety facility, which may include a library, police and fire stations
or other services. The two communities are planned to consist of approximately 10,500 residential units once completed. 1,825 first-phase home sites are expected to be available for sale to homebuilders in early 2022. These communities will be developed in multiple phases over a currently estimated ten years.
“This is a big milestone for Apache Junction and the Superstition Vistas area, and we are incredibly proud to kick-off the first communities in this project. We know this will be one of the East Valley’s new signature communities which reflects the strong relationship between Brookfield Residential, the City of Apache Junction, D.R. Horton’s Phoenix East division, and the Arizona State Land Department. Our communities will seamlessly tie Superstition Vistas generous green spaces and connect the corridors with the City’s sustainable communities’ initiatives,” said John Bradley, President for Brookfield Residential Arizona.
These two master-planned communities within Superstition Vistas will include a 16-acre regional park co-developed with the City of Apache Junction. The park is expected to serve as the central hub for the community and be one of Apache Junction’s most popular venues for outdoor events and gatherings. The regional park will also include a lake, ramadas, basketball courts, dog parks and be designed to bring Apache Junction residents together year-round.
The communities are expected to feature five additional large community parks ranging from 14 to 18 acres each with unique designs and diverse amenities to serve the communities’ diverse needs. Residents will also enjoy more than 30 spacious, one acre neighborhood parks. Unlike the parks that serve as retention basins, these level green spaces allow for many uses such as basketball half-courts, benches, ramadas and play equipment.
For outdoor enthusiasts, residents will enjoy approximately four miles of hiking and exercise trails, which offer convenient routes for walkers, joggers or bikers throughout the community neighborhoods, parks and beyond.
Lastly, there will be two commercial centers programmed to serve the communities’ needs.
“We are developing a system of parks, trails and open space to meet the recreational and health needs of Apache
Junction residents and visitors. This is a future-forward community focused on family connectivity, health, and wellness with generous outdoor and open recreational spaces. The thoughtful, deliberate community planning will significantly raise the bar for master-planned communities in the Phoenix marketplace, and with its unique open space designs, it will pay homage to Apache Junction’s rural heritage, while incorporating future-forward theming and design to seamlessly blend into the surroundings and the natural beauty of the Superstition Mountains,” said Bradley.
“We thank all of our partners who have been working with us on the single biggest project in the City’s history,” Apache Junction City Manager Bryant Powell said. “It’s more than historic. It will change the face of our city and the region. We, the City of Apache Junction, are putting our unique stamp on the East Valley and beyond. It is our time. And I am so excited that Apache Junction’s time is now. We have been working so long and we can’t wait to see shovels in the ground today and rooftops soon.”
