Via City of Surprise
By Jason Stone | YourValley
Surprise City Center development took two big steps forward this week when the city council approved a deal to create a walkable Elm Street and developers announced the first four restaurants that have agreed to come to the area.
Mission BBQ, Better Buzz Coffee, Osteria Mia and Cafe Zupas have signed on as part of 70,000 square feet of new development for the northwest quadrant of the one square mile that’s considered Surprise’s downtown.
Plus, council voted in favor of a deal with the development team of Surprise Center Development Co. and Simon CRE to build out Elm Street to create the walkable downtown planners are envisioning.
Scott Phillips of SCDC, the owners of most of the remaining land to be developed, told council June 20 that teaming up with Josh Simon’s group has made a difference in getting things moving after some failed attempts with other partners.
“We have attempted to kiss a lot of frogs on this project,” Phillips told the council. “We’ve brought a lot of different retail developers to the table. And none of them have worked out very well.”
The restaurants are the first ones made public for the square mile bounded by Bell Road to the north, Greenway Road to the south, Bullard Avenue to the west and Litchfield Road to the east.
