Mesa Gateway Airport area to get 32-acre industrial park with flexible space options

Written by Lauren McDonald, Phoenix Business Journal

A 32-acre site near Mesa Gateway Airport is set to undergo industrial and commercial development to construct two buildings that will each exceed 100,000 square feet.

The site, called Gateway Park, is at the northwest and southwest corners of Ray Road and Hawes Road in Mesa. It will include a pair of buildings totaling 235,600-square-feet, according to proposal documents submitted to the city of Mesa.

The owner of the property is Mesa Airport Growth Properties LLC, and the developer is Phoenix-based Kitchell Development Co.

Mesa City Council approved a rezoning and development agreement Oct. 6 for the site.

The project plan includes “specialized” industrial buildings with smaller bays and adaptable layouts. The available space options would range from 25,000-60,000 square feet, according to the proposal.

The buildings would also include expandable power capacity for potential manufacturing tenants.

Several large, vacant parcels border the proposed project on the north and east, according to county documents. The airport is located to the south along with an area for a planned eastern terminal expansion.

The 263-acre Gateway East project sits adjacent to the property. Gateway East is a mixed-use development that includes industrial, office and retail space.

“The Gateway Park project is located adjacent to a mix of industrial, employment and other airport-related uses,” according to county documents. “Its design fills a gap between large-scale distribution centers and denser commercial or airport-related development by introducing a mid-scale industrial product.”

Gateway Park supports vision for airport region

The project will support the larger vision for the Mesa Gateway Airport area, according to the developers, and “creates a logical transition from large industrial to future commercial areas, forming a cohesive employment hub,” according to the proposal.

The proposal expects the project to be developed in multiple phases. The first phase will include either the northwest or southwest industrial building and off-site improvements.

The final phase will occur over a longer period, according to the proposal, due in part to other projects in the surrounding area.

“The timing of this phase will be influenced by the eventual relocation of the airport’s terminal and the development of the neighboring Gateway East area,” according to county documents. “The commercial component of Gateway Park will depend on the flexibility to pursue various build-out scenarios over time, with a phased development approach.”

The developer said the requested rezoning to light industrial and limited commercial will address market demand for a broader range of employment opportunities.

“Gateway Park represents a more refined and adaptable approach to light industrial development,” per the proposal. “Unlike the surrounding ‘big-box’ structures, Gateway Park proposes smaller, more flexible industrial buildings that can accommodate a mix of light manufacturing, office and logistics uses in one location.”

The developers did not respond to requests for additional information before publication.