A handful of new restaurants, retailers and other businesses have recently signed leases to join a new commercial development slated to begin construction soon as North Phoenix’s future urban village begins to take shape on 500 acres east of I-17, between Sonoran Desert Drive and Dove Valley Road.
Joining Oreganos and Twisted Sugar cookie shop, announced last year, [See “Commercial Development in the North Gateway Core,” Valley Vibe, February 2022.] on a 10-acre parcel owned by Developer Thompson Thrift at the southeast corner of the 29th Avenue alignment and Dove Valley Road are the following businesses.
- OverEasy, a breakfast/brunch restaurant
- Foothills Grille, American cuisine
- Yoga Six studio
- Fit Body Boot Camp
- Heartland Dental
- An unnamed nail salon
The retail shops are anticipated to be ready by the first quarter of 2024, said Torrey Briegel, associate vice president of Phoenix Commercial Advisors, broker for the property. He said PCA is currently negotiating with another restaurant establishment and an ice cream franchise on space within the center.
The developer’s site plan marketed by Phoenix Commercial Advisors also shows a yet-to-be-named hotel on an adjacent site to the east.
The site plan and elevation renderings were presented at the North Gateway Village Planning meeting in April by Attorney Wendy Riddell, of Berry Riddell LLC, representing developer Thompson Thrift. Following the presentation, the board approved a site modification to the plan to be submitted for review and final approval from the city’s planning hearing officer.
Once the retail buildings are constructed, plans include a “North Gateway” mural within the village, to help define the North Gateway Core.
The area bounded by Skunk Creek Wash on the west, and North Valley Parkway on the east, has been defined by the city as “a mini-downtown for the North Valley,” according to planning documents. The city’s goal is to create “a high-density, urban environment that will reduce automobile trips, support transit and promote Skunk Creek Wash as a major natural amenity that allows for a trail.”
Thompson Thrift owns a total of 30 acres in this area planned for mixed use including restaurants, retail and multifamily residential. Quick Quack car wash recently opened for business on the corner of Dove Valley Road and North Valley Parkway.
A number of other multifamily residential developments are also in the works within this fast-growing pocket.