Staff reports
Chandler’s burgeoning downtown is about to get another eye-popping addition to its environs: a project its planners envision as becoming “the heart and soul” of a mixed-use development already approved for the area.
The Row, as it will be known, is scheduled for construction to get underway later this year.
Led by Vintage Partners, a Phoenix-based commercial real estate development and investment company, the project will be undertaken in partnership with the city of Chandler, which sees the project as being a major draw to the city’s downtown entertainment district.
Sprawling across four acres on the southwest corner of Arizona Avenue and Chandler Boulevard, the pedestrian-friendly, 60,000-square-foot, two-story project will offer a variety of local and national dining and retail storefronts.
As what is being forecast as a linchpin of the new entertainment district, planners say the facility will help to stitch together Chandler’s downtown dining and culture scenes, creating a seamless transition from the cluster of dining, residential and governmental buildings surrounding Dr. A.J. Chandler Park.
Chandler Center for the Arts lies just north across Chandler Boulevard and is within easy pedestrian and vehicle access.
“With this agreement, the downtown community and Chandler residents, including those on our west side, will be able to enjoy a first-class, one-of-a-kind entertainment project that will further enhance our already vibrant downtown,” said Mayor Jay Tibshraeny.
“This is a critical site for downtown and we’re pleased to see this project begin to become a reality.”
The Row was selected by the Chandler City Council following an extensive open-application process to determine the best way to develop the highly desirable site. Along with Vintage Partners, project partners include former Chandler City Councilman Martin Sepulveda, RSP Architects and Kitchell Development.
The initial phase of the downtown Chandler development will include additional space for restaurants, retail and offices, with the potential to add up to 50 residences, plus additional spaces for a fitness center or yoga studio and a parking garage.
