Tempe is poised for a growth spurt as the city's Development Review Commission gives a nod to two major apartment projects set to rise near Arizona State University. The amendment for a seven-story building dubbed Apache Square and a 15-story project known as Verve Tempe both scored recommendations for approval, as per Phoenix Business Journal.
While Apache Square promises to bring 272 units spread over 1.95 acres on an old Pep Boys site, Verve Tempe plans to inject 240 units on a snugger 0.9-acre lot. In the works are retail components too, adding commercial zest to the residential boom—a couple of thousand square feet for Apache and a smaller, albeit significant, space at Verve. It's a progressive stride forward as Tempe's Mayor Corey Woods cited at his State of the City address, according to a Phoenix Business Journal report, that the city is growing up, not out, to meet a dire need for housing.
Meanwhile, two other high-rise prospects loom on the Tempe skyline—one at 211 E. 7th St. and another half a mile west known as Skye Tempe, as uncovered by AZBEX. The former, towering at 29 stories proposed by College Enterprises Inc., anticipates providing 380 apartment units. The latter, pitched by the Hubbard Street Group, is hopeful for a 27-story green light to keep pace with Tempe's vertical quest.
However, not all projects soar without turbulence. The Skye Tempe proposal recently encountered some air pockets, with the Development Review Commission withholding recommendation. The project's future now hangs on its ability to navigate to the City Council's doors. Phoenix Business Journal reported that Mayor Woods gave an accent on improving the lives of those unhoused, with plans approved for more than 3,500 units in 2023 and a whopping 13,500 underway. It's evident Tempe's aspiration to fill the housing gap isn't just talk, with these large-scale developments potentially reshaping the face of community living near ASU's bustling campus.
