That once-quiet corner at Signal Butte Road and the U.S. 60 in East Mesa is about to look a lot more like a regional hub than a freeway exit.
Medina Station, a roughly 64-acre mixed-use center, is taking shape with national anchors out front and new housing rising behind a planned row of restaurants and shops. Target and a two-story Dick's Sporting Goods are signed on as major anchors, and developers say retail and dining will roll out across the site in phases over the next year. The concept pairs a freeway-facing retail corridor with multifamily parcels behind the storefronts in a bid to create a walkable destination for the fast-growing Southeast Valley.
As reported by ABC15, SimonCRE announced that Medina Station is sited at Signal Butte and the U.S. 60 and that Target is the project's primary anchor, with a projected July 2026 opening for the store. Nick Robello, director of marketing for SimonCRE, told ABC15 that "the various shops are going to open up in phases" and suggested Boot Barn and Dick's would likely be among the next tenants to come online. ABC15's reporting also lists additional restaurants and retailers already in discussions with the developer.
Developer SimonCRE's own materials add that Dick's Sporting Goods will occupy a two-story, roughly 84,000-square-foot space and that Target is slated for about 148,000 square feet, with Medina Station expected to reach roughly 300,000 square feet of retail at full buildout. The firm's announcement names early commitments such as Einstein Bros. Bagels, Boot Barn, Zara Nails and Café Zupas as part of the initial tenant mix. SimonCRE says leasing and construction will move quickly, with openings staggered by phase rather than all at once.
Timeline and approvals
Mesa planning records show the site totals about 64.5 acres and that the City Council approved annexation, rezoning and a development agreement in January 2025 to clear the way for the commercial and residential components, according to Mesa City documents. The approved site plan carves out roughly 40 acres for retail and roughly 23 acres for multifamily parcels behind a restaurant row. Those municipal approvals allowed ground to break in spring 2025 and for phased retail construction to begin moving forward.
Multifamily under construction
The residential side is already moving. CRE Market Beat reports that the NRP Group closed financing and broke ground on a 353-unit apartment community within Medina Station in February 2026, a four-story, elevator-served complex expected to deliver in 2028. The project will occupy roughly a 10-acre parcel inside the master plan and is backed by institutional capital, signaling developer confidence in Southeast Valley rental demand. That multifamily piece is the first major residential component to begin construction within the broader Medina Station plan.
What Tenants Are Coming
Signed tenants already include Boot Barn, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Café Zupas, Zara Nails, GoodVets and U.S. Bank, offering a mix of soft goods, services and fast-casual food before the doors even open. ABC15 also lists local concepts such as OHSO Brewery and Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers among early commitments tied to the site.
Industry write-ups and the developer's materials say a majority of the retail land has already been pre-leased, leaving a mix of inline spaces and outparcels for additional regional operators. Farnsworth Realty reports the project is already significantly leased. The planned restaurant row is intended to act as the social spine of the center, with shops facing the freeway and apartments tucked behind them.
What This Means For East Mesa
Local economic-development outlets and city materials say Medina Station is expected to add jobs, sales-tax revenue and a broader mix of dining and shopping to a corridor the city has specifically targeted for growth, particularly given the site's proximity to employment hubs and major transportation routes. Select Mesa notes the project sits near key job centers and should draw customers from across the Southeast Valley. City infrastructure work and phased openings are expected to help manage traffic impacts, while neighbors and community groups will likely watch closely to see how the center affects local streets and services.
For project updates and leasing information, the official Medina Station site maintains a project overview and contact details, and public-facing materials from the team track which pads and shop spaces are still in play. According to Medina Station, Target remains on track for a July 2026 opening and multifamily deliveries are targeted for 2028. We will be watching as leasing and construction continue to roll out and the Signal Butte and U.S. 60 corridor reshapes over the next two years.
