Public meetings and Public Input Summary

Two virtual public meetings were held on March 16. 

Recording of 8 a.m. meeting

Recording of 6 p.m. meeting

Presentation deck

Public input summary

Lemon and Dorsey

The property contains approximately two acres and is currently used as a surface Park & Ride lot supporting the light rail system. The concept plan shows two developable areas. They include:

• A five-story, L-shape building that contains 68 units of affordable housing with 40 one-bed room units, 14 two-bedroom units and 14 three-bedroom units. The building ranges from approximately 40’ to 60’ in height and contains a main lobby area and common space. Adjacent to the building is open space, 68 bicycle stalls and 59 parking spaces, including three ADA spaces.
• A 2 1/2-story parking garage with approximately 127 parking spaces as replacement parking for the Park & Ride lot.

Dorsey and Apache

The property contains approximately 1.31 acres and is currently used as a surface Park & Ride lot supporting the light rail system. The concept plan shows two developable areas. They include:

• A five-story L-shape building that contains 80 units of affordable live-work housing units for artists. There is gallery and commercial space on the ground floor with open space adjacent to the building.
• A four-story parking garage with approximately 200 parking spaces for residents and as replacement parking for the Park & Ride lot.

Apache and Price Freeway project

The combined properties contain approximately 2.63 acres and currently the land is vacant land. A concept plan shows a five-story apartment building adjacent to Apache Boulevard with garage parking. The plan also shows three-story townhome units adjacent to McArthur Drive with garage parking. The townhome units would provide ownership opportunities through the land trust model. Up to 250 units are envisioned for both building areas. The lots are bisected with sewer line which separates the two residential building types. There is an open space greenbelt concept that covers the sewer line and adjacent area. The City Council issued a RFP for redevelopment of the site and is in negotiations with the recommended respondant, Copa Health Inc. Find the Vendor Offer here (PDF) and Request for Council Action here (PDF).

Apache Canal Project

The combined properties contain approximately 1.64 acres, including vacant land and a flower shop complex. The concept plan shows a five-story building with surface parking. The building contains 106 affordable units, including 61 one-bedroom units, 37 two-bedroom units and 8 three-bedroom units. The building contains 41 ground level parking spaces. There are also 66 surface parking spaces. Open space is adjacent to the building and turnaround.  

The four city-owned parcels are located at:

Lemon & Dorsey Project

1235 E. Lemon St., Parcel # 132-73-343

Dorsey & Apache Project

1412 E. Apache Blvd., Parcel #132-62-149

Dorsey HUD Project

2320 E. Apache Blvd., Parcels #135-41-029C, 135-41-029A, 135-41-050A, 135-41-058

Apache Canal Project

2431 E Apache, Parcel #134-35-042D, 134-35-042G, 134-35-042E

Apache Boulevard redevelopment plan FAQ

The City of Tempe is planning to redevelop four city-owned parcels along Apache Boulevard to expand housing options in the city. The projects will significantly increase affordable and workforce housing for individuals and families.

Where are the parcels located?

The four parcels are located along Apache Boulevard, between Rural Road and just east of Price Freeway.

What is the city planning?

Concepts include affordable and workforce rental and homeownership opportunities.  Combined, these concepts could add as many as 500 affordable units in Tempe. 

Is the city redeveloping these parcels?

Tempe purchased the parcels using multiple funding streams, including city general funds, CDBG and HOME, Inc. funding. We are currently working with development partners on three of the parcels and seeking a new partner for the fourth parcel. 

What is the concept for each parcel?

Developer Artspace (two parcels):

1235 E. Lemon St.- 68 affordable housing units within a five-story building; 2 ½-story parking garage

1412 E. Apache Blvd. – 80 affordable live-work units for artists within a five-story building, ground floor gallery/commercial space, four-story parking garage

Developer Gorman & Company:

2431 E. Apache Blvd. – 106 affordable units, surface parking and open space within combined vacant land and Watson’s Flower Shop complex 

Seeking development partner:

2320 E. Apache Blvd. – Up to 250 units within a five-story apartment building and three-story, for-purchase townhome complex, garage parking and greenbelt

Current Request for Proposal closes March 17. Find the RFP here. 

Why is Tempe including affordable housing in the projects?

Healthy communities have a diverse mix of affordable, workforce and market rate housing opportunities. Our Affordable Housing Strategy (AHS), adopted by the City Council in 2019, identified the need to add 11,000 affordable units by 2040 to meet demand in our city. 

Meetings and a public input process are being conducted to gather resident feedback on the redevelopment of four city-owned parcels along Apache Boulevard: 1235 E. Lemon St., 1412 E. Apache Blvd., 2320 E. Apache Blvd. and 2431 E. Apache Blvd. Tempe is seeking to develop these parcels, with development partners, for the primary purpose of expanding housing options in Tempe. Concepts for these parcels include affordable and workforce rental and homeownership opportunities.

Find the city's Public Involvement Plan here. (PDF)

THe City of Tempe's Affordable Housing Strategy (AHS) is designed to guide future decision-making on the preservation and expansion of affordable and workforce housing in Tempe. The AHS helps establish the city’s goals and objectives for improving the availability of quality housing for residents of different income levels, and lays out 20 different strategies to achieve housing affordability. The city is working toward all 20 strategies, with three priority areas:

• Creating a new funding stream to support affordable housing. Hometown for All, the city's affordable housing initiative established in 2021, is meeting this goal.
• Affordable Housing Impact Statements completed voluntarily by developers to help the city track the addition and subtration of affordable housing
• Tax incentives to encourage the development of more affordable and workforce housing.

Read the Affordable Housing Strategy here. (PDF)