City approves sale of 15 acres at Falcon Ridge Parkway for senior affordable housing; developer agrees to single‑story units

The Mesquite City Council on May 13 approved a contract to sell about 15 acres at 401 Falcon Ridge Parkway to Commonwealth Development Corporation of America for a proposed senior affordable housing project, with a council condition that all units in the project be single‑story.

The contract takes the average of two appraisals and applies a 90% economic‑development discount the city has used for other projects, reducing the negotiated sale price to $172,500, City Manager Martine Green told the council during the item presentation. "The contract price is a hundred and 72,500," Green said.

Why it matters: The parcel sits next to Mesa View Hospital and has been zoned CR‑2 (commercial / multifamily). Council members and neighborhood representatives said the single‑story requirement addressed traffic, view, and scale concerns from nearby residents while allowing a rare development to move forward on a long‑vacant parcel.

The developer and city discussed how the project would be financed and regulated. Andy Francesco of Commonwealth Development said the project would seek Section 42 low‑income housing tax credits administered by the Nevada Housing Division: "Section 42 is part of a tax code. So we apply for tax credits… we are able to get tax credits to then keep the rent low for senior affordable apartments," Francesco said. Francesco told council that the team expects to pursue the tax‑credit program rather than HUD funding.

Councilman Kevin Parrish, who moved approval, said the developer agreed to build only single‑story units in the first phase and indicated willingness to pursue single‑story for subsequent phases: "If he could do the first 36 units…and he would be okay with that…he will have to come back to us on each phase," Green said when describing the developer’s commitment. Parrish emphasized the compromise reduced projected traffic and lowered the project’s scale: "You're gonna have a third less traffic…Nobody wanted 3 story units," Parrish said.

Public commenters included homeowners and neighborhood association representatives. Rick McIntyre, president of the Falcon Ridge Community Association, urged that any approval include language that single‑story be required across the whole parcel if neighbors were to accept the compromise. Other speakers asked for clarifications on whether the project would be senior‑only and on how site design would be reviewed; Francesco confirmed the project would be senior housing and that all site plans and building permits must return to the city for approval.

Discussion versus decision: Council’s action approved the contract and attached the single‑story condition; it did not waive later permitting or site‑plan review. Green and planning staff explained the approvals that will follow: site‑plan review before council, civil improvement plan review, and building permits.

What comes next: The contract approval directs staff to finalize the sale under the contract terms. Commonwealth still must secure financing including state tax credits and will return to the city for site‑plan and building permit approvals. The council’s single‑story condition will be enforced through those subsequent approvals.

Ending: The sale resolves a long‑standing question about the vacant parcel next to Mesa View Hospital by tying a developer commitment to a design constraint the council required; the project remains contingent on Commonwealth securing tax credits and successfully completing later city approvals.