Council gives direction to advance Cul de Sac plan for Site 17 after presentation on phased purchase and development terms

The Mesa City Council on March 6 heard a presentation from Cul de Sac and city staff about a proposed mixed‑use redevelopment of city‑owned Site 17 at the southwest corner of University Drive and Mesa Drive and provided direction to staff to finalize purchase and development agreements for council review this spring.

The proposal, presented by Ryan Johnson, co‑founder and CEO of Cul de Sac, would deliver a multi‑phase project across the 25‑acre site that Johnson said could include up to 1,000 residential units, 25,000–50,000 square feet of retail and a similar amount of resident amenity space while emphasizing “community, mobility, and open space,” Johnson said.

City staff described a phased property sale and development structure intended to reduce risk for both parties and to protect city interests. Jeff McVay, manager of Urban Transformation, and Jimmy Turacchio, Downtown Transformation project manager, told council the draft deal would require a development agreement and building permits before the city will close on each phase. Under the structure discussed, Cul de Sac would have roughly 24 months after executing a phase purchase agreement to close on that phase and then 12 months after closing to commence construction; option payments and time windows were described for phases 2 and 3.

Why it matters: Site 17 is a large, downtown infill parcel across from the Delta Hotel and adjacent to a historic single‑family neighborhood; the council and staff said they view a successful project as a catalyst for additional downtown development and as a rare opportunity to add for‑sale housing in the core.

Key terms and program minimums discussed

• Minimum program:…