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Neighbors push back on 7‑story Marshall on Spence project over parking, height and traffic
Summary
At a first reading, residents objected to a proposed seven‑story, 105‑unit student housing project on Spence Avenue citing narrow streets, low parking ratio (0.31) and visual impacts; the developer agreed to further neighborhood meetings before a July final hearing.
A proposed seven‑story student housing project called the Marshall on Spence drew intense public comment during its first public hearing before the Tempe City Council. The developer presented the plan as a 7‑story, 105‑unit mixed‑use building with 271 bedrooms and 89 parking spaces (parking ratio 0.31). Council opened an extensive public hearing but did not vote on the ordinance, leaving final action to a later meeting.
Nick Woods of Snell & Wilmer (representing the applicant) described design changes including rooftop solar (20% of the garage roof), covered loading and interiorized waste pickup, staged landscaping and pedestrian connectivity to adjacent phase‑1 development. Woods said the stipulation offered would allow residents of the southern building to exit north to Apache via the northern building to reduce Spence traffic.
Residents called the project out of scale for Spence, saying the corridor is narrow (citizens and councilmembers described a 26‑foot‑wide street in places), that stepbacks are insufficient to mitigate the perceived height and that low parking would push cars into nearby neighborhoods. "A 0.31 parking ratio is an absolute joke," one commenter said, and others warned about safety for bicyclists and pedestrian congestion.
The developer presented traffic counts and an analysis showing the project would add a modest number of vehicle trips compared with the existing use and said the project displaces a market‑rate building that currently generates comparable traffic. Councilmembers repeatedly urged the developer to meet with neighborhood representatives and staff to try to resolve outstanding issues; the project’s next hearing was scheduled for July 1.
Next steps: Developer and staff to meet with nearby residents and finalize adjustments before the second and final hearing on 07/01/2025.
