TEMPE, Ariz. — A corner of Tempe near the ASU campus may soon be redeveloped into a new residential complex.
On Nov. 21, the Tempe City Council reviewed proposed plans to transform the southeast corner of Rural Road and University Drive into a multi-use development that would include 950 new residential units and 14,248 square feet of restaurant space.
"The development is proposed with high-rise buildings primarily consisting of multi-family residential units with commercial on the ground floor and a separate parking garage," planning documents state.
Project documents show the complex could include swimming pools, an event lawn, a running track and pickleball courts. The residential buildings are planned to be 20 stories high.
The project would replace a gas station and retail strip currently located on that corner. Developers are expecting the proposed complex to serve as a convenient housing option for ASU students.
"The Project will enhance the livability of this important intersection by providing a student-focused housing option located in very close proximity to both public transit (bus and light rail), retail and services, as well as direct walkability to campus," development documents state.
The city council will host a second public hearing on the project on Dec. 19.
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.
