It may sound like a broken record around here, but the positive news for downtown Mesa just keeps coming.
Yesterday, we read that Westminster College is planning to open a campus in downtown Mesa. This significant announcement comes just a few months after the city announced plans for Benedictine University to open shop in downtown Mesa, as well. While the early numbers indicate that Benedictine University could bring “1500 students within a decade”, early reports say that Westminster could bring approximately 1200 students to the area within a decade.
Reports indicate that Westminster could be holding its first classes in 2013.
And that’s not all:
It was also announced that other colleges could be coming to the downtown area, as well. Mesa owns and controls several vacant and underutilized buildings along with 60 acres of ground in this core area, and there is a ton of potential to completely transform the area into an educational hotspot and economic engine.
“Mesa has a $14 million budget to prepare downtown sites for the multiple colleges it wants to attract. The city originally anticipated the college center would open at the former Tri-City Community Center, 225 E. Main St. But in January, Benedictine University entered into negotiations to lease the entire 68,500-square foot building” – via msnbc.com
Just a couple of blocks from a light rail station.
The widget below shows examples of properties currently for sale within ( approximately ) 1/2 mile from the coming light rail stations. Compare the prices with homes near ASU and see what you come up with…
Investors and small business owners should be taking notice. People love college towns. Have you see the price of real estate in Tempe near the ASU campus lately?
Our “city within cities” known as the light rail corridor is expanding, and the vibrancy of the lifestyle people are growing to love looks like it will be a great fit for downtown Mesa. Soon, there will be thousands more people, rockin’ the Rail Life!
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