Downtown Mesa Sees Light From Rail

Downtown Mesa has a lot of stuff going on these days.  Sure, the light rail line has only been running on downtown Main Street since August, but there have been significant changes in this growing area. Heck, there is even talk of new “market-rate housing” being built downtown which hasn’t happened for decades. Yep, they are talking about building housing, retail and green space across from the light rail station at Country Club and Main. That’s crazy talk. Right?

Make no mistake, this timing isn’t coincidental. It is directly related to Mesa’s commitment to a thriving transit corridor along Main Street.

Our friend David Crummey was quoted as saying:

“New quality rental housing is an important component of a comprehensive revitalization of our community.”
“We think a project like this will push the rent curve in the area.”

David is with RAILmesa – a community group that exists to be a positive voice for the light rail corridor in Mesa. They are advocates for increased citizen participation, responsible development of housing, transit options and the creation of quality jobs along Mesa’s Light Rail Corridor.

Downtown Mesa

Many people and organizations have been advocating for positive growth and development in the area, and it isn’t too surprising to see that real and positive change is happening along the line.

In an AZ Central article about the proposed new $42Million development, we read that:

City planners in November said the corner’s proximity to the Country Club light-rail station make it an excellent candidate for ground-floor retail and commercial uses, with commercial or residential uses on upper floors.

For many of us who have been following the Downtown Mesa extension for years, this kind of potential development really isn’t a surprise. For others, they may wonder if there is really enough demand for something of this scale on a largely vacant or underutilized portion of Mesa’s downtown. Obviousy, time will tell, but if you listen closely, you’ll hear a lot of chatter about the need for more and quality housing in the area.