A plan for 480 acres in Maricopa, 30 miles south of Phoenix, would bring additional housing to the Pinal County city, but developers and other economic development advocates say it could become a hub for large employers. I hope that there is a possibility that this will happen.
The Maricopa City Council approved rezoning Murphy Park, located near Steen and Murphy roads, to allow for a mix of residential, business park and employment uses.
“This is the best location for large-scale employment in the city,” said Chase Emerson of Emerson Holdings LLC, adding that he and officials with the Maricopa Economic Development Alliance are looking to attract companies interested in locating there. He added that he has been in contact with.
The water utility on this site is Global Water Resources.
Planned use for housing and employment
The northernmost portion of the expansive property, located on Steen Road, is designated for residential use, which Emerson said could include single-family homes for sale, homes for rent, apartments or a combination thereof. It is said that there is a possibility. This portion, totaling about 80 acres, could be the first to begin construction.
The remaining 400 acres are zoned, allowing for development flexibility, Emerson said. While housing could be allowed, his goal is to attract businesses that could boost private employment in the city.
“Our goal is to get a large employer and bring in as many jobs as possible,” he said. “Now that the zoning is in place, employers could come in right away.”
Emerson plans to sell portions of the land to various companies and eventually develop it into both residential and commercial uses.
Pinal County is booming with industry
Pinal County has been the location of choice for many suppliers in the semiconductor industry, even though they chose Casa Grande over Maricopa. Emerson and Maricopa economic development advocates hope Murphy Park will give Maricopa a chance to attract industry companies and other advanced manufacturers, including suppliers to the electric vehicle industry. ing.
Christian Price, CEO of the Maricopa Economic Development Alliance, said the group is working to appeal to companies in advanced manufacturing as well as warehousing and distribution. He said Maricopa is one of the fastest growing cities in the Western United States, but there are few large private employers in Maricopa.
Price, who previously served as mayor, said the growth of the electric vehicle production industry in Pinal County presents opportunities for Maricopa. Lucid and Nikola Corp. both selected locations in Pinal County for their assembly facilities. Maricopa also has a Volkswagen proving ground, and Nissan also has a proving ground in nearby Stanfield.
“There's a lot of interest in this area,” Price said.
The county is also attracting attention from the energy industry. Several major solar energy companies are based in Pinal County, with LG Energy Solutions building a plant in Queen Creek.
“Companies are looking to Pinal County because it's a hotbed of labor, cheap land, and access to water,” Price said.
Bringing some of that industrial growth to Maricopa could mean the city could quickly gain a new large employer, Price said. Currently, the city's largest employers include the city government, the school district, and Harrah's Actin Hotel and Casino.
Maricopa celebrates its 20th anniversaryth The company, which celebrates its anniversary this year, is incorporated on about 50 square miles, but with a planned area of 250 square miles, large-scale growth could easily occur, Price said.
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