Big Two-Tower Project in Tempe Gets OK

A plan to redevelop a 2.5-acre site in Tempe, well known for a popular Mexican restaurant and historic train depot, has received an important green light.

Members of the Tempe City Council have given their unanimous approval to a project that will see the construction of two high-rise structures going up near the intersection of Third Street and Ash Avenue.

Altogether, the project will total some 319,000 square feet, with one tower at 18 stories, and the other topping out at 10 stories.

The 18-story structure will feature a 280-room hotel, along with some 9,400 square feet of conference space, and another 15,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space.

There will also be a 22,600 square foot street-level public gathering and plaza space.

The project, which belongs to the Phoenix-based Red Development, has attracted considerable attention due to the developer’s plan to secure a new space for the Tempe Macayo’s Depot Cantina, which closed two years ago.

In addition, according to city documents, the project will “preserve and rehabilitate the train depot as part of the proposed redevelopment of the site.”
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More specifically, the one-story brick structure will be repurposed as retail, restaurant, and bar space.

​By Garry Boulard

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