According to The Arizona Republic, Pivot Development is planning on replacing Papago Plaza, the city's oldest and currently vacant shopping plaza with a mixed-use development that would include an Aldi grocery store, a hotel, a four-story apartment building, restaurants and retail. So far, nobody is objecting about knocking down the 60-year old structure but there are concerns about adding more apartments. "Is the project perfect? Maybe not," said Jeff Berghoff, a founding member of the South Scottsdale Alliance. "But I'm sick of looking out my window every day and seeing it. We're seeing what the future could be and I'm excited about that."
The Scottsdale City Council approved a rezoning request Dec. 12 but called on the developer to meet with residents to address concerns before the project moves further along.More than 20 residents, most opposed to the project, addressed the council ahead of the rezoning vote. Andrea Alley, who has lived in south Scottsdale for four years, says residents are opposed to more high-density apartments in the area.
"I have a hard time buying the argument that we need more rooftops before retail," Alley told The Arizona Republic. "It's going to redefine the entire intersection for years to come." The 1.5-mile stretch from 64th Street to Miller Road on McDowell Road has seen 1,015 new apartment units over the last six years.
Some residents point to this surge in apartments as the reason to scale back the number of apartments proposed as part of the Papago Plaza redevelopment.
