Thank you for your interest in 250 Rio.
You may have received a notice in the mail or noticed signs posted on the 1.81-acre site (shaded in blue below) because we have filed planning applications with the City of Tempe to accommodate the redevelopment of the site with high-quality, commercial development. Since we are not able to host in-person meetings at this time due to the ongoing pandemic, this website has been created to provide up-to-date information to the community about the proposed project as it moves through the City’s review process. We encourage you to review this website to learn more about the project and the Applicant’s vision for the site.
Site at 250 Rio
The approximate 1.81-acre site (shaded in blue below), which currently accommodates a vacant one-story building (formerly the Arizona Pennysaver), a surface parking lot, and the west embankment of the historic Ash Avenue roadbed, is located at the northeast corner of S. Ash Avenue and W. Rio Salado Parkway.
Applications
- General Plan Amendment to change the land use for an approximate 0.177-acre portion of the Site from Public Open Space to Mixed-Use
- General Plan Amendment to change projected residential density for an approximate 0.177-acre portion of the site from No Density to High Density-Urban Core (more than 65 units per acre)
- Zoning Map Amendment to rezone the site from GID (General Industrial District) GIOD (General Industrial Overlay District) RSOD (Rio Salado Overlay District) TOD (Transportation Overlay District) Corridor Area and R1-6 (Single-Family Residential) RSOD to CC (City Center) RSOD TOD Corridor Area
- Planned Area Development Overlay to establish site-specific development standards for lot and landscape coverage, building height, and setbacks
- Development Plan Review for proposed development’s design, including site and landscape plans and building elevations and materials
Rendering – Looking SW from Tempe Beach Park
Development Proposal Overview
The Applicant’s redevelopment proposal for the site is a high-quality commercial development within a mixed-use area that will increase the commercial/creative office and restaurant/retail mix within the Downtown Tempe District, preserve and rehabilitate the historic Ash Avenue roadbed along the Site’s eastern perimeter, enhance pedestrian connections to Tempe Beach Park, and enhance the pedestrian realm along Rio Salado Parkway. The Applicant anticipates strong and sustainable demand for Class A commercial office space at this location.
Rendering – Looking SW from Tempe Beach Park
Rendering – Main Entrance Looking South from City Parking Lot
Rendering – Looking SW from Tempe Beach Park
100 Mill
111 West Rio / ADP
24th At Camelback
Adeline
Applicant
- 100 Mill, a commercial development comprised of office and hotel towers with active street levels uses under construction at the southwest corner of Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway in downtown Tempe;
- 111 West Rio / ADP, a nine-story office building located at the southeast corner of Ash Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway in downtown Tempe;
- 24th At Camelback, an eight-story mixed-use building, and 24th At Camelback II, an 11-story office building, at the southwest corner of 24th Street and Camelback Road in Phoenix; and,
- Adeline, a 25-story, 379-unit luxury apartments tower under construction at the northeast corner of 2nd Street and Jefferson Street in downtown Phoenix
Project Information
The Applicant is proposing to redevelop the site with high quality, commercial development comprised of the following:
Preservation and rehabilitation of the historic Ash Avenue roadbed along the site’s eastern perimeter
A 14-story office tower providing a total of 210,500 square feet of office space on eight floors
4,500 square feet of flex commercial (restaurant / retail / creative office) use space adjoining and oriented towards the historic Ash Avenue roadbed
Integrated six-level parking structure providing 560 vehicle spaces
36 bicycle spaces
Redesigned ADA access to the adjacent and historic Ash Avenue Bridge Abutment
Substantial landscape improvements
Public Hearings
Historic Preservation Committee (HPC)
Physical Hearing Location:
Council Chambers, 31. E. 5th St., Tempe, AZ 85281
AND/OR
Click here to join the HPC virtual meeting via Cisco Webex Events.
May 11, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.
Development Review Commission (DRC)
Physical Hearing Location:
Council Chambers, 31. E. 5th St., Tempe, AZ 85281
AND/OR
Click here to join the DRC virtual meeting via Cisco Webex Events.
May 24, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.
City Council Hearing (Intro / 1st Hearing)
Physical Hearing Location:
Council Chambers, 31. E. 5th St., Tempe, AZ 85281
AND/OR
Click here to join the City Council virtual meeting via Cisco Webex Events.
June 9, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.
City Council Hearing
(2nd Hearing)
Physical Hearing Location:
Council Chambers, 31. E. 5th St., Tempe, AZ 85281
AND/OR
Click here to join the City Council virtual meeting via Cisco Webex Events.
June 23, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.
Virtual Neighborhood Meeting Information
A Zoom virtual neighborhood meeting was held for the project on Wednesday, September 8th, 2021 at 6:00 p.m.
Contact
Please contact Rob Lane, Gammage & Burnham PLC Senior Land Use Planner, at (602) 256-4439 or rlane@gblaw.com
The City of Tempe staff planner assigned to the project is Obenia Kingsby II, City of Tempe Planner II. Mr. Kingsby can also address your questions regarding the project, as well as the City’s process for the applications. Mr. Kingsby can be reached at (480) 858-2394 or Obenia_Kingsby@tempe.gov
Please be advised that any written correspondence received will be made part of the City’s file for the project and applications.
