South Price Road Employment
Corridor Study

Alan E. Maguire
The Maguire Company
October 2013

City of Chandler Report
The South Price Road Employment Corridor
Introduction
This report was commissioned by the City of Chandler in order to analyze and review the issues
surrounding the City’s past and current planning and land use policies for the area generally
known as the South Price Road Employment Corridor, hereafter the “Corridor”.
The report includes a review of the historical development of the planning and zoning policies
applicable to the Corridor; a review of the existing properties available for development in the
Corridor; consideration of information derived from interviews with various City elected and
appointed officials as well as members of the development community; a comparison of other
similar areas; and the development of recommendations for the Mayor and City Council’s
consideration.
The report is not a comprehensive review of all of the planning, land use, and related economic /
demographic issues associated with development in the southwest section of the City. It is a
broad review of issues intended to provide one source of information to city policymakers as
they consider public policy questions related to the Corridor.

Background
The City has a long history of thoughtful, constructive, and consistent planning. This tradition
has facilitated the positive growth and development of the City and has undoubtedly contributed
to its economic vitality.
Over the last 20 years conditions in the City, the region, and the state have changed in many
important ways. Since 1990, the population of the City has increased from 90,533 to 236,123 as
of the 2010 Census. Total employment in the City has increased from approximately 34,000 in
1990 to approximately 122,000 in 2013. The total property tax base (full cash value) of the City
has also increased over the last two decades from about $500 million to over $3 billion. In short,
the City is a very different place than it was in 1990 and certainly a different place than it was a
decade or two before that.
The Corridor has been identified, in one form or another, and discussed in City planning and
development documents since, at least, 1982. The 1982 Circulation and Land Use Element of
the City's General Plan and the 1982 South Chandler Area Plan both identify the Corridor as a
major employment area. The South Chandler Area Plan was the first planning document to
include a focus on attracting high technology industries. By 1998, the concept of campus-like
environments along the Corridor had been introduced into the City's planning documents.
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The 2001 General Plan further refined City policy by including an objective to promote and
protect the Corridor for "large high-tech corporations in a single-use, campus-like environment."
through policies that “protect the corridor from land use encroachments such as general
industrial parks and subdivisions, warehousing, distributorships, other general industrial uses,
and residential development which would otherwise compromise the function and integrity of
this corridor.”
In the 2001 General Plan, the Corridor is described as “[t]hat area south of Willis Road, as
depicted on the Chandler Land Use Map for that area… Its environment would be defined by
single users such as high-tech manufacturing, research and development, and corporate offices in
integrated campus-like settings on parcels generally not less than 15 acres."
The City’s 2007 Next Twenty report also discussed the Corridor. The report reflected the
economic development clichés and perspectives of the time, but did identify several important
trends that were affecting Chandler then and that continue today. These include the City’s
transition from a rapidly growing community on the periphery of the metro area into an
integrated part of the region’s core economy. At the same time, changes in business models,
driven in part by global competition, and technological innovation have led to changes in land
uses and property development. Instead of a single-user, large parcel development, these
changes have led to a greater focus on "a mixed-use environment that provides incubators and
small spaces for start-ups". The introduction of the “innovation zone” approach responded, in
part, to those changes.
Chandler’s development as home to highly skilled, well-educated residents continues and serves
as a major attraction for high value employers. As the economic and population base of the City
matures, the City’s future decisions will have an even greater impact on the prosperity of the
City and the region.
Unforeseen in the Next Twenty report was the about to burst mortgage / housing bubble and the
resulting international banking crisis and protracted economic sluggishness. Increased
regulations have altered the conditions and availability of financing for new commercial and
residential development. Conditions in the national and local housing markets and credit
markets have combined to return the region to its long history of affordable housing prices.
Commercial development activity is also returning, but with different constraints than before the
crisis.
The 2008 City of Chandler General Plan, which is currently in effect, maintains the existing
policy preference for single-users on large parcels. It states that the Corridor “is recognized as
the City’s premier employment corridor, which is reserved for single employment users such as
high-tech manufacturing, corporate offices, and knowledge intensive employers in campus-like
settings on parcels generally not less than 15 acres.”

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In the Elements – Growth Areas section, Large Tract Growth Areas are stated to “constitute the
City’s prime inventory of economic development acreage.” The Corridor is identified as such an
Area with some restrictions. “Although considered a large tract growth area, the South Price
Road Employment Corridor is reserved for large single-user campus employment, or as an
alternative, an innovation zone ….” As such, the land use policies in this growth area are distinct
from the other … large tract growth areas. Long identified as one of Arizona’s preeminent hightech industry magnets, South Price Road still offers choice, undeveloped acreage for
employment.”
Later, discussing Innovation Zones, the 2008 General Plan states that such areas “can be
considered in the employment land use category. Opportunities to develop Innovation Zones
may present themselves in designated growth areas such as the Large Tract Growth Area and
Growth Expansion Nodes that accommodate employment uses. As Figure 10 shows, the South
Price Road Employment Corridor may be particularly suited for an innovation zone….” It
continues:
“The ‘innovation zone’ concept is envisioned as a hub where research and industry
intersect and benefit from close proximity to each other within a campus environment.
Innovation zone campuses provide a setting for research institutions such as universities,
innovation-based companies including start-up businesses, large corporations and similar
companies that relate to the innovation zone’s enterprises. Appropriate industries for
innovation zones are knowledge-intensive industries such as high technology,
biomedical, aerospace, renewable energy research and development and other similar
emerging technologies.
“A compatible mix of multi-tenant buildings with flexible office space for the types of
uses identified above may be considered as a component of a larger innovation zone
campus, with the understanding that a multi-tenant building alone does not constitute an
innovation zone. A key component of an innovation zone is a centrally featured campus
hub that contains common amenities that directly support businesses in the campus such
as a conference center, research facilities and exhibition space.”
Properties like the former Motorola site were envisioned as possible innovation zone
opportunities. A hypothetical site plan was included as an illustration of the concept.
While previous planning documents had included descriptions of land uses that were not
appropriate for the Corridor, the 2008 General Plan more clearly defined those uses that would
be allowed. In addition to high-tech manufacturing and corporate office, they included:
•

Advanced Business Services which was defined as companies such as advanced financial
services, data centers, customer care centers, logistic centers and product design
engineering firms.
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•

•

Innovation-Based Companies which was defined as "[e]mployers in knowledge-intensive
industries that research, invent and market new products and services. These companies
are those in research-based industries such as high technology, biomedical, aerospace,
renewable energy and similar research-based industries."
Knowledge-Intensive Industries which was defined as “[h]igh technology, biomedical,
aerospace, renewable energy research and development, and other similar research and
development based industries.”

Enhanced Infrastructure
A key component in the development and subsequent success of the Corridor is its enhanced
infrastructure. Since the late 1970s, Air Products has provided industrial gases, necessary for
manufacturing processes, to the area. There are a number of competitive telecommunications
services available and the Corridor is one of two locations in the Metro Phoenix area where all
services terminate to "the Cloud." Electrical power is provided by the Salt River Project (SRP).
The area is served by a closed loop system that provides redundant power and several existing
substations currently service the area. SRP also anticipates the need for additional power within
the Corridor in the future and is currently engaged in a line siting study to identify two new 230
kV routes and the location of two new substations. SRP expects to have the construction of the
first phase of this project completed by late 2016.
Water and wastewater services are provided by the City of Chandler Municipal Utilities
Department. Base infrastructure and a dedicated amount of water, wastewater, and reclaimed
water is provided to each site based on the uses identified in the Land Use Element of the City's
General Plan and its Water Masterplan. If additional services are needed above the amount
dedicated to each site, City staff gauges the intensity of the user on a case-by-case basis by
evaluating the number and value of the jobs created and the additional infrastructure
requirements necessary to service the project.
The City has taken several steps to increase the infrastructure capabilities in the Corridor. Some
of these improvements include: a new 16” water main on Price Road that parallels an existing
24” line to provide redundancy; rehabilitation and upgrades of a water production facility on
South Dobson Road; a new 24” water transmission line; and a new sewer force main and pump
station capable of transferring 20 million gallons per day. Additionally, a 24” reclaimed water
line was installed along Queen Creek Road to provide additional reclaimed water delivery to the
area. The City is also currently constructing 7 million gallons of additional wastewater treatment
capacity. The City will start design of a new wastewater treatment facility at Queen Creek Road
and Old Price Road this fall. Design will also be initiated in the fall/winter of 2013 for three
additional aquifer, storage and recovery wells to provide additional reclaimed water storage and
recovery for this area.

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Reclaimed water is provided by either the City of Chandler or the Ocotillo Management Group,
depending on the location of the site. Reclaimed water resources are primarily used for
landscape purposes.
South Price Road Employment Corridor Development History
The development of properties along Price Road has occurred steadily since the 1980s. (See
attached map and chart.) Motorola was the first major employer to develop in the Corridor in
1983. Aircraft Gear (now Iridium) followed in 1986.
Park Ocotillo, located at the southwest corner of Price and Queen Creek Roads, was originally
zoned in 1987 as part of the Ocotillo development's master plan. It was planned as a multitenant office and industrial park. It has subsequently been rezoned for similar uses. Three years
later, in 1990, Orbital Sciences’ property was zoned. Although the single-user, campus policy
had not yet been formalized, all of these parcels (with the exception of Park Ocotillo) still met
those objectives.
The City of Chandler has worked with Intel since 1979 when they developed the Chandler
Boulevard FAB. Their purchase of a large parcel at the south end of Price Road solidified the
Corridor's reputation as a major employment hub, with FABs being built in 1994, 2005, 2008,
and in 2012. Intel's Ocotillo Campus has approximately 300 acres remaining for possible future
development.
Amkor located in the Corridor on two separate parcels totaling just over 18 acres. They
constructed three separate buildings with the first one developed in 1995, followed by
construction in 1997 and 2000. Over the years, various businesses have occupied the 130,000
square foot building Amkor constructed in 1997. In 2013 Digital Realty Trust (DRT) purchased
the entire property with the intent of converting it to a data center and expanding its campus.
In 1999, Schwab Data Center developed at the southeast corner of Germann and Price Roads.
This site has been owned by several data center developers, most recently by DRT. Two
expansions have occurred since the original construction at the site.
Pinnacle Manufacturing (now Isagenix) also developed a nine acre site just south of Schwab in
1999. They are currently marketing an adjacent six acre site. Because of financing
requirements, the development of this site would need to be platted separately so it is not tied to
the original financing of the project.
Americredit developed a 15 acre site on the northeast corner of Germann and Price Roads in
2003. Orbital Sciences occupied one floor of the building for approximately 18 months.
Currently, 84,600 of the 157,000 square foot building are vacant.

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Wells Fargo acquired an approximately 63 acre site on the Corridor and developed the first phase
of their project in 2004. Approximately 28 acres remain to be developed.
Kovach Industries’ site is approximately nine acres and that is divided into two parcels. The first
parcel was developed in 2005 and the second one in 2010. Although the land use of this site was
not among those listed in the 2001 General Plan, this site was zoned I-1 in 1985.
Also in 2005, TSYS acquired the parcel just north of Wells Fargo. It was zoned for a data center
and office building but has never been developed. The parcel has been sold and its zoning has
been extended three times.
In 2006, the 12 acre site just north of Americredit was zoned for office/manufacturing but is still
vacant.
In 2008, the Motorola site was redeveloped as Continuum and rezoned as an Innovation Zone.
The Great Recession slowed development in the Corridor and it was not until 2012 that any new
development occurred. That year, both Nextfort and CyrusOne developed data centers.
CyrusOne is located on the northern portion of Continuum.
In 2013, the 27 acre portion of Park Place that falls within the Corridor was zoned in
conformance with the uses outlined for the Corridor in the City’s General Plan.
Price Commerce Park was also recently zoned as Office/Industrial use for up to three users.
There are pending zoning applications on two parcels:
Park Place Phase II - a 38 acre parcel at the southeast corner of Willis and Price Road (within the
South Price Road Employment Corridor). The developer has proposed uses consistent with the
type of uses designated in the General Plan for the Corridor, but is seeking the ability to have
multiple tenants or multiple users.
Northwest Corner of Dobson and Queen Creek - a 34 acre parcel. The developer seeks nontraditional multi-tenant uses.
Within the roughly 1442 total acres in the Corridor, approximately 153 acres (11%) remain
zoned AG-1. These acres are within five differently owned parcels ranging in size from 10-38
acres. The balance of the property within the Corridor is either built, undeveloped with approved
PAD (Planned Area Development) zoning, or partially developed with future construction phases
anticipated.

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As the properties along Price Road within the Corridor have developed, the City has approved
development (primarily through PAD zoning) subject to a variety of zoning standards,
conditions, and restrictions. These decisions have been guided by the City’s historical goals for
the Corridor, the land uses and design plans proposed for individual properties by their
respective property owners, and the mutual compromises reached between the property owners
and the City to allow development to proceed consistent with the goals set out in the General
Plan. The majority of these developments still meet the City's policy for the Corridor of a singleuser in a campus setting.
The existing, in-place zoning within the Corridor includes manufacturing, multi-tenant,
industrial, research, data centers, and other uses specifically outlined for the Corridor in the
City’s 2008 General Plan. The current zoning status of the major properties with the Corridor is
illustrated on the attached map and chart.
The issue remains as to whether the policies that have propelled the City and the Corridor
forward in the past continue to be appropriate for the years ahead or whether some modifications
are appropriate.
Development Trends in Similar Employment Areas
The Corridor has been designated by the City as one of several employment centers within the
City. However, its location at the edge of the City’s residential development, its freeway access,
and high quality utility spine designate it as a prime employment location. Other communities
around the country have endeavored to develop and redevelop similar employment centers. A
review of the characteristics of some of these areas provides a comparison to the Corridor and
may provide guidance to the City as it reviews its policies.
The Research Triangle Park (RTP) in North Carolina is sometimes cited as a model for the
Corridor. The RTP was envisioned over five decades ago and includes over 7,000 acres. The
RTP is located amidst three nationally ranked universities (Duke, NC State, and U of NC at
Chapel Hill). Development in the RTP has transitioned from “ad hoc strip malls or flex office
developments” to “planned larger developments” to “best practices for mixed-use planning”.
The RTP completed its second phase master planning process in 2012. That renewed planning
process recognized that “in today’s world, many of the qualities that made the Park so successful
in earlier decades run counter to trends in innovative industries…” Entrepreneurs and startup
companies are integral to today's work environment so nurturing these types of businesses is
becoming as important as attracting established companies in creating a successful economic
development program. Planners for RTP do not believe large, single user sites are feasible for
these types of businesses. Therefore, they wanted to ensure the update to their plan provided the
flexibility necessary to address the needs of these smaller companies.

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The Morris Township’s Honeywell Campus Redevelopment Area is located in northern New
Jersey and is the location of the former Allied Chemical/Allied Signal (later Honeywell
International) research facility. The site contains 147 acres and has approximately 1.1 million
square feet of office space and research labs. Honeywell has left the facility and in 2012, local
planning officials responded by modifying the land use plan for the property recognizing “a shift
away from what were formerly large, single-use corporate campuses into what are becoming
mostly planned, mixed-use projects that can better respond to the demands of the marketplace.”
The proposed uses include consideration of townhouses and stacked townhouses.
The Honeywell Campus redevelopment has many similarities to Chandler's Motorola site. The
modification recommended for the redevelopment of the Honeywell Campus is very similar to
the innovation zone concept that was first described in the 2007 Next Twenty report. This
concept was incorporated into the City's 2008 General Plan and has been used to guide the
rezoning of Chandler's Motorola site.
The Legacy project in Plano, Texas, north-east of Dallas, encompasses 2,655 acres and over
50,000 residents. The master planning for this business environment started in the early 1980’s.
The design of the plan was to create a corporate headquarters, campus-like development with
significant landscape setbacks and strong transportation access to attract corporate headquarters.
In 1998, after almost 20 years, Legacy developers added a "New-Urbanism" based urban living
component to the master plan to support the employment base. Legacy Town Center within the
business park added retail and housing to the employment center. Through the next 15 years the
planning efforts have shifted to respond to the market demands that further the master plan
principles. The planning for the site now anticipates a combination of large corporate operations,
in addition to those already existing, urban retail and housing opportunities, hotels and strong
transportation access. Specifically, the planning seeks to encourage Class A office space, “value
added office space”, telecommunication hubs, medical office buildings and other uses. The
“Legacy Town Center” planned development district has established building design, street,
sidewalk, and streetscape regulations, prohibited and permitted uses, and signage regulations
among other specific land use regulations and development standards.
In summary, while none of these areas has the same combination of characteristics that
distinguish the Corridor from other locations within the local region, there are some useful
parallels and lessons that can be drawn from their experience. In each instance, changing market
circumstances have led to evolving planning and zoning goals and objectives designed to
maximize the benefit of development for the local and regional economy. These changes can be
seen in evolving development and land use patterns across the country. It is noteworthy that
while other similar areas have had to modify their land use patterns to incorporate housing
options, substantial housing development is already located adjacent to the Corridor. New and
innovative land use patterns are changing the use and re-use of property. The benefits of
proximate location of related business activities and the desire of residents to work and live in
close proximity are forcing the re-examination of zoning and land use regulations, in all forms.
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Current Policies and Related Issues
The City has long established goals, objectives, policies, and practices regarding development in
the Corridor. Some of which are:
Parcel Size
Current City policy is to restrict the minimum parcel size in the Corridor to “generally 15 acres
or greater”. This restriction has become an issue for potential zoning/ development of residual
parcels and potential parcels splits due to changing needs of landowners and businesses. The
treatment of “remnant” portions of developed parcels can be complicated by development,
construction, and permanent project financing requirements in the current environment.
Single User
Current City policy is to restrict the use of buildings in the Corridor to a single user. This
restriction has become an issue for existing, developed properties, as well as the potential zoning/
development of some of the remaining parcels. The limits on the permitted use of “remnant”
portions of existing buildings and developed parcels can complicate development, construction,
and permanent project financing in the current environment.
Campus Setting
Current City policy is to require “campus like” development patterns, with significant setbacks,
landscaping, and mobility requirements. This can be a challenge on smaller parcels.
High-Tech / High-Value Industries
Current City policy is to encourage high-tech, high-value employment, of various types, in the
Corridor. This can restrict the potential available tenants and employers for development on the
remaining parcels or the redevelopment of existing parcels.
Issues Surrounding Current City Policies
Much has changed since the 1980s when the Corridor was first being developed. And while the
policies and practices the City has used to shape the development of the Corridor have been
successful to date, the reevaluation of some of these policies may be useful in light of a changing
global economic climate and changing business practices.
Additionally, the City’s current land use and development goals for the Corridor have been under
increased scrutiny in response to the combination of general market conditions and development
pressures. Several specific aspects of the City’s current policies / practices have been
highlighted by recent activity. Most notable, the City’s current practices are creating challenges
for:
•

Re-leasing and subleasing of “remnant” portions of existing large buildings in the
Corridor (single user policy);
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•
•
•

Developing projects consistent with the Corridor’s planning objectives on smaller sized
parcels (15 acres minimum policy);
Accommodating appropriate uses better suited to multi-tenant building projects (single
user policy); and
Refining the allowed uses that advance the City’s vision and implementation strategies
for the Corridor (2008 General Plan-South Price Road Employment Corridor and
Innovation Zone concepts).

The increase in smaller, more entrepreneurial businesses and their preference for “growing in
place”, as well as the pressure from the local development community have led to this review of
the City's policies for the Corridor.
Recommendations
The South Price Road Employment Corridor is one of the most desirable and valuable sections
of the City. It is served by extraordinary utility services, is located adjacent to a dynamic, welleducated workforce, and is the site of several of the City’s best-known employers. It is well
recognized as an employment center for higher wage, higher quality jobs in a convenient,
attractive setting. Clearly, the past planning and land use policies of the City have largely
supported and contributed to the current status of the Corridor.
The broadly understood, if not specifically articulated, objectives of the City’s planning efforts in
the Corridor are to maximize the Corridor’s potential as a location for concentrated, knowledgeintensive, high-value employment that fully exploits the areas enhanced infrastructure and
location.
Preserving and strengthening the crucial aspects of those policies is important for the future
development of the Corridor. However, there may also be a need for some changes in order to
meet the needs of businesses who wish to locate in the Corridor. Several principles are
recommended to guide the City’s land use planning policy choices regarding the Corridor.
•

The campus-like environment of the Corridor should be preserved and actively
enhanced. This can best be promoted by maintaining setback and intense landscaping
requirements. These requirements preserve and enhance the “campus style” development
that is a desirable attribute of the Corridor and helps create its sense of place.
Additionally, the campus-like environment is attractive to large, single users and is only
available in limited locations within the region. Preserving the campus setting will give
the Corridor a competitive advantage over other locations.
Preserving the campus-like setting does not imply a preference for low density
development. Intensive utilization of the remaining, available, developable land within
the Corridor will promote the dense, high-value employment the City seeks.
Policies
that facilitate more vertical construction or phasing projects on a parcel support greater
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employment density. For example, initially installed surface parking areas could be
replaced with structured parking as future development phases occur.
•

The “high value employment” reputation of the Corridor should be actively
preserved and enhanced. The Corridor has been defined as an employment center since
the 1980s and the City’s planning documents have repeatedly identified the general
industry categories of preferred uses allowed within the Corridor. The City's past and
current policies have contributed to the clustering of high tech, innovation-based
companies within the Corridor. Clearly delineated uses will facilitate the City’s
objectives for the Corridor, while providing reliable guidance to property owners and
developers.
There are other quality locations within the City that can meet the needs of businesses
that do not fall within the industry categories identified for the Corridor. Therefore, the
integrity of the Corridor can be maintained and these businesses can still locate within the
City.

•

The employment density of the Corridor should be preserved and actively
enhanced. This can be accomplished by establishing target employment / value levels
for property in the Corridor. Higher value employment also maximizes the community,
and regional, benefits of the nearby high value workforce. The existing nearby
workforce reflects the past development of high value employment in the Corridor. That
trend in turn supports and facilitates the development of future high value employment.
The combination of attractive development, focus on high value industries, and intense
utilization of land and buildings will tend to increase the value added in the Corridor.
The greater the value added by the employment in the Corridor the easier it will be to
preserve and enhance the positive aesthetic and employment attributes of the Corridor.
For the most part, the preferred uses that have been identified in the City's planning
documents remain relevant today. However, some of these categories are overly broad
and consequently include uses that are inconsistent with the City’s objectives. For
example, data centers were included in the list of preferred uses in the 2008 General Plan
and can meet the single user, campus-like setting policies, however, they do not generate
the employment density envisioned for the Corridor. The inclusion of data centers, and
possibly other uses, should be revisited and the uses refined to limit their future
development in the Corridor, except on already appropriately entitled land.

•

The aesthetics of the Corridor should be preserved and actively enhanced but there
should be some flexibility for smaller parcels. The large parcel policy has reinforced
and enhanced the “campus style” development in the Corridor. However, these same
policies create significant challenges for developing smaller parcels and may make
development of such parcels financially challenging. Specific clarification to the current
policies should consider these situations.
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•

The aesthetics of the Corridor should be enhanced by the implementation of
development standards applicable to the buildings in the Corridor. Enhanced
development standards will ensure high quality structures and distinctively appealing
sites. The city has effectively used this approach in other areas and circumstances
elsewhere in the city.

•

Multi-tenant developments should emphasize a common theme or purpose.
Allowing for multi-tenant buildings would allow the City to attract more entrepreneurial
companies to the Corridor. However, to help promote the “single-user” and “campus
style” goals for the Corridor, the business uses in such developments should remain
consistent with the objectives of the Corridor regardless of parcel size. Additionally, to
the extent feasible, multi-tenant buildings or developments that emphasize a common
theme, such as common industry or employment base, will help maintain the character of
the Corridor.
Multi-tenant properties should be planned and developed around a central activity or
purpose, such as an anchor tenant. This central purpose or anchor tenant should establish
the overall character and uses of the project and reflect the types of business uses
appropriate for the Corridor.

•

Greater flexibility should be allowed for the reuse of buildings. The City’s objective
that original development of property within the Corridor be consistent with the City's
long-held policies and practices should be maintained. However, remnant portions of
completed projects or portion that are later vacated, should be treated differently in order
to lease or sublease those portions in a timely fashion provided the proposed tenants
reflect the types of businesses uses appropriate for the Corridor.

Conclusion
The City's long history of thoughtful, constructive, and consistent planning has allowed it to
grow, prosper, and thrive, becoming one of the strongest local economic centers in the region,
the state, and the nation.
The South Price Road Employment Corridor has been an integral component in the City’s
success. It has become one of the premier high tech and innovation hubs of the Southwest
United States and many of the businesses located along the Corridor are among the nation’s
leaders in these areas.
Since the initial planning for the Corridor, much has changed in the means and methods of
manufacturing, production, and business operations. The scale and means of production, as well
as the organization and development of business activities, have changed as the result of
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transformative innovation and technological advances. Given these changes, it is appropriate for
the City to review its policies for the Corridor.
The City's current policies for the Corridor have four main components. These are: identifying
preferred uses as designated in the General Plan; promoting campus-like settings; having single
users for each parcel; and promoting larger parcel size except within an Innovation Zone. It is the
uses that drive the high value of jobs within the Corridor while the campus setting creates the
sense of place that makes the Corridor physically attractive. It does not seem prudent or
necessary to significantly modify these two requirements, although some refinement of the land
uses should be considered.
Changes in business development patterns have led other similar employment areas nationwide
to alter their policies. These changes are relevant to the City's experience and suggest the need
for some changes, especially as it relates to the single user requirement. Where development has
already occurred, but the building or buildings are vacant or underutilized, and provided the uses
are consistent with the City's policies for the Corridor, relief from the single user requirement
should be considered for the use or reuse of these existing developments. Because there are unzoned parcels and vacant, undeveloped property in the Corridor care should be taken in
structuring such relief. With regard to consideration of any such relief, it is important to consider
that such actions may likely trigger re-zoning requests for parcels within the Corridor.
Therefore, the decision to grant such relief should be considered only when the type and quality
of any development proposal merits deviating from the long-established policies that have made
the Corridor successful.
Similarly, there are smaller parcels where, provided the uses are consistent with the City's
policies for the Corridor and development can be structured to maintain the overall campus-like
setting in the area, relief from the 15 acre requirement should be considered.
Finally, any decision to modify the existing policies for the Corridor should be made only where
the changes promote further development of the type and quality that have made the Corridor a
success.

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APPENDIX

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SOUTH PRICE ROAD EMPLOYMENT CORRIDOR
Development History

Year

Parcel/Project

Acreage*

Zoning

Various
1983
1986
1987

Municipal owned sites
Motorola
Aircraft Gear (Iridium)
Park Ocotillo

96
155
6
37

Various
PAD w/ I‐1 uses
I‐1
PAD ‐ Multi‐tenant/Commercial
Office/Industrial/Commercial
Retail corner

1990

Orbital Sciences

40

PAD Office/Research/Manufacturing

1994
1995
1997
1999

Intel (FAB 12)
Amkor
Amkor
Schwab Data Center (DRT)

694 (total acres)
18 (total acres)
18 (total acres)
22

1999
2000
2003
2004
2005
2005
2005
2006
2008
2008
2010
2012
2012
2012

Pinnacle Manufacturing
(Isagenix)
Amkor
Americredit
Wells Fargo
Intel (FAB 22)
Kovach I
TSYS Data Center & Office
Sunstate (Vacant)
Continuum
Intel (FAB 32)
Kovach II
Intel (FAB 42)
Nextfort Data Center
CyrusOne Data Center

2013
2013

Park Place
Price Road Commerce Park

9 (adjacent 6 for
sale)
18 (total acres)
15
63
694 (total acres)
5
15
12
155
694 (total acres)
4
694 (total acres)
11
55 (part of
Continuum)
27
38

PAD w/ I‐1 uses
PAD ‐ Office/Manufacturing
PAD ‐ Office/Manufacturing
PAD ‐ Data Center/Electrical
Substation
PAD ‐
Office/Research/Manufacturing
PAD ‐ Office/Manufacturing
PAD ‐ Office
PAD/PCO ‐ Office
PAD w/ I‐1 uses
I‐1
PAD ‐ Data Center/Office
PAD ‐ Office/Manufacturing
PAD ‐ SPREC/Innovation Zone
PAD w/ I‐1 uses
I‐1
PAD w/ I‐1 uses
PAD ‐ Data Center
PAD ‐ SPREC/Innovation Zone
PAD ‐ SPREC Office/Industrial
PAD ‐ SPREC Office/Industrial

PAD - Planned Area Development
PCO - Professional Commercial Office
PDP - Preliminary Development Plan
SPREC - South Price Corridor Employment Center
*Acreages have been rounded
15

Park Place - 2013 - 27 acres
zoned SPREC office/industrial

Park Place II - 2013 - 38 acres
Application in process for SPREC
zoning (minus single user)

Willis Rd.

Dobson Rd.

Aircraft Gear (now "Iridium") - 1986 - 6 acres
Hard zoned I-1

Vacant - 2006 - 12 acres
zoned office/manufacturing -

Kovach I - 2005 - 5 acres;
Kovach II - 2010 - 4 acres
Hard zoned I-1

Americredit - 2003 - 15 acres
Orbital Sciences occupied 3rd floor
for 18 months. 84,600 SF of this
157,000 SF building is now vacant

Amkor - 1997
Amersham, GE Healthcare and Marvell Technologies
have all occupied this building over the past 10 years.
This 130,000 SF building has been vacant for +/-3 years

Germann Rd.

Amkor - 2000
Amkor - 1995

Price Commerce Park
2013 -38 acres zoned
SPREC Office/Industrial
for up to 3 users
Property zoned for TSYS data center
and office building in 2005. Never
developed and sold to investor who has
extended zoning 3 times - 15 acres
Wells Fargo - 2004 - 63 acres
1st of multiple phases constructed; 3
separate parcels make up the total acreage.

Gila
River
Indian
Community

Price Rd.

NOTE: Amkor properties are
located on two separate parcels
totaling 18 acres.
*2013 - Property sold to Digital
Realty Trust with intent of
converting entire property to data
center. Amkor will relocate to
new site in East Valley.

Nextfort Data Center - 2012 - 11 acres

Schwab Data Center - 1999 22 acres - zoned for data center
(became "365 Main" now "DRT")
DRT Expansion 2011 Pinnacle Manufacturing
(now "Isagenix") - 1999
9 acres - (adjacent 6
acres being marketed for
sale)
CyrusOne Data
Center - 2012
55 acres
Motorola - 1983 to 2008
now "Continuum"
Science & Technology
Park with SPREC and
"Innovation" zoning

Queen Creek Rd.

Park Ocotillo - 37acres
Planned multi-tenant office & industrial park (vacant);
gas station currently exists on the hard corner - zoning
first occurred in 1987 and then a number of times since,
including multi-tenant and commercial retail. PDP has
changed a variety of times to fit the market

Zoning application recently
submitted for speculative
zoning - 34 acres

Orbital Sciences - 1990 - 40 acres
Motorola occupied a portion of
this building in the late 1990's

Intel FAB 42 - 2012
Intel FAB 32 - 2008
Intel FAB 22 - 2005
Intel FAB 12 - 1994

´

South Price Road Employment Corridor
Development History

Legend

Pending Zoning Request

Acres

(72 acres part of AG-1 Zoning Total Acreage)

AG-1 Zoning

I-1, PAD, PCO/PAD or
Municipal Zoning
Total Acreage
Map created 10/24/2013

153

1,289
1,442

o
ill
t
o
c
O

.
d
R

Dobson Rd.

Willis Rd.

Price Rd.

Germann Rd.

Gila
River
Indian
Community

Queen Creek Rd.

o
ill
t
o
c
O

´

South Price Road Employment Corridor
DUnentitled Land

Legend

Pending Zoning Request

Acres

(72 acres part of AG-1 Zoning Total Acreage)

AG-1 Zoning

I-1, PAD, PCO/PAD or
Municipal Zoning
Total Acreage
Map created 10/24/2013

153

1,289
1,442

.
d
R

Dobson Rd.

Willis Rd.

Price Rd.

Germann Rd.

Gila
River
Indian
Community

Queen Creek Rd.

o
ill
t
o
c
O

´

South Price Road Employment Corridor
Development Status

Legend

Pending Zoning Request

(72 acres part of AG-1 Zoning Total Acreage)

AG-1 Zoning

Undeveloped Committed

(Continuum, Wells Fargo and Intel)

Zoned but not built
Developed

Map created 10/24/2013

Total Acreage

Acres
153

469
152

668
1,442

.
d
R