CITY OF TEMPE
TEMPE’S TRAJECTORY
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s Arizona rebounds from the pandemic, its population is increasing, new projects are transforming the skyline, and travel and tourism are bouncing back. Like other cities in the Greater Phoenix area, Tempe is a leader when it comes to growth and development in the state. The last couple years saw Tempe pivot from a university town into the Valley’s second largest urban center, but rapid change brings not just economic success but also challenges. From demands for additional workforce and affordable housing, to attracting businesses that provide high-paying jobs, to ensuring enough space for visitors — including the thousands who come every year for events at Arizona State University (ASU) — INNOVATION CORRIDOR
40 | September-October 2021
Forum looks at what the City of Tempe’s growth means to the Valley
Tempe is dedicated to meeting the needs of its residents as well as current and potential industries. With about 40 square miles of land, Tempe is nearing build-out capacity. In early 2021, the city expanded its boundaries for the first time since 2006, adding slightly more than 17 acres in a portion of the North Tempe county island, located south of East Curry Road, west of North Miller Road and north of Gilbert Drive. The site will house a phased mixed-use development featuring approximately 650 residential units and retail opportunities. Housing, like land, also is in high demand. Approximately 190,000 residents live within Tempe’s city limits, and as the city continues to develop, it relies on a large population
of commuters to operate. Currently, more than 20 housing, multifamily and mixed-use projects are in development or approved. They will bring about 3,000 residential units to the region. Another 20-plus projects are in review. Tempe is also home to approximately 50 million square feet of industrial and office space. More than a dozen large-scale developments that will add upwards of 3 million additional square feet are in the works. And even though the city recently welcomed the opening of The Westin Tempe, its largest new hotel in nearly four decades, another 10 hospitality projects are on the horizon.
CONTINUED GROWTH Currently, there are about 60 largescale projects underway in Tempe,
