The Housing Pipeline — Phoenix Metro Premium Edition

Week through October 1, 2026

The Valley's growth engine is running at full throttle this week. Mesa just stamped the largest private investment in its history — a $3 billion resort-and-retail destination — while Buckeye and Peoria sit on two of the biggest master plans in the metro, each measured in the thousands of acres. From Gilbert's age-restricted apartments to Axon's still-clouded Scottsdale campus, here's the first Premium sweep across all nine cities, with the developers, the contacts, and what to watch next.

Mesa — Legacy Park: the $3 billion bet

This is the story of the week. On September 14, after hours of presentations and public comment, the Mesa City Council unanimously approved annexation, zoning, a development agreement, and a brand-new theme park district for Legacy Park and its companion, Gateway Crossing — clearing the way for what city leaders call the largest private investment in Mesa's history (reported by azcentral and AZ Big Media; the official Legistar file still showed the ordinance as "Agenda Ready," so treat the vote as press-confirmed for now). The vision from Vestar, partnering with landowner Pacific Proving LLC, is an "urban oasis" on roughly 200 acres at the northeast corner of Ellsworth and Williams Field roads, next to Mesa Gateway Airport and across from the Arizona Athletic Grounds: 2,500 contemporary residences, a 600-room luxury resort developed by The Athens Group (the firm behind Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton properties), 300,000 square feet of luxury retail and chef-driven restaurants, 3.4 million square feet of Class A office, and a 20-plus-acre urban park built around a large lake. The city estimates a $58 billion economic impact over 30 years. Vestar — the 35-year developer behind Tempe Marketplace and Desert Ridge Marketplace, with 30 million-plus square feet across the West — says groundbreaking is planned for 2027, with azcentral reporting the resort phase breaking ground in January 2028 and opening in October 2029. Status: approved. Anticipated construction start: groundbreaking targeted 2027. Location: NE corner of S Ellsworth Rd & E Williams Field Rd, southeast Mesa. Contact: Vestar — vestar.com, (602) 553-2623; Pacific Proving LLC — contact not found; email not stated.

Phoenix — Meritage bets on South Mountain

National builder Meritage Homes is working a 20.86-acre planned-unit-development for detached homes and townhomes about 995 feet south of 15th Avenue and Baseline Road, in the South Mountain Village area. The village planning committee recommended approval 11-2-1 in July, a Planning Commission backup memo followed August 5, and the case now awaits council action. Status: pending council. Developer: Meritage Homes. Anticipated construction start: not stated. Location: ~995 ft south of the SE corner of 15th Ave & Baseline Rd, South Phoenix. Contact: Meritage Homes — meritagehomes.com, (480) 515-8100 (HQ: 8800 E Raintree Dr Ste 300, Scottsdale); email not stated.