A cutting-edge business park focused on medical research and technology could soon occupy a 63-acre swath of land at Mesa's Falcon Field Airport, bringing new, high-wage jobs to an already prosperous part of town.
But pushing forward with the vision for the "Falcon Tech Center" will mean leaving a piece of Mesa's history behind: For more than six decades, citrus groves have covered the city-owned parcel, just west of the airport near Greenfield and McDowell roads.
"I know some (area residents) would like to leave it as is, but that’s hard for us to do given the conditions of those orange trees," said Bill Jabjiniak, Mesa economic-development director. "At 60 or 70 years old, they're really past their useful lives."
Leasing the property to businesses, rather than selling it, will allow Mesa to "dictate some quality that's really necessary in that area going forward and then target some specific companies that fit here," Jabjiniak said.
Key elements already in place at Mesa's Falcon Field property and in the larger Falcon area would facilitate the development of a tech center, according to the city.(Photo: David Kadlubowski /The Republic)
City officials began honing the concept for the tech center early this year, building on a strategic plan developed for the larger Falcon area in 2014 .
That plan — essentially a blueprint for future business-attraction, retention and marketing efforts — urged diversification of the Falcon Field economy, long anchored by aerospace giants such as Boeing Co.
"Certainly, the aerospace and aviation industry is very dominant in that area, and we know that and support that," said Councilman David Luna, whose district includes the airport. "But we're seeing a surge in medical-device companies as an emerging technology, and we want to be able to provide them space, too."
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Mesa is home to more than 25 medical-device companies, which manufacture everything from imaging tools and ultrasound equipment to dental products.
And Arizona's life-sciences industry, which includes biochemistry and related fields, grew by 45 percent over the past 10 years, compared with 12 percent nationally, Jabjiniak said.
"You can probably can see why we're starting to zoom in (on these specific industries) a little bit," he told the City Council at a study session earlier this year. "I think (a park with this focus) really allows us to go after the smaller companies that are leaving the region and the larger companies that are shipping work out. This will create an opportunity for them to actually stay put."
Halfway there Key elements already in place at the property and in the larger Falcon area would facilitate the development of a tech center, according to the city.
The site lies minutes from Falcon Field's general-aviation airstrips, for instance, as well as Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport's commercial runways and major freeways.
It has basic water, sewer and gas infrastructure, plus 2-inch conduits for fiber-optic cables.
The proposed development area for the Falcon Tech Center.(Photo: City of Mesa)
Income and education demographics in the Falcon Field Economic Activity Area, which stretches from Gilbert Road to Ellsworth Road north of Brown, are among the city's best.
A median household income 30 percent higher than the rest of Maricopa County could attract prospective vendors, according to the city. Nearly half of adults 25 or older have a college degree, indicating a qualified workforce.
"Sometimes, we forget really how robust (the Falcon area) really is," Mayor John Giles said at the study session. "Because it's such a big area, and you do drive by some undeveloped pieces of property, you might have the mistaken impression that things aren't hopping out there, when they really are to a large extent."
Economic-development officials have designed a webpage, brochures and other promotional materials to aid them in early discussions with developers and businesses.
Next steps Despite the site's assets, a handful of roadblocks remain.
First, because Mesa purchased the property with the help of aviation-grant funding, the Federal Aviation Administration wants a thorough environmental assessment of the land, according to airport Director Corinne Nystrom.
The airport has hired an environmental consultant to conduct the assessment, which officials expect to see finished by the end of the year and submitted to the FAA in early 2017.
"They've indicated they'll be focusing on three things (with that assessment)," Nystrom said. "One is going to be archaeological, to see if there's anything there that needs to be documented. Secondly, they want to make sure that we look at any stormwater detention or retention issues. And third, they want us to look at what impact the removal of some of those trees might have on the wildlife that may be residing or nesting in that area."
Citrus trees – some healthy, some decaying – currently occupy the 63-acre parcel being eyed for the Falcon Tech Center.(Photo: Maria Polletta/The Republic)
Economic-development officials also have requested some zoning-condition changes for the property, to allow for different, "more flexible" types of buildings. Most business prospects want to move into existing buildings, according to the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, and ready-to-use office and industrial facilities are scarce in the Falcon district.
Finally, the city must appease the neighbors whom Jabjiniak called "less than enthusiastic" about the idea of a bustling development replacing quiet citrus groves.
"We've proposed a good buffer zone (in the tech-center design) … to protect that residential environment," he said. "That was done on purpose, as was the idea of keeping some orange trees throughout the site.
"The idea here is not a total wipeout," he said. "We really want to keep that area's history in mind."
Residents can email feedback about the proposed tech-center plan to environmental planner Judi Krauss, jkrauss@coffmanassociates.com , through Nov. 7.
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