EMDR Therapy in Mesa, AZ

Following a series of thunderstorms that ripped through portions of the Valley on Tuesday night, chances of a reprise were possible through the afternoon for Greater Phoenix.

According to the National Weather Service, storms had "erupted" in the early hours of Wednesday morning for much of the foothills and higher terrain sections of the Valley, spawning the potential for strong, gusty winds, heavy downpours, frequent lightning and small hail.

These storms have since continued on their path eastward, causing a slew of flash flood warnings and advisories for swaths of Maricopa County.

"It looks like the predominant amount of activity today with shower and thunderstorm activity is going to stay primarily east of Phoenix," Phoenix branch meteorologist Alex Young told The Arizona Republic.

Young added that if storms were to hit the metro area, they'd likely do so toward the middle to late afternoon hours.

Per the forecast, temperatures were slated to be as high as 101 degrees in Phoenix on Wednesday; however, depending on cloud coverage, the Valley could remain below 100 degrees.

"We've got a lot of work to do if we even get to 100 today," Young said.

Looking toward the weekend, conditions will once again start to dry out, decreasing the concerns for convection and warming back up to the mid-100s.

Tuesday storms bring hail, high winds

Tuesday night's storms crushed sections of the Valley, bringing heavy rain, hail and high winds that caused the temporary closure of a school and sent planes at Falcon Field Airport in Mesa airborne.

"Last night we had quite a bit of activity," Young said. "We saw reports of 70-80 mph wind gusts with that at this point. There were some hail reports as well, looks like up to 1.75 inches in the Chandler area."

In regard to rain, according to the Maricopa County Flood Control District, amounts varied all over the metro area and Maricopa County. While a number of areas reported totals below half an inch, those in north Phoenix, east Mesa and Apache Junction took most of the pounding, some areas boasting upward of 2.5 inches

The winds caused structural damage to Zaharis Elementary in Mesa, forcing Mesa Public Schools administration to close the campus until the roof is repaired.

The school district told The Republic that students were scheduled to return to school on Tuesday, Sept. 19, but that could change as staff continued to assess the situation.

Teachers were in contact with their students for at-home learning activities, the district said, and added that families in need of assistance would have to fill out a form emailed to them.

Winds were also felt at Falcon Field Airport, as the reliever to Sky Harbor International and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway got hit hard by the disastrous cell at around 8:30 p.m.

The Maricopa County Flood Control District reported that Falcon Field received nearly 1.5 inches of rain during the downpour.

"They had about 20 planes outside that were damaged, including some that were overturned from the storm," Mesa senior public information specialist Kevin Christopher told The Arizona Republic. "We've got numerous hangars with some damage, both hangars owned by the airport and privately owned."

Two vintage World War II hangars were also among those battered and beaten, one sustaining some roof and door damage, while the other had its roof blown off.

Christopher added that no one was injured and that the airport remains open and never closed during the onslaught's peak.

As the Arizona Coyotes continue looking for a new home in metro Phoenix, after Tempe voters resoundingly rejected the team's proposal to build an arena, Mesa is the latest city being floated as a lifeboat for the team.

How realistic that idea is depends on who you ask.

Mesa Mayor John Giles told The Arizona Republic, the Valley's second-largest city would be a great spot for the Coyotes. Although he has not had a conversation with the Coyotes, he said he'd be surprised if they didn't take a look at the options in Mesa.

Unlike the Tempe plan, those options would be on privately owned land.

The buzz of where the Coyotes could land include Phoenix's Footprint Center, the shuttered Fiesta Mall property, other privately owned land in Mesa or another east Valley city.

Xavier Gutierrez, Coyotes president and CEO, said Wednesday the team is committed to Arizona and has "already started re-engaging with local officials and sites to solidify a new permanent home in the Valley." The team's Twitter account posted a poll asking people to vote where the Coyotes should build their "new home." The poll had four east Valley cities including Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler and Gilbert.

The Arizona Coyotes declined comment for this article.

The possibility of renovating Phoenix's Footprint Center to allow the Coyotes hockey team to be a tenant has also been floated.

The day after Tempe's no-vote, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said through a spokesperson, she would be "happy to discuss potential options" with the team if it wanted to work together to keep playing in the Valley.

Councilman Jim Waring, whose district oversees northeast Phoenix, said Wednesday that Phoenix offered " potential lifeboat" for the team. Bringing the Coyotes could "maximize the investment" of the Sun's Footprint Center " if it pencils out," he added, citing a possible boost in tax revenues for his city.

On Thursday, as the complications of retrofitting the Footprint Center to accommodate basketball and hockey in a shared venue sunk in, Gallego said through a spokesperson that the NHL franchise had not reached out.

Tempe officials have remained largely silent since the election.

But in Mesa, Giles said there are several options that would be ripe for development along the freeway corridors. Fiesta Mall is one of those options, he said. The infrastructure exists there to build out the area and it would need few public improvements, he said.

"I think it's worth keeping (the Coyotes) in the Valley and continuing to nurture that sports franchise and youth sports systems that are a part of that," Giles said. "I don't want to see them leave the Valley... One of the strategic locations in Mesa would be a good choice for them."

Earlier this year, the developers of the mall property filed a pre-submittal application signaling it will raze the building to make room for master-planned development.

No formal submittal for development of the Fiesta Mall site has been filed with to Mesa, a city spokesperson confirmed.

“Fiesta Mall is one of the most attractive pieces of urban real estate in the Valley today. It is massive, adjacent to three major highways and only 20 minutes from two major airports,” the city said in a news release.

“We look forward to working with the property owner on proposals to bring diverse uses to the Fiesta Mall site and long-term sustainable and vibrant economic activity to the Fiesta District.”

The city would not confirm to The Arizona Republic if it has been approached by the Arizona Coyotes regarding a potential proposal.

Giles said there are other properties along the Loop 202 Red Mountain freeway that he knows could be ideal spots for the development.

Per the city charter, voters would need to approve any expenditure of public funds, grant tax concessions or relief. Similarly, voter approval would be required if the city incurred debt greater than $1.5 million to construct or aid in the construction of an entertainment facility, arena or other multi-purpose facility. Giles said he doesn't see a scenario where a vote would take place because it would be taken of care by private development.

How other local leaders are reacting

Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin, who represents areas of Mesa, said in tweet he would love for the Arizona Coyotes to permanently settle in his east Valley district.

“I’m willing to help find taxpayer-friendly answer that makes sure the (NHL) sees (Arizona) as a long-term home,” Galvin wrote.

Reactions:Glendale, Coyotes officials react after Tempe voters reject hockey arena deal

Councilmember Scott Somers, who represents southeast Mesa, told The Republic that he has not had any conversations about the potential interest from the Coyotes to move to Mesa and that it is too early to speculate where the Coyotes could land.

However, conceptually, he said he’d entertain the idea, but anything involving “sales-tax dollars would pretty much be a non-starter.”

He said using mechanisms like GPLET, a tax incentive agreement to temporarily replace a building’s property tax with an excise tax, or to create a community facilities district to obtain community funding for property development are methods that would protect Mesa taxpayers.

Both tools were part of the doomed Tempe deal, rejected by voters. Opponents derided the incentives as tax giveaways for billionaires.

However, a privately-financed deal for the Coyotes would be the best bet for the team to find a home in Mesa, Somers said. He pointed to the development of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California where the NFL Rams and Chargers play as an example of what that could look like.

He said the 80-acre Fiesta Mall property could be a good spot for the team to land.

Councilmember Jenn Duff, who represents the central area of the city and downtown, said she has not had any meetings yet related to the Coyotes. She was surprised to see Tempe’s ballot fail.

“For me the arena isn’t as much of a question as what comes with that and how deals are structure,” she said.

Duff’s district does have a notable 25-acre vacant piece of city owned land along University and Mesa drives, commonly known as Site 17. She does not see that land as a potential spot for consideration. “It is not something that I think feeds into… what we’re trying to accomplish in the downtown area.”

Giles also said Site 17 would not be on the table for consideration.

Councilmember Mark Freeman, who represents the area in northeast central Mesa in a text message to The Republic said, “I think it’s exciting as far as I’m concerned and we’ll see how far it progresses.”

Councilmembers Alicia Goforth, Francisco Heredia and Julie Spilsbury did not respond to inquiries from The Arizona Republic.

Republic reporters Sam Kmack, Taylor Seely and Jason Wolf contributed to this article.

Reporter Maritza Dominguez covers Mesa/Gilbert and can be reached at maritza.dominguez@arizonarepublic.com or 480-271-0646. Follow her on Twitter @maritzacdom.

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MESA, AZ — The site of a once-iconic mall could be rebooted as a major gathering point in the East Valley once again.

Verde Investments Inc. proposes to do just that at the site of the closed — and mostly demolished — Fiesta Mall in Mesa. The Tempe-based company filed a rezoning application with the city of Mesa to shift the zoning from Limited Commercial to Infill District-2 which would make way for a mixed-use development.

Verde — which is owned by Valley businessman Ernest Garcia II, the biggest shareholder of Tempe online vehicle retailer Carvana Co. and wealthiest person in the state — controls the 80-acre site.

In March, Verde filed pre-submittal documents to the city of Mesa that loosely outlined how it would redevelop the parcel on the southwest corner of Southern Avenue and Alma School Road, directly off the U.S. 60 freeway. The proposal included turning the site into new retail, up to 4,000 multifamily units, flex office and open green space.

Read more of this story from the Business Journal.

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Sysco Corporation, the leading global foodservice distribution company, recently held an event in Mesa to celebrate the groundbreaking of its new 353,600-square-foot facility, Sysco Arizona East.

Attendees at the event included Sysco executives as well as:

Construction related to the $102 million investment is planned to begin this Fall and is expected to be operational by Spring 2025. Sysco Arizona East will create 257 new jobs that offer industry-leading wages, paid time off, and comprehensive healthcare and retirement benefits. The average annual salary at Sysco Arizona East will be $68,000 per year, nearly double the per capita median income in Arizona.

Sysco Arizona East will bring job training and workforce development opportunities to the City of Mesa and surrounding communities. Through Sysco’s Operations Academy, eligible warehouse employees can receive company sponsored training to earn a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and grow their career with Sysco. Sysco Arizona East warehouse selectors will be able to earn a salary range of $68,000 – $87,000 annually and drivers will be able to earn a salary range of $81,000 – $109,000 annually.

“Sysco’s Arizona East site will help meet the demands of the growing local market and bring excellent, long-term career opportunities to the Mesa community,” said Matt Jacobson , Sysco’s Desert Region President. “We look forward to bringing Sysco’s expertise and service to thousands of new customers in the market, including restaurants, healthcare, education, and travel and leisure locations throughout Arizona.”

“Sysco stands out as an industry leader in food service, and I’m pleased to welcome their new facility to Mesa,” said Mayor John Giles . “Our city has a talented workforce that will meet the needs for Sysco Arizona East, and I appreciate their commitment to offering job training and workforce development opportunities for Mesa and the East Valley.”

“Arizona’s East Valley is proud to welcome Sysco to their new home,” said Arizona State Representative Neal Carter . “For generations, our East Valley has played a vital role in feeding Arizona. I am grateful to see this tradition continue with the addition of Sysco Arizona East. This site will provide good paying jobs and tremendous economic benefits in my district for generations to come. I look forward to a strong partnership with Sysco.”

“Sysco’s new Mesa facility is an exciting milestone for the company and bolsters Arizona’s economic growth,” said Sandra Watson , President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “We are grateful that a global leader like Sysco continues to invest in Arizona, creating hundreds quality jobs and building on Mesa’s continued economic momentum.”

“Sysco’s new Mesa campus stands as a multi-faceted investment in the community, offering new opportunities with career path development,” said Greater Phoenix Economic Council President & CEO Chris Camacho . “We applaud their forward-thinking dedication to building talent and congratulate them on the groundbreaking for this massive new facility.”

“We are pleased to welcome Sysco to Mesa,” Mesa Economic Development Director Bill Jabjiniak stated. “Sysco, a world-class leader in the food service industry, brings yet another global brand to Mesa along with quality jobs and considerable investment in our community.”

Connect Homes, an industry-leading prefab housing provider, announced it will be opening a new factory in Mesa, Arizona in the first quarter of 2024. The factory will be the second facility in Connect Homes’ portfolio and expand the company’s footprint into the Mountain West to better serve and provide the region with modern, precisely engineered modular housing solutions.

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The company designs, manufactures, delivers, and installs beautiful single-family homes and other housing solutions across the U.S. Its patented steel-frame modular system makes it possible to build architect-designed homes, semi-custom homes, multi-unit communities, and shelters, faster and more affordably than traditional construction.

“With increasing demand for the Connect Homes suite of housing innovations, we have reached our capacity limit in our current San Bernardino factory and now is the time to grow our manufacturing base with a second state-of-the-art factory in Mesa that gives us the space to build and supply the next generation of housing,” said Deborah Casper, CEO of the homebuilder. “Our new factory will play an integral role in providing elegant, affordable homes to prospective homeowners and shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness across the Mountain West and we are grateful to the City of Mesa for welcoming Connect Homes to the region. We are committed to being a part of the solution to the acute housing shortage in California, Arizona, and across the country.”

The Arizona factory will be capable of manufacturing up to 5,000 square feet of housing per week. Additionally, the facility will be approximately three times larger than Connect Homes’ San Bernardino factory and will create more than 90 jobs for the local Mesa economy. At this size,tThe company will be able to simultaneously run multiple industry-leading assembly lines to meet the growing demand for the company’s innovative homebuilding projects.

“We’re pleased to welcome housing innovator Connect Homes to Mesa,” said Mayor John Giles. “Cities and towns throughout the United States are working to address the need for a range of housing options, which is a high priority in Mesa. It’s great to see Connect Homes bringing more high-quality, affordable housing options to our market.”

“As the Greater Phoenix housing market continues to evolve, we need innovative companies like Connect Homes to lead with unique ideas and quality manufacturing,” said Greater Phoenix Economic Council President and CEO Chris Camacho. “Their presence in Mesa will provide more options to residents looking for affordable, eco-friendly opportunities.”

The company launched in 2012 and delivered its first single family home in 2013. Since then, the company has delivered 122 homes, equaling over 800 modules, and built 37 ADU’s in California. Unique among homebuilders, Connect is a vertically integrated prefab company that designs, manufactures, transports, and installs modern, green single-family homes.

Connect Homes’ ability to oversee all aspects of the manufacturing and home delivery process enabled it to quickly design, build, and deploy non-congregate homeless housing solutions across California as part of Project Homekey, a statewide effort to sustain and rapidly expand housing for persons experiencing homelessness. As part of Project Homekey, Connect is partnering with cities to deploy modular homes in Mountain View, Long Beach and Victorville, California.

“Demand for attractive, affordable homes has never been higher,” said Gordon Stott, co- founder and chief architect at Connect Homes. “We are excited to begin producing and delivering quality, robust homes and continue transforming the way homes are built. The Mesa factory will be key in fulfilling our promise.”

The company was represented by Senior Vice President James Cohn and Vice President Stirling Pascal with Stream Realty Partners.

The homebuilder is actively recruiting for new positions at the AZ Factory, for more information please visit, http://connect-homes.com/Careers.