Minnesota-based affordable housing developer Dominium officially broke ground yesterday morning on its new build-to-rent community near Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway and Stonegate Road.

Dubbed Saddleback Village at Stonegate, the property will bring 215 single-family style rental homes to the area. Each home will offer three to four bedrooms with a private backyard, a unique feature for rentals.  

Dominium Development Analyst Abby Perez said the company was “excited” for their first project in Maricopa.

“This is going to be our first build-to-rent and Dominium’s one of the largest affordable housing developers, so this project is almost like a pioneer for our future projects all across the nation,” she said.  

With the groundbreaking complete, Perez said construction crews will complete earthwork through the summer. Vertical construction will begin this fall, with the first tenants picking up their keys by early 2026. 

“As a part of our general plan and adopted housing strategies, a range of housing types, both in size and affordability, are necessary to accommodate the evolving needs of families, professionals, seniors and individuals across all income levels,” she said. 

Developers first proposed the housing development in 2020 as part of a village concept for the Stonegate area.  

They made little progress until February 2024 when Dominium submitted pre-application paperwork for a “pedestrian-friendly development environment” just a stone’s throw away from The Home Depot. They closed an $8.3 million land sale on the area in December.