Phoenix retail developer Vestar held a community meeting at Copper Sky last night to present early plans for a 195-acre mixed-use development in Maricopa and hear feedback from local residents.

The proposed project, dubbed “Maricopa Towne Center,” is still in its conceptual stages but already generating passionate discussion among neighbors. The town center is proposed for an undeveloped piece of land just south of Palo Brea and east of the Harrah’s casino, bisected by the Sonoran Desert Parkway.

Vice president of Vestar, Ryan Ash, described the site as a “blank slate” that the company has been quietly working on for years. Now, with infrastructure like the new parkway in place, the developer is moving forward with a formal vision for the land.

Vestar, known for its 30 million square feet of retail across the Valley, says retail will be a key part of the development. Vestar “specializes in the acquisition, management and development of commercial real estate, including entertainment-retail complexes, power and lifestyle centers and neighborhood centers,” according to its Linkedin page.

“We think the community really needs another grocery store, more sit-down restaurants for a date night,” Ash said. “The rest of the site could be residential, commercial — whatever best meets community needs.”

If all goes according to plan, those restaurants would be ready for date night in 2028.

The overarching plan remains fluid, but that hasn’t stopped residents from voicing concerns, particularly about apartments and condos.

Many attendees expressed unease about multi-family housing being a centerpiece of the proposal.

“Everyone agrees. None of us want a party next door,” said Palo Brea resident Brian Batey. “[The city of Maricopa] built 9% of the town in apartments in the last three years, and they’re not even full.”

“ Quality of life is important. Just having our roads packed because they want to put more people in town makes no sense. I moved here because it was a rural town that was chill,” said Batey. “I didn’t want to live somewhere that was like living in San Diego.”

Others were more open to new housing but said infrastructure must grow with it.

“It’s not just about apartments. It’s about roads, traffic and quality of life,” said Donna Ciraolo, who also lives in the adjacent Palo Brea neighborhood. “We only have one main road out of town. That’s already backed up.”

While some residents welcomed the idea of growth and more retail options, they were wary of losing the small-town feel that originally drew them to Maricopa.

“When we bought our house, we were told the land next to us was unbuildable farmland,” said Evelyn Tindle. “Now our views are gone, and the dog park’s gone too.”

Vestar aims to finalize entitlements by the end of the year. If all goes smoothly, parts of the development could open by 2028.

Ash acknowledged the challenges of balancing progress with community values.

“We welcome the good and the bad,” he said. “Comment cards give us insight into what people want, and we take that feedback directly to grocers and restaurateurs.”

“We’re here and we’re glad to be part of the community,” Ash said, encouraging residents to stay engaged and reach out with questions.

Future public meetings are expected as plans become more concrete.