The City of Mesa and Arizona State University are proposing a major downtown expansion aimed at strengthening the city’s Arts and Innovation District.
Key Highlights
- Mesa is pitching an 8-story mixed-use building at 51–55 E. Main Street.
- The building could include:
- Up to 120,000 square feet
- Retail and restaurants
- Event space
- Class A office space
- The city and ASU would occupy part of the office space.
- Mesa plans to redevelop the existing U.S. Post Office building at 135 N. Center Street into an ASU Creative Technologies building.
- Estimated costs:
- $25 million for the ASU Creative Technologies building
- $3.4 million for a new retail post office
- $5 million in infrastructure improvements
- Construction on the ASU building could begin after the current USPS lease ends in May 2028, with a projected 18–24 month build timeline.
- The proposed “Light Walk” would:
- Stretch nearly one mile from University Drive to Main Street
- Include shade structures, landscaping, lighting
- Connect the Mesa Amphitheatre, Convention Center, ASU facilities, and downtown retail
- Potentially generate $16 million annually in retail and restaurant spending
- Attract hundreds of thousands of visitors per year
Why This Matters for Investors
- ASU’s Creative Technologies program has already doubled projected enrollment at the MIX Center within two years.
- Student growth = rental demand.
- Downtown activation drives restaurant, retail, and residential appeal.
- Infrastructure upgrades often precede private investment opportunities.
Mesa is clearly positioning downtown as a long-term innovation and lifestyle hub.
For investors focused on Mesa, this is a signal: follow the institutional investment.