Expansion at Gilbert's SanTan Village includes Whole Foods, Dick's House of Sport
SanTan Village, Gilbert’s main shopping mecca, is poised to expand on 30 acres with major anchor tenants such as Whole Foods and a new Dick’s Sporting Goods concept store.
The project has been dubbed Signature at SanTan Village. It is proposed to have more than 322,000 square feet of retail commercial space just west of the larger shopping center. Site plans show 11 buildings, including retail stores, restaurants, a grocery store and banks.
The open-air mall was one of a kind in Arizona when it first opened in 2007 and has slowly and methodically been built out, one of its developers said.
For years, the developers have held onto the vacant land along the corner of SanTan Village Parkway and Williams Field Road, waiting for the demand and the right vision.
Landowner Ty LeSueur with LeSueur Investments II LLC told The Arizona Republic he and his partners are ready to move forward because of the southeast Valley’s population growth and demographic support for high-end retailers.
Although some brick-and-mortar stores have struggled with the rise of online shopping, LeSueur is confident the types of stores and restaurants planned for the expansion will keep customers “coming back long into the future.”
The project is under design review and is expected to go to Gilbert’s Planning Commission for approval in June. The town is working on the development on an accelerated timeline to get the project approved before newly increased fees take effect.
The project is likely to be built out in multiple phases. A groundbreaking date has not been set.
Dick’s House of Sport
In February, Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. announced it was launching a new retail store concept called House of Sport to Arizona in 2025.
In addition to its typical athletic products, the new concept offers a rock wall, golf hitting bays and cages to practice baseball, softball, lacrosse, soccer and hockey.
The sports retailer has debuted the concept in Illinois, Minnesota, New York and Texas. Earlier this year, the company bought 11 acres of land in Glendale.
Public records show it will make its debut in the southeast Valley at Signature at SanTan Village. Site plans for the Gilbert location show an outdoor track and field for product testing, rentals and specialty events.
Customers will be encouraged to try out shoes, bikes and outdoor sports equipment on the field. The field will also be available to rent for birthday parties, sports leagues or team-building programming.
Dick’s House of Sport in Glendale will sit on nearly 10 acres and be twice the size of the company’s typical sporting store.
Whole Foods and more
Whole Foods Market is the second largest announced tenant at the project. The newly built grocery store will be 43,000 square feet.
Planning documents also show a Starbucks is poised to open a new location at the development.
Nearly 15,000 square feet for dining have been set aside, with another 109,700 square feet marked for retail.
Banks and office space are among other identified building uses at the project.
LeSueur said the project is about 50% leased out.
He said he’s excited to see the project bring “unique” and new tenants to the southeast Valley.
“We believe, based on these types of uses and users that are coming into Signature at SanTan Village, that SanTan Village will continue to be a vibrant regional commercial development many years into the future,” LeSueur said.
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Reporter Maritza Dominguez covers Mesa, Gilbert and Queen Creek and can be reached at maritza.dominguez@arizonarepublic.com or 480-271-0646. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @maritzacdom.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Whole Foods, Dick's House of Sport planned at Gilbert's SanTan Village