When did Oro Valley Marketplace open? What were the original stores when it opened?
Oro Valley Marketplace opened in October 2008. The center boasts 800,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, and office space. The Center, is located at the southwest corner of Oracle Road & Tangerine Road. It included Wal-Mart Supercenter, Best Buy, Cost Plus World Market, Danny’s Gourmet Market, DSW, Famous Footwear, Petco, The Keg, Tilly’s and Ulta. By the end of 2008, Century Theaters, Olive Garden, and Red Lobster opened. Current tenants on the marketplace’s big-box east side are Petco, DSW Shoes, Ulta, new tenant Dollar Tree, and Fork N’ Fire. The center lost the former Ashley / Lounge by Levitz store and Red Lobster earlier this year. Over the past several years, Big Lots, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Tuesday Morning, Chase Bank, Best Buy and Cost Plus World Market, Famous Footwear, and Tilly’s have closed.
When did Oro Valley Town Council approve the final revitalization plan for Oro Valley Marketplace? How long did it take to approve the plan and what were some of the issues facing the project?
The final plan was approved by Oro Vally Town Council in November 2022. Town West Realty (with partner HSL Properties) to acquire the 114-acre Oro Valley Marketplace from Phoenix-based Vestar in Sept 2019. It took about 4 years for the full plan to be approved. Increased traffic and view protection (building heights and setbacks) were some of the most voiced issues the developer needed to address. As a result, apartment heights were reduced from 4 and 5-stories to 2 or 3-stories to preserve the Tangerine view corridor. At the time of Town West’s acquisition, 30 percent of the site remained undeveloped and the remaining 70 percent included numerous vacant storefronts. According to Staff and the applicant, the population density in the area never increased to the point necessary to support the Marketplace. Their solution in 2020 was to reimagine the center to accommodate a mixed-use development comprised of two hotels (possibly three) and two apartment complexes with retail and a central gathering place.
What is included in the revitalization plan and what is the timing?
Improvements to the shopping center will be funded by the owners, Town West Companies, and include two new apartment communities – one located to the south of Tangerine across from Oro Valley Hospital and the other along Oracle. Initially, Oro Valley Town Council stipulated that Town West must first build and open the tax-generating hotel before moving on to the proposed apartments. However, due an unforeseen turn in market conditions, it is not economically feasible to start construction on a hotel at the time. To keep this project progressing, Town Council agreed to allow the construction of the Encantada apartments along Tangerine Road. Construction is to begin in September 2025. In addition, The Picklr, a Utah-based pickleball franchise company, plans to open an 11-court, 30,000-square-foot pickleball facility (former Best Buy location) in September 2025. When construction is complete, the new mixed-use development will contain the following:
- Tangerine apartments – 320 units on both sides of Water Harvest Way
- Tangerine Hotel – HSL Properties has opted to develop 72 apartment units (included in total number above) in Development Area 2 rather than the hotel or commercial option, as permitted by the Master Development Plan
- Oracle Apartments – 152 units located between Water Harvest Way and Oracle Road
- Oracle Hotel (tentatively Hampton Inn and Suites) – 105 rooms located adjacent to the former Red Lobster
- Entertainment District Apartments – 48 units
- Entertainment District Hotel – to be determined
Special thanks to Town of Oro Valley’s Bayer Vella, Planning Manager and Michael Spaeth, Principal Planner, for their contributions to this article. For the most current info on this project go to OVprojects.