First Phase of $7B Halo Vista Project:

At full buildout, the sprawling project near the TSMC chip factory could be home to 70,000 jobs

By : Audrey Jensen

Since the $7 billion master-planned development now called Halo Vista has been unveiled, the city of Phoenix has received global attention.

Christine Mackay, Phoenix's community and economic development director, said she even recently received an inquiry about the project from France.

The developers are expected to break ground as early as 2025 for infrastructure and the first phase of the project that's set to include an auto mall, retail, office and industrial development, according to Mackay during the city's economic development and housing subcommittee meeting on Nov. 25.

"We are thrilled to be working on this over the next 25 years and bringing it forward," Mackay said during the meeting.

Mack Real Estate Group and McCourt Partners held a launch party at the Global Ambassador hotel in October to reveal their ambitious plans and branding for the 2,300-acre "city within a city," anchored by the $65 billion Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.

At buildout that sprawling center could total nearly 30 million square feet and create upwards of 70,000 new jobs.

They're also currently working with several city of Phoenix departments on master plans for water and transportation, as well as an infrastructure reimbursement agreement for the 2,300-acre site.

Mackay said her team will return at the next economic development subcommittee meeting in December to discuss the terms of that infrastructure agreement.

Halo Vista project features tech park, manufacturing hub

Two major districts in Halo Vista will include a 12 million-square-foot manufacturing hub called the Forge and the Sonoran Oasis Research and Technology Park with 3.5 million square feet of flexible technology and office space.

The Forge will be set up for advanced manufacturing but could also see some data center and warehouse and distribution uses across the west half of the site.

"We work with national site selectors weekly and some of the comments that we've received are, 'Hey, this is the best shovel-ready site in the United States," said Nathan Wright, deputy director for Phoenix's economic development, during the subcommittee meeting.

The Sonoran park could see uses such as research and development and lab space, as well as some specialty innovation areas for biosciences, battery or electric vehicle technologies.

"Like-minded companies that have an integrated, vertical relationship with a chip-manufacturing company makes absolute sense as to the types of companies that we would see in the Forge and Sonoran Oasis," Mackay added.

A large portion along Interstate 17 could see more than 500,000 square feet of destination retail to support the employers and residents in the project.

An auto mall that could see up to 10 dealers will also be situated on the northeast corner of Halo Vista.

Both of those components of the project will be located next to residential development, as well as potential medical office and educational uses.

"We really have an amazing opportunity here, it's going to be a hub of industry in the Southwest and in the entire United States," Wright said.

Mack Real Estate Group has been master planning the project for the past two years with the city of Phoenix. It won a bid in May for the 2,300 acres of state land for $56.28 million. The company has had a longstanding presence in the Phoenix market with its related entities establishing the Mack family's business here nearly 40 years ago.