Homebuilders buy 600 lots on land that once was a dairy farm in Mesa

By Angela Gonzales

Two giant homebuilders have closed on 601 lots at Hawes Crossing, a master-planned community in Mesa that once served as dairy farm land.

Miami-based Lennar Corp. (NYSE: LEN) and Los Angeles-based KB Home (NYSE: KBH) paid roughly $40 million for 601 lots at Hawes Crossing. KB's transaction closed Dec. 11 and Lennar's transaction closed on Dec. 5.

While this acquisition adds to 561 lots Lennar had already purchased over the past few years, this will be KB Home's debut at Hawes Crossing, with 259 lots at the southwest corner of Hawes and Warner roads.

Nate Nathan, president and designated broker for Scottsdale-based Nathan & Associates Inc., and Amber Young negotiated the transactions.

Land development will begin in early 2026, with model home construction to begin in early 2027, said Ryan Bashaw, president of KB Home's Phoenix division.

"We will have a variety of two-story floor plans available ranging from 1,558 to 2,041 square feet," Bashaw said.

Home sales are expected to kick off in spring 2027. While all of the homes will have three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, four of the five floor plans will include a combination of loft and/or den space, he said.

"We feel Hawes Crossing represents a great opportunity to expand our footprint in the Phoenix market," Bashaw said. "This specific site is one of the last remaining significant infill parcels within the city of Mesa. Our goal is to create affordability in that submarket, and we understand that homebuyers will benefit from the growth in employment, great amenities and high-quality schools in the area."

With this most recent transaction, Lennar added another 342 lots, bringing its total to 903 lots at Hawes Crossing, said Jeff Gunderson, the company's senior vice president of land operations. A rezoning to allow for Lennar's 342 lots and future commercial development was approved unanimously by Mesa City Council on Nov. 3.

Lennar's other communities at Hawes Crossing are nearly sold out, Gunderson said.

Homes will range between 1,300 and 2,700 square feet within three new communities, with prices starting in the low $400,000s, Gunderson said.

He expects to have models open by the second quarter of 2027.

In addition to traditional, detached single-family homes, Lennar also will build some two-story townhomes within its newest community at Hawes Crossing.

KB and Lennar have a joint development agreement to build combined infrastructure together, since their lots are right across the street from each other, Gunderson said.

"There are limited new home opportunities inside the Loop 202," Gunderson said. "That really drives us in that area. It's an interesting mix of employment and housing. It's nice to not have to drive very far to go to your job. It's all about location, location, location."

Nathan and Jordan Rose, zoning attorney and founder of Rose Law Group, worked with dairy farmers and the Arizona State Land Department to transform the land into a 1,200-acre master-planned community.

Today, Hawes Crossing spans more than 1,700 acres, Nathan said.

"Jordan Rose did a masterful job on the rezoning, along with the help of Wendall Pickett at Greey Pickett," Nathan said. "The land ownership combine a joint effort of five dairies and the state land department to jointly navigate through the zoning process."

Nathan and Associates has represented the master plan since its inception.

A mixed-use project planned for 11 acres in Hawes Crossing is also in the works. Las Vegas-based commercial real estate firm Fore Property Company plans to develop the project, which includes more than 200 apartment units and 20,000 square feet of retail space.

Final Thoughts

Hawes Crossing continues to emerge as one of Mesa’s most significant infill growth stories, with major builders deepening their commitment to the area. The scale of this investment, combined with planned mixed-use elements and proximity to Loop 202, underscores strong confidence in Mesa’s long-term housing demand and livability.