The Gladden Farms Splash Park opened Friday with Marana Mayor, Ed Honea, most of the Town Council Members, Town Manager, Gilbert Davidson, and Dean Wingert and OK Rihl of Crown West Land Group, developer of Gladden Farms master plan community, all on hand to mark the event. In terms of economic development, Marana and Gladden Farms have much to celebrate.
Located immediately adjacent to the current playground areas and ball fields at the Gladden Farms Community Park, on land donated to the Town by the developer, the Splash Park is the largest in the region, with a cost close to $1.5 million. It includes over 5,000-square-feet of water-play area, and capacity for over 200 happy, splashing kids.
The Town's improvements include festive colorful shade canopies, a ramada, benches, tables, restrooms, parking, and extensive landscaping at the Splash Park with agricultural and farm-themed structures such as a water tower, a windmill, a tractor, and sunflowers - each with shooting jets or flowing streams of water, all free to the public.
The overall Marana Heritage River Park consists of 163 acres immediately adjacent to the 1,357 acre Gladden Farms master community and the Santa Cruz River Linear Trail system. Soccer fields, a performing arts amphitheater, and other green space improvements are all part of the master plan.
Breaking ground next month, Marana Unified School District will begin construction on the new Gladden Farms Elementary School, to be located at the corner of Tangerine Farms Road and Gladden Farms Drive. The elementary school will contain grades K-6, and will sit on 10 acres of land donated to the District by the Gladden Farms developer several years ago. The school will be accessed from Gladden Farms Drive, and will connect into the overall Gladden Farms pathway and sidewalk system for easy pedestrian access, scheduled to be open for classes in August 2016.
The Marana Unified School District has identified the new Gladden Farms Elementary School as their top construction priority following the passage of the District's bond approved by voters in November 2014. District voters overwhelmingly approved the ballot issue, and the District is anxious to alleviate student crowding issues at the nearby Estes Elementary School. The new school within the Gladden Farms community is being designed with the latest concepts regarding the student/teacher experience, technology, and safety, and will be the first new school within the District in over six years.
“This will be a great new addition to Gladden Farms. The development has contributed over $1.1 million to the District for the school through impact fees over the past 10 years, and a convenient new modern school within the heart of the community will be a very welcome addition for students and their families,” said Dean Wingert, vice president of Crown West Realty, the Developer.
Also planned for the near future is a new High School, as part of the Tangerine Farms Road extension through to Grier Road happens.
“Positioned, both geographically and pricewise, between the San Lucas community now sold out of lots, and Saguaro Bloom to the south, we see homebuilders refocused on Gladden Farms,” Wingert told us. “Gladden Farms first began in 2002, weathered the setbacks of the great recession and challenges with having to relocate our main entry from Moore Road to Tangerine Farms Boulevard, a four lane road completed in 2008. We are pleased to be moving forward again, better than ever.”
Gladden Farms Phase #1 is a total of 714 acres with 1,275 existing homes. When fully built-out, there will be a total of 1,746 homes and 42 acres of retail, with 250 acres of completed open space and parks with paved paths, and uniquely crafted green spaces.
KB Home is currently the sole active homebuilder, selling 23 homes since 2014 and with 69 finished lots at Gladden Farms. July was reported as being ‘a very good month’. KB also closed on an additional 138 platted lots in September of 2014 for development later this year. Will White and John Carroll of Land Advisors Organization in Tucson handled the land transaction for KB Home and seller and are handling the marketing of the residential land at Gladden Farms. White said "the homebuilder interest in Gladden Farms is definitely picking up due to several positive factors.”
In addition to KB Homes, several other homebuilders have had success over the years at Gladden Farms. Richmond American (443 homes), US Home / Lennar (401 homes) and Pulte (309 homes) are ‘sold out’.
Phase #2 will open another 640 total acres, platted for an additional 2,345 single family homes or apartments, a major medical campus on 58 acres by Northwest Medical Center, and 189 acres more of planed open space and parks.
As for employment, three new business parks will also be opening in the area, off I-10 and Tangerine Road, with two important businesses moving in. On the west side of the freeway, construction has begun on a new facility for Ventana Medical Systems, which will be part of the Tangerine Commerce Park.
To the east of I-10, near Trico Electric, will sit both the Marana Technology Campus and the Marana Business Park. Towers International will be going into this area.
The new Tucson Premium Outlet Center, a 46 acre development by Simon Properties is also scheduled to open this October at the Twin Peaks and I-10 interchange.
It’s nice to see a master plan come together.
For more information on available lots at Gladden Farms White and Carroll at Land Advisors Organization should be contacted at 520.514.7454.
