Pittsburgh-based Gustine Co. will develop 11 acres into a retail complex that is expected to include a CVS Pharmacy since it's the Arizona developer for the Woonsocket, RI-headquartered drug chain. An additional 14 acres will be developed into a 258-unit apartment complex by Scottsdale-base PB Bell Cos., with the remainder of the parcel reserved for Tri-City Baptist Foundation, which will build a church, educational center, dorms and sports field on the site.

The Chuparosas development will feature Spanish Mission-style architecture with pedestrian walkways linking the buildings to neighboring single-family homes and a new park. The interlinking walkways are a unique feature in an area where developments are often closed off by barrier walls.

The preliminary development proposal also includes an "adaptive reuse plan," which provides use options for the buildings if a business fails or abandons the property.Construction on the project, which is set to begin next year, has already been met with opposition from nearby residents, many of whom disapprove of the development of both retail and multifamily units in a predominately residential area.

Tim Casey, president of the nearby Vineyards Homeowners Association, tells GlobeSt.com that neighbors oppose the plan because it will put a commercial and multifamily development in an area that the city had earmarked for single-family residential use. The city's general plan for the site, in fact, shows no commercial or multi-tenant development at the site. Casey said although the plan has already been approved by city council, he expects to continue to oppose the development.