Mesa's Craftsman Adds 380 Apartments, Restaurants

Southeast Mesa households near Hawes and Elliot roads should watch the council's Nov. 16 discussion as the 19-acre project moves toward approval.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Commercial

Mesa's Craftsman Adds 380 Apartments, Restaurants

Live Poll

Should Mesa approve new mixed-use developments with apartments and restaurants?

Mesa city economic development officials are negotiating an agreement with developers for The Craftsman, a proposed mixed-use project on a 19-acre site at Hawes and Elliot roads. The Department of Economic Development presented the plans to the Mesa City Council in late October, and the plans still need council approval.

Why it matters

The project would add 380 apartments and 40,000 square feet of commercial space to a site that currently holds only tall weeds and a nearby food truck, which matters for nearby homeowners and renters watching neighborhood growth. The city says southeast Mesa has the tax base to support upscale, chef-driven restaurants, and the project is part of a broader citywide effort to attract retail and restaurants so residents shop and dine locally.

The Craftsman would place 380 apartments and 40,000 square feet of commercial space on a 19-acre site at Hawes and Elliot roads, including 10,000 square feet reserved for high-end restaurants. The city is pointing to Medina Station, a shopping development about 10 minutes away, as a model for how such a project can perform.

The players

City of Mesa Department of Economic Development

The city department that presented The Craftsman plans and is negotiating the developer agreement, leading Mesa's effort to attract retail and restaurants.

Mesa City Council

The elected body that must approve The Craftsman plans before the project can proceed.

Jaye O'Donnell

Mesa's director of economic development, who cited Medina Station as an example of a similar project's success.

The details

City economic development officials are working on an agreement with developers for The Craftsman as part of a citywide effort to attract retail and restaurants. The project mixes housing and commercial uses on one site, with apartments alongside shops and dining space. Because the plans have not yet cleared council, the commercial mix and residential count could still change before any approval.

Late October 2026: Department of Economic Development presents The Craftsman plans to the Mesa City Council.
Nov. 16, 2026: City Council continues discussing The Craftsman.

The Home Front

The Craftsman is a mixed-use project pairing 380 apartments with commercial space, a format that places housing and retail on one parcel rather than separating them. The city's reference point is Medina Station, which it presents as evidence that a comparable shopping development can succeed in this part of the metro.

If you live near Hawes and Elliot roads in southeast Mesa, the development could change traffic, noise, and local amenities over time, so it is worth following the council's Nov. 16 discussion. Homeowners and renters weighing a move to the area should check the project's final approved plans before assuming the nearby retail and dining will arrive as proposed.

The takeaway

Mixed-use projects like The Craftsman bring housing, shops, and restaurants onto one site, so neighbors gain nearby amenities but also a changing traffic and noise profile. Track the council's Nov. 16 agenda if this project affects your commute or property.