Peoria has pushed its way close to the top of the list of Valley cities experiencing growth over the last few years. According to a recent Wallethub study the city ranked fourth overall when it considering the best places to find a job. Peoria was also tied with Chandler for the top spot in employment growth. 

So what does this mean for development? The city has been awash in new projects trying to keep up with housing demand. Per the January 30, 2018 Planning and Zoning Development summary, there are multiple residential projects in the works or seeking approval. They include Aloravita, a 4,000-home master-planned community, Avilla Homes’ proposed multi-family residential community, and Hidden Paradise Estates, which was recently approved for 114 single-family homes. 

Along with this surge of new development, a couple of existing master-planned communities will be expanding with new neighborhoods. Vistancia, one of the top-selling MPCs in the nation, will be adding plenty of new residences thanks David Weekley Homes. Per AZ Big Media,  the developer recently purchased 65 homesites across two parcels in Blackstone at Vistancia, giving them 310 potential homesites in total. Plans call for 650 homes in total in the neighborhood.

Rendering courtesy of Greens at Blackstone

The first parcel in this new community will boast 38 homes that are expected to be similar to DWH’s residences in Greens at Blackstone. That community features six single-story floorplans ranging from 2,117 and 2,767 square feet and including two-to-five bedrooms. Prices for those homes start in the high $400s. 

The second parcel will include smaller homes for those looking for a lower-maintenance lifestyle, though details are sparse.

Both parcels will reap benefits the rest of the community enjoys, such as a 12-hour, guard-gated private entrance, neighborhood park, walking paths, ball courts, and a children’s play structure.

In March, Mayor Cathy Carlat reiterated the importance of smart growth in her State of the City Address. While she noted the expansive growth that was changing the city for the better, they also cited a desire to make sure Peoria remains “an interconnected city — a community that, despite its size, still feels small.” To that end, the city is offsetting all of this development by protecting 317 acres of Sunrise Mountain, ensuring that there’s always plenty of open space maintaining the original character of the region.