Retail, construction surge ahead in Marana with $3.8M development
Retail and construction activity is ramping up in Marana’s Gladden Farms community, where developers have broken ground on a $3.8 million commercial project expected to bring new businesses and jobs.
Kaitlyn Wright / Arizona Sonoran News
Opportunities for growth have retailers and construction companies purchasing land and submitting plans with a competitive frenzy in Marana’s Gladden Farms master-planned community.
Bulldozers and tractors are tearing up the fields behind the Circle K at 11403 W. Tangerine Road to create the interior loop road.
But it could be nearly two years before any of the businesses planned for that area are up and running.
Brian Harpel of Velocity Retail has been working on this property since 2005, when Walgreens and Fry’s were expected to build. Those plans were stalled by the 2008 recession.
Fry’s eventually did build, opening its store at 11350 W. Tangerine Road in October 2024. The site where Walgreens was supposed to be is now the Circle K.
Rio West Development & Construction Inc. bought the 14-acre property around the Circle K for $3.8 million in early April 2024.
According to Marana Planning Manager Matthew Taylor, the development has been named Heritage Park Shoppes and is zoned as village commercial, which allows for community-serving retail.
He said the arrival of Fry’s “made the market right” for this development to come in, describing it as “an epiphany” that brought back interest to serve the master-planned community of nearly 40,000 residents.
“This has emerged as a hub of growth that’ll serve Marana for many years,” Harpel said.
This newest plan includes 13 lots, some of which have had companies submit applications of interest. Rio West broke ground March 14 and began forming the layout for the interior loop road that will connect to Tangerine Road.
Both Harpel and Taylor confirmed that there would be several businesses, including: dental, a Dunkin’ Donuts, a credit union, a car wash, Brakes Plus and Lightbridge Academy daycare center.
“People are anticipating these new businesses coming in,” said Taylor, who added he believes the developments will bring more jobs to the area and will make the Gladden Farms community more attractive and easier to get around. “It’s going to serve the town as a whole and benefit the residents.”
Taylor said construction could begin this fall.
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