Westcor Partners, developers of several malls and major retail centers in Phoenix, is downsizing La Encantada by 70,000 sf, making it just 250,000 sf. The project, at the corner of Skyline Drive and Campbell Avenue, has faced stiff opposition from neighbors and Pima County supervisors. Project opponents say that it's out of scale for the neighborhood and would place undue pressure on the foothills roads. The supervisors had been using the court to prevent Westcor from moving forward on the project.

Although Westcor has been willing to downsize its project, other demands from the county are too onerous to allow, say Westcor representatives. Last week, Westcor had won a critical victory when a Superior Court judge had denied the county's injunction request to prevent the developer from beginning construction on the property until the appeal of a February decision is heard. Under the earlier decision, Westcor had the go-ahead to build La Encantada.

Skyline Drive would have to be widened to accommodate increased traffic from the retail development. Pima County wants Westcor to pay for the street improvement, but the developer has been reticent to agree to that stipulation.