CAREFREE—A$90 million project for Carefree's Main Street is being revisited, and the professionally laid back town of Carefree could soon be home to Arizona's newest "Main Street" condo and commercial project—aptly named Easy Street both for the street it fronts and its cool, casual lifestyle.
Butte Development is reviewing plans for the $90 million mixed-use project near Cave Creek and Tom Darlington Roads. The project includes 80 high-end condos and approximately 50,000 square feet of retail and commercial space.
Butte is working closely with the Phoenix Art Museum and the town of Carefree to consider a 10,000-square-foot satellite museum at the project. Current discussions include an exhibit schedule that rotates seven times per year and a 1,500-square-foot multipurpose community center.
The Phoenix Art Museum satellite fits strategically into the town of Carefree's current revitalization plans and builds on the already robust arts community in the area. The village feel of the town will be enhanced by the museum and other planned revitalization efforts creating an atmosphere similar to Santa Fe, New Mexico and Carmel, California.
"We are doing due diligence research. We are very interested in the possibility of a quality outreach program in the Northeast Valley. If the community support is there, we will respond to that request," says Jim Ballinger, Phoenix Art Museum director.
The Phoenix Art Museum would anchor the retail portion of the project with other tenants to include chef-driven restaurants, a sidewalk café, art galleries, boutique clothing, custom jewelers and unique home accessories.
The town of Carefree also voiced strong support for this potential development. Mayor David Schwan says, "Both the Easy Street development and the Phoenix Art Museum would be welcome additions to Carefree, and help bring to life the recent Urban Land Institute recommendations that the Carefree Village Center has enormous appeal and even greater potential."
The project, which covers almost four-and-a-half acres, would be built in two phases. If negotiations with the Phoenix Art Museum and the town of Carefree are successful, Butte hopes to break ground on the south phase of the project by year-end.
Phoenix-based Ryan Companies is the general contractor; Kendle Design Collaborative in Scottsdale is the design architect. Butte Realty will be heading sales efforts.
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