CHANDLER, AZ — Chandler is growing, and it is hard to miss. But as the city runs out of room to spread out, the question now is whether Chandler starts growing up.
Chandler is 94% built out, with almost no land left to develop horizontally.
"Of that 6% that is remaining, over 70% is envisioned for employment-type uses,” said Lauren Schumann, principal planner for the City of Chandler.
The city's next chapter may literally be built on top of the last one.
The 2026 General Plan update identified a significant gap between the housing units Chandler needs and the land available to build them on. For real estate developer Michael Pollack, the answer is density.
"In order to accommodate the needs of a growing city, I think at that point what we need to do is we need to think about, OK, we need to have some density," Pollack said.
Pollack said going vertical would not just add housing, it would energize the commercial corridors around it.
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"It'll be huge for the retailers on Arizona Avenue, because any time you bring in shoppers, then you know that's wonderful and they can go shopping in the shopping centers, but it will be incredible for Alma School because Alma School is completely built out," Pollack said.
The city's draft plan would require any new residential development in employment zones to function as part of a larger mixed-use campus, with shared amenities and pedestrian connections to anchor employers.
Taller, vertical projects are currently limited to areas around freeways, downtown and designated growth corridors. But the 2026 General Plan includes a policy change that could open the door for that kind of development along the South Price Corridor as well.
Not everyone in Chandler is on board. Neighbors in established areas have raised concerns about density changing the character of their communities, a debate the General Plan vote will formalize this summer.
The 2026 General Plan goes to Chandler voters on July 21. If you want a say before then, the city is accepting arguments for or against it through April 22.
