SURPRISE, AZ — A proposed business-tech park in one of Surprise's fastest-growing areas is moving through the city's approval process, with supporters arguing it will bring jobs closer to home while some nearby residents worry it could worsen traffic and congestion.
The project would transform roughly seven acres near Happy Valley Road and 157th Avenue into a commercial flex-tech campus designed for small businesses and light industrial users.
“It’s in a rapidly growing part of town,” said Adam Baugh, the attorney representing the developer.
“This project will determine the direction of the northwest part of Surprise.”
Plans call for five flex-tech buildings ranging from approximately 13,000 to 23,000 square feet.
Potential tenants could include businesses such as print shops, HVAC contractors, artisan manufacturing companies and other small commercial operations that need warehouse, office and workspace under one roof.
Developers say the goal is to serve business owners who currently have few options in the area for commercial space.
“Particularly, the small business owners who are in that area can have building inventory in closer proximity to their homes instead of having to drive across the city or to another city for their office space,” Baugh said.
Supporters argue the project could help keep jobs in northwest Surprise as the area continues to add new residents.
Not everyone is convinced.
Kelly Walentiny, who has lived nearby since 2006, said the neighborhood has already experienced significant growth over the past decade. She worries additional development will add more vehicles to already crowded roads.
“There’s just not enough room for it,” Walentiny said. “It’s going to make it so much more difficult to get in and out of our community. It’s not the right place for it, it’s not the right location.”
She said traffic conditions have changed dramatically since she moved to the area.
What once took five to 10 minutes to drive to Bell Road and Grand Avenue, she said, can now take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour during busy periods.
“We had a plan to actually this be our last home, and now, we’re considering moving farther out because of that,” Walentiny said.
City officials say the area's growth is largely driven by available land and development approvals that were put in place years ago.
“I think it’s a combination of availability of land and past entitlements that have not been acted on yet,” said Trever Fleetham, Surprise's assistant community development director.
The proposal comes as northwest Surprise continues to emerge as one of the city's most active growth corridors. Developers point to the site's visibility along Happy Valley Road and its proximity to planned transportation improvements, including a future connection between 155th Avenue and Loop 303.
If approved by the Surprise City Council, developers say construction could begin as early as next year, with the first tenants potentially moving into the business park by the beginning of 2028.
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