The Former Bashas' Campus

The former Bashas' grocery chain corporate headquarters and distribution facility at the southwest corner of Ocotillo Road and Basha Road has sat largely vacant since the company relocated to a new facility in west Chandler in 2023. Now, the entire 22-acre site is being redeveloped in two phases — a case study in Chandler's shift from greenfield development to infill.

Phase 1: Havenwood Manor — Approved December 2025

The Chandler City Council approved four items for Havenwood Manor on its consent agenda at the Dec. 11, 2025 meeting: an area plan amendment, rezoning, preliminary development plan, and preliminary plat. The project brings 107 single-family homes to 18.64 acres at the southwest corner of Basha and Ocotillo, adjacent to the eastern third of Snedigar Park.

The approval followed emotional testimony, complaints about design and traffic, and three lengthy public hearings. Neighbors raised concerns about increased traffic on Basha Road, drainage from the site, and the loss of a commercial employer and tax base in the area.

Phase 2: The Townsite — First Reading March 2026

Three months later, on March 26, 2026, the council held a first reading of Ordinance No. 5156 for The Townsite — a rezoning of the remaining three acres from AG-1 (Agricultural) to PAD (Planned Area Development) for single-family residential. The accompanying Preliminary Development Plan calls for 12 single-family lots.

The site sits directly south of the southeast corner of Ocotillo Road and Basha Road, filling in the wedge of land between Havenwood Manor and the established single-family neighborhoods fronting Snedigar Park.

The Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended approval on February 18, 2026, with conditions recommended by planning staff.

Historic Context

The Townsite name is an intentional nod to the area's history. The property sits within what was once part of the Goodyear Townsite — one of two settlements that the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company built in Arizona during the World War I era. The Chandler Planning and Zoning Commission specifically asked that the development acknowledge that history.

Commission Chair Rick Heumann said at the March 18 P&Z meeting: "It's a historic site, so I don't want to lose that, so people know the history. Most people in Chandler have no clue that that was the Goodyear."

The Bigger Picture: Chandler's Infill Challenge

The two-phase redevelopment of the Bashas' campus exemplifies a broader trend. Acting Planning Administrator David de la Torre has noted that most developable land in Chandler has been built out. What remains — oddly shaped parcels, sites with infrastructure constraints, and tracts in established neighborhoods — is difficult to develop for a reason.

"The Townsite fits that pattern: a 3-acre remnant of a former corporate campus, wedged between a new subdivision and a park, needing a rezoning to pencil out as residential."

What's Next

The Townsite rezoning ordinance (Ordinance No. 5156) needs a second reading and final vote by the Chandler City Council before the subdivision can proceed. Havenwood Manor is already fully entitled and moving toward construction.

Staff Contacts - Planning: David de la Torre, Acting Planning Administrator - Case file: PLH25-0040 The Townsite