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15035 N. 73rd Street, Building D, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 : 480.389.2939 : info@mandmds.com : mandmds.com
PROJECT NARRATIVE: CANNON BEACH HOTEL
Project: Cannon Beach Hotel
Address: 4503 S Power Rd, Mesa, AZ 85212
Ref: DRB SUBMITTAL
Date: January 19, 2026
City of Mesa Planning & Development Department:
PROJECT PROPOSAL
Overview
Cannon Beach Hotel is envisioned as a destination hospitality experience that delivers a uniquely personal and
restorative stay, directly adjacent to the surf lagoon to the west. The hotel is designed to support both adventure and
tranquility, offering guests immediate access to the beach environment, site-wide amenities, and a thoughtfully curated
arrival sequence that reinforces a sense of escape from the moment of entry.
The project is intended to serve as the premiere hospitality building within the Cannon Beach development, providing a
refined architectural identity that complements the energy of the site while maintaining a timeless and elevated aesthetic.
REQUESTED APPROVALS
The applicant respectfully requests the following approvals as part of this submittal:
1. Design Review Board (DRB) Approval for the Cannon Beach Hotel building design and architectural character.
2. Alternative Compliance for select design standards as outlined below (Mesa Zoning Ordinance references
included).
3. Special Use Permit (SUP) for Building Height to allow rooftop mechanical penthouse elements to exceed the
maximum permitted height of 65 feet (requesting approval up to 75 feet as necessary).
MASSING, SCALE & ACCOMMODATION
Building Program + Height
The Cannon Beach Hotel is designed as a five-story hotel with 148 guest rooms arranged within two primary wings. The
main level will include:
•
A signature restaurant
•
Meeting and event spaces
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Guest arrival and lobby experience
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Support spaces required for hotel operations
In addition, the project proposes a partially covered rooftop bar / event deck oriented to take advantage of views toward
the surf lagoon and enhance the destination quality of the hotel.
Massing + Architectural Rhythm
The building massing has been carefully considered to create a balanced composition with subtle modulation in height,
depth, and façade articulation. Rather than relying on excessive decorative elements, the design emphasizes:
•
Clean, intentional forms
•
Layered shadow and depth
•
A calm rhythm of projections and recesses
•
Material-driven elegance
This approach allows the architecture to feel both iconic and enduring, supporting a long-term hospitality asset value and
a strong guest perception of quality.
DESIGN APPROACH
Entry Experience
The arrival sequence is designed to feel immersive, calm, and memorable. The existing asphalt drive will transition to a
more refined paved driveway, guiding vehicles through a partially reticulated architectural frame of the porte cochere.
As guests approach the entry, the structure transitions from a lighter frame into a more substantial shaded mass above
the primary pedestrian pathways. This creates a sense of compression and release, offering comfort from the elements
while reinforcing the threshold moment of arrival.
Entry Aesthetics
The primary entry portal is envisioned as a layered sensory experience. Proposed elements include:
•
Greenery and planted accents
•
Stone features integrated into the entry plaza
•
A water feature to introduce sound, cooling, and atmosphere
•
Warm, soft lighting to enhance comfort and clarity at night
The intention is to evoke the experience of moving under a coastal boardwalk promenade, creating a hospitality-first
impression that aligns with the Cannon Beach identity.
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ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS
Material + Texture
The exterior architecture draws from nostalgic coastal references while maintaining a modern, refined expression
appropriate for a high-end destination hotel. The material palette includes:
•
Stone (grounding and durability)
•
Wood (warmth and coastal familiarity)
•
Glass (lightness and transparency)
•
Formed concrete (texture and permanence)
These materials are used in controlled variation to achieve an organic, timeless façade with depth, scale, and richness.
Sandy, beach-inspired field tones are paired with wood-clad projections and accent elements to reinforce the arrival
language throughout the building. Targeted integration of shade structures, seating moments, and surf-adjacent guest
services (including surfboard valet nodes) supports both function and identity.
Key Architectural Features
Notable architectural elements include:
•
Board-formed concrete stair cores that flank the entry and add tactile texture
•
Glazed façade areas that lighten perceived mass and increase visual permeability
•
Thoughtfully placed murals that add identity and complement surrounding development character
•
Intentional roofline modulation used only where it enhances composition, function, or performance
ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE REQUESTS
Cannon Beach Hotel is intended to be the premiere hospitality building on site, with a distinct architectural character that
reflects a refined California beach sensibility. The project includes specific design strategies that support that intent while
remaining consistent with the broader site context.
The following areas are proposed for Alternative Compliance:
11-6-3.B.1 — Predominant Characteristics of Site
Cannon Beach Hotel is designed to read as the primary hospitality destination within the Cannon Beach development. As
a proposed 4-star hotel, the building must feel elevated and intentionally differentiated from adjacent retail and
supporting uses.
EIFS field areas are used in conjunction with massing elements and murals that align with the broader site language.
However, the hotel’s wood and concrete elements, paired with simpler, more elegant rooflines, are intentionally
composed to create a more sophisticated and luxury-forward identity.
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This differentiation is purposeful and appropriate for the hotel’s role as a signature destination and visual anchor for the
development.
11-6-3.B.2 — Visible Facades / Uninterrupted Wall Lengths
The north façade includes one area that exceeds the maximum linear length by approximately 3’-2”. This condition is
limited, controlled, and integrated into a balanced elevation composition.
Given the adjacent façade treatments and proportional rhythm of the overall design, the additional length does not create
a negative visual impact. Instead, it supports the intended calm and cohesive expression of the hotel architecture.
(Reference: SD2.01 and SD2.02)
11-6-3.B.2 — Flat Roofs
A key distinction between the hotel and surrounding retail buildings is the hotel’s more restrained architectural language.
The design avoids unnecessary cornices, foam pop-outs, or excessive decorative articulation.
Each architectural element is intended to be functional and purposeful, allowing materiality and proportion to be the
primary drivers of elegance, consistent with luxury design principles.
While the north elevation flat roof condition exceeds the stated requirement by approximately 6’-0” in length, additional
articulation would be visually forced and inconsistent with the hotel’s design language. The current roof modulation
occurs at intentional points where it enhances composition and creates shadow-play without compromising simplicity.
(Reference: SD2.02)
11-6-3.B.3 — No Single Material to Exceed 50%
All façades are in compliance with the required material percentage limitations as shown in the elevations. One condition
on the north elevation indicates CONC-01 slightly exceeding 50%.
Given the presence of adjacent balancing elements and the overall sophistication of the material composition, the design
team believes revision is unnecessary and would likely compromise the intended clarity of the façade.
(Reference: SD2.01 and SD2.02)
11-6-3.B.7 — Recognizable Base and Top
The hotel’s base is expressed on all elevations through material shifts, color variation, and changes in depth and massing.
At the primary entry on the west elevation, the base is reinforced through the projection of first-floor elements, guiding
guests into a recessed entry zone beneath the porte cochere. Landscape also contributes to the perceived base and
human-scale experience, as reflected in the submitted 3D renderings.
(Reference: SD2.01, SD2.02, and SD7.00 through SD7.03)
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SPECIAL USE PERMIT REQUEST - BUILDING HEIGHT
Cannon Beach Hotel is proposed as a five-story, 148-key destination hotel intended to serve as the signature hospitality
component of the Cannon Beach development.
To accommodate required ballroom ceiling heights and rooftop mechanical equipment with appropriate screening, the
project requests a Special Use Permit to allow a maximum building height of up to 75 feet (overall), where the City of
Mesa zoning ordinance otherwise limits building height to 65 feet.
The proposed building is designed in accordance with the 2018 International Building Code (IBC). Under IBC Section
504.3, the allowable building height for the anticipated construction type (Type II-B or Type III-B) is 75 feet. Additionally,
per Section 504.3 Exception, non-habitable rooftop structures such as mechanical penthouses are not included in the
prescribed building height limits.
Consistent with these provisions:
•
The occupied portion of the building will not exceed the City of Mesa’s 65-foot height limit.
•
The additional height requested (up to 75 feet total) is limited to a non-habitable mechanical penthouse and
required screening.
•
The mechanical penthouse will comply with IBC Section 1510.2.1, with a maximum height not to exceed 14 feet.
•
The current design indicates an approximate total height of 71 feet; however, flexibility up to 75 feet is requested
to accommodate final mechanical system coordination.
Section 11-70-5(E)
(1) Consistency with Applicable Codes and Development Context
The request is consistent with the 2018 IBC provisions for allowable height and rooftop appurtenances. The proposed
overall height aligns with previously approved building elements within the Cannon Beach development, including
adjacent parking structures, ensuring a cohesive and consistent built environment.
(2) Compatibility with Surrounding Development
The building’s size, scale, and location conform to the applicable plans and policies governing the site. The requested
height increase is limited to functional rooftop elements necessary for hotel operations and will not introduce adverse
impacts to surrounding properties.
(3) Architectural Quality and Contribution to the Area
The project is designed to complement the character of the surrounding development and will enhance the site through
high-quality architecture, increased activity, and economic contribution to the City of Mesa.
(4) Adequacy of Public Services and Infrastructure
The site is served by existing public services, utilities, and infrastructure sufficient to support the proposed development
without additional burden.
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CONCLUSION
Cannon Beach Hotel is designed to be a sanctuary where guests can experience a rare balance of excitement and
restoration—grounded in the energy of the surf lagoon while offering a calm, refined retreat.
Through thoughtful massing, intentional restraint, and a material palette rooted in natural texture and coastal familiarity,
the hotel will deliver a timeless architectural presence that elevates the Cannon Beach destination and creates long-term
value for the development.
The project team respectfully requests DRB approval, Alternative Compliance as outlined above, and approval of the
Special Use Permit for building height to support the hotel’s rooftop mechanical penthouse requirements.
MENDIL + MEYER DESIGN STUDIO
15035 N. 73rd Street, Building D
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
480.389.2939 | info@mandmds.com | mandmds.com