Article originally posted on AZ Central on Oct 15 2026

After nearly 10 years of delays, Chandler’s last vacant corner in the heart of downtown will be transformed into a two-tower apartment complex that includes what could be downtown’s tallest building.

The 1.7-acre lot on the northeast corner of Buffalo Street and Arizona Avenue, known as Site 7, has struggled for two decades to attract a developer to build on the land.

Twice since 2019, two different developers have failed to break ground on the site, one time citing economic challenges. A previous project, called One Chandler, would have included the tallest building in downtown Chandler at seven stories, but according to city documents, that developer did not meet its construction timeline.

In September, the Chandler City Council unanimously approved plans with a third company, Shelter Management Asset LLC, that has promised to build a $130 million two-tower multiuse complex.

“This is a project to be proud of and a long time coming,” Councilmember Jane Poston said.

Councilmember Matt Orlando said the lot has been vacant for at least 20 years, “as far back as I can remember.”

Few details were publicly available about what the new project would look like, but city records showed the developer proposed a nine-story building, which would make it among the tallest buildings in downtown. It would encircle the Jack-in-the-Box that faces Arizona Avenue.

The project also includes 320 apartments, 12,000 square feet of office space, 16,000 square feet of retail space and a parking garage.

It’s similar to what was proposed for One Chandler: 291 apartments, 13,000 square feet of office space, 16,000 square feet of retail space and a parking garage.