Walmart, Hyundai Dealership & More Slated for 200 Acres in Southeast Mesa Article originally posted on AZ Central on April 11, 2024 Signal Butte Road in southeast Mesa is about to become a hub for car dealerships, retail shops and the home of a Walmart if the City Council gives the go-ahead. The Berge Auto Group and Horne Auto Group both have large projects slated along in southeast Mesa near State Route 24. The Horne Auto Group proposes the Gateway Auto Mall development to be located on the east and west sides of Signal Butte Road between the south of State Route 24 and Pecos Road. In March, the city’s planning and zoning board gave developers the okay to move forward. The proposal will go to the City Council for final approval to rezone 62 acres of the project from industrial uses to allow for commercial developments. North of the State Route 24, Berge Auto Group also has plans to add car dealerships and a Walmart on a 125-acre development. Sean Lake, who represents both developers, said Berge received approval for the dealership development about five years ago. The two auto malls bring cohesive developments to the area, Lake said. Street improvements are expected to address the anticipated traffic growth in the area. The developer Brent Berge is currently paying to widen Signal Butte and Williams Field roads near his development, Lake said. The Horne Auto Group would also widen Pecos Road to improve and help with traffic circulation at the development, according to planning documents. A nearly 171,000-square-foot Walmart store will swallow up 17 acres on the proposed larger development. It would sit south of State Route 24 and east of Signal Butte Road. After Berge got the initial approval for his auto mall, he purchased land around it including the property where he plans a Walmart. It was slated for light industrial but to create a buffer for the neighborhoods to the north, Berge sought a retailer instead. “We think it’s a much better use to have a Walmart with restaurants and retail services than heavy industrial next to the neighbors,” Lake said. He and Berge will need to go to the council to request a special permit to build the Walmart on the industrial-zoned land because it exceeds 25,000 square feet. The Walmart will be equipped with the full typical amenities, including: • A drive-thru pharmacy,• A Grab & Go pickup area,• An auto care center, and• An outdoor center. A Walmart gas station is also proposed at the site that will take up 1.5 acres of the lot. Walmart will also install electrical vehicle charges within its 773 parking space lot. “Walmart is eager to develop one of its most modern prototypical stores at this location in Mesa” the planning documents read. A Horne Hyundai dealership is the first of many car companies to submit its plans for the Gateway Auto Mall development to the city. The development would take up 10 acres on the west side of Signal Butte Road. Horne Auto Group owns multiple dealerships throughout the state for car companies such as Kia, Mazda, Ford, and more. Lake said retail development will also be a part of the larger project.