West Valley cities build out infrastructure, lure retailers as populations surge

Article originally posted on Phoenix Business Journal on February 17, 2026

Cities in the West Valley are transforming from bedroom communities into massive residential areas with emerging employment and retail hubs.

Those cities, which include Avondale, Goodyear, Buckeye, Glendale, Peoria and Surprise, have seen their populations grow between 4% and 22% in the past five years — and they have ample space to continue growing.

In Buckeye, a 37,000-acre master-planned community from Texas-based Howard Hughes Holdings called Teravalis will bring nearly 100,000 new homes to the area as it’s built out over the next few years, along with 55 million square feet of commercial development.

In Peoria, thousands of acres of state-owned land are being set up for new residential communities and major employment facilities within the burgeoning Peoria Innovation Core.

Much of the growth throughout the entire Valley is currently being driven by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.’s $165 billion massive campus in north Phoenix, not to mention the recent expansion of Intel Corp.’s Chandler chip production hub. TSMC’s growth alone is attracting hundreds of other companies to the area to supply the chipmaker with their own products and services. And TSMC is now planning its own expansion after acquiring 900 acres of state land during a January auction for almost $200 million.

Economic development leaders in the West Valley discussed how they’re addressing growing pains and what’s to come for big projects in their cities at Phoenix Business Journal’s West Valley Growth Summit on Feb. 12 held in Avondale at Phoenix Raceway.

Better amenities to boost quality of life

When Trader Joe’s opened its first location in the West Valley in Goodyear in November, hundreds of residents lined up around the block and waited for hours to enter, illustrating a pent-up demand.

“When restaurants and retailers open in the West Valley, they are surprised [with their success]. We are not surprised,” said Wendy Bridges, Goodyear’s economic development director.

West Valley leaders are hoping the popularity of high-quality, sought-after retailers who have set up shop will spur more to open in their cities.

Several major retail developments are underway in the West Valley, including a shopping center hub off the I-10 and Verrado Way in Buckeye, and Goodyear’s downtown core redevelopment, GSQ, where Trader Joe’s is located.

In Avondale, the BLVD – a major mixed-use project with walkable retail, restaurants and a hotel at the entrance of the city – is also taking shape. Glendale’s VAI Resort is set to be another major economic driver. The city’s interim economic development director, Trent Dutry, declined to share an opening date for the sprawling resort, though he referred to it as an “absolutely beautiful” attraction for the city.

“The West Valley literally is hungry for restaurants and for retail,” Bridges said. “They want to do the same things as everyone else [in Phoenix] but they don’t want to drive an hour to do it.”

Employment and technology hubs

Residents of West Valley cities would also like shorter commute times and more high-quality employment opportunities within their own communities. TSMC is helping bring more high-tech and advanced manufacturing jobs to the Valley, and cities on the West side are setting up large swaths of land as future employment hubs.

That includes Peoria’s Innovation Core, where Amkor is building a $7 billion chip packing and testing facility to serve nearby TSMC.

Through a unique collaboration with the Arizona State Land Department, the city will lead the land planning process and invest $500 million in infrastructure and utility improvements to ready land for new development, aiming to draw more advanced manufacturers, semiconductor suppliers and other major employers.

In Buckeye, the city is in the process of setting up over 2,000 acres for a major employment corridor, laying the framework to turn the area into an industrial hub housing advanced manufacturers, data centers, battery storage facilities and other similar users.

“We export 92% of our residents every day for work,” said Suzie Boyles, Buckeye’s economic development director.

In Avondale, plans are in the works for Avondale Tech Center, a 38-acre development poised to become a regional employment hub for advanced technology users.

Diversifying housing options

West Valley cities are largely made up of single-family residences, though new multifamily projects are popping up to diversify housing options.

In Buckeye, Ward Real Estate & Development plans to develop a master-planned community composed entirely of rental housing. Coyote Crest will bring about 900 new units to the market with a variety of products, including 456 traditional garden-style apartments, 170 duplex-style townhomes and 275 detached build-to-rent cottages.

In Goodyear, Dominium just acquired a site near Ballpark Village where it plans to build out a 400-unit affordable housing community.

Find Complete Article HERE