Buckeye communities onway

2 developments will be massive

Christine L. Romero
The ArizonaRepublic
Jul. 30, 2005 12:00 AM

Two massive housing developmentsare slated for Buckeye.

Las Vegas-based investor Millennium Properties &Development has plans for a master-planned community, dubbed Cipriani,south of Interstate 10 and west of Palo Verde Road. It encompasses about 2,400acres of land. Its other development, called Benessere, will sit on about 1,100acres south of I-10 and west of Arizona 85.

Millennium Properties& Development is headed by President Jeff Chain and Vice President EddieGutzman. The pair say the land acquisitions are funded by private investors.

Millennium plans to sell parcels in the communities to homebuilders and other developers.

"We are bullish on the West Valley," Chain said.

Cipriani

The Cipriani development is expected to have 7,500homes. The Las Vegas investors spent about a year and $30 million assembling the land.

Plans call for single- and multifamily homes, along withschools, parks, open space and retail.

Chain said the developers decidednot to incorporate a golf course into Cipriani and are favoring open space instead.

Cipriani is named for an upscale hotel in Italy thatChain liked.

Chain expects construction to start in 2007. The marketwill dictate how quickly the development moves along, he said.

Benessere

Benessere is expected to be home to about 3,800families. Millennium has plans for 125 acres of commercial use.

Benessereis about two years behind Cipriani, Chain said.

He thinks this communityprobably will have homes aimed at first- and second-time "move-up buyers" who areupgrading.Millennium expects the land in Benessere to be through thetown of Buckeye's entitlement process by early 2007.

Buckeye to get 3rd newshopping center, from the West Valley View, reportsthat a new, 350,000 square foot regional shopping center is planned for thenorthwest corner of Jackrabbit Trail and McDowell Road in Buckeye. The project iscalled Jackrabbit Pavilions and is expected to start construction in 2006 andopen in 2007. The developers are still negotiating with two major big-boxretailers, and the center could have 30 to 35 stores. This is one of several newshopping centers planned or under construction in the Buckeye area, and showsthat retail follows the rooftops.