Greetings fellow Mesa residents, and on behalf of the City Council, as your vice mayor, I want to wish you a happy spring.
District 5 Update
Falcon Field Tech Center
As many of you may know, economic development is an area of high importance, and I am particularly interested in building capacity and diversifying our industries, as well as attracting bright and talented people to create a more sustainable Mesa community.
The city currently is building momentum and reaching for these goals through the development of District 5’s Falcon Tech Center. Located on city-owned land, west of the Falcon Field Airport, the Falcon Tech Center encompasses 70 acres planned to become a modern campus setting located in the heart of District 5, with its groundbreaking anticipated in late 2018, early 2019.
Envisioned to be a multi-tenant campus, the Falcon Tech Center will offer long-term leases catering to key industries, including health care IT, medical device manufacturing and advanced manufacturing.
The Falcon Tech Center concept plan integrates recommendations from Mesa’s 2013 Health Care and Lifesciences Recruitment Plan, which ranked the medical device industry as Mesa’s top opportunity, along with medical education and simulation.
Data utilized suggested that focusing on this cluster would better enable Mesa to expand existing companies within this industry sector. This would position the city as a leader in the field, enhancing our ability to attract new prospects to the area.
The next major step for this project involves selecting a master developer. During the next few weeks, the City of Mesa will determine the best process for soliciting and selecting an innovative partner who will help bring the city’s vision to life.
Ultimately, by leveraging this existing city asset, the Falcon Tech Center will add development space, increase Mesa’s competitiveness, and attract additional high-quality, knowledge-based jobs. I look forward to the future, especially in District 5, where the Falcon Tech Center will become an attractive location where cutting-edge technology companies will cluster among our established market leaders.
Foreign Direct Investments
A priority for me is to promote Foreign Direct Investments in Mesa. I had the opportunity to travel to Montreal, Canada, and Guanajuato, Mexico, to explore trade and commerce opportunities. There is a strong interest in aerospace and defense in both of these communities. Stay tuned for updates.
Mesa K-Ready Program
With the goal to provide early childhood education opportunities for 4-year-old students, Mesa’s K-Ready program was launched, with 50 families participating. This initiative works to prepare students for kindergarten in partnership with Mesa Public Schools, City of Mesa departments, including Library, Parks and Recreation, IDEA Museum and the Museum of Natural History.
Thank you for the opportunity you have given me to represent your interests on the Mesa City Council. Please contact me to share ideas and concerns. Call me at (480) 644-3771, or send an email to District5@MesaAZ.gov.