Now that the MorningStar assisted living development is well underway, it looks like a nice chunk of the remaining land in downtown Fountain Hills may soon follow.

We recently reported that, after 18 revisions, Bart Shea of N-Shea Development is looking to provide Town Council with a draft of the latest concept for the development of the south side of Avenue of the Fountains in the coming month.

If all goes well, Shea stated that the project could be ready to break ground this August. That might seem like a fast turnaround, but it’s actually been a long time coming. In March of 2015, Shea stated that he had been working on plans for developing the south side of the Avenue for about half a decade. He’s apparently wrestled with many concepts, ranging from what type of retail and living spaces would/could be included, to whether or not a movie theater was even feasible. (The answer to that last one still appears to be no.)

If this project moves forward, about half of the remaining land on the south side of the Avenue would be developed, stretching from Town Hall down to Sofrita’s. Shea has stated that, along with plenty of parking, the plan currently boasts commercial and retail space, as well as apartments and condos.

Also of note is that the development would focus on “mom and pop” establishments rather than chains and, at present, no restaurants are planned for the development.

According to Shea, the purpose of this development, other than bolstering downtown Fountain Hills in a number of ways, would be to help attract “young professionals” to the area. From new business owners to families looking to move into Fountain Hills, Shea seems to think this new development could be a big shot in the arm for our town, and we tend to agree.

That area of town is already home to a lot of great attractions. From restaurants and shops to Fountain Park, the library, the Community Center, post office and more, it’s an ideal location for local families that’s in easy walking distance of everything just listed.

Everyone who lives here seems to agree that Fountain Hills is a great place to live and work. If this development moves forward, folks would have more reasons than ever, as well as the ability, to do exactly that.