Grading equipment has begun working on the site for the planned Keystone rental community near the downtown in Fountain Hills.

The project was approved by the Town Council late last summer and planned for 147 detached rental units on the 16-acre parcel that surrounds the Bashas’ shopping plaza. The L-shaped site is bounded by Westby Drive to the west, Avenue of the Fountains on the south, Palisades Blvd. to the north and La Montana Drive on the east.

Builder Keystone Homes describes the plan as a “non-traditional” apartment complex combining single family home living and apartment life. The units are mostly single story and detached.

The proposed plan would construct 46 one-bedroom (20 duplex units), 81 two-bedroom, 11 two-bedroom units with a loft and nine three-bedroom, two-story units.

Vehicle access to the property would be from Palisades Boulevard on the north and Avenue of the Fountains on the south. There is no proposed vehicular access to the site from Westby or La Montana. There are several pedestrian access points to the property along those streets.

On-site parking for the apartment units will be covered parking along driveways and also 36 garage spaces. There will be covered outdoor parking for each of the rental units. The garage spaces would be leased separately by renters wanting a garage. The garages at to be located the east side of the property, behind the shopping center, the garage units will be 14-feet in height.

A walkway through the property will connect several “grand paseo” parklike sites within the site.

Five phases of construction are planned to begin at La Montana, working west along Avenue of the Fountains to Westby Drive and north to Palisades.

The plan also includes a small park-like plaza outside the property enclosure at the intersection of La Montana and Avenue of the Fountains. This provides a connection to the Avenue Plaza.