Tempe-TheLocal-365
A time capsule ceremony was part of the groundbreaking ceremony for The Local. Participating in the ceremony were Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell, the Tempe City Council and representatives from Forum Real Estate Group, Whole Foods Market 365 and zoning attorneys for the project, Sender Associates. They buried a time capsule that will be unearthed in 20 years containing a variety of local artifacts to commemorate Tempe’s history. Many items for the time capsule were provided by the Tempe History Museum. Decorative shovels designed by local artists from the Art Resource Center were used to bury the time capsule and later will be displayed as an art installation within The Local.

A new mixed-use development in Tempe, Arizona, called The Local is under construction following a groundbreaking in July. It will house the first Whole Foods Market 365 store in the state.

Located at the intersection of University Drive and Ash Avenue in downtown Tempe, The Local combines a luxury apartment residence with the 365 grocery market. It is being developed by Denver-based Forum Real Estate Group.

The nine-story structure sits on an 80,938-s.f. parcel. The Whole Foods Market 365 will be on the ground floor, with three levels of parking directly above: one level with reserved parking for 365 shoppers, and two additional levels of parking reserved for residents. The remaining five floors will house 286 residential apartments, averaging 739 s.f. per unit.

“We are so excited to bring this offering to Tempe,” said David Clock, development manager at Forum Real Estate Group. “This project is the perfect fit for such a vibrant city, and we’re honored to have a presence in this community. It’s our goal that The Local and the Whole Foods Market 365 will become a true neighborhood destination.”

Whole Foods Market 365 stores are designed to offer affordable and convenient grocery shopping.

“We are thrilled to announce that our region’s first Whole Foods Market 365 in Arizona store will be located in Tempe,” said Patrick Bradley, president of Whole Foods Market’s Southern Pacific Region. “Our 365 stores deliver the same quality that our customers have come to expect, but in a convenient and fun new format that provides exceptional value.”

“Our residents have been asking for a major grocery store in downtown Tempe for more than a decade, and Whole Foods Market 365 is a perfect fit for The Local,” said Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell. “This development will build on the great urban living experience Tempe has to offer and brings together urban living and needed amenities in our downtown, just steps away from vibrant Mill Avenue restaurants and bars, some of our biggest employers and recreation at Tempe Town Lake.”

The Local’s overall design features exposed concrete and brick, distressed and rich wood tones, and living plant and art details “to create a warm, authentic and welcoming vibe,” according to Forum Real Estate Group.

Senior Content Creator Lorrie began covering the supermarket and foodservice industries at Shelby Publishing in 1988, an English major fresh out of the University of Georgia. She began as an editorial...