There’s a development I’ve been keeping an eye on around Rittenhouse and Ellsworth Loop, basically right by the Queen Creek Costco.

It’s called The Union.

Nothing is under construction yet, and I haven’t found any tenants I’d call confirmed.

This one is still working its way through Queen Creek’s planning process, but the early plans are big enough that I think it’s worth knowing about.

The developer is Creation, which is also behind The Switchyard in Downtown Queen Creek.

That definitely makes me a little more interested in what they could do here.

The Union is planned across three different parcels, with roughly 105,000 square feet of retail and commercial space.

Then there’s the residential side.

One piece is planned for around 280 apartments.

Another part of the property is still more flexible, and this is probably the piece I’m watching closest.

One version has included something around a 180-room hotel, plus office and/or more commercial space.

Another possibility could put roughly 255 more apartments there instead.

So we could end up with something closer to 280 apartments, a hotel and 105,000 square feet of commercial.

Or potentially around 535 apartments with the commercial.

Those feel like two very different projects to me.

So where is this actually at?

Queen Creek currently has The Union listed as an active rezoning case, P25-0095.

They held a neighborhood meeting on August 17, 2026, but there still isn’t a Planning & Zoning Commission or Town Council hearing date posted.

So nobody is getting ready to break ground next week.

The rezoning still has to work its way through the Town. There’s no construction date yet. And I haven’t seen any restaurant, retail or hotel names that are solid enough that I’d tell you they’re coming.

Right now we’re getting a pretty early look at what Creation wants to do with the property.

And there’s still plenty of time for that plan to change.

I think this location could support something really good

You’ve already got Costco bringing a ridiculous amount of people through here.

Downtown Queen Creek is right down the road.

Ellsworth Loop and Rittenhouse already carry a lot of traffic.

And there are thousands of rooftops surrounding this area already.

You’ve got neighborhoods like La Jara Farms, Queen Creek Station and Terra Vella all around this pocket, plus plenty more homes once you start spreading out from there.

Then you already have the Acero apartments basically right here too.

So I don’t look at this location and think:

We need another huge chunk of housing so businesses will have enough people around them.

The people are already here.

That’s why I’d really like to see Creation lean into the commercial side of this.

Restaurants would work.

Some retail we don’t already have everywhere would work.

Something people could actually hang out at would work.

And I actually really like the hotel possibility here.

Queen Creek still doesn’t have many hotel options, and this would put one close to Downtown, Costco, restaurants, shopping and everything else happening around this part of town.

If I get to pick between that and another 255 apartments, I’m taking the hotel pretty easily.

The Switchyard connection is interesting too

I don’t want another Switchyard copied and pasted next to Costco.

It wouldn’t make sense here.

Downtown Queen Creek can support more of that walkable, date-night, stay-for-a-while type of development.

The Costco area is different.

It needs to be easy to get in and out of. It needs parking. It needs to handle a ton of cars.

But that doesn’t mean it has to be boring.

Creation has already shown with Switchyard that they’re willing to put some thought into the tenant mix and what a project actually feels like.

I’d love to see some of that thinking over here, just built for this location instead.

The apartment option is where I could be disappointed

I don't have a problem with 280 apartments being part of a larger mixed-use project.

This is already a busy commercial area, so this is probably a more logical place for density than putting it up against a quiet neighborhood somewhere.

But 535 apartments feels different.

Especially when you look at everything that's already around this intersection.

The density isn't missing.

Between the existing neighborhoods, Acero and everything else nearby, this area already has plenty of people to support new restaurants, retail and services.

And Rittenhouse and Ellsworth Loop aren't exactly roads where I'm thinking, you know what this needs? A few hundred more daily drivers.

So if the choice on that third parcel eventually comes down to a hotel, office and more commercial or 255 more apartments, I know which version I'd rather see.

Give me the hotel.

Give me some restaurants.

Give me different retail.

Give all the people who already live around here something else to use.

I'd hate to see the more interesting pieces slowly disappear while this works through approvals and we end up with mostly apartments and a few commercial pads.

There are already enough rooftops around here.

Now give them something they don't already have.

That’s what I’ll be watching as The Union works its way through Queen Creek.