Monday, March 1, 2021

La Posada Plans To Restart "Nakoma Sky Project"... New Name

Nakoma Sky Renamed "La Posada at Pusch Ridge"
The Board of Trustees of La Posada have approved moving forward with the Nakoma Sky project. They have renamed it "La Posada at Pusch Ridge". The project is located north of the CDO wash, behind Home Depot. 

La Posada is a Green Valley based non profit "...dedicated to providing a stimulating and enriching environment for seniors." 

The "five-story" building chicanery
Talk of the project started in 2014. It included a 5 story building. However, only a two story building was allowed on the property. The project required a general plan amendment in 2015 to approve the building height. A general plan amendment requires a five vote council approval.  There were only four members that would have voted "yes."

So, town staff ruled that this change in height was not a major general plan amendment. Rather, it was a minor one called a "text amendment". These require a four vote approval.  The council approved the amendment and voted to rezone to approve this project on November of 2015. 

Project as approved in 2015
Construction started in August 2017...Halted in June 2018
Desert blading on the site started in 2017. La Posada halted the project in June of 2018. They cited an inability to get workers and reasonably priced construction materials as the main cause. Since that time, despite town assertions to the contrary, the site was never remediated. It has been sitting bladed.

Updates and town approval needed before construction will resume
According to the  Green Valley Chamber of Commerce:  "Much of the initial site work has been completed on the 80-acre parcel. La Posada management and representatives are in contact with Town of Oro Valley officials to update the project design. In the two years since the original project was halted, La Posada’s management team has been updating concepts to enhance the design, construction quality, and livability of the project."

La Posada has provided no firm dates for town approvals and the resumption of construction.
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This article presents some interesting pictures of the proposed property.