The City of Maricopa Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed plans for Southbridge Marketplace Phase 2 on October 27, 2025, bringing residents closer to new shopping and dining options at the northeast corner of W. Honeycutt Avenue and N. John Wayne Parkway. The application by Thompson Thrift, represented by John Barclay of Upward Architects, proposes three new buildings for retail and restaurants next to the upcoming Aldi grocery store.
What’s Planned for the Site
Three buildings are planned for the second phase of Southbridge Marketplace. Shops B, a 10,000-square-foot building west of Aldi, will have space for multiple retail stores. Two smaller buildings will sit closer to the Honeycutt Avenue and John Wayne Parkway intersection. One is a 6,500-square-foot building that can house retail shops and a drive-through restaurant. The other is a 3,200-square-foot standalone drive-through restaurant.
Specific tenants have not been announced yet, but the location near Lowe’s and along John Wayne Parkway is attracting interest. The first phase of Southbridge Marketplace, which includes Aldi and additional retail spaces, has already obtained development approvals and is under construction drawing review.
Aldi Status Update
Residents have been asking about Aldi’s arrival, and Commissioner Ted Yocum said he fields questions about the grocery store multiple times each week. Senior Planner Derek Scheerer provided an update on the status. “Aldi’s, I believe is coming. They have their construction drawings in,” Scheerer said. He noted the drawings have been reviewed by the city, giving residents confirmation that the long-awaited store is moving forward.
Concerns About Traffic and Drive-Throughs
Commissioner Robert Klob raised concerns about traffic congestion, especially if popular drive-through restaurants move in. “This is a prime location for some of the big guys, heavy hitters to come play,” Klob said. He referenced problems at other developments where busy drive-throughs created traffic backups that affected neighboring businesses.
Chairman James Singleton agreed, noting that popular restaurants like Slim Chickens drew massive crowds when they opened. City planners said they’ve designed longer queuing spaces for drive-throughs and will direct traffic through shared access roads to minimize congestion on Honeycutt Avenue.
The proposal was presented for discussion and feedback only. It will return to the Planning Commission for formal approval at a later date, with specific retailers and restaurants to be determined.
