ASU and Catellus Development Corp unveiled preliminary plans this week, at a public open house, for creating a new urban community adjacent to the school's Tempe campus.

The plans call for transforming the existing 330-acre Athletic Facilities District at the northeast end of campus into new and renovated NCAA athletic facilities, along with more than 7M SF of office, multifamily residential, hospitality and retail space, interconnected with sidewalks, bicycle paths and urban open spaces. Catellus senior development manager Brian Kearney, snapped at the open house, calls it a "first draft of the master plan," and says that "feedback from the open house and other meetings will continue to evolve our thinking."

The goal, Brian tells us, is to create a place that offers "unforgettable life experiences.” The district encompasses university-owned property, and is generally bounded by Sun Devil Stadium, Veterans’ Way, University Drive, McClintock Road and Tempe Town Lake. The plan reflects a phased approach under which development will occur over the next 20 years, but an initial phase that might include office, multifamily and retail is expected to be underway as soon as '16.