November 26, 2008 - Westcor, Tucson AZ

The Valley's largest shopping-center company, Westcor, has finished a master plan for a 12,000-acre piece of state-owned desert near Tucson.

But the company has decided not to move forward to purchase land from the state and start to develop the area.

"We just chose not to go the next step," said Charles McPhee, senior vice president of development for Macerich, Westcor's parent company. "I think everyone understands it is a fairly uncertain economy."

In January, Westcor received a contract from the Arizona State Land Department to survey and make recommendations for developing the enormous area, which is bounded by Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Rita Ranch, University of Arizona Science and Technology Park, Rancho Del Lago, Rocking K Ranch and the Union Pacific Railroad and includes sections north and south of Interstate 10 near Houghton Road.

"We did a significant amount of investigatory work that will ultimately benefit whoever develops the area," McPhee said.

The Land Department has said that it will take 30 to 50 years to plan and develop the area.

Original story - Arizona Republic