Volume 29 • Number 49 November 30, 2022
The Voice of Marana, Oro Valley and Northwest Tucson
www.explorernews.com
Council OKs next step in Marketplace project
INSIDE
This Week
BY HOPE PETERS Tucson Local Media
T Saturday with a DJ playing holiday music, and continues with Santa’s appearance bringing up the rear of the Christmas parade at 3 p.m., and the tree lighting at 6 p.m. On Sunday look for the Saguaro Stompers Clog Dance company, a live radio play by the Saguaro City Music Theater of “It’s a Wonderful Life” and the Celtic Steps. More than 100 performers will take the main stage. “The one thing that is important is how many different pieces of the community come together from all over Southern Arizona to Oro Valley to
he Oro Valley Town Council approved zoning amendments and a revised master development plan for developer Town West Companies to revitalize the Oro Valley Marketplace. The council’s vote during its Nov. 10 special session is the result of a nearly threeyear effort that included six neighborhood meetings, extensive technical reviews, numerous site inspections by decision makers and six public meetings. Town West CEO Jim Horvath said meeting densities and height requirements were challenging. “The most difficult thing was to try to achieve some densities while still not exceeding the height requirements that the mayor and council wanted to keep in place,” he said, “and we are able to come to a compromised solution that has some decent densities, but also keeps the heights (requirements) especially for the apartments.” The compromise allows for four-story hotels and two- to three-story apartments. Horvath said one of those buildings — an apartment or hotel — could be four stories. Thanks to the town council’s approval, Town West can build: • Up to three hotels at a maximum build-
See FESTIVAL Page 6
See MARKETPLACE Page 8
NEWS..............................5 Make Way for Books benefitting from grant
BUSINESS................... 14 Reform your core at new Pilates studio
Local school bands will participate in the 3 p.m. Christmas parade. (David Seeber/Contributor)
Oro Valley Festival is back with a bang BY KAREN SCHAFFNER Tucson Local Media
SPORTS........................ 16 Student of the Week ran his way to netville OPINION............................................. 10 BUSINESS........................................... 14 SPORTS............................................... 16 PUZZLE/HOROSCOPES.................. 19 WORSHIP/CLASSIFIEDS................ 20
D
ancers, DJs and the man in the red suit will come together for the Oro Valley Holiday Festival of the Arts and Holiday Tree Lighting from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, at Oro Valley Marketplace. The tree-lighting ceremony is 6 p.m. Saturday Dec. 3, at the shopping center, 12155 N. Oracle Road. Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance director Kate Marquez said the weekend starts
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