In a stretch of downtown Phoenix where luxury towers have dominated the construction conversation for years, a different kind of project just broke ground — one built not for the highest bidder, but for the families who’ve been quietly priced out.
The Moreland, a two-phase residential development at the corner of Moreland and Third streets, will eventually bring 237 apartments to the urban core, ranging from compact studios to three-bedroom homes large enough for families. The first phase — 132 units — is slated for completion by the end of 2027, with the remainder to follow.
The site itself carries some history. It was previously home to the Deck Park Vista Apartments, a city-owned senior housing complex demolished in 2022. The 56 households who lived there weren’t simply forgotten when the bulldozers arrived — Phoenix housing officials say former Deck Park Vista residents will be given first priority to return once The Moreland opens its doors.
What sets the project apart from a typical affordable housing development is its emphasis on what happens after residents move in. Alongside fitness centers, community gathering spaces, and dedicated areas for teenagers and young people, the complex will offer a suite of on-site support services — career counseling, academic coaching, financial literacy programs, and health and wellness resources. The thinking is straightforward: stable housing is more likely to last when residents have tools to build on it.
The project is being developed by Chicago-based Brinshore Development and designed by Phoenix firm SPS+ Architects, with funding assembled through a mix of city dollars, federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, and private investment — including an $18 million commitment from CVS Health, which framed its involvement as a direct investment in community well-being.
The Moreland fits into a broader housing push the city has been making for several years. Phoenix officials announced in 2025 that the city had created or preserved more than 53,000 housing units — hitting a milestone five years ahead of schedule. Nearly half of those units were targeted at households earning at or below 120 percent of the area median income, a threshold that captures a wide swath of working-class and middle-income families increasingly squeezed by rising rents.
For a downtown that has seen no shortage of high-end development in recent years, The Moreland represents a deliberate counterweight — a reminder that building an inclusive city requires more than luxury penthouses and lakefront towers.
