One of the most popular recreation sites in the southwest may soon see the construction of a series of new industrial structures.
The Big Surf Water Park, located at 1500 N. McClintock Drive in Tempe, was opened in the fall of 1969 at a cost of $2 million, and featured one of the very first wave pools in the entire country.
Attracting tens of thousands of visitors every year, the 35-acre Big Surf closed in late 2019, with a plan to reopen it the following year frustrated by the appearance of Covid 19.
The site has now been purchased for $49 million by the Torrance, California-based real estate development company Overton Moore Properties. According to city documents, three different lots will be created at the water park site, with each seeing the construction of a one-story building.
What is called Building 1 will measure 258,000 square feet; Building 2 will come in at just under 240,000 square feet; while Building 3 is set for construction at 190,000 square feet.
The structures will be composed of tilt-up concrete panels painted in shades of beige and gray, with blue, grown, green, and white accents.
Construction at the site is slated to begin next year.
By Garry Boulard
