Power Ranch Eyesore Could Finally Be Developed as 171 New Townhomes Are Proposed

One of the most talked-about vacant properties in Power Ranch may finally be moving toward development.

A project known as Woodcrest Village West is currently making its way through Gilbert's approval process and would bring 171 attached, for-sale townhomes to a 13.81-acre site that has sat largely undeveloped for years while becoming the center of ongoing legal disputes and neighborhood conversations.

The proposal recently appeared before the Gilbert Planning Commission as a request for Preliminary Plat and Open Space approvals. Plans call for 171 ownership townhomes along with landscaped open space tracts, pedestrian pathways, and HOA-maintained common areas designed to serve future residents.

What makes this proposal particularly noteworthy is its location and history.

For many Power Ranch residents, the Woodcrest property has become synonymous with one of Gilbert's longest-running development sagas. The neighboring Woodcrest East community has been involved in years of litigation and disputes related to condominium ownership, rental operations, and development rights. The legal battles have generated significant discussion throughout the community and have left many residents wondering what would ultimately happen with the remaining undeveloped land.

Now, Woodcrest Village West appears poised to write the next chapter.

Unlike some recent multifamily developments proposed throughout the East Valley, the project is planned as for-sale housing, meaning the units would be sold to individual homeowners rather than operated as a traditional apartment community.

At 13.81 acres, the project would equate to approximately 12.4 dwelling units per acre, a density that is becoming increasingly common as Gilbert seeks to balance housing demand with limited remaining land for development.

As housing affordability continues to be a challenge across Gilbert and the East Valley, attached townhome communities have become an increasingly popular option for buyers seeking homeownership at a lower price point than many detached single-family homes.

At this stage, plans indicate the development will feature a network of open spaces, landscaped common areas, pedestrian connections, and community amenities, though detailed renderings have not yet been widely circulated.

Whether residents view the proposal as a positive step forward or would prefer a different type of development, one thing is certain: after years of sitting vacant, the Woodcrest property may finally be getting closer to a future.