Optima Launches 22-Acre Mixed-Use Development in North Scottsdale With 1,330 Residences and 36,000 SF of Retail

Real estate development firm Optima has begun leasing and pre-sales at Optima McDowell Mountain, a 22-acre mixed-use community positioned at the southeast corner of Scottsdale Road and Loop 101 in North Scottsdale, Ariz. The project encompasses six buildings, 1,330 residences, and 36,000 square feet of retail space.

Apartment tower 7220 is now accepting residents, while condominium tower 7230 has entered pre-sales ahead of an anticipated 2027 completion. The development marks Optima's first for-sale residential offering in Arizona in four years.

"This is a significant milestone for Optima," said David Hovey Jr., AIA, president of Optima. "It's the first time in four years we've introduced for-sale residences in Arizona, and we're bringing everything we've learned over the past four decades into this new community. Optima McDowell Mountain reflects our ongoing commitment to thoughtful design and quality living, and it represents the next chapter in our legacy."

Project Scale and Retail Component

The full build-out of Optima McDowell Mountain will include 970 apartments spread across four towers and 420 condominiums across two towers, for a combined total of 1,330 residences. The development also incorporates 36,000 square feet of retail space.

Nearly 75 percent of the 22-acre site is dedicated to landscaped open space, including a 10-acre central park. Pedestrian paths and bike trails run through the property and connect to Scottsdale's broader trail systems. The site's location provides direct freeway access to the Scottsdale Airpark, Kierland Commons, Scottsdale Quarter, and TPC Scottsdale.

Amenities and Biophilic Design

Each building within the Optima McDowell Mountain community is planned around approximately 1.5 acres of amenity space. At the rooftop level of tower 7230, a Sky Deck will feature a 50-meter Olympic-length heated lap pool, a perimeter running track, an outdoor spa, cold plunge, sauna, fire pits, outdoor kitchens, yoga studios, and shaded lounge areas with views of the McDowell Mountains.

Ground-level amenities are planned to include a fitness center with indoor and outdoor training areas, Pilates and group fitness studios, spa facilities, indoor pickleball and basketball courts, two outdoor pickleball courts, bocce, a golf simulator with chipping and putting areas, a sports lounge, a business center with conference and huddle rooms, a private movie theater, and a chef's kitchen-equipped event space. Pet owners will have access to a pet park and pet spa. Indoor and outdoor children's play areas are also included in the plans.

The architecture incorporates vertical landscaping and desert plantings consistent with Optima's biophilic design approach, which the firm has applied across its Arizona portfolio, including Optima Kierland and properties in Old Town Scottsdale and the Biltmore Phoenix area.

Sustainability Features and Water Strategy

Optima McDowell Mountain is designed to incorporate what the firm describes as the largest private rainwater harvesting system in the United States, with a storage capacity of 210,000 gallons designated for on-site irrigation. The development is also described as the first in Scottsdale to be constructed under the city's newly adopted International Energy Conservation Code and International Green Construction Code.

Additional sustainability features include solar panels, self-irrigating vertical landscaping, fully underground parking to reduce surface heat retention, high-efficiency variable refrigerant flow heating and cooling systems, induction cooktops, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure for residents and guests.

Development Outlook

Optima has operated in Arizona for more than four decades, with a portfolio that includes Optima Kierland and communities in Old Town Scottsdale and the Biltmore Phoenix area.

The Optima McDowell Mountain Sales Gallery is open by appointment. Tower 7220 is currently leasing, and tower 7230 condominium pre-sales are underway with completion anticipated in summer 2027.