Eastmark

What Kind of Place Is This?

Eastmark is a 3,200-acre master-planned community in southeast Mesa, Arizona, jointly developed by DMB Associates and Brookfield Residential on the site of the former General Motors Proving Ground. DMB purchased the five-square-mile parcel in 2006, grading began in 2011, and the first homes were delivered in 2013. As of 2025, the community has grown to roughly 7,000 homes housing approximately 20,000 residents, with a planned buildout approaching 15,000 homes. Construction is ongoing, with new neighborhoods still being added.

The community sits in Mesa's Gateway Corridor, near the intersection of Ellsworth Road and Ray Road, with convenient access to the Loop 202 (Santan Freeway), US-60 (Superstition Freeway), and Loop 101. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is approximately 10 minutes southeast; Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is roughly 30 minutes northwest.

The Physical Environment

Eastmark contains over 20 distinct residential neighborhoods built by roughly a dozen production builders, including Meritage, Taylor Morrison, Woodside, Mattamy, Maracay, and Landsea Homes. Floor plans range from approximately 1,217 to 5,397 square feet across single-story and two-story configurations, covering 2 to 6 bedrooms. Prices currently range from the mid-$300,000s for smaller production homes to $1.5 million for larger estate lots in sub-communities like The Estates at Eastmark. The community is not gated as a whole, though some individual neighborhoods within Eastmark have gated entries.

The centerpiece is the Eastmark Great Park, a 96-acre public park developed by Eastmark and owned and operated by the City of Mesa. It features a lake with a riparian stream, the Orange Monster (a half-acre, 9-foot-tall climbing structure), an 18-hole disc golf course, a 4.1-acre skate park (The Deck), an event pavilion that accommodates up to 8,000 people, playgrounds, exercise stations, and open turf fields. Beyond the Great Park, more than 40 neighborhood parks are connected by a network of lighted walking and biking paths. The Mark serves as the resident-only community center, housing a 4,000-square-foot resort-style heated pool, a 560-square-foot toddler pool, and an indoor game room with shuffleboard, Skee Ball, foosball, pool tables, and a giant Scrabble wall.

Eastmark is also notable for its commercial and employment components. Over 26 million square feet of non-residential development includes the Apple Global Operations Center and a Meta data center, along with the Eastmark Center of Industry (developed by IndiCap and AECOM-Canyon Partners). The Point at Eastmark provides neighborhood retail anchored by a 62,000-square-foot Safeway, with restaurants including Steadfast Farm & Diner, Point 22 Tavern, and Boca Taqueria. The community also includes the Gateway Library, a Mesa Public Library branch at 5036 S. Eastmark Parkway — the first new Mesa Public Library branch in 30 years — and Mesa Fire Station 221 at 9320 E Point Twenty Two Blvd, providing dedicated fire and medical response within the community.

Who Thrives Here?

• Residents who want a large-scale community with extensive park infrastructure. With 96 acres of Great Park space and 40+ neighborhood parks, Eastmark offers more outdoor recreation acreage per home than most East Valley master-planned communities. The disc golf course, skate park, splash pad, and Orange Monster climbing structure provide variety that goes well beyond the standard pool-and-playground formula.
• Residents who want multiple school district options for K-12 education. Eastmark straddles two school districts: Queen Creek Unified and Gilbert Public Schools. It also hosts BASIS Mesa at Eastmark, one of the highest-ranked charter schools in the state. Eastmark High School received an A-rating from the Arizona Department of Education in 2023. School district information is available on GreatSchools.
• Residents who want new construction with a range of price points. With a dozen builders and 50+ floor plans spanning $340K to $1.5M, buyers can choose from entry-level production homes to 5,000+ square-foot estate homes within the same community. That breadth is unusual for a single master-planned development.
• Residents who want proximity to East Valley employment centers. Apple, Meta, and the Eastmark Center of Industry are within the Eastmark boundary. The Loop 202 and US-60 provide access to the Chandler and Gilbert tech corridors. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is roughly 10 minutes away.
• Residents who want regular community programming without building it themselves. Eastmark hosts 100+ events annually, including the First Friday Concert Series, the Great Picnic in the Park, and seasonal festivals. Resident-run clubs cover book groups, wine tasting, yoga, cycling, and volunteering.

Social Temperature

Eastmark's social infrastructure is anchored by a community programming team that produces more than 100 events per year. The signature events include the First Friday Concert Series at the Great Park Event Pavilion (which draws crowds from neighboring communities), the Great Picnic in the Park, A Very Scary Carnival at Halloween, and A Very Merry Eastmark during the holiday season. The Celebration of Freedom rounds out the calendar in summer.

Resident-run clubs and interest groups cover a range of activities: book clubs, wine groups, yoga, cycling, volunteering, and cooking events. The exact count of active clubs is not publicly listed, but the community encourages residents to either join existing groups or start new ones. The Mark community center serves as a casual gathering point with games and lounge seating, though it is more of a drop-in space than a formal programming hub.

Newcomer Integration

Eastmark does not publicly advertise a formal new-resident orientation program of the type found in some 55+ communities. Social integration appears to happen organically through events, park interactions, and club participation. Nextdoor reviews consistently describe the community as welcoming and neighbor-friendly. Buyers who prefer structured onboarding should ask the Residential Association directly about current welcome programming.

Seasonal Dynamics

Eastmark is predominantly a full-time resident community, not a seasonal or snowbird destination. Unlike 55+ communities in the Phoenix metro where 20-40% of residents may depart during summer months, Eastmark's household composition skews toward working-age residents with school-age children. Seasonal population fluctuation is minimal. Summer programming does continue, though outdoor event attendance naturally declines during the peak heat months of June through September. Pool usage at The Mark and splash pad usage at the Great Park remain consistent through summer.

Governance Reality

Eastmark's governance structure is multi-layered. The Eastmark Community Alliance (ECA) is the overarching entity governing common areas and shared amenities across the entire development. Below that, the Eastmark Residential Association manages the residential portions of the community, enforcing the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions, and Easements. Individual neighborhoods within Eastmark may have their own sub-associations with additional dues and rules.

The Residential Association offices are located at 10100 E. Ray Road, Mesa, AZ 85212, and can be reached at 480-625-4900. As of the most recent publicly available information, the HOA board is developer-controlled: Brookfield Residential still appoints board members. This is common during active development but is a point of friction for some residents who want greater homeowner representation. Buyers should ask when the transition to a homeowner-elected board is expected.

HOA fees vary by neighborhood within Eastmark. The base Residential Association assessment was reported at approximately $93/month in 2017. Current listings show total monthly fees (including sub-association dues) ranging from $100 to $200, depending on the specific neighborhood. Greenpointe at Eastmark lists $139/month; Elegance at Eastmark lists $114/month; The Estates at Eastmark ranges from $120 to $203/month. Fees typically cover common area maintenance, landscaping, amenity access, and management costs.

Reserve fund status for the Eastmark Community Alliance is not publicly disclosed. Buyers should request the reserve study and recent financial statements during due diligence.

Two governance-related issues deserve attention. First, a class-action lawsuit filed by six homeowners alleges that Brookfield sold approximately 40 acres of land originally earmarked for the Great Park to homebuilders in 2020, resulting in a smaller, non-contiguous park than was promised. The suit alleges the developer-controlled HOA board approved public access easements for the skate park and disc golf course to help Brookfield meet its 90-acre park obligation to the City of Mesa. The case was pending before U.S. District Court Judge Diane Humetewa as of late 2023. Second, residents have expressed frustration over industrial and data center development adjacent to residential areas, including a proposed mega data center at Warner and Ellsworth roads. Concerns include tractor-trailer traffic, noise, light pollution, loss of mountain views, and water consumption (up to 1.25 million gallons per day for cooling). These are not HOA governance issues per se, but they reflect the reality of living in a community that is still under active development and zoning negotiation.

Fee Trajectory

Quick Stats

Amenities

Location & Medical Access

Medical Access Assessment

The nearest hospital to Eastmark is HonorHealth Four Peaks Medical Center (formerly Mountain Vista Medical Center), a 178-bed acute care facility located at 1301 S. Crismon Road in Mesa, approximately 5 miles and 10 minutes northwest. Banner Gateway Medical Center, a larger regional facility located at 1900 N Higley Rd in Gilbert, AZ, is roughly 8 miles and 15 minutes to the north-northwest. Banner Desert Medical Center, a tertiary referral center, is approximately 12 miles and 20 minutes west. Mayo Clinic's Phoenix campus is roughly 35 miles and 40 minutes northwest depending on traffic. For routine urgent care, multiple clinics are located within a 5-10 minute drive along Ellsworth Road and Signal Butte Road corridors.

Walk Score & Accessibility

Eastmark scores 8 out of 100 for walkability and 35 out of 100 for biking, with a transit score of 0. This is a car-dependent community. Internal connectivity is better than those numbers suggest: the lighted path network connects neighborhoods to parks, The Mark, and the Great Park without requiring a car. But every off-site errand — groceries, medical appointments, dining beyond the few on-site restaurants — requires driving. The nearest Safeway (at The Point at Eastmark) is accessible on foot from some neighborhoods, and a Sprouts-anchored retail center (EastMarket) is planned for Ellsworth and Ray roads. Mass transit options are effectively nonexistent in this part of Mesa. Residents should plan for two vehicles per household as a baseline.

Summer Reality Check

Mesa averages 106°F highs in July and rarely drops below 85°F at night. From June through September, outdoor activity is functionally limited to early morning (before 8 AM) and evening (after 7 PM). The Great Park is technically open sunrise to 10 PM, but midday use drops to near zero. The splash pad, when operational, sees peak use in early morning and late evening during summer months.

Electricity costs spike significantly. Mesa's average electricity rate is approximately 15 cents per kWh, but summer usage often doubles or triples as air conditioning runs 12-18 hours daily. For a typical Eastmark home (2,000-3,000 square feet), expect summer electricity bills of $250-$450 per month, compared to $100-$150 in winter. Annual electricity costs for a mid-sized home typically run $2,000-$3,000, with roughly 50-60% of that total concentrated in the June-September window.

Because Eastmark is a predominantly full-time community rather than a seasonal one, the summer population decline is far less dramatic than in 55+ communities. Schools run through late May and resume in early August, keeping most households in place. Community events shift to indoor or evening formats during peak heat months. The pool at The Mark remains open year-round and sees consistent summer use.

The First Summer vs. The Second Summer

Residents relocating from cooler climates typically describe the first Phoenix-area summer as a shock. The sustained heat — 30+ consecutive days above 110°F is not unusual in recent years — constrains daily routines in ways that are difficult to anticipate. By the second summer, most residents have adapted their schedules: early morning outdoor time, midday indoors, and evening activity. The key adaptation is psychological as much as practical. Buyers who have not spent a full June-September in the Phoenix metro should consider a summer rental before committing to a purchase.

Best For

Best for residents who want a large-scale master-planned community with extensive parks, multiple school options, and East Valley access at prices below comparable Scottsdale or North Phoenix developments.

Eastmark delivers more park acreage and outdoor recreation infrastructure than most competing master-planned communities in the East Valley. With home prices ranging from the mid-$300Ks to $1.5M, it offers genuine diversity of housing stock — something narrower communities like Morrison Ranch or Cadence at Gateway cannot match. The tradeoff is location: Eastmark sits in the far eastern corridor of Mesa, which means longer drives to Scottsdale dining, Old Town entertainment, and downtown Phoenix. Buyers choosing Eastmark are typically prioritizing schools, park access, new construction, and value per square foot over proximity to established metro amenities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Compare Eastmark

See how Eastmark stacks up against comparable communities in the Phoenix metro:

• Full comparison table: All communities rated and compared
• Cadence at Gateway — Nearby Mesa MPC with similar price range ($350K-$600K) but smaller scale and fewer park amenities than Eastmark
• Morrison Ranch — Established Gilbert MPC with tree-lined streets and ranch-style homes ($450K-$750K); lacks Eastmark's park infrastructure and school variety
• Power Ranch — Gilbert MPC with two community centers, pools, and trails ($350K-$600K); more established but without Eastmark's employment center proximity
• Canyon Trails — Goodyear MPC at lower price points; similar scale to Eastmark but in the West Valley rather than East Valley
• Tartesso — Buckeye MPC with lower prices and newer construction; more remote location with longer commute times to metro employment
• Encore at Eastmark — 55+ gated enclave within Eastmark for residents 55 and older; own clubhouse and amenities plus access to broader Eastmark infrastructure

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Last updated: March 7, 2026 · Data sources: Maricopa County Assessor, ARMLS, community records, resident forums, Google Reviews (22 sources total)