Atlas Global is currently in the initial phase of their mega-site project in Winslow, aiming to bring about transformative changes to the area. According to Daniel Lupien, one of the principals of Atlas Global, the first crucial step involves finalizing the development agreement with the City of Winslow. They are actively working on this foundational agreement.
Land acquisition is a pivotal aspect of the project. Atlas Global is actively pursuing the acquisition of 1,200 acres of land south of the airport, that is currently owned by the city. They currently own about 1,800 acres of land around the city and have approximately another 3,100 in escrow for a total of 4,100 acres under their control now, which will go up to 5,300 acres if the city releases the property.
Once the land is secured, Atlas Global plans to submit a comprehensive site plan for pre-application, with the goal of gaining full support from the Southside community. Lupien emphasized that he wants Southside’s input before the site plan, stating, “My goal is for the site plan to have full support of Southside so that I can approach the city council with Southside by my side.”
They are actively seeking feedback from Southside and Coopertown residents through public meetings. Lupien stressed the importance of community involvement, stating, “I truly believe I can construct a plan that mitigates all of the issues that Southside and Coopertown residents have if they were willing to show up to a public meeting and voice their concerns.”
Following site plan approval, the project will undergo an extensive review process involving city engineers and various departments. Subsequently, a design review plan will be submitted, which may undergo multiple iterations before reaching finalization.
Upon completion of the design and review phases, Atlas Global will proceed with the submission of specific construction plans to obtain the necessary building permits.
Atlas Global’s strategy emphasizes preparing sites for manufacturers rather than constructing vertical buildings, recognizing the diverse requirements of manufacturing companies. Lupien explained, “These manufacturing companies want shovel-ready development spots with all of the proper utility hook ups because companies all have different unique requirements that make it difficult to design one site that fits all of them.” So after the land is sold from Atlas Global to the manufacturers they will have to go through similar processes with city council approval before they are allowed to build as well.
The project includes a venture into hydrogen manufacturing and Lupien expressed his enthusiasm for this aspect, stating, “I believe that if I can get hydrogen manufacturing in Winslow, it would be one of the first sites to be able to offer this kind of power directly to manufacturers.”
This plan is expected to bring numerous jobs to the area in addition to the overall economic value but this will also be a large straw in the aquifer on which Winslow sits. During the public meeting last month, Lupien addressed these concerns by saying that it would be the only water intensive industry in the region, and he would conduct water studies and use advanced modeling software to understand exactly how the aquafer would be impacted by the hydrogen manufacturing.
Additionally, through hydrogen, wind and solar power, Atlas Global aims to make the entire development carbon-neutral. Lupien said, “At the beginning carbon-neutral was just a goal but now I see a real path.”
In response to community feedback, Atlas Global plans to scale back the project he had in mind, reducing air traffic and airplane storage. Cargo-related planes originally destined for Winslow will be redirected to Kingman, as confirmed by Lupien.
To minimize disruption to residential areas such as Southside and Coopertown, Atlas Global is implementing strategies including creating buffer zones between residential neighborhoods and industrial areas, constructing a new park for Southside residents, developing dedicated streets for industrial traffic, and establishing safe pedestrian and cyclist trail corridors.
Plans are underway to annex county-owned land to the city, ensuring unified management under one municipal authority. As the project evolves, the timeline remains somewhat flexible, with groundbreaking expected to occur approximately one year from now.
Community engagement remains a top priority to Lupien, and Atlas Global noted they intend to host a meeting this month with Southside residents to address concerns, discuss issues, and gather valuable input. The date and time have not been scheduled but The Tribune will post on its Facebook page and in print as soon as that information becomes available.
