Episode 2: Third Time's a Charm

Some projects test your patience. Others test your process. And every once in a while, you get a project that tests both.

Today, I want to share a story. It’s about a developer who’s been put through the ringer and has not given up. It’s also one of the stories that inspired this entire series.

The First Site – Promising on Paper

In early 2024, a developer came to us looking to build a franchise quick lube service center. We’d worked on several of this franchise’s locations before, so we had a pretty good sense of what to expect and what could potentially go wrong during planning and entitlements.

The first site was a three-quarter acre dirt lot: major frontage, great traffic, up-and-coming neighborhood near Phoenix. It checked all the boxes on paper: decent zoning, good access, solid visibility.

We ran a few revisions, landed on a layout, and submitted for pre-app with the city.

That’s when the problems started showing up.

The city told us the project would need to match the surrounding architecture, a drab, stucco-heavy design that completely clashed with the franchise’s brand. Not ideal. Then came the real surprise: a floodplain, previously unmarked on any of the surveys and maps we’d seen. That meant higher insurance costs, possible grading issues, and more red tape.

The developer took that information to the seller to try and negotiate. No dice. The seller wouldn’t budge on price.

So the client walked. They didn’t want to settle — and we didn’t want them to.

The Second Site – A Technicality Kills the Deal

A few months later, a new site popped up; a PAD in a suburban pocket outside Phoenix. Looked promising. We drafted a conceptual site plan and it felt like we might finally be in business.

But right before we scheduled the pre-app, a city planner reached out. The PAD had been written to allow the potential for auto uses, but the seller had never included “Minor Auto Repair” in the filing. And in this jurisdiction, that meant a full rezoning process just to operate a quick lube. The kicker… the seller was unwilling to go through the process, so the developer would need to buy the land and then hope everything would work out.

The deal was off the table again. Back to the drawing board.

The Third Site – Moving Forward

In spring of 2025, we were back at it. Another site not too far from the first site we looked at. This one was a half-acre in an existing retail center with great frontage, strong visibility, and a clean layout. We put together a conceptual site plan and worked closely with the city to confirm that a conditional use permit was the only major hurdle.

The planner’s feedback was encouraging. The developer made an offer. And now — finally — we’re underway. Due diligence is tight, and the pressure’s on, but we’re moving in the right direction.

Third site’s a charm… right?

The Takeaway – What Just One More Site Really Means

This story is why we created this series. Because in development, the reality is: some sites will fail. Some will look perfect until they don’t. And sometimes, the only way forward is through.

But here’s the key: through each failed site, our client avoided sinking money into a location that wouldn’t work. No engineering costs. No architectural fees. Just the right amount of effort up front, through a conceptual site plan, to know when to move forward and when to walk.

Yes, there were legal fees. Yes, there was lost time. But because we were involved early, no dirt was moved and no budgets were blown.

And now, they’re closer than ever to opening the doors.

If you’re looking at a site and wondering whether it’s worth pursuing, stop wondering. Get clarity. That’s what a good site plan gives you. Fill out the form below and I will reach out to you personally to get the ball rolling with a complimentary conceptual site plan.