Eastmark, Mesa.
Five square miles
of former test track.
Eastmark is a 3,200-acre master-planned community in Mesa, between Ellsworth and Signal Butte roads south of Elliot Road, built on the former General Motors Desert Proving Ground. Its homes sit in two community facilities districts, so owners see two extra charges on the county tax bill.
Eastmark on the map
Boundary from the City of Mesa neighborhoods and HOAs map (Eastmark Community Alliance). Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
3,200 acres between Ellsworth and Signal Butte
The City of Mesa describes Eastmark as a 3,200-acre property between Ellsworth Road and Signal Butte Road, south of Elliot Road. The City Council approved the Eastmark Community Plan on November 3, 2008.
A community plan is the city-approved rulebook for a large property. It sets land uses, street standards and how much can be built. Eastmark's plan divides the land into nine Development Units, each approved with its own detailed plan, and sets a budget of 15,000 dwelling units and 20 million square feet of non-residential space.
Eastmark is jointly owned and developed by DMB Associates and Brookfield Residential, with homes from several builders. Eastmark's own site now reports that the final new home has been sold.
From a vehicle proving ground to a neighborhood
Eastmark sits on the former General Motors Desert Proving Ground, as Eastmark's own news archive describes it. A proving ground is a private test track where a carmaker tests vehicles. A February 2012 East Valley Tribune article, reprinted on the Eastmark site, describes the property as 74 miles of automotive test track.
The city's project narrative notes that, because of that past use, the site has little to no natural features. The land is owned by DMB Mesa Proving Grounds LLC.
Developers broke ground in May 2012 near Ray and Ellsworth roads, with the first builder homes planned for the following year, per Eastmark's news archive. The plan placed a Great Park through the center of the community as its gathering place and connector.
Schools, a library and the Great Park
Eastmark's own site lists the Great Park, neighborhood parks and a community center called The 'Mark, along with the places below.
- Gateway Library, 5036 S. Eastmark Pkwy., Mesa, AZ 85212.A Mesa Public Library branch and the city's first newly built branch in about three decades, paid for by the 2018 bond election for arts and culture. It has exterior lockers for 24/7 pickup. Mesa Public Library page
- Eastmark High School, 9560 E. Ray Rd., Mesa, AZ 85212.A Queen Creek Unified School District high school that opened in 2019. School site
- BASIS Mesa at Eastmark and Sequoia Pathfinder Academy at Eastmark.Charter schools listed on Eastmark's Life at Eastmark page.
- Mesa Fire Station 221.Listed by Eastmark as inside the community.
- Retail.Eastmark lists Safeway, Starbucks, Steadfast Diner and Steadfast Coffee & Farm Store among businesses in the community.
Next to Gateway Airport
Distances below are straight-line miles from Eastmark High School at 9560 E. Ray Rd., using published coordinates. Driving distances are longer.
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport
About 2 miles.
Arizona State University, Tempe
About 19 miles.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
About 23 miles.
Two tax lines from the community facilities districts
Eastmark homes pay into community facilities districts, or CFDs. A CFD is a special taxing district formed through the City of Mesa at the developer's request. It sells bonds to pay for parks, roads, sewer, water, storm drains, street lights and landscaping, and owners inside it repay those bonds through their property tax bill.
The City of Mesa lists two Eastmark districts, Eastmark No. 1 and Eastmark No. 2. Owners see two charges on the Maricopa County tax bill. The first is an assessment area charge, a flat amount per parcel paid over 25 years. Original Eastmark amounts were $2,000, $2,500 or $3,500 per property, and it can be paid off in one lump sum. The second is the CFD charge, reset every year, which cannot be paid off.
The city states that the lien stays with the property on a sale or refinance, though a new lender or title company may require the assessment to be paid in full. City of Mesa CFD page
Eastmark, answered
Where is Eastmark?
Eastmark is in Mesa, Arizona, on 3,200 acres between Ellsworth Road and Signal Butte Road, south of Elliot Road.
What was Eastmark before it was built?
The land was the General Motors Desert Proving Ground, a private vehicle test track.
Who developed Eastmark?
Eastmark is jointly owned and developed by DMB Associates and Brookfield Residential, with homes from several builders.
When did Eastmark start?
The Mesa City Council approved the Eastmark Community Plan on November 3, 2008, and developers broke ground in May 2012.
What school district serves Eastmark High School?
Eastmark High School, at 9560 E. Ray Rd., is a Queen Creek Unified School District school that opened in 2019.
Is there a library in Eastmark?
Yes. Gateway Library, a Mesa Public Library branch, is at 5036 S. Eastmark Pkwy.
Do Eastmark homes pay a CFD tax?
Yes. Eastmark is in community facilities districts Eastmark No. 1 and Eastmark No. 2. Owners see an assessment area charge paid over 25 years and a yearly CFD charge on the county tax bill.
Can the Eastmark assessment be paid off?
The assessment area charge can be paid off in one lump sum, with no partial payoffs. The yearly CFD charge cannot be paid off.
How far is Eastmark from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport?
About 2 miles in a straight line from Eastmark High School.
Looking at Eastmark?
Which CFD assessment a home carries, and whether it has been paid off, shows on the county tax record. Send me the addresses and I will pull them. Text 480-485-4261.
Own a home in Eastmark? See what the county has on file and get a real value. Looking? Search homes for sale.
Sources: City of Mesa, Eastmark Community Plan, Eastmark project narrative, City of Mesa, Community Facility Districts, Eastmark, About, Life at Eastmark, Contact and Directions, Eastmark news archive, January 2012, East Valley Tribune via Eastmark news archive, February 2012, groundbreaking, May 2012, Mesa Public Library, Gateway Library, Eastmark High School, Queen Creek Unified School District, coordinates for Eastmark High School, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor and the ASU Tempe campus from Wikipedia. All checked 28 October 2026.