Forge Tower, a first-of-its-kind high rise apartment community offering unique incentives for creatives, is now open and leasing in Downtown Mesa.
Developed by Soltrust, an innovative REIT specializing in the development of infill, build-to-rent and value-add apartments, Forge Tower was created to fit the evolving and dynamic audience of Downtown Mesa, which includes creatives, students and young professionals.
The adaptive reuse development was built out of the former Courtyard Towers, a retirement home and Downtown Mesa’s only high rise structure, which was vacated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Soltrust took ownership of the building in 2023 and fully renovated the 13-story space to create an efficient, attainable 176-unit apartment community boasting amenities for the technically creative, including a fully equipped podcast studio, workshop for digital creative makers and co-working spaces.
“We tend to like projects with a challenge,” said Gary Blakeslee, Managing Director at Soltrust. “We saw the potential of this structure to add vibrancy to the Downtown Mesa skyline. Our full renovation and incentives to draw the right audience to Forge Tower will make it the home of the creative community in Mesa.”
To incentivize creative residents, the Forge Tower will offer a Producer in Residence program, providing rent and amenity benefits to lucky creatives willing to share their talents with apartment residents and Downtown Mesa at large. In addition, Forge Tower will provide $10,000 a year in scholarships to help digital creative residents move their careers forward.
In addition to creative spaces, residents will enjoy amenities including a dog run, dog wash station, state-of-the-art fitness and wellness center, gated parking, an outdoor pool and a large indoor climate controlled bike and scooter storage area with charging plugs. Outside, Forge Tower has been painted with the largest mural in Mesa, adding to the creative vibe of the community.
Forge Tower offers studio, 1- and 2-bedroom apartments from 386 to 627 square-feet. Apartments include all-new cabinets, countertops, fixtures and appliances, including combination washer/dryers in each unit, plus views from every turn.
“As the only high rise in Downtown Mesa, Forge Tower residents will get sweeping views of the Valley from all 13 floors,” Blakeslee said. “We see Forge Tower as a unique opportunity to get a best-of-all-worlds living experience combining affordable living and a dynamic environment.”
Soltrust is no stranger to the adaptive reuse of existing structures. In 2024, the REIT transformed Phoenix’s former Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) headquarters into Alloy Midtown, a modern, 171-unit office-to-apartment conversion.
In the last five years, the Downtown Mesa has shifted from a historic city center to a rapidly evolving creative Mecca. Arizona State University’s Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center, home to the Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts, brought students and an expressive spirit to the downtown area. Eclectic retailers, inventive restaurants and enticing bars and breweries have incentivized tourists and residents to make the area a must-visit destination, and with it, a thriving cultural economy.
Forge Tower adds more than housing — it brings new life to Downtown Mesa,” said Terry Madeksza, President and Executive Director of Downtown Mesa Association. “This project takes a major step toward creating a true live-work neighborhood, and it reflects the continued energy and investment shaping our city’s future. We welcome Soltrust’s investment in Downtown Mesa and look forward to building on this momentum and shaping a vibrant downtown together.
