Growing North: A Spotlight on Massive Coker Butte Development Project

MEDFORD, OR - Positioned at the north end of town, many resident have likely seen the site work and start of framing for various projects off of Coker Butte Road, Hwy 62, and Crater Lake Avenue across from the row of car dealerships.

This is actually two projects by two development groups, and is spread across well over 200 acres. Coker Butte Business Park, developed by Stephen Gambee, the former CEO of Rogue Disposal, is a ±10-acre, 7 lot commercial development. They've so far landed two tenants, including a 7-11 convenience store (now under construction) and Tractor Supply Company retail store, still in the planning stage. The remaining 5 commercial lots range in size and are expected to likely fill up quickly after the momentum gained recently. These lots will help serve the several hundred homes planned to be built immediately to the north.

Skycrest Development, the developer for the rest of the site, has planned out the development across several phases, with the first 71-lot subdivision being approved last year. Phase 1 includes ±700 single family home lots in southeast corner of the site, and an area planned to be a new K-8 school. A new major collector and several local streets are planned throughout the site, leading up to Vilas Road in the north, Crater Lake Avenue/Hwy 62 to the west, and Coker Butte Road to the south. Over 90 acres is slated for commercial development land, which will likely end up a mix of higher-density multifamily and conventional commercial developments.

An additional 36 acres of "service commercial" area will provide for lighter use commercial developments. While not verified with the developer directly, its believed that there were some areas of soil remediation, wetlands, detention ponds, and other unbuildable areas reducing the overall usable land area, but this is still a large project locally. The site originally sold for $14,500,000 in early 2025.

While this project could significantly change over the next several years it will take to build, we see this a promising sign for the Rogue Valley. This also shows commitment and belief in the region from institutional and large private capital sources, which is exactly what the region needs to attract more employers and eventually raise the median household income. This is a great step towards improving local population growth and demographics.