T he vision for Agritopia was simple – build a neighborhood rooted in Gilbert’s farming past while blending seamlessly with the quickly urbanizing town.

Founder Joe Johnston in the late 1990s was driven to keep his family’s farm thriving as the pace of growth around him steadily increased.

His concept today has grown into 460 homes, a community of craftsmen called Barnone, a 120-unit senior living facility, the private Gilbert Christian School – all near a 12-acre farm and garden.

The newest addition to the 166-acre “agrihood,” nestled in the northwest corner of Higley and Ray roads, is Epicenter, a vertical mixed-use development with 320 apartments, alongside dining, fitness and retail amenities.

William Johnston, Joe Johnston’s youngest son and the CEO of Johnston & Co., said buil

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