Category Archives: Midtown Phoenix

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A History of a Historic Preservation Advocate

G.G. George, the Phoenix author of the new book, “The Arizona State Fair,” has a history of preservation activism dating back to the 1960s and remains an active voice in the historic community today for Historic Phoenix Districts.

Historic Phoenix Preservation“G.G. George is the Energizer Bunny of historic preservation,” said Kathryn Leonard, the Arizona State Historic Preservation Officer.

Most recent, the Norton House and all of Encanto Park were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This completed a project led by George, the president and founder of the Encanto Citizens Association, and the president of the Phoenix Historic Neighborhoods Coalition, to put the entire Encanto Neighborhood on the National Register, which was started in the 1970’s.

And these are only a few of her accomplishments.

“G.G. has always been an extremely valuable voice in the historic preservation movement in Phoenix and it dates back to when all of our historic districts downtown were considered blighted, and nobody wanted to live in them,” said Leonard.

Papago Freeway

George began her work back in 1969 when she heard the plan to construct the I-10 Papago Freeway was displacing residents from their homes. These homes were in the area known as the Moreland Corridor, located between McDowell and Roosevelt Streets and Central and 19th Avenue.

At the time, the Arizona Highway Department, now known as the Arizona Department of Transportation, was offering homeowners less than what their houses were worth so that they could begin construction on the freeway, according to George.

“The freeway fight spurred preservation awareness,” said George. “The homes they were tearing down in the Moreland Corridor were just as nice as this house, just as old and even older,” said George, referring to her home in the Encanto-Palmcroft neighborhood.

George was invited to a meeting by a group known as Citizens for Mass Transit Against Freeways which included a group of concerned neighbors who wanted to make a difference. George attended the meetings, heard the stories from the people who lost their homes, and wanted to help in some way.

“She really was instrumental in saying ‘Hey, these houses have value,’” said Leonard.

According to George, the people in this neighborhood had no idea there was anything they could do to stop the construction of the freeway until a few activists organized the neighborhood. Nearly 2,000 neighbors came together to express their dissent against the construction.

In 1973, a vote appeared on the ballot which determined the fate of the freeway. The Citizens for Mass Transit Against Freeways and preservation advocates won their first battle when construction of the freeway was voted down.

The Department of Transportation had to scrap their original plan for the Papago Freeway, which led to the development of a new plan of an I-10 tunnel under Margaret T. Hance Park.

Arizona State Fairgrounds

Over the years, George has worked on countless other efforts to preserve historic buildings. Most recent, when the Works Progress Administration (WPA) building, located on the Arizona State Fairgrounds near Fairview Place Historic District, was threatened with demolition, George supported the effort to save it.

George wrote “The Arizona State Fair,” a book that chronicles the history of the fairgrounds from its formation in 1905 through the Great Depression when the WPA building was built. George wrote the book “to stimulate interest in the preservation of the buildings and the grounds.” According to George, the profit from the books goes toward historic preservation efforts.

“I devote all my time, research, and writing ability to the [Encanto] citizens association who gets the profits from these books to carry on our work,” said George.

According to Jim McPherson, president of the board of directors for the Arizona Preservation Foundation, George was very supportive of this effort from both a preservation and neighborhood standpoint.

“We have been really appreciative of G.G. in undertaking that major project,” said McPherson regarding George’s book.

Moving forward, George said that she will continue to fight to preserve the integrity of historic districts.

“If we don’t understand the past we can’t even plan for the future,” said George.

Phoenix Real Estate with Historic Roots Now For Sale

November 20th, 2017 – Downtown Phoenix Journal

As part of the recent settlement of litigation between the United States and the Barron Collier Company, the federally-owned 15-acre parcel located at the northeast corner of Central Avenue and Indian School Road is now “For-Sale.” The land, which is located amid the booming Uptown Phoenix real estate market, is being marketed as the “Uptown Phoenix Parcel.”

The parcel was recently transferred by Barron Collier Companies to the United States for sale under an agreement that resolved Collier’s legal obligations to the United States dating back to the Congressionally approved 1988 Arizona-Florida Land Exchange Act – a deal that originally included the historic 72-acre Historic Phoenix Indian School site that had been operated as a school for Arizona Indian students for almost 100 years until its official closure by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1990.

Historic Uptown Land For Sale in PhoenixThe 15-acre Uptown Phoenix Parcel is located across from a light rail station, just one block south of the Camelback Road and Central Avenue, which was recently named by the Urban Land Institute of Arizona as one of the Valley’s most lucrative intersections for commercial and residential development.

Proceeds from the sale of this Historic Phoenix parcel will be deposited into the Inter Tribal Trust Fund and Navajo Trust Fund administered by the United States for use by tribes in Arizona to seed educational programs and services such as tribal libraries, preschools, childcare facilities, youth foster homes, tutoring and academic counseling for tribal youth, among other programs. Most of these programs have been placed on hold in recent years due to limited funding and uncertainty surrounding the future of these Trust Funds.

Many of Arizona’s current tribal leaders attended the Phoenix Indian School in their youth. When it closed, Congress made sure that the funds generated from the disposition of the property could be used to support a positive and enduring legacy for both the former Indian School, and the future of Indian education in Arizona. While the history of the Phoenix Indian School has been written, tribal leaders also look forward to supporting a new legacy that the sale of this long vacant property now represents.

“We are very pleased to see the that remaining 15-acre property, which is so steeped in the history of tribes in Arizona, will finally have an opportunity to be developed and hopefully become another Phoenix cultural highlight in the future of Uptown Phoenix,” says Inter Tribal Council of Arizona Executive Director, Maria Dadgar. “Not only will the sale of this property begin a new chapter for the City of Phoenix, the funds generated from the sale will also serve the future of Indian education in Arizona as Congress originally intended. Tribal leaders view this as a positive step in the history of the Indian School property,” says Dadgar.

The federally-owned Uptown Phoenix Parcel will be sold by a competitive online auction hosted by the Government Services Administration’s online site www.RealEstateSales.gov and will open for bids later this year.

The Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., was first established in 1952 to provide a united voice for tribal governments located in the State of Arizona on common issues and concerns. Currently, ITCA’s membership includes 21 of the 22 Tribes of Arizona.

Train Depot Home Up For Sale In Phoenix

There are a lot of very cool homes in the Valley, but some stick out more than others.

Train Depot in Historic Phoenix

Train depot home up for sale in Phoenix

In North Central Phoenix sits a home on top of a hill that has a unique history. It used to be a train depot in Mayer, a town more than 70 miles north of Phoenix.

The history is very cool. The train depot began operation in Mayer in 1898. It was in full operation until it finally shuttered in the 1950s. For years it sat decaying to the ravages of time, but a Phoenix man named Don Dedera had a great idea: ship the depot to the Valley and turn it into a home.

So, in early 1963, the train depot was placed on a moving truck and shipped south.

It wasn’t an easy task. It was brought down the Old Black Canyon Highway and telephone and power lines had to be moved out of the way. At one point, the moving truck turned toward the Deer Valley Airport and was able to drive down the runway to avoid even more telephone lines. Eventually, it ended up on a hill and became part of a new home.

Fast forward to a few years ago, the most recent owner, Will Auther and his wife spent nearly a year fixing up the home, and they lived in it for nearly 13 years.

Now, they’ve decided to put it on the market. They hope that someone will take it over and keep the history of the home alive and help to keep the story of the traveling train depot alive.

6 BIKE LANE PROJECTS COMING TO A DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR YOU

6 BIKE LANE PROJECTS COMING TO A DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR YOU

JULY 28, 2017 BY FARA ILLICH

6 Bike Lane Projects in PhoenixRight now, Phoenix lacks a comprehensive bicycle network connecting the downtown business district with surrounding neighborhoods.

But a number of improvement projects aim to change that.

From road “diets” to restriping, the City of Phoenix is not only focusing on making downtown more bikeable, but more walkable and livable too.

Six projects impacting downtown are in the works, which will add things like cycle tracks (two-way bike lanes), landscaping enhancements, signage, lighting and ADA improvements.

Omar Peters, a director with the Urban Phoenix Project (UPP), sees the changes as a step toward making cycling as comfortable as driving.

“It’s exciting to think about biking this entire area and it’s a nice, easy, protected and pleasurable ride,” he said.

As the special projects administrator for the city’s street department, Mark Melnychenko sets up many of the community meetings advocates (like Peters) attend. Melnychenko gathers public input and helps lead the design and construction process.

“I think we’ve made some pretty good strides in what we’re doing with streets and transportation in the Valley,” he said. “If we had talked about these types of things even 10 years ago, people would not have listened to you, now it’s part of everybody’s vocabulary.”

“Complete streets” are part of that new vocabulary, a concept that emphasizes the importance of multi-modal transportation. In fact, the city just passed a complete streets policy on June 28, ensuring all transportation improvements moving forward have things like walkability and bikeability in mind.

EVANS CHURCHILL & ALVARADO

One example of that is the First Street Pedestrian Improvement Project, which started in 2012, and is slated to conclude sometime this year.

Big changes on First Street have already been made between Van Buren and McKinley Streets, including repaving, reducing the roadway width, widening the sidewalks and adding bike lanes.

Those improvements will extend through the Evans Churchill neighborhood up to Margaret T. Hance Park in the final phase.

Third Street is another major artery running north from downtown. And unlike 1st Street, which dead-ends at Hance Park, Third Street helps bridge the I-10 barrier from Evans Churchill into the Alvarado neighborhood and beyond.

Stretching all the way up to Indian School Road, the Third Street Improvement Project will impact a lot of central city neighborhoods. It already went through the public input process, settling on design plans that reduce the traffic lanes from five to three and add buffered bike lanes. Construction will begin in late 2018 or early ‘19.

CORONADO

Running east-west, the Oak Street Improvement Project will tie into 3rd Street, which links with Roosevelt and First streets, and the rest of downtown Phoenix.

It basically provides a walkable, bikable corridor through the Coronado neighborhood (and areas east of that), in addition to easier, safer passage across major intersections like 7th and 16th streets.

According to Melnychenko, the Oak Street improvements are a great example of how the city is creating one big bicycle network, while trying to keep motorists, residents and pedestrians happy.

“Everything we do with the streets is a balancing act because we have commuters, bicyclists, public transit — and we need to balance the use of the street,” he said. “We have go about it incrementally because it impacts a lot of people.”

Construction on the Oak Street bike lanes is set to begin in 2019, and will eventually tie into the Grand Canalscape near 24th Street.

So while many of these projects aren’t connected yet, they eventually will be.

ROOSEVELT & WILLO

For instance, there’s a bike lane gap between Central and 7th Avenues along Roosevelt Street — but that’s about to change. The street was recently redone east of Central Avenue (along Roosevelt Row), and now it’s the west side’s turn.

In addition to repaving and restriping Roosevelt Street, Third and Fifth Avenues will also get bike lane makeovers, possibly as far north as Thomas Road. As part of the lengthy pre-design process, which concluded in December 2016, key stakeholders provided input, followed by a three-day design charrette.

Because of the all the new development happening in that area and connection to downtown neighborhoods like Roosevelt and Willo, a lot of community members attended the discussions.

UPP was one of the groups present, pushing for cycle tracks on both 3rd and 5th Avenues, in addition to two-way traffic south of Roosevelt.

“When you think about all the new residential that’s happening, there’s a reason why these people want to move downtown,” Peters said. “They want that lifestyle and that includes being able to walk to places, being able to bike to places.”

GARFIELD

The historic Garfield neighborhood east of downtown is also growing, and a new project along Van Buren Street would add bike lanes to that area as well. Spanning from 7th Street to 40th Street, the initial design provides a road diet, buffered bicycle lanes and sidewalk improvements.

A road diet will be used to re-channel traffic, add bike lanes and achieve systemic improvements. While proven safer overall, diets can sometimes be a contentious issue for commuters, who don’t want lanes taken away.

But according to Dan Klocke, executive director of the Downtown Phoenix Partnership, it’s time to rethink that mentality.

“Cities originally widened roads so people could get to their far-flung neighborhoods faster,” he said. “It’s time to recapture some of the quality of life for those neighborhoods by reducing the impact of wide roads, and offering transportation solutions for local residents and employees.”

WOODLAND & EASTLAKE PARK

Using the existing roadway and curbing, a restriping project will also affect Washington and Jefferson streets — adding bike lanes to the gap between 7th Avenue and 7th Street.

Lanes currently exist just outside the “Sevens” going west toward the Woodland neighborhood, and east toward Eastlake Park. This would connect cyclists from those neighborhoods to the downtown business district, at no detriment to vehicle traffic.

“In a tight urban area, bikes get a lot of people around and cause no congestion,” Klocke said. “Bike lanes are an important quality-of-life amenity for those who enjoy it, but also a critical infrastructure piece for those who don’t have a car.”

Many of the projects impacting downtown neighborhoods are still open for public comment. For more information on how to get involved or attend a meeting, check the City of Phoenix website.

 

Phoenix is One of the Fastest-Growing Cities in the Country

Mar 23, 2017

Eleven major metropolitan areas, including Phoenix, are growing at a pace of more than 1,000 persons per week, based on population estimates issued this morning by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The growth of Phoenix, AZThe federal agency released July 2016 estimates for 382 metros and 3,142 counties across the nation.

American City Business Journals, the parent company of the Phoenix Business Journal, used the new federal data to calculate weekly growth rates. Phoenix landed at No. 8 on the list. The Valley’s population rose from an April 2010 total of 4.19 million to a July 2016 estimate of 4.66 million, translating into a net increase of 1,436.2 persons a week.

Topping the list was the Houston metropolitan area, which saw a net increase of 2,612.3 persons per week.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area was second with a weekly net gain of 2,474.6 persons. Rounding out the top five were the New York City, Atlanta and Miami-Fort Lauderdale metros, all with population increases larger than 1,500 persons per week.

The other metros above the weekly threshold of 1,000 were Washington, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Seattle, San Francisco-Oakland and Austin.

The analysis also identified 11 major metros that suffered population declines during the six-year span. The worst weekly loss was posted by the Cleveland area, which slipped by 21,646 persons between April 2010 and July 2016, a net drop of 66.4 per week.

Three other major metros experienced weekly net losses of more than 25 persons: Youngstown, Ohio; Pittsburgh and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pa. The remaining decliners were Syracuse, N.Y.; New Haven, Conn.; Hartford; Toledo; Buffalo; Akron, Ohio; and Rochester, N.Y.

If you’re looking to relocate to the Phoenix area, contact Laura Boyajian today.

Historic Phoenix Home Tours for Winter and Spring 2017

Visit historical homes in Revival, Norman and bungalow styles in the Coronado Historic District near downtown Phoenix in this tour’s 30th year along with Encanto-Palmcroft, Cave Creek and more.

Need a little inspiration to get your home and yard in shape? Home and garden tours are a great way to get home-improvement ideas while discovering new parts of the Valley. Check out our list, which leads into peak home-tour season in spring 2017.

2/12: 29th Annual Willo Historic Home Tour and Street Fair

English Tudor Home In Willo District Phoenix

An Example of an English Tudor In Willo Historic District

With over 900 homes, Willo is Phoenix’s biggest historic district. Once a year, Willo opens its doors to visitors with around 12 homes and the historic firehouse available to tour. The event also includes a classic car show, a beer and wine garden and a street fair with local vendors.

Details: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12. Willo Historic District, Third Avenue and West Monte Vista Road, Phoenix. $18. willohistoricdistrict.com.

2/26: Coronado Home & Garden Tour: Historically Modern

1930 Coronado Historic District Tudor

Built in 1930 in the Coronado Historic District

Visit historical homes in Revival, Norman and bungalow styles in the Coronado Historic District near downtown Phoenix in this tour’s 30th year. A street fair featuring local vendors, food trucks, bicycles and classic cars is part of the celebration.

Details: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26. Coronado Park, 1717 N. 12th St., Phoenix. $17 online, $20 day of; $5 for ages 5-12, free for 4 and under. thecoronadoneighborhood.com.

3/12: Cave Creek Homes and Garden Tour

Cave Creek, AZFour contemporary and historical homes will open on this self-guided tour. They include the Hamline Residence, which was one of the original five homes built in Carefree, and the Binkovitz Residence, a modest mid-century modern home. No children under age 12 are admitted.

Details: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, March 12. Cave Creek Museum,  6140 E. Skyline Drive, Cave Creek. $35 through March 6; $40 after. cavecreekmuseum.com.

3/26: Encanto/Palmcroft Historic Home Tour and Street Fair

Encanto-Palmcroft Historic District Tour

Encanto-Palmcroft Historic District

This stately Phoenix historical district hosts a home tour every two years. Visit several homes and learn about their history. Once you park, a trolley will take you to stops on the tour and to a street fair at Holly Street and 12th Avenue that includes entertainment, food and local vendors. There will also be a 21-and-over raffle.

Details: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, March 26. 2102 N. 12th Ave., Phoenix. $18 advance, $20 day of. encantopalmcroft.org.

4/2: Modern Phoenix Home Tour

For those fascinated with the Valley’s mid-century modern architecture, this is a must-do event. This year, the tour explores Paradise Gardens. The event has morphed into Modern Phoenix Week, with talks, socials and other activities.

Details: Sunday, April 2. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, Feb. 1. modernphoenixweek.com.

A DAY IN THE LIFE AT CORONADO COMMONS

The lifestyle at CORONADO COMMONS includes experiencing numerous restaurants, shops and a very walkable neighborhood just steps from your door. Coronado Commons 325 E Coronado Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85004

CORONADO COMMONSYour wait is over. Finally, a modern community close to all the action. Coronado Commons was developed by Riley/Smith Development, whose principals are highly respected residential developers. Years of experience and dedication have culminated in this livable downtown luxury property. Minutes away from the Light Rail, Phoenix Art Museum, Roosevelt Row, sporting events, entertainment, education, food, and culture.

In the heart of the Midtown area, residents are minutes from the Central Arts District, Downtown Phoenix, Arcadia and much more. With so much just minutes away imagine all of the neighborhood gems you’ll have to enjoy.

Coronado Commons offers its owners the best of both worlds–midtown culture and downtown living, all in the heart of a historic neighborhood. Restaurants, bars, coffee shops, event venues, art galleries are all within walking distance. Need to get around town? A few minutes by car or Uber will have you in Downtown Phoenix, Sky Harbor Airport or the Biltmore Corridor. Come see this gem of a new townhome community nestled in the heart of Phoenix.

Midtown
2 bedroom / 2.5 bathroom, 1731 sf

With 2 big bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths, you have everything you need and more in this dynamic space. The Midtown offers the Office/Den/Studio at the ground floor entry; flexible space however you want to use it! The Owners Suite is designed for today with walk–in closet, dual sinks and luxurious shower. As with all our plans, you’ll get large open kitchens, over-sized great–rooms and private patios to complement your new Urban Lifestyle!

Uptown
3 bedroom / 3 bathroom, 2150 sf

Big space for your big life! Uptown offers the Office/Den/Studio with convenience bath; flexible space however you want to use it! These end–unit only 3 bedroom homes deliver the light and views you want. The deluxe Owners Suite offers a large walk–in closet, dual sinks, extra counters and luxurious shower. As with all our plans, you’ll get large open kitchens, over-sized great–rooms and private patios to complement your new Urban Lifestyle!

Residence Features

  • Luxury Finishes
  • 10 ft+ Ceilings
  • Light, Open Interior Spaces
  • Attached Two Car Garages
  • Gas Cooktop and Oven
  • Energy Star Rated

Common Area Amenities

  • Resort Style Pool and Lounge Chairs
  • Covered Outdoor Community Grilling Area
  • Secured courtyard
  • Grass Dog Walk
  • Secured Direct access to
    Safeway and Starbucks
See what your day could look like living at Coronado Commons by calling Laura Boyajian at 602-400-0008 today to arrange a private tour.

What Does Turn-Key REALLY Mean?

Turnkey homes Phoenix

Do you know what the REAL definition, the LITERAL meaning of “TURN KEY?

What Does Turn-Key REALLY Mean?Turnkey homes in Phoenix – Most people think it simply means that the home is ready for move-in and it’s so nicely remodeled that you don’t have to do anything but move in and enjoy! Now, this is definitely true, but here’s the REAL definition, although similar, but more accurate.

It means, you put the key in the door, turn it, open the door and you’re home with nothing to do to the house but enjoy.

Further definition states: Turnkey refers to something that is ready for immediate use, generally used in the sale or supply of goods or services. The word is a reference to the fact that the client, upon receiving the house, just needs to turn the key in the lock and walk in, or, that the key just needs to be turned over to the buyer.

I just completed helping a turn-key client remodel for a 1937 Bungalow in the Camelback Corridor at 1131 E. Fern Drive South and it’s now on the market getting TONS of attention! She’s a sweetheart of a home in a fantastic historic neighborhood!

Contact me, Laura Boyajian at 602-400-0008 for more information or to schedule a showing.

Downtown Phoenix grocery store could be delayed

How the downtown Phoenix grocery store could be delayed by a Cold War-era bomb shelter

May 5, 2016, 10:12pm MST

Downtown Phoenix,Fry's GroceryLike many downtown Phoenix residents, I was ecstatic when news broke that Fry’s would be landing a long-desired grocery store in the city core.

And while the store isn’t slated to open for a while, there might be a few things that will require a little extra patience for us long-suffering downtown denizens.

According to a report this week in The Arizona Republic, when developers break ground later this year on the project at Second and Jefferson streets, officials with the city of Phoenix expect them to unearth a bevy of city history including remains of old jail cells and prehistoric artifacts.

Oh, and possibly a Cold War-era bomb shelter.

That’s right. A bomb shelter. Turns out the parcel of land on which the Fry’s and accompanying mixed-use high-rise will be built has had quite a history.

downtown phoenix,jc penny,1977 photoIt used to be home to a J.C. Penney store, as well as a city-operated jail.

Phoenix officials told the Republic the bomb shelter made sense in the middle of the 20th Century during the height of the Cold War and when children across the nation spent time in drills learning to “duck and cover” in the event of a nuclear blast.

But for a 21st Century grocery store as part of an ongoing gentrification period? The Republic story doesn’t mention what developers might do with an excavated bomb shelter, though it could be redeveloped into a planned basement for the Fry’s. Developers plan to house the grocery store’s bakery and other operations in a basement.

Regardless, it is likely that if developers do uncover the bomb shelter, it will add a little bit of time to the project’s time table.

Apparently, such historical finds are common for downtown developments.

The Republic reports that construction of the CityScape project in downtown unearthed an old bank vault and other artifacts.