News/ Events

What’s going on in the community?

Wondering about the latest updates in the 32nd Street Revitalization project?

Check here for updates.

 

What’s the story of the area known as “Dreamy Draw”?

Answer: I still find myself in awe when I drive through the Dreamy Draw — a mountain passage between Piestewa Peak and North Mountain. To me, It’s one of the finest mountain settings in the Valley because you drive right through it — and it’s smack-dab in the heart of Phoenix.

Was it the “dreamy” views that inspired such a label for the area?

I asked City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation spokesman Gregg Bach that very question. He explained that the name “Dreamy Draw” can be traced back to the mining operations that were active until the 1940s.

“Cinnabar, or mercury sulfide, was found in this area in the mid-1900s,” Bach said.

What were they doing with this stuff? At that time, mercury had many valuable uses, one of which was “curing of animal pelts in the manufacture of felt hats,” he explained.

However there was a drawback.

“Mercury is highly toxic and can cause neurological issues,” Bach said. “That is where the phrase ‘mad as a hatter’ comes from. That also is why it was named Dreamy Draw — as those who were working in the mines and coming in contact with that element were in a ‘dreamy’ state afterward.”

Travel through area

Traveling through this area was no cupcake at that time. So a freeway was proposed.

The planning of SR 51 dates back to 1955, with actual construction starting in 1986.

“State Route 51 (Piestewa Freeway) was first opened to Shea Boulevard in summer 1994,” Arizona Department of Transportation spokesman Doug Nintzel said. “The Shea Boulevard bridge over the freeway was opened two years later, in summer 1996.”

It was a big deal. With each new exit added, the community celebrated. It quickly became a driving staple when needing to get to and from the north or south parts of the Valley.

Of course the main feature of this freeway was finally being able to drive through the Dreamy Draw mountain pass with ease.

UFO tales

Dreamy Draw’s namesake isn’t the only question that has been asked regarding the area. A while back someone wanted to know if there was any truth to the rumors of a UFO crash in this particular area.

Bach said a book written in the early 1950s by Frank Scully titled “Behind the Flying Saucers.” In this book, it “suggests that a UFO crashed in Dreamy Draw in 1947,” Bach said with a laugh “Jokingly, I can neither confirm or deny this.

“I suppose it’s urban legend dating back to when aliens and flying saucers were a trendy topic.”

Sounds like a fun story to pass down … even if it is more than likely fiction.

Popular recreation area

Here’s the nugget of truth in all of this — Dreamy Draw is … DREAMY! And beyond the beauty, there are other benefits to this area as well.

”The Phoenix Mountains Park and Recreation Area (Piestewa Peak) and Dreamy Draw Recreation Area provide some of the city’s most popular hiking and outdoor recreation property,” Bach said.

From bike trails to hiking, from areas to sit and ponder to horse trails for trail riding, there’s a little something for everyone.

So go out and enjoy what’s right in our back yard.

For information, go to phoenix.gov: https://www.phoenix.gov/parks/trails/lo cations/piestewa-peak.

Future light Rail Map and Movephx Campaign

I recently received this information from a representative of the MovePhx campaign which is in support of proposition 104. I am sending this out to the community as information. This is not an endorsement for prop 104.
According to the movephx.org group, “The population of Phoenix is projected to double in the next 30 years. That’s the same as moving the entire population of Denver into our city.” That is quite the expansion. Following the general rule of thumb, larger population, more traffic and transportation issues. Proposition 104 plans to combat the continuous growth in our city by expanding the light rail and bus routes. By the view of the the projected light rail expansion depicted in purple the light rail will follow Cactus Road until Paradise Valley Mall. The map indicates how everything will be connected and can display the benefits from this expansion. Showing the newly connected paths available also helps our students attending Arizona State University and Grand Canyon University.
 Capturesmall
I particularly found the map interesting with the proposed future light rail expansions. The closest that it will get to our neighborhood is from Cave Creek Road and Cactus Road eastbound to Paradise Valley Mall.
Click Here to find out more from MovePHX!
If you have any questions about the proposal or the attached information, please contact: Brian Irvine.

Meetings for 32 View, Revitilization

View 32 is a proposed high end, 5 story apartment building for 600 feet North of the Northeast Corner of Shea and 32nd Street.  Read here for the full case report submitted to the city about View 32.

The Paradise Valley Village Planning committee is having some upcoming meetings regarding the proposed building. The meetings and hearings are welcome to the public. You can come to learn about the case and let your opinions known.  If you cannot make it to the meetings the contact person for this case is Racelle Escolar | 602-262-6949| racelle.escolar@phoenix.gov. Mrs Escolar can answer questions about the Village review.

Open House Neighborhood Meeting

Date: May 27, 2015

Time: 6:00pm

Location: Shadow Mountain High School Cafeteria

2902 E Shea Blvd

Phoenix, AZ 85028

Planning Commission Hearing

Date: June 9th, 2015

Time: 6:00pm

Location: City of Phoenix Chambers

200 W Jefferson Street

Phoenix, AZ 85003

City Council Hearing/ Ordinance adoption

Date: July 1st, 2015

Time: 1:00pm

Location: City of Phoenix Council Chambers

200 W Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ 85003

view 32.jpeg


 

Here is Councilman Bill Gates interview with KJZZ regarding the View 32 proposal and other revitalization along 32nd Street.  Councilman Gates mentions the View 32 a a way to bring more families to the area, and creating an art space along 32nd street.

 

View 32 Planned for North 32nd Street

view 32

 

Arizona Builder’s Exchange recently wrote an article about the proposed View 32 apartments.

A multifamily residential development proposed for 4 acres north of the northeast corner of 32nd Street and Shea promises to be a step toward fulfilling Phoenix’s sweeping vision to transform 32nd Street to a magnet for residential and commercial investment and a place where residents can live, work and play.

The proposed urban infill project near the intersection, View 32, would comprise 60KSF consisting of 147 units for a density of 36 dwelling units per acre.

Todd & Associates is the architect and landscape architect. The applicant is Ed Bull with Burch & Cracchiolo, and the owner is M. Diane Hamel Trust c/o Michael Martindale.

A general contractor has yet to be hired, and it was not known at press time if a civil engineer had been hired.

The project is in the early stages of a rezoning request for a planned unit development. City staff has given initial feedback on the project, and a revised plan is expected back at the city within two weeks.

If all goes smoothly, the tentative date for a hearing by the Paradise Valley Village Planning Committee is May 4. Public hearing dates have yet to be set for the Phoenix Planning Commission and the City Council.

Design to highlight Phoenix Mountains Preserve

View 32’s architecture and character have been designed to highlight the view of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve south of the site. The building is oriented north/south to maximize the solar orientation. The height of the building increases on the eastern portion of the site, adjacent to the SR51 freeway.

View 32 is planned as a high-quality, gated, urban development to include about 89 one-bedroom units and 58 two-bedroom units ranging in size from about 723SF to about 1,067SF.

Amenities would include a pool and spa, a 4KSF clubhouse, courtyards and plazas with outdoor kitchens, barbeque area and fire pits, a private dog park, and other gathering and entertainment areas. The clubhouse includes a leasing area, modern fitness center, clubroom, conference room, computer room and mailroom.

The east part of the building includes a podium structure on the ground floor that supports 4 stories of residential units while the building’s west portion includes ground-floor residential units surrounding a pool with 4 stories of residential units.

The south building elevation is U-shaped, framing a ground-floor area with courtyard amenities, creating common space.

The building is contemporary in style, materials and color, which is consistent with the North 32nd Street Corridor Plan’s vision and character of the area.

Balconies are recessed to break up the solid exterior face of the building and to create strong shadow lines that capture the movement of the sun.

The residential units will be wood frame and stucco with accents of metal cladding. There is an accent stucco color and metal balcony railings, which further breaks up the mass of the building, adding visual interest. Interior environments will be kept cool by recessed windows, awning overhangs and steps in the building volume.

Public, private effort to rejuvenate 32nd Street

Continual efforts between public and private entities are expected in the rejuvenation of 32nd Street.

Phoenix plans road improvements to Shea Boulevard between State Route 51 and North 32nd Street, a road diet for 32nd Street, and branding signs at the entrances to the corridor on light poles.

The Shea Boulevard improvement project will re-purpose the one-eighth-mile corridor of Shea Boulevard by reducing the curb to curb width to about 64 feet from the existing width of 94 feet.

Bike lanes would be added in both directions along North 32nd Street and wider sidewalks would be built. The target date for beginning construction is January 2016.

The road diet calls for the removal of one vehicular northbound travel lane and addition of bike lanes on both sides of North 32nd Street between Shea Boulevard and Hartford Avenue.

The project includes a microseal of North 32nd Street from Hartford Avenue to Shea Boulevard except between Greenway and Thunderbird Road, which will receive a rubber overlay. The project is expected to be completed this spring or summer.

The poor quality of the street between Thunderbird Road and Greenway Road requires the street to be milled and resurfaced with rubberized asphalt. The project also includes modifications to several traffic signal poles and the addition of traffic cameras at several intersections.

To bolster the visual identity of the area, the Phoenix Arts and Culture’s Public Art Program will choose artists to work with the community to design artworks to be attached to light poles along 32nd Street from Shea Boulevard to Bell Road. The design process is expected to begin this spring.

32 View Apartments meetings

Please join the community conversation about the proposed 32 View apartments.

The next community Meeting will be Monday March 16th at 6:00 pm at Shadow Mountain High School-media Center.

Discussions will include an overview of the application, Site Plan and Building elevations, updates and revisions since the first meeting that took place February 3rd, and answers to questions.

Here is a picture of the proposed landscape and elevation.

preview

 

The site of the 4.06 gross acres is located at approximately 600′ north of the Northeast corner of 32nd Street and Shea Blvd.

The purpose and intent of the planned unit development, View 32 is to enable the redevelopment of this challenging long rectangular shaped- underutilized infill site within the North 32nd Street corridor, View 32 is planned as a high quality, gated multi-family development of 147 residential units.  There is an existing retail/office building that will be demolished.

The City of Phoenix Village Planner assigned to the case is Racelle Escolar. If you have any questions she can be reached at 602-262-6949 or racelle.escolar@phoenix.gov.

Come have your voice heard at the meeting on Monday.