You might want to skim this list of interesting ideas and up-coming event as you multi-task between planning your Thanksgiving table placements and reading that huge ballot measure guide that is somehow now the size of a small phone book.

The Grand Unification. November 5th from 11am to 7pm. Grand Avenue.

It’s not just a theory. It’s an event.

“Where the Arts and Commerce come together. Grand Avenue will fill the streets with spectacles to see and delightful treats! Parking lots exhibiting low riders and vendors. All the while honoring the dead of our ancestors. The Grand Unification highlights the businesses hat brings something unique to all our 5 senses. This will be the place to be. So bring your friends & family and come on down to Grand Avenue, where you will experience something GRAND and new!”

MercyHill Church Preservation Letter Writing Campaign. Preserve Phoenix is organizing a letter-writing campaign to encourage a partial save of the MercyHill Church buildings at 745 W. Fillmore Street in the Historic Grand Avenue District. Formerly the Church on Fillmore for many decades, you can view photos and their post directly on the Preserve PHX Facebook page. The current Mercy Hill Church complex was built in 1946 by Arizona architectural firm Lescher & Mahoney and was modified several times as it became the center of community life for the area at the south end of 7th Ave and Grand Avenue (now known as the Triangle Neighborhood).

Money and Energy Saving Tips. Lot’s of people are learning that the Inflation Reduction act of 2022 will be able to save people a lot of money on energy, with credits and incentives. If you want discounts on a new ultra-energy efficient water heater or head pump to replace that dollar-sucking old A/C, look at this article from the Public Interest Research Group about what you could qualify for. It could save you thousands of dollars.

MidTown Urban Living Tour. Tickets are on sale NOW for Midtown Neighborhood Association’s annual Urban Living Tour, to take place on Saturday November 12, 2022 from 10AM to 4PM. This event is a self-guided home tour, offering exclusive access to explore unique single-family homes and high-rise condominiums in the historic Midtown neighborhood. The tour will set off from Central United Methodist Church at 1875 N Central Ave. The tour will span from McDowell Rd. to Thomas Rd.

We have four great listings on the market right now. We now have three of our five listings under contract. Two have price drops.

It is clear that buyers are making a move before interest rates go up again.

See our listings page directly for more information.

Price Drop! 10018 E Indigo St., Mesa. 4br/3ba, 3,000sf. NOW $920,000

If you want space for all your toys, your garden and all your things, this roomy home and huge lot will be great for you.

The owners updated the flooring, the kitchen, the back yard and added a huge, four-bay garage. This is perfect for the auto enthusiast, or for all the toys.

That’s in addition to the three-car garage that is attached to the home! The additional garage bays are 30 feet deep and the entire garage is 50 feet wide with 8 foot tall doors.

You will be able to sit out on the back patio with amazing views of the mountains, with Usery Mountain Regional park almost out your back door. Whether you are all about indoor or outdoors, you will love this one!

Price Drop. Stunning Historic Building. 387 N. 2nd Ave, #2G, NOW $589,000

You can enjoy a roomy condominium in a cozy HOA in this beautiful historic building, which was renovated from its original state about 20 years ago. In that renovation, the developer added many modern conveniences, including gated, covered and garage parking for all owners.

While everybody else drives around looking for a space to park, you can pull right in to your own secure garage downtown. You are steps away from live music, the weekly farmer’s market, shows, restaurants and all the things anyone is looking for in downtown living.

Plus, you get a beautiful full kitchen, 2.5 bathrooms and the kind of open living space you’ve been looking for.

Under Contract! 1107 W. Osborn Rd., #101. 1br/1ba, 849sf

This is a rare condo in Central Phoenix for under $230,000 from a motivated seller.

Since it was last purchased, the owner has completely remodeled the bathroom and has updated the kitchen to complement the historic features.

Walk around the grounds and you will see why people love living here. The trees are big and offer plenty of shade.

This particular condo is in the center of a beautiful breezeway, which feels like a green jungle, even in summer.

The pool is sparkling and just around the corner from your front door. See it before it’s gone!

Under Contract! 1107 W. Osborn Rd., #219. 2br/1.75ba, 1,108sf

This affordable gem has a balcony that over-looks the beautiful acreage at Nonpareil Condos, with a massive tree shading from the west.

Sit out on the balcony and enjoy your morning coffee or read the paper, er, kindle, er, smart phone.

Aw, you get the picture!

You’ll love the original 1950’s kitchen. Still functional and cut.

Shopping at Sprouts and Safeway is just around the corner, with easy access to all of the fun of Central Phoenix.

You will be hard-pressed to find a value like this so close to everything, including Phoenix College, which is directly to the south of this property.

Under Contract! 18427 N 36th Ln, Glendale 85308. 2br/2ba, 1,283sf

Our sellers on this property updated the flooring and paint.

It boasts a large master suite with sliding doors leading to the large covered patio. The patio will make a shady space for relaxing or gardening.

The yard is landscaped, irrigated, and includes a sliding RV gate for your fun toys. The two-car attached garage includes a plethora of additional storage cabinets, and a workbench to fix the aforementioned toys.

The home includes a newer roof and security shutters. It is close enough to the I-17 and the loop 101 to be convenient, but far enough away so that you can enjoy a quiet neighborhood.

Donna Reiner has written many articles over the years for the Arizona Republic and others about Phoenix history and memorials.  She is a regular contributor to our newsletter. This month, Donna tells us about the manmade lakes in some of the early Phoenix Parks.

         People going to Eastlake Park might be confused as apparently no lake exists. Was one ever there? Man-made lakes in some Phoenix parks is not a new phenomenon. But why do we have them when we live in a desert?

         When Phoenix incorporated in 1881, residents wanted places where they could relax and play, especially on warm summer evenings.

         Moses Sherman, a local businessman who started the Phoenix Street Railway Company, developed Phoenix Park at the southwest corner of 16^th Street and Jefferson. Sherman ensured that people would come by cleverly ending the Washington streetcar line with a loop on Jefferson just north of the park. He made it even more convenient with a station located there.

         While today’s city parks are free, Phoenix Park, now renamed Eastlake Park, had an admission charge. This splendid park offered picnic areas, boating and fishing on a small lagoon and a natatorium or swimming pool to entice visitors. Trees lined the lake, which was filled with well water and reportedly at one time even had an alligator. 

         Records are unclear as to when the lake at Eastlake Park was discontinued, but playing fields and a recreation center were built at the site. And the swimming pool is open all summer.

         By the early 1930s, the park demand increased. William G. Hartranft, President of the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Board, persuaded the city to purchase approximately 200 acres from Dr. James Norton and J. W. Dorris. Encanto Park, located outside the city limits at the time, would become the city’s park system crown jewel. 

Hartranft’s envisioned a park like Golden Gate Park or Balboa Park. A 1933 city bond funded the construction of a boating lagoon, band shell, 18-hole golf course, clubhouse, playground, and picnic area. With WPA assistance, the city was able to complete much of the design. The lagoon was filled with water supplied by SRP. Trees and shrubs lined the winding paths, while nature trails completed the transformation of former agricultural land into a veritable lush green oasis in the desert.     

Over time, Encanto Park suffered from heavy use and lack of adequate care. The lagoon filled with algae; fish died; and the concrete bridges began to disintegrate. Fortunately, the city conducted major renovations on the park’s facilities in the late 1980s ensuring its continued popularity.