Tour the Homes: Phoenix's North 9th Avenue
Dream Drives : Episode DRD-209 -- More Projects »
North 9th Avenue offers the best of Arizona living. The street is part of the Palmcroft-Encanto Historic District, an attractive neighborhood that was developed in the late 1920s. Today, North 9th Avenue is clean and well kept, lined with towering palm trees and exquisite Spanish-style houses, all within a few minutes of downtown Phoenix.
At the street's terminus is Encanto Park, a natural-looking oasis of trees and water that contains a golf course, tennis courts and archery range. Arizona is blessed with great weather year-round, so it's always a perfect day for a stroll down the street or a bicycle ride through the park.
Figure A — This 1928 Monterrey Revival house is one of North 9th Avenue's showcase homes, anchoring the end of the street near Encanto Park. The front facade is shaded by two huge palm trees and is accented by a covered balcony that runs across the second floor. Figure B — Inside, the house is light and airy, flooded with sunshine from tall arched windows. A virgin pine mantel stretches two stories above the family room fireplace, and tiles from neighboring New Mexico enliven the kitchen counter and breakfast bar.
Figure C — Affectionately known as "The Pink House," this home is a neighborhood favorite. Made of pink stucco with a distinctive tower rounding out the front exterior, it was built as a model home for the then-newly-developed Encanto neighborhood in 1928. Today it's still a model of creative decorating. Inside, no two rooms are painted alike — from the maroon foyer to the calm blue dining room. Figure D — The backyard features the lovely mosaic of the original pool, which is now drained so that the chlorinated water doesn't destroy the painted tiles.
Figure E — Spanish colonial architecture has always been a favorite style in Phoenix, and the this house is a perfect example of this popular style. Wrought-iron gates open to a small courtyard, and bright, handpainted tiles surround the mesquite wood door. Figure F — The living room is cozy and bright, with coved ceilings and more Mexican tiles around the fireplace. What was once the sunroom has been changed into a handsome library that is paneled in dark mahogany.
Figures G and H — Phoenix's first park was developed in the 1930s and was directly modeled after San Francisco's Golden Gate and San Diego's Balboa parks. Trees and water are grouped together to create a natural "English Garden" look, a unique style for its arid Southwest setting. Today, the park encompasses more than 200 acres of rolling green lawns and picturesque ponds, linked by a series of canals and pathways. The park's center is the seven-acre lagoon, complete with waterfall and paddleboats.* Note: Guest contact information subject to change.
Resources Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau
Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau
Website:
www.phoenixcvb.com
Guests Rick Plautz
Encanto Park Manager
Phone: 602-261-8994
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