Phoenix, Arizona

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This article is about the capital of Arizona. For Phoenix, see Phoenix, Arizona (disambiguation).
Phoenix, Arizona
File:Phxdowntown.jpg
Flag of Phoenix, Arizona
Flag
Official seal of Phoenix, Arizona
Seal
Nickname: 
Valley of the Sun
Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona
Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona
Country
State
Counties		United States
Arizona
Maricopa
IncorporatedFebruary 25, 1881
Government
 • MayorPhil Gordon (D)
Elevation
331 m (1,086 ft)
Population
 (2004)
 • City1,475,834
 • Urban
3,393,000
 • Metro
3,715,360
Time zoneUTC-7 (MST)
Websitehttp://www.phoenix.gov/

Phoenix /ˈfiːˌnɪks/ is the capital of the state of Arizona in the Southwestern United States. It is Arizona's largest city and the Phoenix metropolitan area is the largest metro area in the state, with well over half of the total state population. Phoenix is located in the center of the state, 118 miles (188 km) northwest of Tucson. It is the county seat of Maricopa County. It was incorporated as a city on February 25, 1881 and is called Hoozdo, or "the place is hot", in the Navajo language and Fiinigis in the Western Apache language.

Phoenix is the sixth-largest city in the United States according to the U.S. Census Bureau's latest estimates.[1] The 2000 U.S. Census reported the Phoenix Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as the fourteenth-largest in the U.S., with a population of 3,251,876. The city's MSA grew to an estimated 3,790,000 by 2004. Between 1990 and 2000, the metropolitan area grew by 34 percent, making it the eighth fastest-growing metropolitan area in the U.S.

Phoenix is the largest capital city in the United States by population, meaning that it's the most populous of all U.S. capital cities (all 50 state capitals and the national capital Washington, D.C.). It is also the third-largest capital city by area in the U.S. (behind Juneau, Alaska and Oklahoma City).

History

Phoenix was incorporated in 1881; the charter of that year was revised in 1893.

Prehistory

The earliest settlers in the Valley of the Sun were the Hohokam Indian people, who lived there as early as 300 BC. They were the first to farm there, building an extensive network of irrigation ditches that brought water from the Salt River. Their English name is derived from their O'odham name, Huhu:gam. They also lived in the Pueblo Grande between 700 and 1400 A.D. Their irrigation system comprised some 135 miles (217 km) of canals that lasted until their culture's decline. Their disappearance ca. A.D. 1450 remains a mystery. Prolonged drought may have destroyed or displaced them; or, they may be the ancestors of the modern Pima who now live on the Salt River and Gila River reservations and the Tohono O'odham who live in southern Arizona.

Origin of the city

In 1867, Jack Swilling of Wickenburg, Arizona stopped to rest his horse at the foot of the north slopes of the White Tank Mountains. He looked down across the expansive Salt River Valley and his eyes caught the rich gleam of the brown, dry soil turned up by the horse's hooves. He imagined farmland at the site, predominantly free of rocks, and beyond the reach of heavy frost or snow. All it needed was water. By 1868, he and others from Wickenburg had dug a short canal from the Salt River and founded a small farming colony approximately four miles (6 km) east of the present city and a few miles northwest of a similar farming community at Hayden's Ferry, which would become Tempe.

The area was named Swilling's Mill in his honor. It would later become Hellinwg Mill, Mill City, then East Phoenix. As for the town that was to be built, Swilling, a former Confederate soldier, wanted to name it Stonewall, after Stonewall Jackson; others suggested Salina.

Darrell Duppa recommended the name Phoenix, memorializing the birth of a new civilization from the ruins left by the Hohokam.

The town of Phoenix was officially recognized on May 4, 1868, when the Board of Supervisors of Yavapai County (which at the time encompassed Phoenix), formed an election precinct there. The Phoenix post office was established June 15, 1868, with Jack Swilling as postmaster.

The area was surveyed in 1870 and a mass meeting of the citizens of the Salt River Valley was held on October 20, 1870, to select a suitable piece of unimproved public land for a town site. They recommended the North 1/2 of section 8 Township 1 N., Range 3 E. and that the town be called Phoenix.

On February 12, 1871, the territorial legislature created Maricopa County, the sixth in the state, by dividing Yavapai County. Maricopa county gave up portions in 1875 and 1881 to help form Pinal and Gila counties, respectively. The first county election in Maricopa County was held in 1871, when Tom Barnum was elected the first sheriff of Maricopa County.

The first public school in Phoenix opened on September 5, 1872, in the courtroom of the county building. By October 1873, a small adobe school building was completed on Center Street (now Central Avenue), a short distance north of where the San Carlos Hotel now stands. Miss Nellie Shaver, a newcomer from Wisconsin, was appointed as the first female schoolteacher in Phoenix.

On April 10, 1874, President Grant issued a land patent for the present site of Phoenix. The total cost of the Phoenix Townsite of 320 acres (1.3 km²) was $550, including all expenses for services.

By 1881, Phoenix had outgrown its original townsite-commissioner form of government. The 11th Territorial Legislature passed the Phoenix Charter Bill, incorporating Phoenix and providing for a mayor-council government. The bill was signed by Governor John C. Fremont on February 25, 1881. Phoenix was incorporated with a population of approximately 2,500, and on May 3, 1881, Phoenix held its first city election, in which Judge John T. Alsap defeated James D. Monihon, 127 to 107, to become the city's first Mayor.

Prosperity and modernity

File:Phoenix sykline.jpg
Phoenix Downtown (southern skyline) in 2004, looking west

The coming of the railroad in the 1880s was the first of several important events that revolutionized the economy of Phoenix. Merchandise now flowed into the city by rail instead of wagon. Phoenix became a trade center with its products reaching eastern and western markets. In recognition of the increased tempo of economic life, the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce was organized on November 4, 1888.

In early 1888, the city offices were moved into the new City Hall, built where the downtown bus terminal now stands. This building also provided temporary offices for the territorial government when it moved to Phoenix from Prescott in 1889.

In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the National Reclamation Act making it possible to build dams on western streams for reclamation purposes. Valley of the Sun residents were quick to supplement this federal action by organizing the Salt River Valley Waters Users' Association on February 4, 1903, to assure proper management of the precious water supply. It functions to this day as the major agency for controlled use of irrigation water in the Valley.

On May 18, 1911, the Theodore Roosevelt Dam, then the largest masonry dam in the world, began operation. It created Roosevelt Lake, expanded irrigation of land in the Valley for farming, and increased the water supply for the growing population.

On February 14, 1912, President William Howard Taft approved Arizona's statehood, making Phoenix the state capital.

In 1913, Phoenix changed its form of government from mayor-council to council-manager. Phoenix was one of the first cities in the United States to have this form of city government.

In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge sold 13,000 acres (53 km²) of South Mountain to the city of Phoenix for $17,000. At its present size of 16,500 acres (67 km²), South Mountain Park is the largest metropolitan park in the world, and it entertains 3 million visitors each year.

In 1926, U.S. Route 60 was commissioned as a transcontinental highway. The highway served Phoenix for well over 40 years. Interstate 10 has since replaced this early route. Despite its reduced use, the highway follows Grand Avenue near downtown, and is a major freeway in Phoenix's East Valley.

The 1940s marked another turning point, as war changed Phoenix from a farming center to a distribution center. Phoenix rapidly turned into an embryonic industrial city with mass production of military supplies. Luke Field, Williams Field and Falcon Field, coupled with the giant ground-training center at Hyder, west of Phoenix, brought thousands of men into Phoenix.

In 1950, 105,000 people lived within the city limits and thousands more lived in adjacent communities and depended upon Phoenix for their livelihoods. The city had 148 miles (238 km) of paved streets and 163 miles (262 km) of unpaved streets, a total of 311 miles (501 km) of streets within the city limits.

Phoenix has been selected four times since 1950 as an All-America City, rare among larger cities. The hallmark of an All-America City is the extent to which its private citizens get involved in the workings of their government. Thousands of citizens have served on various city committees, boards and commissions to assure that major decisions are in the best interest of the people.

In 1993, Phoenix was selected as the "Best Run City in the World", also known as the Carl Bertelsmann Prize, by the Bertelsmann Foundation of Germany, a branch of Bertelsmann media company. It shared the honor with Christchurch, New Zealand.

Geography

Physical setting

Landsat 7 Satellite image of the Phoenix Metro Area in 2002.

Phoenix is located at 33°31'42" North, 112°4'35" West (33.528370°, -112.076300°)Template:GR in the Salt River Valley or "Valley of the Sun" in central Arizona. It lies at a mean elevation of 1,117 feet (340 m) in the heart of the Sonoran Desert.

The Salt River course runs westward through the city of Phoenix; the riverbed is normally dry except when excess runoff forces the release of water from the four dams upriver. The city of Tempe has built two inflatable dams in the Salt River bed to create a year-round recreational lake, called Tempe Town Lake. The dams are deflated to allow the river to flow unimpeded during releases.

The Phoenix area is surrounded by the McDowell Mountains to the northeast, the White Tank Mountains to the west, the Superstition Mountains far to the east, and the Sierra Estrella to the southwest. Within the city are the Phoenix Mountains and South Mountains. Current development (as of 2005) is pushing rapidly beyond the geographic boundaries to the north and west, south through Pinal County towards Tucson, and beginning to surround the large Salt River and Gila River reservations.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 475.1 square miles (1,230.5 km²)—474.9 square miles (1,229.9 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it is water. The total area is 0.05% water.

The Phoenix Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) (officially known as the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale MSA), is the 14th largest in the United States, with a total population of 3,251,876 at the 2000 U.S. Census. It includes the Arizona counties of Maricopa and Pinal. Major cities include Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Glendale, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, and Peoria. Several smaller communities are also included, such as Queen Creek, Goodyear, Fountain Hills, Litchfield Park, Anthem, Sun Lakes, Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise and Tolleson. The community of Ahwatukee is a part of the City of Phoenix itself, but is almost entirely separated from it by South Mountain.

Climate

File:Sunset in phoenix.jpg
Phoenix Sunset
Phoenix from South Mountain. Included is the Chase Ballpark, United Airways Arena, The "S" for Sunnyslope, plane taking off from Sky Harbor Airport, and snowcapped mountains north of Phoenix.

Phoenix's arid climate is characterized by some of the hottest seasonal temperatures anywhere. In fact, out of the world's large urban areas, only some cities around the Persian Gulf, such as Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Baghdad, Iraq have higher average summer temperatures. The temperature reaches or exceeds 100 °F (38 °C) on an average of 89 days during the year, including most days from early June through early September. On June 26, 1990, the temperature reached an all-time high of 122 °F (50 °C). The dry Arizona air makes the hot temperatures more tolerable early in the season; however, the influx of monsoonal moisture has been known to make August in Phoenix almost as humid as summers in the Southeastern United States. On the other hand, mild, sunny weather in the winter months makes the area a mecca for golfers and others seeking to escape the cold typical of the northern U.S.

Phoenix sees some 300 sunny days per year and scant rainfall, the average annual total at Sky Harbor International Airport being 8.4 inches (210 mm). March is the wettest month of the year (1.07 inches or 27 mm). Rain is particularly scarce from April through June. Although thunderstorms occur on occasion during every month of the year, they are most common during the monsoon season from July to mid-September as humid air surges in from the Gulf of California. These can bring strong winds, large hail, or tornadoes. Winter storms moving inland from the Pacific Ocean occasionally produce significant rains but occur infrequently. Fog is observed from time to time during the winter months.

At the airport, the mean date of first frost is December 12 and the last is February 7; however, these dates do not represent the city as a whole because the frequency of freezes varies considerably among terrain types and elevations. Some areas of Phoenix may see frost for a month or more before and after the airport readings. The earliest frost on record occurred on November 3, 1946, and the latest occurred on April 4, 1945. Successive winters without any frosts at the airport have been recorded, and the longest period without a freeze stretched from November 23 1979 to January 31 1985. The all-time lowest temperature in Phoenix was recorded at 16 °F (-8.8 °C) on January 7, 1913.

Snow is extremely rare in the area, though still can occur from time to time. Snowfall was first officially recorded in 1896, and since then accumulations of 0.1 inches (0.25 cm) or greater have occurred only seven times. The heaviest snowstorm on record dates to January 20-21, 1937, when 1 to 4 inches fell (2 to 10 cm) in parts of the city and did not melt entirely for four days. Prior to that, 1 inch (2.5 cm) had fallen on January 20, 1933. On February 2 1935, 0.5 inches (1 cm) fell. Most recently, 0.4 inches (1 cm) fell on December 21-22, 1990. Snow also fell on March 12, 1917, November 28, 1919, and December 11 1985.

Month[2][3] Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Avg high °F (°C) 66°F (19°C) 70°F (21°C) 75°F (24°C) 84°F (29°C) 93°F (34°C) 103°F (39°C) 105°F (41°C) 103°F (39°C) 99°F (37°C) 88°F (31°C) 75°F (24°C) 66°F (19°C) 86°F (30°C)
Avg low temperature °F (°C) 41°F (5°C) 44°F (7°C) 49°F (9°C) 55°F (13°C) 64°F (18°C) 72°F (22°C) 80°F (27°C) 79°F (26°C) 72°F (22°C) 61°F (16°C) 48°F (9°C) 42°F (6°C) 59°F (15°C)
Rainfall in. (mm) 0.8" (21mm) 0.8" (20mm) 1.1" (27mm) 0.3" (6mm) 0.2" (4mm) 0.1" (2mm) 1.0" (25mm) 0.9" (24mm) 0.8" (19mm) 0.7" (20mm) 0.8" (19mm) 0.9" (23mm) 8.4" (210mm)

Phoenix was ranked as the #1 hottest city in the U.S., and #2 as the driest city in the U.S. on The Weather Channel's "Top 10", a program involving with ranking cities on criteria such as hottest, driest, coldest, wettest, windiest, sunniest, snowiest, and most humid.

The city's automobile-dependent nature holds implications for greenhouse gas emissions. Although Phoenix is the fifth-largest city in the United States, its public transit system accounts for just one per cent of the passenger miles that New York City's does. The reason is that Phoenix’s booming population has spread so far across the desert; greater Phoenix, whose population is a little more than twice that of Manhattan, covers more than two hundred times as much land.[4]

Economy

Modern buildings downtown

The early economy of Phoenix was primarily agricultural, dependent mainly on cotton and citrus farming. In the last two decades, the economy has diversified as rapidly as the population has grown. As the state capital of Arizona, many residents in the area are employed by the government. Arizona State University has also enhanced the area's population through education and its growing research capabilities. Numerous high-tech and telecommunications companies have also recently relocated to the area. Due to the warm climate in winter, Phoenix benefits greatly from seasonal tourism and recreation, and has a particularly vibrant golf industry.

Phoenix is currently home to two major Fortune 500 companies: electronics corporation Avnet and mining company Phelps Dodge Corporation. Phoenix also is a de facto home base for several Fortune 100 companies such as Honeywell, Intel, Motorola, and American Express. Honeywell hosts many factories for the building of military grade engines, as well as their company network gateway in Phoenix. American Express hosts their financial transactions, customer information, and their entire website in Phoenix. The area is also home to US Airways Group, Fortune 500 company located in Tempe). Nearby Scottsdale is also home to Allied Waste Industries, Inc. (also listed on the Fortune 500), the second largest non-hazardous solid waste management company in the United States.

The military has a significant presence in Phoenix with Luke Air Force Base located in the western suburbs. At its height, in the 1940s, the Phoenix area had 3 military bases: Luke Field (still in use), Falcon Field, and Williams Air Force Base (now Williams-Gateway Field), with numerous auxiliary air fields located throughout the region.

Phoenix is also a popular location for filming, whether it’s a full-length feature film, television commercial, or a print ad. The city government operates a film office that provides an array of services for motion picture and advertising companies that are interested in filming at city-owned sites or other locations throughout the metropolitan area. Some of the major feature films that have been filmed in the area include Chastity, The Gauntlet, Psycho, Raising Arizona, Waiting to Exhale, Jerry Maguire, The Prophecy, Used Cars, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (used as a stand-in for San Dimas, California), U Turn, Eight Legged Freaks, The Nutty Professor (1963 version with Jerry Lewis; the college exteriors were shot on the campus of Arizona State University), Blue Collar Comedy Tour:The Movie, Just One Of The Guys, Terminal Velocity, Taxi, and The Banger Sisters.

See also: List of major corporations in Phoenix.

People and culture

Demographics

City of Phoenix
Population by year [1]
1890 3,152
1900 5,544
1910 11,314
1920 29,053
1930 48,118
1940 65,414
1950 106,818
1960 439,170
1970 581,562
1980 789,704
1990 983,403
2000 1,321,045

At the census of 2000, there were 1,321,045 people, 465,834 households, and 307,450 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,782 people per square mile (1,074/km²). There were 495,832 housing units at an average density of 1,044 per square mile (403/km²).

There were 465,834 households out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.39.

In the city the population age distribution was 28.9% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 103.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $41,207, and the median income for a family was $46,467. Males had a median income of $32,820 versus $27,466 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,833. 15.8% of the population and 11.5% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 21.0% of those under the age of 18 and 10.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Race and religion

As of 2000, the racial makeup of the Phoenix was 71.07% White, 5.10% African American, 2.02% Native American, 2.00% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 16.40% from other races, and 3.28% from two or more races. 34.06% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any country origin.

In 2000, the Phoenix metro area's religious composition was reported as 45% Catholic, 13% Mormon (concentrated heavily in the suburb of Mesa) and 5% Jewish. The remaining 37% are largely members of protestant denominations.[5]

Neighborhoods and surrounding cities

Downtown

Downtown Phoenix at Daytime

Phoenix's downtown area is called Copper Square, although most locals still call it Downtown. Incorporating the themes of Phoenix's early history with culture and local events, Copper Square is the name for the one square mile area surrounding Central Avenue and Jefferson. This is a slowly growing hotspot for activities and action. Downtown attractions include the Arizona Science Center, Phoenix Museum of History and the Phoenix Art Museum. Also downtown is the Burton Barr Central Library. Downtown Phoenix currently features about twenty-five mid-rise and high-rise buildings ranging up to 39 stories tall. Only two skyscrapers reach over 400 feet tall (122 m), the last of which was constructed in the 1970s. Unique among large American cities, downtown Phoenix is rather small and short due to four important factors:

  1. There is very little historical housing stock precisely because Phoenix was so small—only 106,000 people in 1950. In addition, much of what little there was largely destroyed in the "urban renewal" movements of the 1960s and 1970s, for example, no equivalent of San Diego's Gaslamp District exists anywhere in Phoenix today. Thus, few historical structures remain, and today some of downtown Phoenix is pockmarked with vacant, dusty lots and unremarkable, under-utilized, one-story buildings. For comparison, in 1950, San Diego was more than three times as large as Phoenix. Dallas was more than four times as large, and Houston was almost six times larger. Even Kansas City, Missouri was over four times as large as Phoenix in 1950. Today, Phoenix has three times the population of Kansas City, but Phoenix's skyline has not kept pace.
  2. Much of Phoenix's growth during the 1950s and 1960s was low density suburban sprawl, like that of most other American cities. The difference is that Phoenix had no real core of taller buildings. Zoning at the time largely favored mass subdivisions of inexpensive cement block homes at the edge of the ever-expanding city. Land was cheaper and there were few neighbors and little red tape. As a result, developers gravitated to the edges of the metropolitan area. This still continues today. Zoning favors large setbacks and ample parking requirements, with the result that parking in downtown Phoenix remains relatively easy and inexpensive. Wide streets and narrow sidewalks form the predominant nature of Phoenix's urban environment today.
  3. Phoenix was an isolated small outpost far from the centers of power. Phoenix's tallest building from 1929 to 1961 was the Westward Ho, a 17-story hotel that is now a retirement home for seniors. In 1970, Phoenix's entire metropolitan population was less than one million, and was considered largely a retirement and tourist haven. At the same time, Dallas had well over two million residents and Los Angeles had seven million. Thus, much of the skyscraper-building frenzy that marked the downtowns of sunbelt cities like Dallas, Houston and Atlanta never occurred in Phoenix. Phoenix was considered too small and too remote to attract much significant commercial high-rise development during the 1960s and 1970s. It is also possible that the growing leviathans of Los Angeles (and to a lesser degree, Denver, Houston and Dallas) siphoned off some of the high-rise development that might have otherwise occurred in Phoenix. All of these cities were much larger than Phoenix and were seen as being much more progressive at the time.
  4. Phoenix was anti-urban and still is, to some degree. A comprehensive freeway plan was resisted until 1985. At that time Phoenix was the largest metropolitan area (with almost two million residents) in the United States without a completed freeway or beltway system encircling and crossing the city, which created busy arterial streets. Sightlines and mountain views are important to residents. Many still oppose high-rises because views of the mountains are considered sacred, as evidenced by the recent rejection in 2005 of Donald Trump's 15-story high-rise project in the Biltmore area. Many people that came to Phoenix in the latter half of the 20th Century did so to escape "big city problems," so there is a natural tendency in Arizona to keep things small. As a result, much of the office space in Phoenix is located in low profile newer office parks in outlying areas of the city, and not in downtown high-rises like in other cities.

Copper Square, despite these shortcomings, has undergone a renaissance since the building of the US Airways Center (formerly America West Arena) in 1992 and Chase Field (formerly Bank One Ballpark) in 1998. Several new skyscrapers are under construction as of March 2006, with many more planned that will dramatically transform the skyline. These include:

  • Under Construction:
    • 44 Monroe, a 34-story residential condo tower;
    • Phoenix Convention Center Hotel, a 31-story hotel;
    • Summit at Copper Square, a 22-story residential condo tower
  • Approved:
    • Central Park East, a 40-story mixed-use project;
    • Cosmopolitan Lofts, a 17-story residential condo tower;
    • RO3 (Phase III), a 16-story residential condo tower;
    • W Hotel, a 39-story hotel and condo tower, breaking ground in summer, 2006;
  • Proposed:
    • Cityscape, four 30 to 40-story mixed-use towers;
    • Copper Pointe Condominiums, three 40 to 45 story residential towers;
    • Park Place, Phase II, a 38-story mixed-use project;

For a list of other buildings in Phoenix, go to Emporis Phoenix.

There are a large number of high-rise proposals, some of which will likely not be built, due to the considerable amount of speculation occurring in Phoenix. Issues include skyrocketing land costs and ever-increasing construction costs, due to the shortage of concrete, steel and other construction materials. Other proposals not listed above include a third phase of Arizona Center, several "warehouse district" residential high-rises near the stadiums, several office projects and various other residential projects ranging from five to thirty stories in height.

A newly expanded convention center is under construction now, which will triple the amount of available space to nearly one million square feet. The name of the center was recently changed to the Phoenix Convention Center from Phoenix Civic Plaza, to reflect this $600 million investment.

A $1.2 billion light rail system called "The Metro" is also under construction. When the initial 20-mile (32 km) segment is completed in 2008, it will improve connections to downtown areas of Glendale, Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa. A downtown extension for Arizona State University is opening in fall 2006, with about 3,000 students. A much larger campus is planned, with up to 15,000 students by 2015. Some coffeehouses, restaurants, nightclubs and shopping in the area continue to draw people downtown for the slowly growing nightlife scene. Much more development is expected once the light rail line and downtown ASU are open.

West Phoenix

Maryvale is the predominant neighborhood of the near west side, from about 35th Avenue west to 83rd Avenue and from I-10 north to the boundary with the suburb of Glendale at Camelback Road. First developed in the 1950s and 1960s by developer John F. Long, these neighborhoods include inexpensive homes largely developed in the 1950s. Like many older inner-ring suburbs around the United States, Maryvale is suffering some signs of urban decline as the belt of growth has passed by, moving ever outward. Shopping in this area is provided by Desert Sky Mall, and Cricket Pavilion offers an open-air entertainment amphitheatre for concerts and attractions. Because of the lower housing costs, Maryvale has attracted large numbers of families and immigrants from all over the world. It is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

The growing west side of Phoenix continues to spread outward. Newer suburbs are springing up, including Avondale, Goodyear and Buckeye. Further north, newer suburbs like Surprise, Peoria, El Mirage and the western end of Glendale are exploding with development.

Glendale is the first suburb of Phoenix moving northwest from downtown. It now has over 250,000 people, and downtown Glendale features many historic neighborhoods. Catlin Court has first-rate antique stores and shops, along with many restaurants and lodging opportunities. Further north is the newer Arrowhead Towne Center Mall, which affords shopping and diverse dining choices.

Cardinals Stadium is currently under construction in Glendale. The Fiesta Bowl is moving to the stadium in 2007 and the 2008 Superbowl (XLII) will be held at Cardinals Stadium.

Southwest

The "village" of Laveen (within the City of Phoenix) is growing fast with new moderately priced homes and new businesses. The proposed new Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway will link Laveen with Ahwatukee.

South Phoenix

The Southside is generally considered the area between 35th ave to west and 48th st to the east. Van Buren st to the north and South Mountain ave to the south. With about 400,000 residents South Phoenix is bursting at the seams. The community is helping to fuel the growth of one of the nation’s fastest growing cities. With golf courses and new housing developments appearing everywhere. But there are problems. Long associated with crime and largely Black and Hispanic about 30 percent of the population lives in poverty. Quality housing is in short supply. Most homes were built by the homeowners themselves using adobe and wood, with construstion methods that fail to meet building codes. Low property values make it unattractive for lenders to finance home improvements. Community development systems are still in their early stages , but over the last decade important steps have been taken to make quality, low-cost housing available .

Ahwatukee

The community of Ahwatukee is located in the southeast corner of the Phoenix city limits, largely separated from the majority of the city by South Mountain. Ahwatukee residents are mostly older adults and urban professionals but also has many middle class families, and upscale apartments coexist with middle class and upscale housing. Housing prices rose over 40 percent in 2005, and the area has some of the most expensive homes in the city of Phoenix or in the southeastern metropolitan area.

Northwest

Past the neighboring cities of Peoria and Glendale are the communities of Sun City, Sun City West, Youngtown, and Surprise. Hikers will enjoy the White Tank Mountain Regional Park. The Sun Cities and Youngtown are largely retirement communities.

East side

The eastern side of Phoenix contains some of the city's most desirable neighborhoods. The Biltmore area near 24th Street and Camelback Road has become Phoenix's ritziest intersection. Stretching east, several mid-rise offices and condos line what is known as the Camelback Corridor. The area gets its name from the Arizona Biltmore Resort. This Phoenix landmark has pampered guests since the 1920s. Its lush grounds and golf courses are surrounded by some of the most exclusive homes in the Valley. East of the Biltmore area is the Arcadia neighborhood. Located at the base of Camelback Mountain, Arcadia contains well-kept homes on large lots. Built on former citrus groves, Arcadia is known for well-irrigated, mature landscaping. Several yards prominently feature orange, lemon and grapefruit trees as reminders of the area's past.

The eastern suburbs of Phoenix are generally called the East Valley. The Northeast Valley is home to Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, Carefree and Cave Creek. The Southeast Valley is home to Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Queen Creek, and Apache Junction. Separating the Northeast Valley from the Southeast Valley is the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Reservation, which, with its vast farmland and open fields, is a stark contrast to the highly-developed surrounding suburbs. This 53,000 acre reservation is nearly entirely surrounded by East Valley suburbs: Fountain Hills to the northeast, Scottsdale to the northwest, Tempe to the southwest and Mesa to the southeast.

Although they are considered suburbs of Phoenix, many of the East Valley cities have quite unique identities and sizable populations of their own:

Sandwiched between Phoenix and Scottsdale is the small town of Paradise Valley. Northeast of downtown Phoenix and the Biltmore area (and on the other side of Camelback Mountain from Arcadia), Paradise Valley features the most expensive real estate in Arizona, and consists almost entirely of single-family homes on one acre lots. As a result, the median housing price reached $1.39 million in early 2006. This town of about 14,000 residents also has the highest per capita income in Arizona.

East of Paradise Valley and Arcadia is Scottsdale, with the signature tagline of being "The West's Most Western Town." Known for its world-class resorts, golf, clubs, and shopping, Scottsdale is the center of the Phoenix area's hospitality industry. The city features mostly upscale housing, with a median housing value of about $570,000 in early 2006. The newest and most expensive parts of Scottsdale are in the northern parts of the city abutting the McDowell Mountains, but Scottsdale also has a rather dynamic downtown area. Nearly 2,000 residential units are under construction in and around Old Town, with some mid-rise buildings reaching up to thirteen stories tall. This $2 billion in residential redevelopment is changing downtown Scottsdale's image of staid art galleries and tourist-oriented shops. For many years now, downtown Scottsdale has been the hub of ultra-hip nightlife and fine dining. South of downtown, the southern portion of Scottsdale contains many neighborhoods dating from the Valley's post-war boom. Plans by Arizona State University to build a bioscience campus in south Scottsdale have helped spark a renewed interest in the area.

Located south of Scottsdale, Tempe is the home of Arizona State University and the Sun Devils. Tempe boasts a vibrant economy, liveable neighborhoods, and the Valley's most dynamic downtown. Tempe is second only to central Phoenix as an employment hub in the Valley. Downtown Tempe centers on Mill Avenue, where an eclectic mix of restaurants, night clubs and shopping attracts a wide range of visitors. Local festivals such as Oktoberfest, the Fall Festival of the Arts, and the New Years Eve Block Party (the largest in the southwest and routinely ranked as one of the top ten in the country) are extremely popular on Mill Avenue. High-density residential development has also taken off in recent years, with at least a dozen residential high-rises under construction or in the planning phases, ranging up to 30 stories tall. Just north of downtown, the city has constructed Tempe Town Lake in the dry bed of the Salt River. The lake's unique urban setting has created a building boom along its shores. The roughly two-mile-long lake is also the only place in the Phoenix area where sailboats are a common sight. Arizona State University is located just south of Town Lake and to the east of downtown Tempe. With over 50,000 students on its main campus, ASU is now the largest university in the country. The synergistic relationship between Tempe and ASU is vital to the city's economy. Beyond downtown and ASU, Tempe is made up of mostly single-family residential neighborhoods. The city's housing values have risen dramatically in recent years with many people drawn to Tempe's central location and homes with mature trees and landscaping. South Tempe has some of the southeast Valley's priciest homes.

East of Tempe is Mesa, the third-largest city in Arizona with nearly 450,000 people. Known for its affordable, family-oriented neighborhoods and strong Mormon roots, Mesa is still largely a bedroom community. Downtown Mesa has struggled to attract businesses and new development; however, the recent completion of the Mesa Arts Center has raised hopes that the area will see a turnaround. Following a massive boom in the 1970s and 80s, Mesa is working on asserting itself as a major player in the Valley and finding ways to step out of Phoenix's shadow. The area around Mesa's Williams Gateway Airport is poised to become a major employment hub in the southeast Valley and the airport hopes to establish regular commercial airline service.

South of Mesa, Chandler remained largely an agricultural community until a major growth spurt beginning in the 1970s and accelerating through the 1990s. Much of Chandler houses young families and middle-class professionals in newer stucco and tile developments. With a large Intel presence, the city has also established itself as a center of the high-tech industry in the Valley.

East of Chandler is the town of Gilbert. A small farming community of 5000 in 1980, Gilbert is today a city of over 160,000. Despite this dizzying growth, Gilbert tries hard to retain its small-town feel and agricultural heritage. The town is largely a bedroom community, but with the completion of the Santan Freeway (Loop 202), Gilbert is seeing a flood of new economic development along this future transportation corridor.

Media

The first newspaper in Phoenix was the weekly Salt River Valley Herald, which later changed its name to the Phoenix Herald in 1880.

Today, the city is served by two major daily newspapers: The Arizona Republic (serving the greater metropolitan area) and The East Valley Tribune (serving primarily the cities of the East Valley). In addition, the city is also served by numerous free neighborhood papers and weeklies such as the Phoenix New Times, Arizona State University's The State Press, and the College Times. For 40 years, The Bachelor's Beat, a paid weekly newspaper, has covered local politics while selling ads for area strip clubs and escort services.

The Phoenix metro area is served by many local television stations, and is the fourteenth largest designated market area (DMA) in the U.S. with 1,660,430 homes (1.51% of the total U.S.). The major network television affiliates are KPNX 12 (NBC), KNXV 15 (ABC), KPHO 5 (CBS), KSAZ 10 (FOX), KUTP 45 (UPN), and KASW 61 (WB). Other major network television affiliates operating in the area include KAET 8 (PBS, operated by ASU), KPAZ 21 (TBN), KTVW 33 (Univision), KTAZ 39 (Daystar), KDTP 48 (Telemundo), and KPPX 51 (i, formerly PAX). KTVK 3 (3TV) and KAZT 27 are independent television stations operating in the metro area.

The radio airwaves in Phoenix cater to a wide variety of musical interests. See Arizona Radio for a comprehensive list. The area's rock stations include KDKB (FM) 93.3, KUPD (FM) 97.9, KPKX (FM) 98.7 (The Peak), KSLX (FM) 100.7 and KEDJ (FM) 103.9 (The Edge). Pop and hip-hop can be found on KKFR (FM) 92.3 (Power), KZZP (FM) 104.7 (Kiss) and KMXP (FM) 96.9 (Mix). There are two country stations: KNIX (FM) 102.5 and KMLE (FM) 107.9 (Camel Country 108) and two oldies stations: KOOL (FM) 94.5 and KAZG (AM) 1440. Rhythmic oldies are heard on KAJM (FM) 99.3 / 104.3 (Mega). Big-band, swing and standards play on KSAZ (AM) 580 in Marana (Tucson), KSAZ, KOY (AM) 1230 and KRZS (FM) 97.5 (Star). Evening jazz, and daytime news air on NPR station KJZZ (FM) 91.5, while the style known as smooth jazz is on KYOT (FM) 95.5 (The Coyote). The area has adult contemporary station KESZ (FM) 99.9 and classical station KBAQ (FM) 89.5. Christian stations operate at KCOO (FM) 89.9 (Air 1), KLVA (FM) 105.5 and KXEG (AM) 1280. Radio Disney is at KMIK (AM) 1580. Phoenix is one of the few cities in the United States with a station playing contemporary dance hits, KNRJ (FM) 92.7 / 101.1 (Energy), and it is home to the only known completely commercial-free rock music station in the United States, KCDX (FM) 103.1.

There are also several talk radio stations, mostly operating on the AM band: KZON (FM) 101.5 (hot talk), KFYI (AM) 550 (conservative talk), KTAR (AM) 620 (news), KMIA (AM) 720 (Spanish news), KDIR (AM) 740 (Spanish talk), KKNT (AM) 960 (The Patriot), KXXT (AM) 1010 (Christian Radio), KFNX (AM) 1100 (CNN/brokered), KXAM (AM) 1310 (NBC and lifestyle talk), KFNN (AM) 1510 (financial/business news and advice), and KPHX (AM) 1480 (Air America Radio). Sports news is available on KMVP (AM) 860 (ESPN), KGME (AM) 910, and KDUS (AM) 1060.

Due to the region's large Spanish-speaking population, there are also several Spanish radio stations, including KNAI (FM) 88.3 (La Campesina), KOMR (FM) 100.3 / 106.3 (Recuerdo), KLNZ (FM) 103.5 (Radio Tricolor), KDVA/KVVA (FM) 106.9 / 107.1 (Super Estrella), KHOT (FM) 105.9 (La Nueva), KCKY/KASA (AM) 1150/1540 (Radio Casa), KVIB (FM) 95.1 (Club) and KSUN (AM) 1400 (Radio Fiesta).

Sports

Club Sport League Stadium Logo Arizona Cardinals Football National Football League; NFC Cardinals Stadium Arizona Cardinals Logo Arizona Diamondbacks Baseball Major League Baseball; NL Chase Field Arizona Diamondbacks Logo Phoenix Suns Basketball National Basketball Association US Airways Center Phoenix Suns Logo Phoenix Mercury Basketball Women's National Basketball Association US Airways Center Phoenix Mercury Logo Phoenix Coyotes Ice Hockey National Hockey League Glendale Arena Phoenix Coyotes Logo Arizona Rattlers Arena Football Arena Football League US Airways Center Arizona Rattlers Logo

Phoenix is home to several professional sports, including representatives of all four major professional sports leagues in the U.S.

The Arizona Diamondbacks play at Chase Field in the National League - West Division of Major League Baseball. They began as an expansion team in 1998 In 2001, the Diamondbacks defeated the New York Yankees 4 games to 3 in the World Series, becoming not only the city's first professional sports franchise to win a national championship, but also the youngest expansion franchise in U.S. professional sports to ever do so.

In addition, nine Major League Baseball teams conduct spring training in the area. These teams, plus three that train in Tucson, are collectively known as the Cactus League.

The Arizona Cardinals moved to Phoenix from St. Louis, Missouri in 1988 and currently play in the NFL's National Football Conference - West Division. They used to play at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, and are currently building a stadium in Glendale. The Arizona Rattlers are an arena football team that play in the Arena Football League. Glendale will host the Super Bowl in 2008.

Phoenix's first major professional franchise was the Phoenix Suns, the city's National Basketball Association team, which started play in 1968. It holds a special place in Phoenix culture as it was the city's only top-level sports franchise for nearly twenty years. The Phoenix Mercury are a professional women's basketball team in the WNBA. Both teams play at US Airways Center.

Glendale Arena is the home of the Phoenix Coyotes, members of the National Hockey League. They have played in Phoenix since moving from Winnipeg in 1996.

The Phoenix Roadrunners are a minor league hockey team in the East Coast Hockey League, owned by the Suns and Mercury ownership group and also playing in U.S. Airways Arena. This makes Phoenix one of the few cities where minor and major league teams in the same sport coexist.

The Arizona Sting are a professional lacrosse team from Glendale that play in the National Lacrosse League.

The Phoenix International Raceway is a major venue for 2 NASCAR auto racing events per season. Boat racing, drag racing, and road course racing are also held at the Firebird International Raceway. Sprint car racing is held at Manzanita Speedway.

The Arizona State University Sun Devils compete in football, basketball, baseball, as well as a number of other sports in the NCAA. The Sun Devils football team plays their games at Sun Devil Stadium, which also hosts the annual Fiesta Bowl (the game will move to the new Cardinals stadium in Glendale upon the completion of the stadium). Their nearest rival is the University of Arizona Wildcats, in Tucson.

Other major sporting events in the area include the Insight Bowl at Chase Field (will move to Sun Devil Stadium after the Fiesta Bowl moves to the new stadium in Glendale), and several major professional golf events, including the FBR Open of the PGA TOUR, the Safeway International of the LPGA, and The Tradition of the PGA Champions Tour. It was planned to host the 2006 NHL All- Star Game, but it was canceled due to the 2006 Winter Olympics. As compensation, Phoenix has been granted the 2009 All-Star Game.

See also: U.S. cities with teams from four major sports.

Museums and other points of interest

Saguaro in Phoenix, Arizona
Barrel Cactus in Phoenix, Arizona

Infrastructure

Government

File:Arizona state capitol color.gif
The Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix

In 1913, the commission form of government was adopted. The city of Phoenix is served by a city council consisting of a mayor and eight city council members. The mayor is elected At Large, to a four-year term. Phoenix City Council members are elected to four-year terms by voters in each of the eight separate districts that they represent. The current mayor of Phoenix is Phil Gordon. The mayor and city council members have equal voting power to make laws and set the policies that govern the city.

In addition to eight voting districts, the city is also divided into 15 "urban villages," the primary purpose of which is to assist the city council with zoning and planning ordinances. These urban villages are: Ahwatukee Foothills, Alhambra, Camelback East, Central City, Deer Valley, Desert Ridge, Desert View, Encanto, Estrella, Laveen, Maryvale, North Gateway, North Mountain, Paradise Valley (not to be confused with the town of Paradise Valley), South Mountain, as well as a fifteenth which is as of yet unnamed (created in 2004 and currently called, "New Village."). The fifteenth is sparsely populated (if at all) and new development is not expected in the near future.

Education

Public education in the Phoenix area is provided by over 30 school districts.[6] The Phoenix Union High School District operates most of the public high schools in the city of Phoenix.

The main institution of higher education in the area is Arizona State University, with its main campus located in Tempe, and satellite campuses in Phoenix and Mesa. ASU is currently one of the largest public universities in the U.S., with a 2004 student enrollment of 57,543.

The fast growing Western Governors University opened a business office in Phoenix in 2006. WGU is an online non-profit university. Governor Napolitano is on the WGU board.

The University of Phoenix is also headquartered in Phoenix. This is the nation's largest private, for-profit university with over 130,000 students at campuses throughout the United States (including Puerto Rico), Canada, Mexico, and the Netherlands.

There are also ten community colleges and two skills centers throughout Maricopa County, providing adult education and job training.

School districts that serve the city of Phoenix

Many separate independent school districts serve Phoenix.

Some are elementary school districts that serve grades kindergarten through 8. The elementary school districts are paired with high school districts that serve grades 9 through 12.

Small portions of Phoenix are served by unified school districts, which serve grades K through 12.

Unified Districts
High School Districts
Elementary School Districts

Transportation

Phoenix is served by Sky Harbor International Airport (IATA: PHX, ICAO: KPHX), which is centrally located in the metro area near the intersections of I-10, I-17, US 60, and State Routes 51 and Loop 202. Sky Harbor is the fifth-busiest airport in the U.S. and the world for passenger traffic for takeoffs and landings, handling more than 36 million travelers in 2000. The airport serves more than 100 cities with non-stop flights. British Airways, Air Canada and Aeromexico are among several international carriers providing flights to destinations such as London, Toronto, Costa Rica and Mexico.

The Williams Gateway Airport (IATA: WGA, ICAO: KIWA) in neighboring Mesa also serves the area's commercial air traffic. It was converted from Williams Air Force Base, which closed in 1993, and is attempting to become a commercial airport to relieve traffic at Sky Harbor. The airport has occasionally received Boeing 737's from charter airlines to carry passengers to nearby destinations.

Smaller airports that primarily handle private and corporate jets include the Scottsdale Municipal Airport (IATA: SDL, ICAO: KSDL) in Scottsdale and the Falcon Field Airport (IATA: FFZ, ICAO: KFFZ) in Mesa.

Public transportation throughout the metropolitan area is provided by Valley Metro, which operates a system of buses and a rideshare program. Valley Metro is currently building Valley Metro Rail, a light rail project. Phoenix and several cities have expressed interest in commuter rail operating on existing railroad lines.[7]

Amtrak no longer serves Phoenix Union Station; Phoenix is the largest city in the United States, and perhaps the developed world, with no intercity passenger rail service. The Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle stop three times a week at Maricopa, thirty miles south of downtown Phoenix. (For shuttle and other travel information, see the Texas Eagle site). Amtrak Thruway buses connect Sky Harbor to Flagstaff for connection with the daily Southwest Chief service to Los Angeles and Chicago. Phoenix is served by Greyhound bus service, with the station at 24th Street located very near the airport.

The road system in Phoenix laid out in a traditional grid system, with most roads oriented either North-South or East-West. I-10 (the Maricopa and Papago Freeways) from Los Angeles travels from the west through downtown, and exits the metro area in a southeast direction towards Tucson. I-17 (the Black Canyon Freeway) begins in downtown Phoenix and travels north to Flagstaff. US 60 (the Superstition Freeway) also travels through the heart of the city, heading northwest through the suburbs of Glendale, Peoria, and Surprise. It also exits to the east of downtown, travelling through the suburbs of Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert, and Apache Junction, and beyond. State Route Loop 101 (the Agua Fria, Price, and Pima Freeways) is also a major highway that forms a semicircle around the northern suburbs of the city, starting from I-10 in the west and travelling around to the Santan portion of Loop 202 in the southeast.

Phoenix has been rapidly expanding its highway system. In 1985, voters passed a proposition establishing a 1/2 cent general sales tax to fund new urban freeways: Arizona 51, Loop 101, Arizona 143 (the Hohokam Expressway), 153 (the Sky Harbor Expressway), Loop 202 (the Red Mountain and Santan Freeways), and Loop 303 (the Estrella Freeway), and the final section of I-10. Most of these have been completed by 2005, with Loop 202 and Loop 303 being in the final stages of construction and development.

Bicycle transportation is also an option, and the Maricopa Association of Governments has a bicycle advisory committee working to improve conditions for bicycling on city streets as well as off-road paths.[8]

Sister cities

Phoenix, Arizona has ten sister cities, as designated by the Phoenix Sister Cities Commission:[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Finally No. 5." Arizona Republic. June 27, 2006. Retrieved on July 8, 2006.
  2. ^ Monthly average temperatures and precipitation from weather.com.
  3. ^ Weather and climate data from weatherbase.com.
  4. ^ Owens, David. "Green Manhattan. Why New York is the greenest city in the U.S." The New Yorker. October 18, 2004. Retrieved on July 8, 2006.
  5. ^ Religion demographic data from The Association of Religion Data Archives.
  6. ^ "Schools in Phoenix." Phoenix.gov.
  7. ^ Staff Writer. "A Brief History of Public Transportation in Metro Phoenix." Arizona Rail Passenger Association. Accessed on April 21, 2006.
  8. ^ "MAG Regional Bike Map 2005." Maricopa Association of Governments. Accessed on April 21, 2006.
  9. ^ Sister Cities information obtained from the Phoenix Sister Cities Commission." Accessed on April 21, 2006.

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