Randolph House is a townhome community just east of Reid Park in Tucson.

Last week I wrote about Tucson’s Reid Park, and featured many of its amenities. This week I’ll be discussing the many neighborhoods around Reid Park. There is a diverse range of housing available within less than a mile of Reid Park. There are high end historic homes and affordable townhouses and condos available. So whatever your needs are, you can find a home in one of these popular neighborhoods.

Colonia Solana is the neighborhood that borders the park on the northwest side. It is south of Broadway and East of Country Club. There are only about 50 properties in Colonia Solana. Housing turnover is quite low. The neighborhood features large homes, typically over 3,000 sf, on large natural desert lots. These homes typically are priced between $450,000 – $1 million. As of this writing there are no active listings in the neighborhood. But be sure to check here for homes that do go on the market in Colonia Solana.

San Clemente is the neighborhood directly east of Reid Park. It is bordered by Broadway, Alvernon, Timrod, and Columbus. It earned the National Historic District designation in 2005. San Clemente features a grid pattern with curvilinear streets to slow traffic & create a distinct community. The neighborhood, which consists of about 225 homes,  was started in the 1920s, but most homes were built in the 1940s – 1950s. Homes range in price from $180,000 – $400,000 and are typically between 1600 sf – 3000 sf.

Broadmoor is another area of single family homes that is just west of Reid Park and is bordered by Broadway, Country Club, Tucson Blvd., and Stratford Drive. Most homes were built from the 1940s – 1950s. Originally, the neighborhood was built upon a former golf course. Most homes are 2-4 bedrooms with 1-2 bathrooms, with an average size of 1600 sf. Homes in Broadmoor are typically priced within $180,000 – 300,000.

If you are looking for a townhome or condo community near Reid Park, you are in luck. There are 2 distinctive communities just east of the park.

The first on is Randolph House, which was built in 1949. Most units are about 700 – 1200 sf and are typically priced at around $100,000 – $130,000. The architecture and grounds of this community are very unique with the extremely lush landscaping and a ton of charm. There is a community pool in the neighborhood too.

The community pool at the Randolph House community is a great place to enjoy Tucson's weather.

Eden Roc Gardens is another community nearby that is just north of the Doubletree Hotel. This community features very spacious units between 1100 – 1500 sf in size. They are typically priced between $100,000 – $140,000. There is a nice sized community pool and a unique ‘easter island’ style fountain in the common area.

The fountain at Eden Roc Gardens, a unique mid-century modern condominium complex just east of Reid Park, in Tucson.

If you are looking for a home within walking and biking distance of recreation, shopping, and that is located in central Tucson, look no further than one of the neighborhoods near Reid Park.

Contact me with any questions or to schedule a tour of some of these homes. Nick Labriola 520-975-8956.

NickL.LongRealty.com

A kid's train ride going around one of the two lakes at Reid Park, located in central Tucson, Arizona.

One of Tucson’s jewels is the Reid Park located in the center of town bordered by Broadway to the north, 22nd Street to the south, Alvernon to the east, and Country Club to the west. Reid park takes up about 131 acres of land and has so much to do! Just check out this list for some ideas:

• The Reid Park Zoo – 17 acres of land with a wide variety of animals including zebras, polar bears, lions, elephants, giraffes, tortoises, peacocks, monkeys, and lots more. Open daily 9-4. Admission is $7 adults; $3 kids 2-14. Check out their website for special events.
• Rose Test Garden – Thousands of roses can be seen in this garden maintained by the Rose Society of Tucson. There are over 100 species of roses to be seen. The best time to view the roses are March – April and October – November. The rose garden has a ramada that can be rented for special occasions & is a popular place for weddings.

The Rose Garden in Reid Park featuring over 100 species of roses.

• 2 lakes
• Edith Ball Adaptive Aquatics center – a fully accessible outdoor covered pool with a therapy pool. 
  

  The Aquatics Center at Reid Park features a shaded outdoor pool

• DeMeester Outdoor Performance center – Sunday nights each spring and fall feature the Tucson Pops Orchestra with the Music Under the Stars program. Every summer a Shakespeare play is performed here too. Many other events are held there as well.
  

  DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center regularly hosts musical events at Reid Park.

• Hi Corbett Stadium – The Tucson Toros are back! Come check out a baseball game from May – September. Tickets are available for as little as $6 each.
  

  Hi Corbett Field is home to the Tucson Toros baseball team

• Randolf Golf Course and Driving Range – hit a few balls at this public golf course.
• Community classes - there are lots of classes offered, from sports to arts and crafts.
• Walking / Bike path – this popular path has been expanded to loop around the entire park.
• Dog park – divided for both large and small dogs.
• Ramadas for rent -  for special occasions and picnics.

Reid Park is a great place to take your family and it offers much more than just swings & playgrounds. Check it out!

Next week I’ll blog about the neighborhoods near Reid Park.

NickL.LongRealty.com

Entrance to Dorado Country Club Estates on Tucson's east side.

Many homes are located on the golf course and offer nice views of the Catalina mountains.

Dorado Country Club Estates is an east side Tucson neighborhood that was built around a privately owned golf course that is open to the public. The neighborhood is north of Speedway, between Kolb and Wilmot. The first homes were built in 1970. There are 12 separate neighborhoods (each having a separate HOA), with a total of 551 residences in the area. The neighborhood consists of both townhomes and single family homes.

The Dorado Golf Course is located in the heart of Dorado Country Club Estates.

Dorado Country Club is close to shopping, with the Park Place Mall only about 2 miles away. The Wilmot Library and St Joseph’s Hospital are about 1 mile away.

Most homes are 2-4 bedrooms and feature garages & a community pool.

Call me to schedule a showing of any available homes in this neighborhood. Nick Labriola 520-975-8956.

Search available SINGLE FAMILY HOMES for sale in Dorado Country Club Estates

Search available TOWNHOMES for sale in Dorado Country Club Estates

NickL.LongRealty.com

The Harold Bell Wright Estates, located near Speedway Boulevard and Wilmot Road in Tucson, is steeped in local history.  But who was Harold Bell Wright and why does his name grace this neighborhood? Harold Bell Wright was an early 20th century fiction author. He wrote 19 novels between 1903 – 1942. He is said to be the first American fiction author to sell over 1 million copies. 21 movies were based on his stories including The Shepherd of the Hills (made into a movie starring John Wayne), and The Winning of Barbara Worth (one of  Gary Cooper’s first movies).

A home in Harold Bell Wright Estates

Wright suffered from tuberculosis and came to Tucson for his health, as so many people did. After living near the downtown area, he purchased a 160 acre parcel of land near Speedway & Wilmot in 1920.  Wright liked the desert and wanted to get away from the city.  After extensive planning, his home was finished in 1922. In the 20′s his home was 5 miles away from the edge of town. At the time grass lawns were all the rage, and the desert was thought of as a wasteland. Wright nixed that notion and purposely maintained the natural desert landscaping around his home. He even brought in many new species of cacti into his garden for display.

Wright was an important figure in Tucson, committing his time and money to local causes.  He even persuaded Hollywood to have the movie premier for ‘The Mine With the Iron Door’ at the Rialto Theater in downtown Tucson.

Wright moved to California in 1935 and sold his Tucson Estate in 1936. Wright passed away in 1944 in California. In 1950, the land was subdivided and turned into the Harold Bell Wright Estates. The land was divided into approximately 1/2 acre parcels and the streets were named after his books.

Harold Bell Wright neighborhood park

Now, the Harold Bell Wright Estates neighborhood is highly sought after due to its large lots, natural desert landscaping and convenient location in the middle of town. Wright’s home is still stands in the center of the neighborhood. There is a small neighborhood park at the south west corner of the neighborhood that has a playground, benches & plenty of grass for soccer or tossing a frisbee.

Homes currently listed for sale in Harold Bell Wright Estates

If you are interested in scheduling a showing of any of the homes for sale, call me at 520-975-8956.

Zebra at Reid Park Zoo

Reid Park Zoo is open late on Friday evenings now through July 9 for the Summer Safari Nights program. Admission from 5 – 8 pm is $7.50 for adults and $5 for children 2-14. The Reid Park Zoo is located on Randolph Way, north of 22nd Street.

Saguaro National Park – East regularly hosts night walks through the park. RSVPs are required. Call 520-733-5153 for more information on dates and times.

The Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum is open til 10 pm every Saturday night from June – August. Admission after 4 pm is $7 for adults and $2.25 for kids 6-12, free for kids 5 and under.

The Tucson Children’s Museum hosts Monsoon Mondays, when the museum is open from 9 am – 8 pm. Admission is only $2 after 4pm. The Tucson Children’s Museum is located at 200 S 6th Ave.

Tucson Children's Museum in downtown Tucson

Cinema La Placita is a downtown outdoor movie event every Thursday night from May – October. They suggest a $3 donation per person. Cinema La Placita is located at 110 S. Church Ave.

Downtown Tucson

2nd Saturdays Downtown is a free monthly event that features music, crafts and food downtown. The next one is July 10.

I hope this gives you some new ideas for things to do in the summer in Tucson. If you have other ideas on summer events in Tucson let me know.

NickL.LongRealty.com

Entrance to the Winterhaven neighborhood in Tucson, Arizona

Winterhaven is a popular central Tucson neighborhood that was established in 1949. It is known primarily for the annual Festival of Lights when 60,000 visitors walk, bike, or drive through the neighborhood after dark. The Festival of Lights event lasts for 2 weeks every year in December. Reservations are required to take hayrides or carriage rides through the neighborhood.

Winterhaven is known for the large pine trees that were planted in 1949 by Winterhaven's founder, CB Richards.

Winterhaven is the neighborhood bounded between Prince (to the north), Fort Lowell (to the south), Tucson Blvd (to the west), and Country Club (to the east). It is known for its ranch style homes, large pine trees, and rare Tucson lawns. Homes in this area are typically priced from $200,000 – $350,000 (as of June 2010). Homes are usually 3-4 bedroom, and vary in size from 1400 sf to 2300 sf.  Most homes in the neighborhood were built in the 1950s.

Winterhaven was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 28, 2005. This designation means that homeowners in the neighborhood may be able to take advantage of reduced property taxes.

Single family homes listed for sale in Winterhaven

Condos & Townhouses listed for sale near Winterhaven

If you are interested in scheduling a showing in this charming neighborhood, give me a call. Nick Labriola 520-975-8956.

NickL.LongRealty.com

Winterhaven neighborhood, Tucson, Arizona

Pueblo Hotel neon sign with the classic diving lady. Tucson, Arizona.

This classic 1950s neon sign advertising a hotel pool for the former Pueblo Hotel is much beloved by Tucsonans.

The Pueblo Hotel started out as The Willard Hotel. It was constructed from 1902 – 1904, and was designed by Henry C. Trost, a well-known regional architect who lived in Tucson for four years. The building itself is a Mission Revival style located at 6th Avenue & 12th Street.

The name was changed to Pueblo Hotel in 1944 and operated until 1984. The sign was added in the 1950s.

The building underwent a major restoration from 1991-1993. The pool has since been filled in and the building was turned into law offices, although the occasional tourist comes in looking for a hotel room.  Unfortunately  for them, there is No Vacancy.

No Vacancy at The Pueblo Hotel in downtown Tucson, Arizona.

NickL.LongRealty.com

Median price of sold homes was $150,000 for the month of May 2010, down 12% from May 2009. There were 1121 new properties under contract in May 2010, virtually unchanged from May 2009. Would you like a free market report for the Tucson area?  Please contact me for more details.

Model home in Lakeside Ridge. Features standard solar panels on every home in this community. Built by TJ Bednar.

TJ Bednar is now offering photovoltaic solar panels standard on all newly constructed homes in two Tucson communities. These homes are affordable too at the $130,000 – $200,000 range with 2-4 bedrooms. Lakeside Ridge is located in southeast Tucson near Sarnoff & Golf Links. Vista Montana is located near I-10 & Wilmot.

The homes are TEP Guaranteed and have other standard green features such as dual flush toilets, low flow shower heads, CFL lighting, gray water prep, and a 14 SEER heat pump. The homes are hooked up to power grid & can sell any excess energy not used back to Tucson Electric Power.

Contact me to see any of these homes or if you have questions. Nick Labriola 520-975-8956.

One of several TJ Bednar floorplans available

NickL.LongRealty.com

Homes designed by Howard are always carefully sited to take full advantage of the beautiful desert surroundings and vistas.

University of Arizona alum, Kevin Howard grew up in Arizona and started his firm, Kevin B. Howard Architects in 1994.  The company specializes in high-end residential and commercial projects throughout the Tucson area. Projects designed by Kevin B Howard Architects typically have a lot of natural stonework complimented with stucco exteriors and a lot of glass.

Contents Interiors, a furniture store on Fort Lowell Rd, is a distinct building designed by Howard's office

Some of the commercial spaces he has designed include Contents Interiors on Fort Lowell Road, Studio Del Barrio on Oracle Road,  Plaza Colonial, and Paloma Village, both located at Campbell & Skyline.

Currently there are several homes for sale designed by Kevin B. Howard Architects. Click on the addresses for more information on each property.

• 572 E Silver Cloud Place
  

  Kevin B. Howard designed homes are usually located within a picturesque desert landscape.

• 5280 N Valley View Road
• 12911 N Metalmark
• 12904 N Metalmark Court
• 4165 W Butterfly Mountain Drive
• 602 E Silver Cloud Place
• 6921 E Rock Ledge Place
• 2102 E Desert Garden Drive

This is part of a continuing series spotlighting Tucson area architects, past and present.

NickL.LongRealty.com