What is a County Island in Phoenix?

Phoenix may be in the middle of the desert, but you may be surprised to learn that we DO have islands here! Not the kind with sand and a palm tree - I'm talking about county islands. In this post I am going to talk about county islands for those who are not familiar with them.

What is a county island?
If you have recently moved to Arizona from the East Coast or the Mid-Western United States or are thinking about moving here, the concept of a county island may be completely foreign of to you. Let's start with a definition: A county island is an area of unincorporated land which is completely surrounded by an incorporated city or town. That's right, even if you buy a home within the City of Phoenix and have a Phoenix address, you may be on county land and not technically part of Phoenix!

How do you find county islands?
In the example below, all I did was perform a search for "Phoenix, Arizona" on Google Maps. Google outlines the city boundaries, but you can see that there are some irregular shapes which are not part of Phoenix, even though they may be surrounded on all sides by Phoenix - hence the name, islands.

Example of County Islands in North Phoenix

Many other Phoenix-area cities including Glendale, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Queen Creek, and others have county islands as well. In the example below, you can see that the city of Chandler, AZ is full of them, particularly in the southern portion of the city. The actual boundaries of the city of Chandler are quite unusual!

 

Google Maps showing county islands within the city of Chandler, AZ

What are the pros and cons of living in a county island?
There are some pros and cons of living in a county island, which I will explore below.

I must preface this with the disclaimer that I am not a licensed realtor or a lawyer, and it is YOUR responsibility to look up local laws and ordinances in your area, as they will certainly vary from one jurisdiction to another.

Advantages of a living in a County Island

• Residents of county islands generally do not have to pay residential property tax on their home, because property tax is levied by cities.
• Federal, State and County laws still apply, but city laws may not apply. Therefore residents may be able to store and work on vehicles, own chickens, goats, horses, or other livestock not permitted by residential city codes or ordinances.
• County Island residents are not governed by Home Owners Associations (HOAs). This is why you will often find horse properties, commercial vehicle storage, and other activities taking place within county islands which are typically not permitted within most cities and towns.
• An example would be a person who stores a large motorhome, boat, or other recreational vehicle on their property. Within city limits, the homeowner is likely to get complaints from neighbors about the large vehicle parked on their property - which could result in a city code violation. A person living on county land will typically not have such restrictions, which are often part of a city's code or charter.
• Another example would be the owner of a company. Perhaps it is a construction company, plumbing, electrical, roofing, HVAC, or other home services company - or perhaps a commercial towing operator, etc. Within many cities, homeowners cannot store a fleet of commercial vehicles at their house. Within a county island however, this is often permitted.

Disadvantages of living in a County Island

• Homes are typically not connected to city services such as water and sewer services. Residents may rely on a shared well and or septic system for their home. In some cases they may be served by a private water company.
• Homes in county islands also do not receive solid waste collection services from the surrounding city. Residents must contract with a private company for residential trash collection and do not receive bulk trash pickup without an additional charge.
• County Islands may or may not have paved streets, sidewalks and streetlights. If they do, they are not maintained or serviced by the city.
• Calls for police assistance will be responded to by the County Sheriff, which may result in a longer response time than the local municipal police force.
• Fire and Emergency/Medical services are not usually provided to residents in a County Island. In some cases there may be a special Fire District to provide services, or residents may subscribe to services from the surrounding city for an annual fee.
• Residents of a county island are not eligible to vote in city elections, such as for the mayor. (They can still vote in county, state, and Federal elections).

Will a county island always be a safe haven?
Living in a county island may be appealing to some people who favor reduced government involvement in their lives. However, the status of a county island is not guaranteed. In some jurisdictions, a county island may be annexed by the surrounding city if 51% of the residents vote in favor of the annexation. While it is unlikely to happen, it has happened before and could happen again. However, this is unlikely since many of the residents of a county island are likely to live there by choice and may share a similar mindset and reasons for living in such an area.

Are county islands a good place to live?
Well, that depends on your perspective. Living in a county island may align with your personal beliefs about reduced government intervention in the lives of private citizens, or if you are a business owner, there may be some real financial incentives to living in an unincorporated area.

However, many county islands are lacking in basic city amenities such as water and trash service, sidewalks, streetlights, or even paved roads. Residents may not like having to pay private companies for trash collection or paying an annual fee to be receive coverage by emergency fire/medical services.

Now that you know about some of the advantages and disadvantages of county islands, you can decide for yourself if living in one is right for you. It is something to be cautious of if you are moving or relocating to the Phoenix area and are not familiar with the concept of County Islands. 

Developer Plans Bell 17 Business Park for North Phoenix

Four years ago, I wrote a post called The Mystery of Phoenix Northgate that explored the history behind a large, vacant parcel of land near 19th Avenue and Bell Road in North Phoenix. Several commenters wrote in to share their knowledge of the ill-fated development.

A New Chapter for Phoenix Northgate
The land eventually became State Trust land, which is often sold at auction. Earlier this year in June 2018, the Arizona State Land Department sold the 93.25 acre parcel at auction for $26.5 million dollars. The buyer was a San Diego, California developer called Sunbelt Land Holdings. Proceeds from the sale of State Trust Land go into a fund that benefits Arizona's K-12 public schools.

Concept Illustration of the Bell 17 Business Park by CBRE.

After sitting dormant for decades, progress on the land across from the famous Turf Paradise race track now appears to moving along quickly. The Phoenix Business Journal reported on November 13th that Sunbelt Land Holdings had purchased another parcel of land, 51 acres in size, near 40th St and the Loop 202 freeway, for $25.8 million.

Sunbelt plans to develop master-planned business parks on both sites. The North Phoenix location is tentatively called Bell 17 Business Park, according to a sign on the property. Initial plans call for 1 million square feet of developed space, spread out over 12 to 16 buildings. The development will include both office and retail space, according to the Business Journal.

The project is expected to break ground in the year 2020. The developer has selected Balmer Architectural Group Inc. for the project, but has not yet announced a general contractor.

Neighborhood in Decline
The neighborhood surrounding 19th Ave and Bell intersection has been struggling with crime and other issues for about a decade. The opening of a new Wal-Mart store on the southeast corner in early 2007 brought an increase in transients and other petty crimes to the area.

Four Phoenix Police cars on a typical night at the 19th Ave and Bell Road Walmart store.

An article published in the Arizona Republic on December 14, 2016 studied the number of calls that Phoenix Police received from 2011 through mid-2016. Records obtained by The Republic showed that three of the top five addresses with the most police calls were Wal-Mart stores. The 19th Ave and Bell Road Wal-Mart ranked 4th in Phoenix for highest number of police calls during the time period. Locations #2 and #5 on the list were large apartment complexes.

Furthermore, a 2016 property crime report published by the Phoenix Police Department shows a "Very High" concentration of property crimes centered on the intersection of N 19th Avenue and W Bell Road in North Phoenix.

This data is similar to the crime map published by real estate website Trulia, which pulls in data from SpotCrime.com and CrimeReports.com. Again, there is a high instance of crime in the vicinity of 19th Ave and Bell compared to surrounding areas.

Famed local steakhouse Bill Johnson's Big Apple closed their North Phoenix location in May 2014. The restaurant was quickly transformed into Pawn 1st, a pawn shop, which is still in operation.

A nearby motel at 17th Ave and Bell Road (across the street from two different cash loan/title loan stores) is well-known to police and locals as a hotspot for prostitution. With a pitiful 1.5 star rating on Google, numerous reviewers mention prostitutes drug dealers, and homeless transients as a problem. With 335 reviews on Google and the vast majority of them being "1-star" ratings, there are enough of them that it simply cannot be a coincidence or an isolated incident.

Possible Turnaround?
Will the construction of a new master-planned office park at 19th and Bell help turn this struggling area around? It is hopeful that the addition of higher paying professional jobs will clean up the area, which is surprisingly rough considering its location in the otherwise quiet sprawl of the North Valley suburbs. We'll be sure to keep you updated on this project as it moves forward.

August 2020 Update
The Phoenix Northgate entry monuments from my original blog post have been torn down. Construction has started on the first building of the proposed 93 acre business park. "Building 5" is scheduled to be completed in October 2020, with 101,058 square feet of space for office or light industrial use. Leasing is being handled through CBRE.

Construction of Building 5 at the Bell 17 Business Center. August 2020.
Photo by: North Phoenix Blog

The massive building is 481 feet long by 215 feet wide, and could accommodate two floors of office space, or warehouse space with its 26 foot clear height. The site plan for Bell 17 Business Park calls for 11 buildings totaling 781,928 square feet when fully built out.

Bell 17 Business Center site plan

Buildings 1, 2, and 3 will be for General Industrial and are 61,600 sf, 62,400 sf, and 38,300 sf (respectively). Buildings 4, 5, and 6 are for flex office space. Building 4 will be 74,250 sf, building 5 is currently under construction at 101,058 sf, and building 6 will be 86,400 sf.

Buildings 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 are intended for Corporate Office clients. They will be: 88,000 sf (Building 7), 101,200 sf (#8), 54,720 sf (#9), 50,160 sf (#10), and 63,840 sf (#11).
I am hopeful that this new project will bring higher paying, professional jobs to the area. If that happens, the surrounding area may see a revitalization from a crime hotspot in the North Valley to a place where people can work and live comfortably.

Remembering Lenny Monti's Restaurant

Much has been written about Monti's La Casa Vieja, one of the oldest and most famous restaurants in all of Phoenix. But much less attention has been given to the second Monti's location in North Phoenix - one that has nearly been forgotten to history. Today, I hope to tell that story.

The Hayden House
It was 1873 when Charles Trumbull Hayden, a businessman and one of the earliest settlers of Tempe, built an adobe hacienda for his family, located directly across the street from his flour mill. Other websites document the history of the building with much greater detail than I can, but over the years it underwent a number of expansions and served as a boarding house, private residence, and a restaurant. In 1924, the house was restored to its original appearance.

Monti's La Casa Vieja
In 1947, Leonard F. Monti, a World War II veteran, moved to Chandler and opened a restaurant called Monti's Grill. In 1954, he bought Hayden's adobe house and opened Monti's La Casa Vieja ("The Old House") in 1956.

Monti's La Casa Vieja restaurant in Tempe operated for 58 years before closing in 2014.

The restaurant was famous for its Western decor and art collection and was popular for many years - serving up steaks, prime rib, seafood, and other dishes. Later additions brought the property to 20,769 square feet, creating an unusual interior layout that was a labyrinth of more than a dozen connected rooms.

Monti's La Casa Vieja, Tempe, AZ. September 27, 1972.
Photo: Tempe History Museum

Leonard Monti passed the family business down to his son Michael Monti in 1993, and sadly the founder "Lenny" as he was often called passed away in 1997 at 85 years old. The restaurant is recognized as one of the oldest structures in the Salt River Valley, and the oldest continuously occupied structure in Tempe. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 and the Tempe Historic Property Register in 2000.

End of an Era
After 58 years, Michael Monti announced in 2014 that the restaurant's rising costs of operation had forced him to sell the property. The famous Monti's La Casa Vieja closed in late 2014 after 58 years of service. The building and its 2.5 acres of land were sold to a Colorado based developer, Hensel Phelps, who planned to build a new mixed-use office/retail development called One Hundred Mill. The later additions to the Hayden House were demolished, but the original adobe structure was preserved and was intended for use as a restaurant.

At the time of writing in late 2018, no construction has taken place and the developer had agreed to sell the building back to the City of Tempe as well as invest in renovations and improvements to the 145 year old structure, and reimburse the city for property tax breaks that were given as an incentive.

Lenny Monti's House of Steaks

Not much is known about the history of Lenny Monti's second location in North Phoenix. The restaurant was formerly located at 12025 N 19th Ave. (near 19th Ave. and Cactus Rd.) at the base of Shaw Butte mountain.

Historical aerial imagery shows a building in that location in the Spring of 1976.

The November 19, 1981 issue of the Arizona Republic carried this ad for Monti's:
Lenny & his family invite you to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Complete turkey dinner $25 w/all the trimmings plus dessert. Children's portions only $3.00. We will be serving from our regular menu also. For Thanksgiving reservations call 997-5844. 12025 N 19th Ave Phoenix. 19th Ave and Cactus.

A later advertisement from May 22, 1998 featured a section of "North Phoenix Community Cuisine" with the following advertisement for Monti's:

LENNY MONTI'S RESTAURANT 12025 N. 19th Ave. - 997-5844 Upholding a nearly 50 year tradition isn't easy, but Leonard Monti, Jr., son Mario and daughter, Gina continue to serve Phoenix at 19th Avenue and Cactus with the same excellence in food and warm ambiance that his parents began back in 1947. Original artwork along with native American art and jewelry are showcased in an elegant western decor; a perfect compliment to Lenny Monti's famous steaks, prime rib and mouth watering seafood. An outdoor dining area surrounds a fountain in the courtyard. Enjoy your next lunch, dinner or banquet at Lenny Monti's 19th Avenue and Cactus location, and you'll see why the Monti family tradition of good food, generous portions and good prices are a legend in the valley! One of the long-time regulars put it: "Lenny Monti knows how to treat a steak and a customer". Lenny Monti's is open seven days a week Sunday thru Thursday 11AM to 10PM and Friday. Saturday 11AM to 11PM. Weekend reservations are suggested. 

The building was in place until April 2005, and was torn down by early 2006. It is not known if it operated as Lenny Monti's the entire time. In 2016, a discount retail store called Family Dollar was built on part of the site formerly occupied by Lenny Monti's. All that remains of the restaurant is the sign at the corner of the parking lot:

The sign is all that remains of the former Lenny Monti's location in North Phoenix at 19th Ave. and Cactus Road

Do you know more about the history of Monti's second location in North Phoenix? Please leave us a comment below, and thanks for reading!

Little-Known Cemeteries in Phoenix

Like many cultures, Americans have designated special places as the final resting place for our loved ones. I'm talking about cemeteries - the very word may conjure up mental image of trees, grass, and markers in neat, uniform rows.

Unfortunately, not everyone ends up in such peaceful serenity. There are a number of small, little-known cemeteries around the Phoenix area that have come up in my research. I would not call them abandoned cemeteries as there is certainly someone looking after them, but you might not guess that at first glance.

What makes these different from other cemeteries is that they are often very small, tucked away in neighborhoods, and lacking the green grass and weeping willow trees we are accustomed to seeing. They do not have adequate or visible signage, and many of them are historic and not accepting new burials. Some of them are not open to the public. Let's take a look:

Crosscut Cemetery
325 N 47th Pl., Phoenix, AZ 85008

Just 0.83 acres in size, this small cemetery is located in a residential neighborhood near the Old Crosscut Canal. It is a dirt lot surrounded by a chain-link fence, behind a 7-Eleven convenience store.

Crosscut Cemetery - Phoenix, AZ

Twin Buttes County Cemetery
2200 S 55th St, Tempe, AZ 85282 (approximate)

Twin Buttes is one of those hidden-in-plain-sight things you never knew existed. It is an odd-shaped 4-acre parcel of land located between the I-10 freeway and an apartment complex in Tempe. If you have driven the "Broadway Curve" stretch of Interstate 10, you have driven right by this place. 

According to an article on KTAR.com, Twin Buttes Cemetery opened in 1950 and contains over 5,000 graves. The county operates an indigent-burial program for those who are too poor to afford burial services. The graves are dug and funeral services conducted by prison inmates. There are also a number of "John Doe" and "Jane Doe" graves, which are sometimes exhumed for scientific testing to try and verify an identity.

Twin Buttes Cemetery - Tempe, AZ

Cementerio Lindo
1900 S 15th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85007

This little-known cemetery is a 9.1-acre plot located near 15th Avenue and the Interstate 17 freeway. This description comes from the website billiongraves.com:

Originally known as the Maricopa County Cemetery, this cemetery was in use from 1890 to 1952, when it was closed. The cemetery is locked and there is no seen access.

About 7,000 people were interred from 1890 to 1951. It was owned and administered by Maricopa county but more recently was deeded to the City of Phoenix. It has not been maintained recently but the city did construct an iron fence around it to prevent theft of the headstones and driving vehicles over the graves. It is currently administered by the Pioneers' Cemetery Association (PCA).

Cementerio Lindo - Phoenix, AZ

Old Paths Cemetery (Weedville) (Private)
N 72nd Ave and W Cemetery Rd (near 75th Ave and Thunderbird in Peoria)
At just 0.36 acres in size, this is one of the smallest cemeteries on our list. It is private and not accessible to the public. It is located in a neighborhood in the former community of Weedville, a small community founded in 1911 that was later annexed by the City of Peoria.

Old Paths Cemetery - Peoria, AZ

Russian Molokan Cemetery
N 75th Ave and W Maryland Ave, Glendale, AZ 85303
(Between Glendale Ave and Bethany Home Rd)

Russian Molokans were a group of Spiritual Christians that established an agricultural community in Glendale, Arizona in the early 1900s. Today, this 1.1 acre historic cemetery is about all that remains. The grounds are locked and not accessible to the general public. The cemetery is unique in that there is no grass, no trees, nothing growing at all. It is the opposite of what we may imagine a "typical" cemetery looking like.

Russian Molokan Cemetery - Glendale, AZ

Mt. Sinai Jewish Cemetery
24210 N 68th St., Phoenix, AZ 85054

The most unusual thing about this cemetery is its unusual location - hidden behind an electrical substation in the desert of north Scottsdale. The 20.4 acre cemetery is a beautiful final resting ground for members of the Jewish faith, and yet it remains hidden in plain sight. 

Mt. Sinai Cemetery - Phoenix, AZ

Guadalupe Cemetery
4649 S Beck Ave., Tempe, AZ 85282

This historic cemetery for the Town of Guadalupe dates back to the late 1800s and early 1900s. The town's first church was constructed there in 1904, but the land did not officially belong to Guadalupe until 1979. Today it is surrounded by residential homes on all sides.

Guadalupe Cemetery - Tempe, AZ

 
Do you know about any other obscure or little-known cemeteries in the greater Phoenix area? Please share your stories with us by posting a comment!

Exploring the Ruins of Phoenix's Cloud Nine Restaurant

Dinner With a View
There are several restaurants in Phoenix that provide a stunning view in addition to a meal. The Compass Grill, Orange Sky at Talking Stick, and A Different Pointe of View all offer panoramic vistas in addition to gourmet entrees. But back in the 1960s, there was just one choice for scenic dining: Cloud Nine.

 
Located on the southwest slope of Shaw Butte in the Phoenix Mountains, Cloud Nine was a small, family owned restaurant that operated from January 21, 1961 through November 8, 1964. Though it was in business for only a short while, the restaurant and its legacy endure to this day.

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History of Veterans Memorial Coliseum

New Orleans has the Superdome, Boston has Fenway Park, and Los Angeles has the Rose Bowl. Each of these stadiums is an icon within its respective city. In Phoenix, no stadium is more famous than the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, or simply "The Coliseum."

Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in 2009
Photo by: Michael Lundgren

A Phoenix Icon
The Coliseum is an important building in Phoenix's history for its historical significance and its unique architecture. The Arizona State Fair Commission recognized the need for an indoor, multi-purpose building as early as 1962. The intent was to use the enclosed stadium during the State Fair and for concerts and other events throughout the year.

Design and Construction
In 1964, the Commission approved a design from Phoenix architects Lescher and Mahoney. They were the most prominent firm in Arizona and built nearly every significant building in Phoenix today, during their heydey of 1910 to 1975.

Lescher and Mahoney's design for the Coliseum featured a very unique shaped roof. The actual geometric shape is a hyperbolic paraboloid, but to the layperson, it resembles a horse saddle or a Pringles potato chip. The roof is made up of more than 1,000 pre-cast concrete panels, which are supported by high tension steel cables. Each panel weighs over 3,000 pounds!

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Remembering the El Cid Castle in Sunnyslope

El Cid Castle before its demolition.
Photo by: Tony the Marine

There is something about castles that captures the imagination. Castles are symbols of strength, able to withstand attacks from intruders and protect the occupants from harm.

Most of the world's historic castles were built in Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries, which means that Americans are not accustomed to seeing them in person.

Perhaps because of their rarity or perhaps because of their association with fairy tales and fantasy, many Americans are fascinated by castles. This led to a number of European-inspired castles being built in America in the 1800s and 1900s. One of the most well-known castles in Phoenix was the El Cid Castle in Sunnyslope.

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Metro Light Rail Expansion Continues

There is an old expression "burning the candle at both ends" which refers to someone working quickly to finish a project. In the case of the Valley Metro Light Rail, they are *building* at both ends!

Construction is underway to extend the Light Rail system in both Mesa and Phoenix. The Mesa segment is expected to open four new stations in August 2015 with two additional stations planned.

In Phoenix, the expansion is divided into two phases, which are scheduled to be completed in 2016 and 2026, respectively.

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Spring Training Baseball Explodes in Popularity

Baseball is a national pasttime that Americans have enjoyed for generations. But in Phoenix, it's more than just a cherished sport - it's big business. That's because Phoenix is the home of the Cactus League, one of two off-season leagues for major league teams.

The mild winters temperatures and lack of snow made Phoenix an ideal location for spring training teams, particularly from colder Midwestern cities like Chicago and Milwaukee.

The first team to ever conduct spring training in Phoenix was the Detroit Tigers in 1929. The Chicago Cubs trained in Mesa from 1979 to 1996, and the Seattle Mariners trained in Tempe from 1977 through 1993. For a long time, Spring Training was a cottage industry that only attracted the most die-hard baseball fans.

I'm not sure exactly when it happened or why it happened, but sometime in the last 20 years, the Spring Training industry exploded into a massive multi-million dollar industrial complex.

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The Gold Spot: Phoenix's Underground Bowling Alley

Urban historians may be disappointed to find out that many of Phoenix's mid-century restaurants, banks, and coffee shops have long ago been razed in the name of progress. However, there are a number of Phoenix bowling alleys which still stand today that serve as reminders of the past.

The most famous of these is the AMC Bethany Lanes at 19th Ave and Bethany Home Road. Opened in the 1960s as 300 Bowl, this building is still open and retains its signature Googie-style upswept-triangle roof.

In North Phoenix, the Northgate Bowl (now Let It Roll Bowl) at 12th St. and Dunlap Ave. has interesting brickwork and angled columns that are pure 1960s delight.

Today, I want to write about a bowling alley that wasn't so lucky. It was called The Gold Spot and it was located in downtown Phoenix. The interesting thing about the Gold Spot Bowling Alley is that it was completely underground!

I first read about the Gold Spot in the Phoenix New Times, and I was interested to find out more. With my camera in hand, I headed downtown to do some exploring.

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The History of Metrocenter Mall

Phoenix has long been on the cutting edge of retail, especially when it comes to shopping malls.

The first mall in Phoenix was Park Central Mall, which opened at the corner of Central and Osborn Road in 1957. It wasn't long before the Christown Mall followed in 1961, which was notable for being the first indoor, air-conditioned mall in the state.

Soon, other malls began sprouting up all over the valley:

Maryvale Mall - opened 1960
Tri City Mall, Mesa - opened 1968
Los Arcos Mall - opened 1969

But the grandest of all was Metrocenter Mall, which opened in Phoenix in 1973. The mall was located in the northern part of town, just west of Interstate 17 between Peoria Ave and Dunlap Ave. It's worth noting that in the early '70s, I-17 only went up to about Camp Verde. It didn't connect to Flagstaff until 1976, and even then it was just a two-lane highway between Camp Verde and Flagstaff.

Metrocenter Mall under construction in 1972.
Image Credit: city-data.com

The Early Days
Metrocenter was a record-breaker in many ways. With over 1.4 million square feet of space, it was both the largest mall in Arizona and the first two-story mall in Arizona. A $21 million dollar loan was granted to build the mall - the largest commercial loan in the state's history (up until that time).

Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix, AZ.
Image Credit: barbarastew-art.com

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Vintage Signs of Phoenix

In our high-tech modern world of apps, connected devices, same-day delivery and always-on broadband, it might seem like we are living in the future. However, there are still signs of the past all around us.

Take Phoenix for example. While it is a very modern city with urban lofts and the Metro Light Rail, there are also signs of the past everywhere! Many of these signs are hand-painted unique creations that look out of place in the mass-produced, corporate style guide world of today.

Each of these signs uses shape as well as color to draw the eye and to illustrate movement. I am interested in preserving this part of Phoenix's history through photography, and today I want to share with you some of my favorite vintage signs in Phoenix.

Cheese 'N Stuff Delicatessen

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Wal-Mart, Light Rail to Revitalize Metrocenter Mall

What was once the largest mall in Arizona is now facing increased competition from retail "power centers," online shopping, and reduced consumer spending due to the economy.

Now, a plan is underway to revitalize Metrocenter Mall and the surrounding area.

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Why Is Phoenix So Hot?

Phoenix is famous for its scorching hot temperatures during the summer. Between June and August, the daily high temperatures can be over 110°F (43°C) for several days in a row.

So, why is Phoenix so hot? There are a variety of natural and man-made factors.

NATURAL FACTORS

1. No Sea Breeze
This might seem kind of obvious, but I'm going to cover it anyway. Many of America's major cities are coastal cities. San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, NYC, Miami, and Chicago are all located near large bodies of water. The effect of wind blowing across the water provides a year-round cooling effect called a Sea Breeze. Because Phoenix is not located near any large bodies of water, the city does not receive this natural cooling effect.

2. Low Elevation
Another factor in a city's temperature is its elevation. Phoenix is about 1,080' above sea level. Compare that with cities like Las Vegas (elev. 2,030'), Salt Lake City (elev. 4,327'), Denver (elev. 5280'), or Albuquerque (5,312'). Lower elevations typically have higher temperatures because there is more air above them, which increases the atmospheric pressure.

3. Close to the Equator
You may recall from high school geography class that the world is divided into a system of vertical and horizontal lines called Latitude and Longitude.

Phoenix is relatively close to the Equator, at just 33°N Latitude. Las Vegas is at 36°N, Salt Lake City is at 40°N, Chicago is at 41°N and Minneapolis is at 45°N. (Keep in mind, the North Pole is at 90°N).

Near the Equator, Earth's atmosphere is very thin. This allows more of the sun's energy to be absorbed by the earth. Higher elevations are more protected against the atmosphere and thus have cooler temperatures.

4. Down in the Valley
Phoenix is located in the Salt River Valley - a low spot surrounded by mountains. These mountains block the wind and rain that would ordinarily be transported by a current of fast-moving air called the sub-tropical Jet Stream. Because of our natural barriers, Phoenix has over 300 days of sunshine per year.                                          

MAN-MADE FACTORS

 
5. The Heat Island Effect
Some of the factors in Phoenix's notoriously hot temperatures are due to man-made causes. One of these is the heat island effect.

Much of the city is paved with concrete and asphalt for roads, parking lots, driveways, and sidewalks. Pavement stores and retains the heat from the sun. What this means is that after the sun goes down, overnight low temperatures do not drop much as they would in an unpaved area.

So there you have it: five reasons why Phoenix is such a hot city during the summer.

Also, please remember that this article covers the climate of Phoenix. Other cities in Arizona including Flagstaff and Show Low have all four seasons.

ValTrans: An Idea Ahead of Its Time

Phoenix is a large metropolitan city with a population of about 4.1 million people. When you compare Phoenix to similar cities like Boston (4.6 million people) and Atlanta (5.5 million people), they have something we do not: a large-scale mass-transit system.

There is a reason for this: Phoenix is a much larger city geographically than these other cities. The greater Boston area is about 4,676 square miles while Atlanta is about 8,376 square miles. Phoenix, by comparison, is a staggering 16,573 square miles - more than double the size of Atlanta with a million fewer residents!

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10 Things to Get Over About Phoenix

I got the idea for this post after reading an article on BuzzFeed called "10 Things to Get Over About Los Angeles" and realizing that many of the same complaints about LA could also apply to Phoenix. Well, here's my list of 10 Things to Get Over About Phoenix.

1. The Heat
Phoenix gets ridiculously hot with summer temperatures hitting as high as 120°F (49°C). And as the locals are quick to point out, it's a DRY heat. The air is not thick and muggy like in other parts of the country. The low relative humidity actually helps the human body cool itself more effectively (read more).

While the heat may be brutal, it must not be that unbearable if 4.2 million people are willing to live here. There are ways to adapt to the heat including air conditioning, evaporative cooling, wearing light-colored and loose-fitting clothing, drinking lots of water, and staying in the shade. Yes it gets scorchingly hot during the summer, but over 4 million people make it work and you can, too.

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What's the Deal with WinCo Foods?

Savvy Phoenix shoppers may have noticed a new chain of grocery stores popping up around town. WinCo Foods is a new player in a landscape that has been dominated by Safeway, Albertson's, Wal-Mart, Food City, and Fry's.

So here's the lowdown on WinCo Foods: the company was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Boise, Idaho. Prior to 1999, they were known as Waremart Food Centers.   

Their first store opened in Phoenix in 2012. They have 5 valley locations in Phoenix, Glendale, Mesa, and a new one in Gilbert.

If you are thinking about checking them out, there are a couple of things you should know about WinCo Foods:

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2 Arizona Restaurants Make Yelp's Top 100 List in 2014

One of the most popular websites for restaurant reviews is Yelp! With thousands of user-submitted reviews of restaurants in major cities all over the U.S., Yelp has become an authority for diners who want the inside scoop on hot new eateries.

Recently, the site published a list of their Top 100 Places to Eat in 2014. Of the 100 restaurants named, two of them are located right here in Phoenix!

Coming in at #81 we have the Short Leash Hot Dogs in downtown Phoenix. This gourmet food truck is owned by a husband and wife team and can often be found at local events such as Food Truck Fridays.

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Best Mexican Food in Phoenix

One of the things people always ask me about Phoenix is: where do you find the best Mexican food? It's true, our close proximity to Mexico means we have a broad selection of restaurants serving up Mexican cuisine - much more than you would find in say, the Midwest or the Northeast.

However, not all restaurants are created equal. As with any other type of ethnic food, the experience depends on a lot of factors. To find the best Mexican food, you need to first determine what kind of meal you want.

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2014 Warrior Dash Arizona Photos

The Warrior Dash is an obstacle race in which participants are challenged to run, climb, jump over, and swim through a variety of physically demanding obstacles. 

These type of events have grown rapidly in popularity over the past couple of years, with many other events such as Tough Mudder and Spartan Run also drawing large crowds.

The Warrior Dash recently came to Phoenix, AZ on April 12, 2014. This was my first time attending one of these events and I took some photos which I hope will give you an idea of what to expect at an obstacle race.

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