North Phoenix Full of Empty Office Buildings

For decades the Deer Valley Airpark area has been one of the fastest growing regions of commercial real estate in North Phoenix, but these days it's looking more and more like a ghost town.

If you were to drive the two-mile stretch of road between Deer Valley Road and Happy Valley Road like I did today, you would see a startling number of For Rent signs in a sea of mirrored glass buildings. So why are there so many empty office buildings in North Phoenix?

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Historic Arizona Biltmore Celebrates 80th Anniversary

Earlier this month I wrote about Taliesin West, the school of architecture designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright's distinctive style has influenced other buildings in the Phoenix area such as the Arizona Biltmore, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year.

The Biltmore first opened in 1929 and has remained operational for the past eight decades. Many people often misattribute the design of the Biltmore to Frank Lloyd Wright, but it was in fact designed by Albert Chase McArthur. Wright served as a consultant who oversaw the unique "textile block" construction of the hotel.

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Explore Taliesin West for Free with the Phoenix Culture Pass

You just cannot mention Scottsdale, Arizona without mentioning Frank Lloyd Wright. The Taliesin West school in Scottsdale is a masterpiece of his own design and a landmark attraction of the architecture community. The high cost of ticket prices has always kept me from checking it out for myself, but thanks to the new Culture Pass program I finally got my chance.

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Free Admission to Arizona National Parks July 18th-19th

The sixteen National Parks and Monuments scattered throughout Arizona are some of our state's greatest treasures. If you have been waiting for that perfect time to visit one, this weekend is it!

This weekend is one of the rare "Fee-Free Weekends" sponsored by the National Park Service, where all admission fees are waived. Yes, that includes the Grand Canyon!

Over 100 National Parks across the country will be taking part in the second of three "Fee-Free Weekends" for 2009. The complete list of participating parks and monuments is posted on the NPS website.

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Experience Classic Car Nirvana at Desert Valley Auto Parts

When it comes to car parts, it's no secret that the junkyards of Phoenix are among the best in the country. Cars do not get rusty and corroded here, thanks to the dry air and mild winters. This is the perfect climate for a place like Desert Valley Auto Parts.

Desert Valley is very different from your typical junkyard. It is a place that classic car enthusiasts might describe as the "mother lode." It's been featured in Car Craft, Mopar Muscle, and dozens of other magazines. It is a place of legendary status, like the Fountain of Youth or the Seven Cities of Gold.

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