New stuff on Scottsdale-Blog

I have been busy adding new info to Scottsdale-blog. I have added detail about each of the communities in McCormick Ranch, starting with the town home/patio home communities, then the apartment styled condos and the last section, still to come, will be the single family communities.

Check out the tables, making it easy to identify communities with features like golf views, heated community pool, gated and others. As the weeks go by I will be posting about each of these different communities. Making it easier for you to identify the right neighborhood for you.

McCormick Ranch town home community of Pleasant Run

Pleasant Run is a town home community located to the west of Hayden Rd in Scottsdale’s McCormick Ranch.  This town home community offers single level and two story properties, two community pools, spas, tennis courts and it is just a few steps to the Camelback Walk. Take a look at the video to find out more.

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The Camelback Walk

The Camelback Walk is a multi-use path that is available to anyone.  It meanders behind the communities, along the parks, golf courses, lakes and commercial areas.  It is one added bonus of living in McCormick Ranch.

 

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Scottsdale bridge progresses over flood-prone wash

Today’s Arizona Republic had this article on the Indian Bend wash construction.  Be prepared for detouring in the months ahead.

Scottsdale bridge progresses over flood-prone wash

by Jane Larson - Jul. 14, 2008 08:39 AM
The Arizona Republic

Concrete arches of the Indian Bend Road bridge are poured, and by this time next year Scottsdale motorists will no longer worry about flooding in that stretch of Indian Bend Wash.

The $26 million bridge between Hayden and Scottsdale roads will be ready in early 2009, said city spokeswoman Annie DeChance.

Workers began pouring concrete for the bridge in April, and have completed 60 percent of the span, she said.

For months motorists have faced traffic restrictions, and later this year they will have to find another way around.

Indian Bend Road soon to close

After the summer monsoons, motorists will face a months-long period when that stretch of Indian Bend Road will simply be closed.

Construction crews will be finishing the bridge, connecting it to the realigned road and building other parts of the project.

The Indian Bend Road closure through the wash originally was set to begin this summer, and last for five months.

DeChance said the closure was pushed back by bad weather and because the city is waiting for construction on McDonald Drive - another of the city’s key east-west routes, a mile to the south - to finish.

For months a stretch of McDonald - also between Hayden and Scottsdale roads - has been reduced to one lane in each direction. That project should be mostly done by August, the city estimates.

Neighbors react to project

Indian Bend Road neighbors are most concerned about where the new roadway will go, area resident Dennis Suchocki said.

"We go down Indian Bend and say, ‘What’s this going to look like?’ " he said. "They’re going to do what they’re going to do. We’re just hoping good things happen."

The bridge project will realign the current two-lane road, widening it to four lanes - two in each direction - and curving south to connect with the new bridge.

Work is more than just a bridge

The current road through the wash will be replaced by a concrete slope, finished in exposed aggregate, to prevent erosion.

The rest of the project, including public art, is to be complete by the end of 2009, DeChance said. April 2009 was the original target.

The project will include a landscaped median, bike lanes, a sidewalk on the south side, bus shelters, turn lanes at Scottsdale and Hayden roads and a connection between the Indian Bend Wash multiuse path and the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park.

Public art for the project is being constructed by Seattle artists Laura Haddad and Tom Drugan.

Public art: Five gargoyle horses

It will feature five horse gargoyles, made of aluminum, to be installed on the concrete slope north of the bridge. The bridge and six public-art walls will sport red tiles marking the water depth in one-foot increments.

The construction project started in September and is designed to eliminate Indian Bend Road closures due to flooding. Drivers made 14,400 trips a day in 2006 on Indian Bend between Scottsdale and Hayden roads, according to transportation studies.

Two motorists made national television news in 2006 when they drove into four-foot-deep floodwaters flowing across the road and firefighters had to rescue them.

The two later paid fines for ignoring flood-warning signs.

Artesia a New community next to McCormick Ranch

As you gaze across Camelback Lake from the McCormick Ranch Golf Club you see a strange site in this area.  You see new construction.  Starpointe’s new community Artesia is not in McCormick Ranch, but is just next door and so I am including it in the area communities.

The community located off Scottsdale Rd just north of Indian Bend Rd is in a great location, with restaurants (including the soon to open Roka Akor) and shopping walking distance from the homes.  The community will have a fitness center, yoga and aerobics room, massage rooms, lap pool, spa, clubhouse with theater, event/ game rooms, state of the art golf simulator, pet spa and much more.  The community besides being on the golf course will also have 10 acres of private park area, four miles of walking paths, and water gardens.

In Artesia there are two styles of buildings.  The first has what they are calling Residences, single level condos, starting from $354,900 for a one bedroom unit, on the first thru third floors, and two bedroom units starting from $434,900.  On the fourth floor they have the Penthouse with 2260 sqft, and 1211 sqft of private wrap around deck, I am sure the views will be stunning.  The pricing is $1,199,900 for the penthouses.

The second style is the Brownstone collection, three story units starting at 2907 sqft with private garages, and  views of the Pines course at McCormick Ranch.  The prices start from $1,064,900.

If you are looking to be close to everything Scottsdale has to offer, and looking for new properties in an urban setting, Artesia may be right for you.

McCormick Ranch’s town home community, El Paseo

At the south east corner of Hayden Rd and Via Linda you will find the town home community of El Paseo. There are 141 homes in El Paseo, with over half of the homes having private pools, just over 20 homes back up to the Camelback Walk . Most of the homes have large master suites, with large bathrooms and closets, high ceiling’s and fireplaces. With no community pools or other amenities, the HOA fees are low at $80 per month and include the front yard maintenance. This is a great location to be close to everything, and keep the expenses down.

Scottsdale’s Camelback Walk thru McCormick Ranch, a video tour

The Camelback Walk is a multi use path that meanders thru the parks, under roads, along the golf courses, lakes and communities of Scottsdale.  It was designed to support the water flow of a hundred year flood, creating for us the wonderful open spaces to enjoy.

McCormick Ranch’s Country Horizons

I prefer to work with buyers, and in many cases will refer any listings to another agent I partner with with who is a listing specialist. So I don’t do many open houses, and as I am writing each of my blog posts, I have been going by open houses, and taking photos of the communities to share with you. While talking with the other agents sometime you learn about unique qualities in the community, that would be missed otherwise.

This weekend, I stopped in the Country Horizons community. It is a single family home community with the home owners association taking care of all front yard maintenance. Making the community look beautiful. The community also has two casitas, available to the home owners to rent for their guests. Country Horizons is next to Mountain View park and the homes back up to the Camelback Walk , giving 22 of the 67 homes in the community no neighbor to the back. Over 70% of the homes have private pools, and many of the homes have 3 car garages, and all of the homes are single level. The average size of the homes in this community is 2600sqft.

Spanish Oaks, a McCormick Ranch town home Community

The community of Spanish Oaks is located to the north of McCormick Parkway. This guarded and gated community has almost 120 homes, with 32 of them having east or north facing views of the Palms Golf course . The community pool is surrounded by a private lake making it both cooling and enjoyable to sit and enjoy. The community of Spanish Oaks was built in 1979 and 1980. Most of the homes are single level and there are 23 two story units in the neighborhood. Most of the homes have wood burning fireplaces and range in size from 1487 sqft to 1892 sqft.

Meridian in McCormick Ranch

The community of Meridian is located just off the McCormick Ranch Parkway to the north. With the Scottsdale Resort to the west and Spanish Oaks to the east. There are 7 homes with a view of the Palms Golf Course . This gated community has homes ranging in size from just over 1500sqft and up to about 2400sqft. There are single level and two story homes, with 111 total residences. There are 23 homes listed as having a private pool. There is also a community pool awaiting you as well. The homes have high vaulted ceilings, and large full sized master bathrooms with separate tub and shower and wood burning fire places.

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