All Blog Entries by Joanna Zajusz

The light rail station on 19th Avenue and Montebello is an end station.  You can't go any further North, at least not for a few more years.  Extensions are in the works, but it's will take some time.  This station ends at a mall and a busy intersection.  It's amazing how open the space around it is.  It an area ready to be built up, awaiting another boom or a deluge of people to Central Phoenix. 

It's not easy to find the public art here.  You'll need to look up and the description below the photo from the Metro Art Book, describes it well.

(Photos: Artur Ciesielski)

Light Rail Public Art From The 'Metro Art Book'

A terminus station on the METRO light rail starter line, the 19th Avenue and Montebello station is one of the tallest.…

It's inevitable that a certain amount of home won't sell.  In fact it's quite a large number that does not sell and it happens for many reasons: there are dozens into which I won't go into, except for the most common one: price.

I don't know how many times it can be repeated, but the price matters and the price is not a fixed figure because the market is not fixed.  Just as the market changes so should the price, within reason of course.

So the price is important and every seller wants to obtain the highest price possible.  There are ways to help a seller obtain the top possible price, but despite all that is done it will never be beyond what the market will bear, but it can be on the higher spectrum of the range. 

So let's take a look at a…

You're probably familiar with the often travelled Murphy's Bridle Path running along Central Avenue in North Central Phoenix, but there is a shorter yet also unique bridle path along 15th Avenue.

photos: Artur Ciesielski

The path runs along the west end of 15th Avenue from north of Glendale to short just short of Northern right before reaching Royal Palm.  I don't have much history about it.  There are many huge horse properites on which horses prounce around on lush green grass.  Over the years a few of these horse properties have been replaced by smaller subdivisions. 

There is a lot of character here: huge mature eucalypust trees, olive trees and a sense of place that comes only with the passing of time.  It's very unsual to be…

This station is called Park Central due to the location next to Park Central, an old mall transformed into offices with a few restaurants.  Park Central Mall was finished in 1957 which was on the outskirts of town.  It replaced an old dairy farm.  Over time the mall died out as people headed to newer enclosed malls. 

Today Park Central has some bad opinions and it could be used better, but Phoenix has space and there is no need to increase density to this area while so many other lots remain empty.  Some of the current occupants include The Good Egg, one of the busiest Starbucks in the city, a wonderful delicious Thai Basil plus locations for Banner Health Systems and St. Joseph's Hospital.

photos: Artur Ciesielski

The neighborhood is…

photo: Artur Ciesielski

It's not that this home appeared from nowhere. It's been there since 1929, one of the earlier homes built in this subdivision, but for many years if was hidden behind a thick mix of trees and bushes obscuring not only its presence but also the architecture.  

This type of architecture, tudor, is more typical of homes in Willo then the Uptown's Windsor Square.  It's is a rare piece, one of only a few if not a couple of other similar homes in the neighborhood mostly characterized by ranch homes.

Do you want some of the better coffee in town and some decadent traditional, sometimes with a twist, pastries or just to hang out surrounded by an energy resonation inside and out? Then this would be your stop at Lux Coffee.

But, besides the coffee this stop is the main on off point for Central High, several historic neighborhoods and some businesses like the Slippery Pig Bike Shop.  A few large lots await the next building boom.

Photos: Artur Ciesielski

The Art At The Station

"For Al Price, a local artist and former teacher, the goal of the artwork at the Campbell station was to provide a dynamic and engaging experience for students attending nearby high schools and to create a feeling of elegance timelessness for the neighborhood.

A…

The Encanto & Central Avenue Station is surrounded by plenty of residential neighborhood and high-rises.  

The McDowell and Central platform is just south of McDowell: it's is the one you take for places like the Phoenix Public Library, Phoenix Art Museum and then the southern end of Willo Historic District, Upper end of Roosevelt or the highly regarded Artisan Lofts on Central.  That's why it's called the Cultural District. 

Photos: Artur Ciesielski

The Art

"Flanked by the Burton Barr Public Library and Phoenix Art Museum, the McDowell station was a perfect match for local artist Michael Maglich. A generous man, brimming with curiosity and wit, Michael envisioned A Thousand Points of Reference as a celebration of the diverse possibilities available to the institutes’ patrons as well as the nearby neighborhoods.

Bronze books are scattered…

Stately homes, lush tall trees and bushes obscuring yards, a bike route and a river all along the short but beautiful street in Arcadia in the East Camelback Village of Phoenix.

photos: Artur Ciesielski

Arcadia is one of the most unique of neighborhoods in Phoenix: it’s green, has historic interest, a diverse architectural base, superb location and a overall great feel.  

It gets even better when you delve into the details, get on a bike or walk the streets of Arcadia, like Lafayette Boulevard just north of Arizona Canal which is Arcadia’s original lifeline and remains an important icon in the life of Arcadians.  In fact, a smaller canal runs along Lafayette taking water to those who chose to leave their lots irrigated.

Lafayette…

It's really obvious: obvious to those who know the complex and area that this condo is worth $85,000 and not the $97,000 the agent doing the broker price opinion (BPO) came up with.

So we countered at $86,000.  A few weeks go by and the bank rejects the counter stating it will only accept $97,000, probably believing, based on the wrong BPO that they will either find someone stupid enough to pay $97,000 or that should it go into foreclosure that they will get closer to that then short selling it for the current offer price.

How the BPO agent arrived at $97,000 is a mystery.  In fact, the BPO agent did not even go to the property as required.  The lender did not even hear care to understand that the BPO is wrong and that the BPO agent did not…