North Phoenix Condos
North Phoenix Condos
Today, urban living in Phoenix is HOT! But it was not always so. Phoenix real estate had long had a reputation for little more than sub-urban sprawl and vast areas of wood-framed homes wrapped in stucco and topped with clay tile roofs. There was very little in the way of vertical living or dense urban cores like that found in other major metropolitan areas. Three high-rise residential condo buildings, Executive Towers, Regency on Central (formerly Regency House), and Embassy were built in the 1960s as apartments and later converted to condos. Phoenix Towers was built in the 1950s as a co-op for which purpose it still serves today. It wasn’t until 1990 that the first high-rise building was constructed from the ground up in Phoenix to serve as condominiums. That building, Crystal Point, unfortunately, was built during a boom/bust cycle and sales were slow for almost a decade. Now it is a vibrant and popular luxury urban high-rise building known for its large open floor plans, fantastic views, and more. High Rise and Urban Lofts are Popular Why? Because among other things they’re more social, they’re interesting, they’re convenient and they’re dynamic. Putting more people together in a smaller space results in synergy, change, and competition. It’s exciting. Urban living is where it’s at. Business competition is greater in urban cores, so they work harder to attract people. Restaurants, for example, have cooler decor, good service, and great food, or else they get crushed by the competition. Examples include Postinos on Central, Windsor, Federal Pizza, Klever Koi, Fez, Vig Uptown, Rokerij, Luci’s MarketPlace, Alexis, St Francis and The Yard… I could go on. These aren’t boring big-box restaurants. No, in most cases they are small, unique concept restaurants that are thriving and in doing so encourage other restaurateurs to join the fray. The Central Corridor and the surrounding area are enjoying a restaurant BOOM right now with no end in sight. Now take this same formula and apply it to mid-century lighting stores, coffee shops, bars, art galleries, furniture stores, and knick-knack shops then blend in light rail access and cheap(er) taxi / Uber rides, free bike and walking treks. Tie it all together with great architecture in the form of high-rise condos, lofts, row homes, and luxury condos and you have a kick-ass place to live. And yes, the trend is in its infancy with a lot more to come.