Posts Tagged ‘paradise valley property expert’

The Sanctuary Real Estate in Paradise Valley Has Storied History

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

One area of Paradise Valley luxury real estate that exudes not just sophistication and style, but also a wealth of history, is the Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa. And what many people do not realize is that this exclusive resort’s legacy is filled with Hollywood celebrities, international tennis stars and even highly placed politicos.

According to The Sanctuary’s website, www.sanctuaryoncamelback.com, the story begins back in the early 1950s when the unique mountainside property was purchased by a group of investors including Hollywood stars Joanne Dru, John Ireland and Sydney Chaplin, Charlie Chaplin’s son. Joanne Dru was a famous actress who worked with big names including Jimmy Stewart, Al Jolson and John Ford; she and Ireland, who worked with Stanley Kubrick, Michael Landon and Broderick Crawford among others, were married at the time. Well-known architect Hiram Hudson Benedict, a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright, was tapped to design a clubhouse, and Benedict and Ireland developed the clubhouse, five tennis courts and a prototype casita that become John Ireland’s Arizona home.

Throughout the 1950s, the facility was known as the Paradise Valley Racquet Club. Thanks to its Hollywood cachet, the tennis club attracted la crème de la crème of motion picture stars along with world-ranked tennis figures such as Ken Rosewall and Pancho Gonzales. As the 1950s turned into the 1960s, local real estate entrepreneurs Vik Jackson and Les Heitel brought together an investment group that purchased the Racquet Club’s 53 mountainside acres, including the tennis courts, casitas and clubhouse. Meanwhile, tennis-training impresarios John and Barbara Gardiner were in the process of expanding their California-based tennis business. They became part of the operation and decided to construct additional casitas as well as expansive homes on the property, which then became known as John Gardiner’s Tennis Ranch.

At about the same time, Paradise Valley resident and political heavyweight Senator Barry Goldwater was spearheading a group that was formed to preserve Camelback Mountain. The Tennis Ranch provided strong support for the preservation movement which eliminated development of land above the 1,700-foot level of Camelback Mountain. To help ensure that the mountain was preserved, the owners of the tennis facility transferred acreage from their privately-owned real estate into the Preserve.

In addition to helping save Camelback Mountain, the resort also supported community causes by holding numerous celebrity tennis tournaments to benefit a variety of charities. These tournaments drew many Hollywood stars, both as players and as spectators, including Dean Martin, Jimmy Durante, Liza Minelli, Johnny Carson, Bill Cosby and others. The Senator’s Cup Tennis Tournament was also hosted at the Ranch, featuring members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives and other politicians who battled for bragging rights in front of an often-packed gallery.

A few ownership transitions later, along with massive renovations, and the resort took on new life when it reopened in March 2001 as Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa. The Sanctuary is now home to not just a storied history, but also magnificent spa-like amenities, sensational valley-wide views and award-winning fine dining.

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Train Lovers are Home at Paradise Valley Area Railroad Park

Friday, August 20th, 2010

When someone stops to consider the settling of the west, he or she cannot help but think of the railroads that were built by the tedious and hard labor of the working man. The Paradise Valley, Arizona area still pays homage to that hard work and the locomotives that brought the people that inhabited the area and essentially made it what it is today.  For a taste of the train travel that these people experienced, you do not want to miss out on the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park.

If you own real estate in Paradise Valley, one of the things that draw residents to this park is undoubtedly the opportunity to hop aboard the trains.  However, the trains might not be exactly what you expect.  The locomotives and engines that parade around the track are built as a replicas of the trains of those old days, but are built at just 5/12 scale.  That means anything that was one-foot-long on the trains of old, is just five inches on the Paradise and Pacific Railroad at Railroad Park.  Nevertheless, the ride will give you the thrill you seek and the best part is, your destination will not be the unsettled West.  Instead you will arrive back where you started and can begin your journey through the other great aspects of this park.

The children will, of course, not be able to walk far before turning to you with looks of excitement.  Near the center of the park sits a 1950’s carousel called the Scottsdale Charro Carousel.  With thirty horses and two wheelchair chariots, this is definitely an aspect of the park that you and the little ones will not want to miss.

Photo by: Stressedad

Finally, when your legs need a rest, but the kids are eager to keep going, make a stop at the playgrounds where you can take a seat and watch as the children play on the swings, slides, monkey bars, and other exciting features of the giant kid fun zone. 

Real estate in the Old West would have been valueless if the people were not able to get the food and supplies they needed to survive.  This was the reason for the small general stores of the time.  Therefore, a visit to Railroad Park would not be complete without visiting Hartley’s General Store.  For the best in souvenirs, snacks, and slushies, Hartley’s is the perfect place to wrap up a visit to the park.  Or, if your sweet tooth simply cannot be tamed, perhaps you would rather stop by the old Southern Pacific Railroad Caboose, which is now renovated to serve the snacks you crave.  Sweets, such as ice cream and yogurt, are served alongside hot dogs, hamburgers and drinks.  The perfect ending to a perfect day.

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Paradise Valley Home to Several Outstanding Private Schools

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

Homes in Paradise Valley are sought after by many families for numerous reasons one of those are the schools. In addition to excellent public schools, the community is also home to several outstanding private schools, one of which is the Phoenix Country Day School.

Opened in 1961, Phoenix Country Day School is rich in history and boasts a Lower School, Middle School and an Upper School. The Lower School program provides a quality education for students in Pre-K through fourth grade, offering a nurturing environment focused on traditional academics, small classes and a comprehensive curriculum enhanced with foreign language, technology, library science, art, music and physical education.

The Middle School encompasses the fifth through eighth grades and enjoys class sizes below twenty to ensure personal connections with faculty. Along with rigorous study, students travel on annual class trips, and the athletics program gives any interested student the chance to build skills and confidence by participation in team sports. Meanwhile, the Upper School features a challenging academic schedule based on a liberal arts curriculum, numerous electives and over a dozen Advanced Placement courses. Designed to prepare students for entrance into selective colleges and universities, the curriculum also emphasizes community service, social activities and sports.

If you are considering purchasing a home or residential real estate in Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, Phoenix or surrounding communities, and are interested in an independent, private education, you should take a look at the Phoenix Country Day School to see if it meets the needs of you and your family.

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