La Hacienda Historic District, Phoenix, Arizona
District boundaries are roughly: 3rd Street to 7th Street, Catalina Drive south to Thomas Road
The La Hacienda Historic District spans just two streets—Verde Lane and Catalina Drive—between 3rd and 7th streets in central Phoenix. Monterrey, Spanish and Mediterranean Revival-style homes sit behind grassy lawns along curbless streets that are reminiscent of older, more rural days. In a city that loves to put cement curbing everywhere, the absence of it is notable and refreshing here. A stroll through La Hacienda puts you under the shade of mature trees, giving this district high points on our “pedestrian friendly” and “family friendly” scorecard.
La Hacienda is a terrific choice if you are looking for a home with history that also has space. The typical Revival-style home has an average of 3200 square feet with at least 3 bedrooms, and usually 3 baths, all on a 1/2 acre or more of lush grounds. Newer Ranch-style homes (closer to 3rd Street) have an average of 1800 square feet, typically with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, and are on smaller lots although they still have more lawn than the average downtown property.
The elegant Phoenix County Club, said to inspire this upscale neighborhood back in the 20s, is La Hacienda’s neighbor to the east of 7th Street. The light rail on Central Avenue is a short 1/3 mile to the west. And the gourmet ghetto of Coronado Historic District offers several good restaurant choices on 7th Street just south of Thomas Road—America’s Tacos, the Coronado Café, La Piccola Cucina to name a few.
La Hacienda neighbors have found their voice in recent years as they work to keep development on their northern edge in tune with the neighborhood. A small but mighty bunch (there are only about three dozen homes in the La Hacienda Historic District), these neighbors love their homes and their neighborhood. They will keep you up-to-date on plans for the demo’d site on the northeast corner of 3rd Street and Catalina, and for possible changes to the apartments at 7th Street and Catalina which should, one day, be redeveloped into ownership units.
If these handsome and spacious homes call to you but you can’t find one available, you might want to check out the Country Club Manor neighborhood/Phoenix Country Club across 7th Street or the Alvarado and Encanto-Palmcroft Historic Districts. If the landscaping of La Hacienda appeals to you but you don’t want that much house, you might also like the adobe homes of the Phoenix Homesteads Historic District.
For more on the details of the homes, neighborhood history, and stories from the neighbors, check out this great site from graduate students at the downtown ASU Cronkite School: http://cronkiteworks.asu.edu/streets_of_dreams/neighborhoods/la_hacienda/index.html
Phoenix Country Club: http://www.phoenixcc.org/Default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&PageId=249287&ssid=106440&vnf=1
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