Ahwatukee is a great place...are there any 'bad' parts... (school district, gated communities)

[observer53]

I wonder if that freeway will EVER actually get built, and if so, whether it will get built on the non-reservation land. They bought houses along Pima Road years ago for the 101, then the Salt River Tribe relented and let them build it on reservation land, and ADOT had to sell the houses again.

[landbox]

ADOT buying some houses in planned freeway's path

This topic came up in azcentral recently:

ADOT buying some houses in planned freeway's path.


The Arizona Department of Transportation is quietly buying Phoenix homes in the path of the planned South Mountain Freeway from people with special hardship cases, even though the state is strapped for cash and the agency is in talks to move the route.
....
ADOT occasionally steps in to buy a home from people who need to sell but are unable to find a buyer because the home is in the path of a planned freeway. Eligible owners are those who are struggling to pay their mortgages because of out-of-state job transfers, illnesses or family deaths.
Since the 1980s, when the Loop 202 freeway route was first sketched out, ADOT has spent $8.7 million in state funds to buy hardship-program homes in Ahwatukee Foothills and Laveen. It has spent a total $79.8 million on commercial and residential property along Pecos Road for the planned freeway.
But the decision by ADOT to buy some houses and not others is creating tension in Ahwatukee neighborhoods, especially during the economic downturn as homeowners in the path of the proposed freeway don't understand why ADOT won't buy their homes.
Fueling the controversy are freeway opponents who wonder why ADOT is buying any homes at all during a state budget crisis and while ADOT is actively discussing the possibility of moving the freeway route a little south onto the Gila River Reservation. If the route changes, the homes ADOT has bought won't be in the path of the freeway after all.
...
So far this year, ADOT has spent $126,000 to buy one home in Ahwatukee and is in the process of buying one more, agency spokesman Tim Tait said. ADOT bought one hardship house in 2009 for $264,000 and 12 in 2008 for a total of $3.9 million, he said.
......
The agency owns 20 houses in Ahwatukee and collects about $250,000 annually in rent.
.....................

Future freeway

A decision on where the freeway will go is not expected until late 2011 at the earliest. And if ADOT enters formal negotiations with the Gila River Indian Community to build the freeway on reservation land, a decision could take even longer.
The planned $1.9 billion freeway project, which would extend Loop 202 west for 22 miles between Chandler and Laveen, would take out three ridges of the South Mountain Preserve, a church and several west Phoenix apartment complexes in addition to the single-family houses.
ADOT and Gila River officials have confirmed that they met Aug. 31 to discuss the merits of two possible routes through the reservation that would save the mountain, the church and the neighborhoods. But neither party has said what the next step might be or whether they have set a deadline for making a decision.

[Amytalk]

We are planning to move from Oak Park, Illinois to Phoenix soon due to jobs. We have 2 kids ages 13 and 11 and are curious about Ahwahtukee and their schools. We were there last March and were really impressed with the neighborhood. Can anyone give me more insight into the high schools and middle schools as well as whether the families and kids are nice. Our 13 year old son will be going to high school next year and I am concerned about his transition if we don't get him to Phoenix before he graduates 8th grade this year. Any info would be appreciated!!

[azriverfan.]

All of Ahwautukee is nice. That being said, there are areas that are nicer than others. The gated communities in Ahwatukee tend to be really nice like The Sanctuary. I like the area around Foothills Country Club on 25th avenue and Ray.

You gotta be careful with Ahwatukee. You can go too far in if you know what I mean. The further west you go into the football, the further removed you are from the rest of the Valley and the traffic and congestion can build up. I personally wouldn't go west of Desert Foothills drive and ideally you want to stay east of 25th.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by tre5

A big thing to consider with that area is that there is a freeway planned to go through the area. ADOT has been buying houses and will continue to do so until they have their path for the freeway.

You are talking 10 years away at the earliest. I wouldn't buy a house deep into the Foothills with the expectation that freeway will be built any time soon. Face it, it's a cul de sac and it's going to be that way for a long time. It makes for great headlines to talk about the freeway but in realistic terms, it's not going to be finished for a long time and they've been talking about that project for the last 10 years as well.

[Java Jolt]

The only bad part of Ahwatukee is the traffic commute into the city and back.

Crush hour is horrible, I-10 is always backed up. They really need to get some more freeway reliever loops built like they have planned for years.

[hatsjacob]

Ahwatuke is a niced tucked away suburb. Seems like a world away from much of Phoenix. One probably has to have decent money in order to live there though.

[Ritchie_az]

Originally Posted by landbox

Future freeway

A decision on where the freeway will go is not expected until late 2011 at the earliest. And if ADOT enters formal negotiations with the Gila River Indian Community to build the freeway on reservation land, a decision could take even longer.
The planned $1.9 billion freeway project, which would extend Loop 202 west for 22 miles between Chandler and Laveen, would take out three ridges of the South Mountain Preserve, a church and several west Phoenix apartment complexes in addition to the single-family houses.
ADOT and Gila River officials have confirmed that they met Aug. 31 to discuss the merits of two possible routes through the reservation that would save the mountain, the church and the neighborhoods. But neither party has said what the next step might be or whether they have set a deadline for making a decision.

Gila River tribe: Sacred sites on South Mountain top issue in Loop 202 debate - Ahwatukee Foothills News: News

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

The only bad part of Ahwatukee is the traffic commute into the city and back.

Crush hour is horrible, I-10 is always backed up. They really need to get some more freeway reliever loops built like they have planned for years.

That's not true. I take it you lived in Ahwatukee 10 years ago before the 202 was completed and the 101 extended all the way South? Yes, back then the traffic was horrible. Since that time, it's been relieved considerably. Again, it depends entirely where you live in Ahwatukee. If you live deep in the foothills, then yes it can be difficult to get out but so much of Ahwautukee is fairly close to the 202 and I-10. There are many communities that are near Elliot and I-10 or Warner and I-10 and it's fairly close to downtown and the rest of the city.

[demog]

Originally Posted by Amytalk

We are planning to move from Oak Park, Illinois to Phoenix soon due to jobs. We have 2 kids ages 13 and 11 and are curious about Ahwahtukee and their schools. We were there last March and were really impressed with the neighborhood. Can anyone give me more insight into the high schools and middle schools as well as whether the families and kids are nice. Our 13 year old son will be going to high school next year and I am concerned about his transition if we don't get him to Phoenix before he graduates 8th grade this year. Any info would be appreciated!!

either Desert Vista or Mountain Pointe high school. Desert Vista has a better academic reputation, one of the highest test scores in the state.