Although Glendale Often Gets a Bad Rap... (Phoenix, Mesa: appointed, crime) - Arizona (AZ) - City-Data Forum

canudigit · 07-28-2009, 08:58 AM

I want people who are considering moving to the Phoenix area, particularly the West Valley, to realize that there are parts of Glendale that are wonderful. We just relocated from Michigan and had to find something in the West Valley because of my dh's job in Glendale. Our ds also is planning on commuting to the downtown Phoenix campus of ASU, so something in the far outlying neighborhoods of Peoria, Carefree, Anthem, etc. wasn't going to work well either.

Well, we found Arrowhead Ranch in NW Glendale, and we are completely thrilled with it. It is safe, quiet, and beautiful, and we are within minutes of safe areas to dine and shop all along Bell Rd., Union Hills Rd., etc. When we first decided to relocate and thought that dh would be working in Tempe, we were only checking out East Valley communities and assumed that they were all far, far above anything that the West Valley had to offer, partially because of some of the threads that I had read on this forum. When we discovered that we were going to have to live in the West Valley, we were disappointed at first, but now we actually like it so much better than the areas that we checked out in the East Valley! There is so much to do here, what with the Cardinals being located in Glendale, the Westgate entertainment district, and all of the major league spring training facilities. The Peoria Sports Complex is less than ten minutes from our house. We take walks at night and never feel the least bit threatened--and we are small town people who were leary about moving to Phoenix because of everything you hear about the crime here. Not that we don't watch our backs, of course, but you have to do that anywhere nowadays, even in places like Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. The school district here, Deer Valley Unified Schools (not Glendale Public), is also supposed to be one of the best in the Valley.

I am not a realtor or anyone who has a professional interest in Arrowhead Ranch. I just want to let people know that Glendale has much to offer and isn't just confined to being a second-rate suburb because of the older areas in south Glendale. This entire area roughly north of Thunderbird Rd. is absolutely terrific and family-friendly in every way. At this point, I would choose it over any place in the Valley. And it isn't just for wealthy people, either. There are expensive homes here, but there are also plenty of homes here for under $300,000.

Ritchie_az · 07-28-2009, 09:03 AM

I have an aunt that lives in Glendale (arrowhead area) and loves it. Believe it or not, but my uncle works in downtown Phoenix and rides his bike to work. (Well, he'll drive to work and take his bike with him, then ride the bike home and leave his car at work, then ride his bike to work the next day and drive home with his bike in the back).

observer53 · 07-28-2009, 09:08 AM

Arrowhead has ALWAYS been a lovely area. I remember when they were first building it. The northern part of Glendale is all quite nice. Some of the older areas to the south are not as nice, but people do tend to lump the whole city in with that area. I'm so glad you found a place you love.

andrzejn · 07-28-2009, 10:17 AM

I couldn't agree more.
Some of the people who rave about Chandler and Gilbert has never seen what West/North Valley has to offer. Yes there are parts of Peoria or Glendale that I wouldn't want to live but same goes for Chandler and Mesa.

YAZ · 07-28-2009, 01:09 PM

I like Glendale too, and I'm a Michigan expatriot.

observer53 · 07-28-2009, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YAZ

I like Glendale too, and I'm a Michigan expatriot.

Aw, c'mon. You're still a patriot.

Just an expatriate!

HX_Guy · 07-28-2009, 02:48 PM

Northern Glendale is great and it usually isn't the area that people refer to when they talk down about Glendale. The Arrowhead area especially is very very nice, a little older (about 25-30 years now) but has some great vegetation (by newer area standards), especially 51st, 67th, and 75th, where the streets are lined with trees as well as the medians.

Here is a map of the City of Glendale. Everything north of Bell Rd is nice, safe, and a good area. So about 1/4 of Glendale. Then from Peoria Rd to Bell Rd, it's still a safe area, just a bit older...but generally well taken care of. Once you go south of Peoria Rd, it starts to go down hill a bit. But overall, I'd say 1/2 of Glendale is a nice safe area with 1/4 being very nice.

las vegas drunk · 07-28-2009, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

Northern Glendale is great and it usually isn't the area that people refer to when they talk down about Glendale. The Arrowhead area especially is very very nice, a little older (about 25-30 years now) but has some great vegetation (by newer area standards), especially 51st, 67th, and 75th, where the streets are lined with trees as well as the medians.

Here is a map of the City of Glendale. Everything north of Bell Rd is nice, safe, and a good area. So about 1/4 of Glendale. Then from Peoria Rd to Bell Rd, it's still a safe area, just a bit older...but generally well taken care of. Once you go south of Peoria Rd, it starts to go down hill a bit. But overall, I'd say 1/2 of Glendale is a nice safe area with 1/4 being very nice.

I do not understand how you can say Arrowhead is an older community, (30 years??).

I rented a room out of someones house on Deer Valley and 83rd avenue back in 2005. I am pretty sure it was Peoria, not Glendale, but still Arrowhead nonetheless. The housing community could not have been older than 5 years old at the most. It was a really nice area, if not isolated though.

Finger Laker · 07-28-2009, 03:23 PM

deer valley is a ways up there

the area around bell/union hills is much older ....... the mall was built around 15 years ago and the neighborhoods predate that

observer53 · 07-28-2009, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by las vegas drunk

I do not understand how you can say Arrowhead is an older community, (30 years??).

I rented a room out of someones house on Deer Valley and 83rd avenue back in 2005. I am pretty sure it was Peoria, not Glendale, but still Arrowhead nonetheless. The housing community could not have been older than 5 years old at the most. It was a really nice area, if not isolated though.

Deer Valley and 83rd is not "Arrowhead Ranch" proper-- it's a bit north of there, and, if it's Peoria, Arrowhead Ranch is solely in Glendale. Arrowhead Ranch, at least Phase 1 and probably II, IS 25-30 years old.

I think, sort of like "Paradise Valley", the name assigned to a specific area gets applied to a broader area in conversation and for reference than it actually legally belongs to. So, that's why you think of your former place of residence as "Arrowhead". Besides, a lot of adjoining subdivisions have names that include the word "Arrowhead". So, in using the term, some mean "Arrowhead Ranch" itself, and others mean a broader area.

HX-Guy- I would suggest that the "safe" area of Glendale most certainly includes areas south of Bell Road.