This guide to the Valley’s best neighborhoods for a variety of personalities can help you navigate today’s crucible of a real estate market and find your ideal home.
Culdesac Tempe
For utopian-minded sustainability warriors and bicycle enthusiasts.
People who walk or bike to work are significantly happier than drivers, according to research from the University of York. But while most of us remain tethered to our Toyotas, the dream of congenial commuting is motivating some progressives to reserve their spot in a futuristic new community.
Culdesac Tempe is currently a 17-acre construction site on Apache Drive east of McClintock Drive. By 2022, it’s on track to become the nation’s first built-from-scratch car-free neighborhood. Residents will be contractually prohibited from parking on-site or within a quarter-mile of the property. Instead, they’ll satisfy their commuting needs by taking Valley Metro light rail from outside their doorstep, riding their bicycle, grabbing one of Culdesac’s shared bikes or scooters, or renting a handful of on-site electric vehicles by the hour or day. Visitors can park in a mini-lot on property.
Culdesac’s founders, Ryan Johnson and Jeff Berens, grew up in Phoenix and want this complex of 761 apartments, eateries, shops and shared spaces to be a template for post-car living nationwide. Their aim is to curb carbon emissions and reverse the Bowling Alone trend by fostering frequent neighborly encounters. Residents can promenade through lavishly landscaped pedestrian malls and have meet-cutes at the makerspace, dog park and communal grill. They’ll get to know business owners and newfound friends at on-site FireCreek Coffee, the Street Corner Urban Market and Cocina Chiwas.
Rental Cost:
Starting at $1,090 per month for a studio and $1,250 for a one-bedroom.
