New edition to Gilbert Downtown Eateries

Downtown Gilbert is home to a new restaurant that opened October 14, 2008 and is quickly becoming a popular addition to the neighborhood.  The Libery Market joins the likes of Joe’s Real Barbeque, Oregano’s, and the Farmhouse restaurant.   Keirsten Traina, who along with her husband David, are co-owners with Joe and Cindy Johnston greeted my impromptu visit with all the energy and pride you expect from someone who is passionate about her business.  It is no surprise that it was named one of the Top 10 places to eat in 2008.  Julie, one of the friendly staff members was eager to educate me why The Liberty Market and Restaurant is special.  Liberty Market is close to waterfront communities including The Islands, Stonebridge Lakes, Lago Estancia, and Val Vista Lakes. The owners have done a great job of preserving the original architecture of the building that was constructed in 1936.

Favorite Menu Items and other Surprises

Keirsten said that the favorite menu items are the White pizza (parmesan cream sauce, smoked mozzarella, grilled chicken, chopped bacon, arugula, and pine nuts), and the Libery Bowl (roasted meatballs, marinara sauce, pecorino romano, grilled bread). A quick glance of the menu reveals the how economical a family can enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner.  The Espresso Bar features a Faema E61 Espresso machine built in 1965 in Milano, Italy. Hence the name the E61 Bar.  All the chocolates and syrup are made from scratch as well as the pastries, soups, and pizza dough.  Whenever possible, they source produce and ingredients locally to insure freshness.  To demonstrate how good their chocolate is they insisted I try a bowl of hot chocolate with whipped cream.  Yes, it was a bowl of hot chocolate!  It was fantastic and as good as anything I’ve tasted.  I’d go back just for the hot chocolate. 

Individually decorated by the owners

You have not totally experienced the true unquiness of the Liberty Market until you’ve needed to visit the restrooms. Yes, I know this sounds, uh.. strange, but stay with me.  There is a common wash area with men/women bathrooms with complete privacy. Each one has been decorated by one of the owners.  As you close the door, each has a separate music soundtrack playing. I’ve never seen anything like it, ever!

I have to echo one of the reviews that says “Joe Johnston has hit another home run with his new Liberty Market restaurant”.  Mr. Johnston is also the owner of Joe’s Real Barbeque.  You will not find another restaurant like this.  If you live in Gilbert, this has to be on your list of places to eat.

Satellite view of Libery Market

Metro light rail begins on Dec. 27, 2008

Phoenix was home to the largest light rail launch in U.S. history when it introduced the 20 mile, 28 station, $1.4 billion mass transit sytem to valley residents today. There is no charge to ride the light rail for the rest of 2008. Tens of thousands of people took advantage of the free fare to see what 12 years of planning, research and construction had to offer. I would not be surprised to learn there were over 100,000 passengers the opening day.  I thought that if I was going to write about it, I’d better experience it.  My initial stop was to the eastern most station at Main and Sycamore. That quickly changed when they quoted a wait time of 1.5 hours to get on the train.

 Connecting the valley, from east to west

Only three stations away was the McClintock Dr. station where there were no grand opening festivities, so I assumed the wait time would be less, which it was.  The challenge was finding space since very few riders were exiting. After watching two trains go by I became bolder and carved out my 2′x2′ of standing room and joined the thousands upon thousands of Phoenicians that just had to be there on opening day.  The total length is 20 miles which takes 60 minutes. The daily schedule begins at 4:40 a.m. each morning at each end.  The last trip begins at 11:00 p.m. arriving at the opposite end at midnight. The trains will run every 10 minutes from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and every 20 minutes the rest of the day.  My recommendation for anyone wanting to experience the newest mass transit in Phoenix would be to return in January and pay the $2.50 all day pass /unlimited boarding fare and enjoy the ride.

Convenient stops and good scenery

The light rail seems to be the perfect solution for those wanting to have quick and easy access to the Mill Ave. part of Tempe, but were worried about the traffic and parking.  There were at least 3 stops on the ASU campus, and a nice ride over Tempe Town Lake, pictured on the left.  I got off at the Center Parkway station and caught one of the trains returning east.  I’m looking forward to making the full round trip when I can enjoy a window seat, and there is not standing room only.  My initail impression is that the light rail system is long over due and will have a positive impact on the valley.   Being the 5th largest metropolitan city in the U.S., it is only fitting that Phoenix takes a positive step towards mass transit.

Chandler Lakefront Luxury Homes

For over a decade, the Ocotillo Lakes area in Chandler has been home to some of the most cherished Chandler subdivsions and waterfront homes.  With such employers as Intel, Orbital, and Motorola and other semi-conductor companies, Ocotillo Lakes provides a short commute, highly rated schools and well manicured homesites.  Ocotillo lakes includes 167 acres of interconnected lakes and waterfeatures.

A Unique Arizona Community

Anyone that has been in Phoenix more than 24 hours can’t help but notice the numerous master planned communities and they’ve probably heard of HOA’s.  That’s just the way it is for most of the valley.  The Ocotillo Community Association is unique in that it includes not only residential, but commercial, apartments and commercial entities on over 1,900 acres.   Boarding many of the lakes is the Ocotillo Golf Resort, managed by Troon Golf and designated by Golf Digest as one of the ”places to play”. 

With the completion of the Santan 202 freeway within the last year, the accessibility of Ocotillo Lakes has increased significantly.   Less than 15 minutes away is the Chandler Fashion Center at the intersection of the 101 and Santan freeway which is considered one of the best malls in the valley.  Even closer is the Hamilton Aquatics Facility right next to Hamilton High School which was named to Newsweek’s list of top High Schools.  

 Some newspaper articles have referred to the newer south Chandler area, including Ocotillo Lakes, as the “Scottsdale of the south”.  With the numerous waterfront communities, amenities, employment, and schools, I think it competes well with any location in the valley, even Scottsdale.

Satellite view of Ocotillo Lakes

Ocotillo Lakes includes many favorite home builder including T.W. Lewis, Pulte, Beazer, UDC, Keystone, Camelot, Coventry and custom luxury home builders who have given Ocotillo Lakes variety in the individual subdivisions such as Vistas at Ocotillo, Balboa Point, Stillwater Cove, Carmel Bay, Harbour Club, Laguna Cove, Crown Point, and Watermark.

Ocotillo Lakes waterfront homes in Chandler are among the best in valley for those looking for a unique Arizona setting.

Currently the only lot for sale in Santan Lakeside Estates is lot 13 on the west side of the lake.  The bank has already approved the price on this short sale, $600,000.  Utilities are already at the property.  San tan Lakeside Estates is quickly becoming the premier tournament waterski lake in the valley.  Some of Gilbert’s most expensive homes are located in this waterski community.  Two other homes are under construction, both on the east side of the lake.

More luxury home construction in Gilbert’s Santan Lakeside Estates

Two homes are currently under construction in one of the two slalom waterski lakes in Gilbert.  One of them is located on lot 1 of the lake and can be seen from Riggs Road.  It should be as impressive as it’s 7,000 square foot neighbor to the south.  The standard lot size is 237 ft. of lakefront property with a depth of 185 feet for homes in the subdivision.

Visual Tour of Santan Lakeside Estates

Satellite view of Santan Lakeside Estates

In the November 10, 2008 issue Business Week recognized Gilbert as one of the top places in Arizona to raise children. Obviously, they have their rating system which produced Gilbert as their top pick and makes parents in other towns & cities cry foul.  Knowing the valley pretty well I reflected on the different qualities of each town and instead of questioning their choice, I tried to build a list in my mind of why I would support Gilbert a top choice, even if it was not number 1.

What makes Gilbert a top choice

• Schools - School performance was one of the factors weighted heavily in the evaluation of towns of at least 50,000 and a median family income of $40,000 - $100,000.  The Gilbert school  district is consistently a top performing district in the valley.  Living in Arizona, you also have the opportunity to choose a charter school if you wish, which are privately run and publically fund so there is no additional tuition cost.
• Safety - The other factor that was weighted heavily in the analysis.  Gilbert so far has been able to achieve low crime rates in many categories and hopefully that trend continues.

Now here are the unique parts of Gilbert that I believe need to be highlighted.

• Parks - Obviously, Freestone Park comes to mind when you talk about Gilbert parks.  Gilbert also has a canine friendly park, called Cosmo Dog Park located at the 202 and Ray Road.  In west Gilbert, McQueen District Park is home to  the 27,000 sq.ft. McQueen Activity Center that includes indoor basketball, air hockey, ping pong tables, billiard tables, multi-purpose and classrooms.  For a more detailed list , click on Gilbert Town Parks.   The Riparian Preserve is a one of a kind 110 acre wildlife environment that is unique to Gilbert and home to over 200 bird species.
• Transportation - As you can see on the Gilbert town outline, the addition of the new 202 freeway makes Gilbert much more accessible and reduces the commute time for those working in Chandler or Phoenix. 
• Shopping - Not high on my list, but my wife has repeatedly stressed to me how important this is.  Because it is not a priority I have not taken any pictures since I only frequent malls on mothers day, Christmas and my wife’s birthday.  With the opening of the 202 freeway, shopping/retail development has increased dramatically. This is especially true of the area at Williams Field and the 202.
• Variety of Property.  Gilbert has more waterfront communities than any other city in Phoenix. It also has waterski lake home communities including Playa del Rey Estates, Santan Lakeside Estates, and Crystal Point.  Lakefront communities include Val Vista Lakes, The Islands, Lago Estancia, Stonebridge, and Windrift.  Gilbert also has a good variety of horse property with irrigation for those with an equestrian interest.  If you’re looking for a luxury custom home in a peaceful setting, Gilbert will not disappoint you.
• Planning - It is frequently mentioned how Gilbert has been one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.  One document that assists them in controlling this growth is the Gilbert land use map.  Land use maps are common to many valley cities, but Gilbert has had the advantage of being such a relatively new city and being able to follow this as a guideline in its development.
• Entertainment - In this respect, it’s good we have access to other parts of the valley.  However, it you’ve never been to the Hale Centre Theatre, you really need to put it on your list.

There are a lot of great places to raise children in Arizona, including Gilbert.

Satellite view of Gilbert

My wife and I had the opportunity of a lifetime a couple of weeks ago to travel in Europe (Thanks mom and dad)!  One of the cities that really impressed us, maybe because of the spectacular setting on the Adriatic Sea was the waterfront city of Dubrovnik in southern Croatia. It has a rich history which is due mainly to its maritime influence and trade.  One of the first things you notice is a wall that surrounds the old city of Dubrovnik with a series of turrets and towers that were used to protect the city.

 The old city of Dubrovnik, Croatia

Some interesting facts about the city date back to the early 13th century when they enacted planning guidelines for the city as well establishing public institutions.  Dubrovnik is credited with the first pharmacy which opened in 1317 and is still in operation today. An town orphanage was opened in 1432.  A 20 kilometer water supply system was constructed in 1436.  And medical service was introduced in 1301.

 Just trying to understand its long history, (I though American history was a lot to remember!). you can see the continual change the city has endured.  As recently as 1991 when Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia, the city was attacked in what is called the seige of Dubrovnik which lasted 7 months. You can see these videos of this on YouTube.

 Despite earthquakes, changing governments/rulers and wars, the town has been restored to much of the original architecture. Our visit was quite the learning experience since the only thing I really knew about the country was that the former Suns and Utah Jazz basketball player Goran Girachek was from Croatia.  By the way,if you think homes are expensive in the US,  don’t even think about picking up a second home in Europe!

When the assistant editor of FrontDoor.com, which is sponsored by HGTV, contacted me wanting to interview a client that had purchased a Phoenix waterfront home, I knew Kim would be a perfect candidate to articulate the desireability of a waterfront home.  Their family had relocated from California for a job transfer.  It became apparent very quickly that in addition to a desireable floorplan, good schools and accessibility to shopping and freeways, a waterfront home in Ocotillo Lakes was at the top of the list.

Here’s how Kimberly explained it to Shannon Petrie of FrontDoor.com:

 The Lakefront Experience: Privacy and Atmosphere

“When Kimberly Abbasi, her husband and two daughters moved from California to Arizona, they wanted more from their home than a typical neighborhood could offer them. “We were looking for a place with ambiance and a view rather than just a fence around us,” she said.

The family found what they were looking for in a lakefront home in the Ocotillo Lakes area of Chandler, Ariz. With their only neighbors situated across the lake from them, they enjoy a sense of seclusion not found in just any neighborhood. “It gives a sense of privacy compared with a community where you have neighbors right on top of you,” Abbasi said.

Living on the lake in Arizona comes with other perks as well. Being surrounded by water makes sweltering Arizona summers seem a bit cooler, and lake activities like paddleboating allow the family to bond with their neighbors.

As part of a lakefront community, the homeowners association has certain guidelines for maintaining the property, but Abbasi was already accustomed to these kinds of guidelines from her community in California.

“I’m so glad we waited until we could get a house on the lake. I don’t think we would have been nearly as satisfied anywhere else,” she said.”

Satellite view of Ocotillo Lakes area

If you would like more information regarding the Ocotillo Lakes area or wish to receive listings of Ocotillo Lakes homes for sale, please feel free to e-mail me at gordonbaker@remax.net

Lakefront Community Profile 

One of Gilbert’s smaller lakefront communities with approximately 100 waterfront homes, Lago Estancia is unique from other waterfront communities with the walking paths next to the shoreline.  Many of the homes that back up to the lake have a view fence separating the backyard from the water, which is ideal for families with small children that want the security of a fenced backyard but also enjoy the ambiance and serenity that a lakefront property offers. 

Homes in Lago Estancia were built between 1992 and 1996, by builders which include Pulte, UDC, Magee, and Lennar.  Because each builder offered different floor plans, there is a variety of homes available with a range of liveable space from 1,479 sq.ft to over 3,000 sq.ft. For 2008, the sales prices have been between $177,00 and $306,000.  The subdivision does not have a community pool or club house, and the monthly HOA fees are a reasonable $45/month.  Residents of Lago Estancia attend Gilbert Elementary, Mesquite Jr. High, and Mesquite High School.

Lago Estancia is about 3.5 miles south of the US60 and 3.5 miles north of the new 202 freeway.  The historical district of Gilbert is only 1 mile to the east and as I’ve mentioned in previous posts has some excellent dining (Award winning Joe’s Real Barbeque)  and the popular Hale Centre Theatre. Lifetime Fitness is less than 2 miles away.

The walking paths that follow the waterfront along much of the shoreline give Lago Estancia a close knit feel and allows all the residents to enjoy peaceful walks along the water. While this Gilbert waterfront community may not get the publicity of other subdivisions such as The Islands and Val Vista Lakes, it definitely has it’s own charm and character.

Satellite View of Lago Estancia

The Islands,  a master planned lake and waterfront community with over 200 waterfront homes, is one of Gilbert’s most established lake subdivisions.  Homes in The Islands range from townhouses to custom homes, built mostly between 1987 and 1995, and range in square footage from 1,300 to over 4,800 square feet.  It also has a large waterfront park with walking trails, basketball court, sand volleyball, covered children’s play area and community center.

Within The Islands are individual communities or subdivisions such as Seawynds, Trade Winds, Windhaven, Coral Point, The Shores, Harbor Point, Key Harbor, Tres Vistas and Catalina Bay.   Lakefront residents take advantage of the many long stretches of water measuring over 1/2 mile in length with an evening boat ride.  Internal combustion motors are not allowed.  The Islands HOA keeps this community informed and connected with an on-line website and newsleter and various events such as a Father Day breakfast.

Location, Location, Location

The Islands is located almost exactly equal distance between the US 60 freeway to the north and the new Santan 202 freeway to the south providing an easy commute and quick access to shopping, entertainment and dining.  It is less than 20 minutes to the airport.  Only 2 miles away to the east is the historic Gilbert district with local dining favorites Joe’s Real Barbeque and Oregano’s.  The popular Hale Centre Theatre is one of my favorites if you’re in the mood for a play.  Lifetime Fitness with everything a gym could possibly have is less than 3 miles away.

The Islands Elementary school located in The Islands community is part of the Gilbert Unified School District and serves those residents north of Warner Road.  All the homes in The Islands are in Gilbert; however, those living south of Warner Road are part of the Chandler School District.  One example where you might live in Gilbert and belong to the Chandler School District.  To find out more about the school rankings, go the the School Report Card page. 

                                                                                                                                                                                     Many differrent builders are represented in The Islands.  You’ll find homes built by Continental, UDC, Hunter, Superstition Homes, US Homes, Blandford in addition to the custom homes throughout the community.

The Islands represents one of many waterfront lake communities in the Phoenix area.  If you would like to receive listings of homes in The Islands, click on the picture to the right and let me know what you are looking for.

Satellite View of The Islands

Gilbert Waterfront Ski Homes

Playa del Rey Estates, one of the Phoenix area waterski communities has more ski lake homes than any other subdivision in Arizona.  With the recent completion of homes on the last two remaining lots, there are 34 waterfront homes on the ski lake.  Instead of traveling 45 minutes to Canyon Lake or Saguaro Lake to waterski, you can walk out your back door and be skiing in the time needed to hook up your boat to the SUV.  The entire subdivision has 125 homes which enjoy ski privileges on the lake via a community boat ramp for those not on the lake.

Wakeboarding on a saturday afternoon

A closer look at Playa del Rey Estates

The ski lake at Playa del Rey in Gilbert is not a tournament ski lake and measures approximately 1,120 feet in length.  It is perfect for waterskiing and wakeboarding, but not deep enough for those looking to hydrofoil or airchair.  With the 34 lakefront lots and 91 non lakefront lots contributing to the upkeep of the lake, the monthly HOA fees are $185/month versus $550/month at Crystal Point and Santan Lakeside Estates.   The typical waterfront lot size is 75 feet of waterfront by 130 feet deep.  The home sizes range from 2,500 sq.ft. to 4,500 sq.ft.

The community is located 2 miles from the U.S. 60 freeway and next door to the McQueen Park which features 4 baseball fields, soccer fields, sand volleyball courts, basketball courts and the McQueen Park Activity Center.  Playa del Rey Elementary school, part of the Gilbert Unified School District, is walking distance away. 

Satellite view of Playa del Rey Estates

I would be glad to provide more information about this Gilbert waterfront community and provide new and updated listings.  Feel free to call or e-mail me at your convenience.