Avondale mayor on redeveloping the city's historic core

Avondale’s rich cultural heritage can trace its historical roots to the late 1860s when William “Billy” G. Moore arrived in Arizona and purchased and settled on several plots of land near the Agua Fria River.

Billy Moore called this newfound establishment Coldwater, named after the cool water that flowed from a local spring. He soon established a stage stop, saloon and a general store and in the early 1900s, the Coldwater post office moved to a site near Avondale Ranch, soon becoming known as Avondale.

In December 1946, the City of Avondale was incorporated. As with most small Western towns at the time, subsequent development resulted in a conglomeration of styles and architecture along Western Avenue, with ranching, the railroad and cotton farming as main industries.

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While at the heart and soul, the city boasts deep roots of history and culture, there are under-used spaces and structures where traces of history sit with no real use or meaning, and spaces that could be put to better use to continue the inspirational and cultural spirit of the city. This is why Avondale has revamped the city’s Infill Incentive Program, to offer reduced fees to business owners and residents to help spur development within the community.

SPURRING REDEVELOPMENT

The Infill Incentive Program provides incentives such as building permit, plan review, and development impact fee reductions to stimulate development in three of our most historic neighborhoods: Cashion, Las Ligas and our Historic Avondale. These investments will increase economic vitality and contribute to Avondale’s rich historic, cultural and artistic heritage.

Projects in the pipeline that are benefiting from the incentives include:

• Habitat for Humanity, a Christian-based organization that builds, renovates and repairs simple, decent and affordable homes in partnership with families in need, has built three single-family homes already, with several more in the works in the Las Ligas neighborhood.
• Carolinas Mexican Food will bring their coveted Mexican cuisine to Avondale, as they have decided to locate in Historic Avondale.
• A sampling of long time homeowners, such as one gentleman in Las Ligas that built another 1,800 square-foot single-family home on a vacant piece of property he’s owned for years as a result of the incentives.

For more information, contact Avondale’s Economic Development Department at 623-333-1400.

Kenn Wiese is mayor of Avondale.