About Phoenix

Phoenix by comparison to cities from around the world, is a young city, but with an ancient history. Not many cities can claim such a thing. When Phoenix was founded, The United States was entering one of the deadliest wars to date, the Civil War. After the war, the country, still healing as a nation coupled with the prospect of wealth and riches in the gold rush, sent people flocking to the west, and Phoenix boomed. The question begs to be asked, why stop in the middle of a desert? This was before the comfort of air conditioning and automotive transportation.  What would have made settlers so willing to stay in an arid desert environment? The answer is found in an ancient society known as the Hohokam. This Native American tribe settled the area where Phoenix now stands over 2600 years ago, around the time of 200-300 BC.

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Neighborhoods

Ahwatukee

Located at the foothills of South Mountain, Ahwatukee is an affluent neighborhood that is geographically separated from downtown Phoenix by the mountain range; Ahwatukee is often thought to be its own city but is actually a suburb of Phoenix. Due to its spectacular views, high performing schools and location to downtown Phoenix it is one of the fastest growing suburbs in the metropolitan area. The population of Ahwatukee numbers more than 70,000 within its 35.8 square mile borders. The majority of Ahwatukee residents are, college educated and range between the ages of 27-53 earning an average income of more than $60,000 annually.

Arcadia

Imagine lush green lawns, large vibrant citrus trees, and the sweet smell of orange blossoms, and you will be transported to the neighborhood of Arcadia.

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Taxes

Business Personal Property Tax rates vary in Arizona, and the first $50,000 of property tax is exempt.

Arizona Corporate Tax: 7.96%

Arizona Income Tax: Arizona Income Tax ranges from 2.87% to 5.04%, based on income.

Arizona Retail Sales Tax: 5.6%

Arizona Vehicle License Tax: $3.12 per $100 of assessed valuation

Maricopa County Retail Sales Tax: 0.7%

Phoenix Retail Sales Tax: 1.8%

Climate

Phoenix has a subtropical desert climate, with extremely hot summers and warm winters. The average summer high temperature are some of the hottest of any major city in the United States. The temperature reaches or exceeds 100°F (38°C) on an average of 110 days during the year, including most days from late May through early September, and highs top 110 °F (43 °C) an average of 18 days during the year. Overnight lows greater than 80 °F (27 °C) occur frequently each summer. On average, 67 days throughout the year will see the nighttime low at or above 80 °F (27 °C).

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Phoenix Utilities

Arizona Utilities

The state of Arizona has a total of 15 electric utility providers, 400 individual water systems operated by nearly 350 companies, 21 sewer companies and 20 combination water and sewer providers.  Water, sewage, solid waste and recycling are often services provided by each individual city, unless the cities have subcontracted the services out to private companies. If you are planning on living on county land you will have to contract with private companies for many if not all of your utilities. Arizona Utility companies are regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission.

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Public Transportation

Valley Metro Bus Service

Valley Metro Bus Service provides easy and economical transportation throughout Phoenix and the surrounding valley. Buses run seven days a week including holidays. Customer Service representatives available Monday-Saturday, 4 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Holidays.(602) 253-5000 (voice); (602) 261-8208 (TDD)

Local Bus service is $1.25 per ride, and Express Bus Service is also provided for a $1.75 standard adult fare. Monthly passes may be purchased, and discounted fares are available for those who qualify. Park-and-Ride services are available, as is a DASH shuttle to transport you speedily around downtown Phoenix.

Bus tickets, passes, and tokens may be bought at Central Station, located at Central Avenue and Van Buren Streets.The Valley Metro Bus book provides a comprehensive listing of all bus-related information and is available at the above phone number as well as at public libraries and city offices.

Inter-city Bus Service

Greyhound Bus (800) 231-2222

Light Rail

MetroLightRail.org

602-253-5000

The 20-mile light rail starter line opened December 2008 and served 12.6 million riders in 2010, exceeding the prior year by 11 percent and system projections by 51 percent. METRO’s 20-mile light rail line is the longest starter line in federal New Starts grant history. It was built entirely in-street using a train-only trackway and traffic signals to allow trains to safely move through the cities of Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa, Arizona. The cost was $1.4 billion paid for using a $587 million federal New Starts grant, $59 million from federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funding and local tax dollars.

METRO is responsible for building a 57-mile high-capacity transit system as defined in the Regional Transportation Plan by 2031. Planning, and design in some cases, has begun on the six extensions that make up the remainder of the 37 miles yet to be built. Two have been defined as light rail corridors: the Northwest and Central Mesa extensions.  A 2.6-mile modern streetcar line will be built in central Tempe. The other three – Phoenix West, Glendale and Northeast Phoenix – have yet to determine a specific transit mode and route.

Air Transportation

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport welcomes aviary voyages from skies near and far, opening its arms to more than 12 million people who visit the Phoenix area each year-and many of the 25 million people who visit Arizona each year. Twenty-three airlines fly in and out of Sky Harbor daily.

Public transportation to and from the airport is provided by Phoenix Transit Buses: Red Line and #13 buses run from the airport to downtown Phoenix and throughout the metropolitan area. For information about this service call (602) 253-5000 (voice) or (602) 261-8208 (TDD).

Senior Citizens and people with disabilities may call Dial-a-Ride for transportation to and from the airport 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Arizona Relay Service provides this service. Call (602) 253-4000 (voice) or (602) 231-0961 (TDD).

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Phoenix Area Codes

Within the city of Phoenix, the following area codes are used: 602, 480, 623.

Outside of Phoenix, the following area codes are used: 520, 928.

All phone numbers listed below are in area code 602 unless otherwise specified.

Television

Radio

Attractions

Carefree Cactus Gardens

(480) 585-0754

25601 N. Scottsdale Rd., Carefree

The gardens boast one of the largest cactus greenhouses in the area.

Deer Valley Rock Art Center

(623) 582-8007

3711 W. Deer Valley Rd.

The center, at the foot of Adobe Dam, offers interpretive exhibits and a nature trail to the Hedgpeth Hills petroglyph site, the largest concentration of petroglyphs in the Phoenix area. The site is operated by Arizona State University and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Desert Botanical Garden

(480) 941-1225, (480) 481-8134

1201 N. Galvin Pkwy.

The garden, located in Papago Park, displays nearly 20,000 desert plants and offers horticulture classes, workshops, tours, exhibits, field trips, and special events.

Encanto Park

(602) 262-6412

15th Ave. and Encanto Blvd.

This 222-acre park is a popular downtown destination featuring canals, a lagoon, a swimming pool, an amusement park, a nature trail, and two golf courses. Boating, picnicking, soccer, softball, tennis, basketball, racquetball, and general exercise areas are available.

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Architecture

Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa

(602) 955-6600

2400 E Missouri Ave

www.arizonabiltmore.com

The famous Arizona Biltmore Resort is located just north of the Camelback Corridor in Phoenix. Often mistakenly credited to Wright himself, the Biltmore was actually designed by his colleague, Albert Chase McArthur. Nonetheless, the Wright influence is strong, and the hotel certainly is one of Phoenix’s architectural highlights.

If you visit the hotel, be certain to look up the hill to another well-known landmark in Phoenix, the Wrigley Mansion (2501 E Telawa Trail), the former home of the chewing gum magnate.

Burton Barr Central Library

(602) 262-4636

1221 N Central Ave

Phoenix

www.phoenixpubliclibrary.org

On Central Avenue, the most significant contemporary architecture in downtown Phoenix is undoubtedly the Burton Barr Central Library designed by Will Bruder. The copper exterior is perfectly suited for Arizona, one of the world’s leading copper-producing areas.  Glass walls, mirrors, and skylights create magical lighting effects within the Crystal Canyon, a five-story glass atrium. The largest reading room in North America is located on the top floor and is covered by a cable-suspended steel ceiling.

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Museums

Phoenix Art Museum

1625 N. Central Ave.

phxart.org

(602) 257-1880 (24-hr.), Recorded info.: (602) 257-1222

The largest facility of its kind in the Southwest, the Phoenix Art Museum features more than 14,000 works in its collection. The Thorne Miniature Rooms and the interactive ArtWorks Gallery for children are added attractions.

Phoenix Art Museum was founded in 1949 and opened in 1959. It is a private not-for-profit organization that evolved from its predecessors, Phoenix Art Center and the Phoenix Fine Arts Association. In 1996, Phoenix Art Museum celebrated the conclusion of an extensive $25 million expansion and renovation which more than doubled its size. At over 160,000 square feet, it is one of the largest general visual arts institutions in the Southwest. Hosting over 567,000 visitors in 1999, providing privileges to over 22,000 Museum members, and reaching an additional 40,000 through its outreach programs, Phoenix Art Museum offers something for everyone in the family.

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Performing Arts

Ashley Furniture Store Pavilion

(602) 254-7200

2121 N. 83rd Ave.

Phoenix

Cricket Concert Info Line: (602) 254-7200

This 20,000-seat outdoor facility hosts live music performances by artists from around the world. The pavilions season typically runs from mid-spring through mid-fall and attracts more than 400,000 concert-goers annually.

ASU Gammage Auditorium

(480) 965-5062

ASU main campus

Apache Blvd. and Mill Ave.

Tempe

Box office: (480) 965-3434

A creation by Frank Lloyd Wright and internationally known for its design, this 3,017-seat auditorium hosts the America West Airlines Valley Broadway series plus dance and theater, symphonies, concerts, comedy, and lectures. Gammages intimate “On-Stage” series puts the audience on stage with the artists for a unique performance experience.

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Outdoors

Patriots Square Park

(602) 495-3798 or (602) 261-8055

Central Ave. and Washington St.

The 2.5-acre park boasts an outdoor performing arts stage with a 10,000-watt PA system and framed by a man-made waterfall. A large parking garage is situated under the park.

South Mountain Park

(602) 495-0222

10919 S. Central Ave.

Encompassing an impressive 16,500-acre section of Phoenix, South Mountain Park is the largest municipal park in the world. It boasts more than 300 species of flora and is home to a variety of fauna. Picnic areas and ramadas, hiking trails, and scenic lookouts are offered. A paved road leads to the mountains summit where visitors enjoy a panoramic view of the valley.

Squaw Peak Recreation Area

(602) 262-7901

2701 E. Squaw Peak Dr.

Squaw Peak, part of the Phoenix Mountain Preserves, is one of the citys best-known landmarks. A 1.2-mile trail leads to the summit, which offers a spectacular view of the Valley of the Sun.

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Golf

What Makes the Phoenix Golf Experience So Unique?

Start with near-perfect weather, add outstanding courses and the Sonoran Desert’s scenic beauty and you understand why metro Phoenix is one of the world’s top golf destinations.

The Phoenix area has 190+ of the state’s 300 golf courses, Greater Phoenix offers abundance of challenging links. Statistics show that last year more than2 million tourists and 500,000 Arizona residents spent nearly $1 billion on golf and related products, while playing 11 million rounds. So you can see, Phoenix golf is quite popular!

Greater Phoenix has added more golf courses than any place in the United States over the past six years. Since 1992, 585 holes have been added to the local golf inventory with 522 more in the planning stage or under construction. Arizona has more golf courses per capita than any state west of the Mississippi River.

Shopping

Major Shopping Centers

Arizona Center

455 N 3rd Street

Phoenix, AZ 85004-2240

(602) 271-4000

Located in the heart of downtown Phoenix, the Arizona Center is an open-air oasis of dining, shopping, ponds and gardens in a unique urban setting.

Arizona Mills

5000 Arizona Mills Circle

Tempe, AZ 85282

(480) 491-7300

The ultimate outlet shopping mall. featuring merchandise from the world’s best brands, over 60 outlets store. The mall also features IMAX theatre and the Rain Forest Café.

Arrowhead Towne Center

7700 West Arrowhead Towne Center

Glendale, AZ 85308

(623) 979-9764

atc@westcor.com

Arrowhead Towne Center is the Northwest Valley’s premier shopping venue serving this expanding marketplace of metropolitan Phoenix. The 1.3 million-square-foot center boasts an array of stores and eateries including five department stores – Dillard’s, Robinsons-May, Sears, JCPenney, and Mervyn’s, a 14-screen AMC Theatre, two sit-down restaurants, a terrific food court, more than 170 specialty retailers, and a scenic outdoor amphitheater.

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Sports

With the Arizona Diamondbacks, past World Series champions, there couldn’t be a more exciting time for baseball fans to be in Phoenix. In addition to the Diamondbacks who play at Chase Field, Phoenix is also the home base of the Arizona Cardinals (NFL), the Phoenix Suns (NBA), the Phoenix Coyotes (NHL), the Phoenix Mercury (WNBA), and the Arizona Rattlers (arena football), the Arizona Sting (NLL) and the Arizona Sahuaros (MPSL).

Phoenix is the host of the yearly Tostitos Fiesta Bowl college football festival, and rents rooms to players on seven major league baseball teams who conduct their spring training in Phoenix each year: the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, Anaheim Angels, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, and Oakland Athletics. The Phoenix Open (PGA), Standard Register Turquoise Classic (LPGA), and The Tradition (Senior PGA) are the pro golf matches that unfold in Phoenix each year. In addition, the Phoenix International Raceway and Manzanita Speedway feature Indy, NASCAR, and drag racing. Glendale is the new home of NFL Arizona Cardinals. The new University of Phoenix Stadium offers an air-conditioned space for 63,000 permanent seats, expandable to 73,000 for mega events like the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and NFL Super Bowls. It is a state-of-the art facility featuring a roll-out natural grass field and retractable roof.

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Higher Education

With each new technological revolution it becomes more apparent how important education is. There are many different options and with the advent of new technologies a person can schedule courses around their busy schedule, and even take classes in the comfort of their own home.

Community Colleges

Community colleges are the bridge between High school and the road to higher education. Many community colleges promote advanced placement programs that start at the high school level that offer motivated and gifted students an opportunity to earn college credit while in high school. Community colleges are often considered an affordable option to earn general education credits before attending an upper division school or university. Many community colleges offer programs and certificates that help working adults hone their skills for the ever changing work environment.

Liberal Arts Colleges

Liberal arts colleges offer courses that range from language studies to sciences, such as sociology and Psychology.

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Medical Facilities

Health care facilities in the Greater Phoenix area provide access to the latest developments in treatment and technology. In addition toseveral research facilities such as Mayo Clinic and the Arizona Heart.

Arizona Heart Hospital

1930 E Thomas Road

Phoenix

Banner Baywood Heart Center

6750 E Baywood Ave.

Mesa

Banner Baywood Medical Center

6644 E Baywood Ave

Mesa 

Banner Desert Medical Center

1400 S Dobson Road

Mesa

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Luke Air Force Base

Luke Air Force Base was named after Second Lieutenant Frank Luke, a United States flying ace during World War I (1897–1918). Lt Luke was the first aviator to ever be awarded the Medal of Honor  for acts of valor during battle.  Frank Luke was born in Phoenix in 1897, and was known as the “Arizona Balloon Buster”, he scored 18 aerial victories during World War I (14 of these German observation balloons) in the skies over France. Lieutenant Luke was shot down at Murvaux between Verdun and Stenay, France, on Sep 29th, 1918, after he had destroyed three enemy balloons. Surviving the crash of his plane, Lieutenant Luke drew two pistols and fired on German soldiers, killing several of them before he was killed; he was awarded the prestigious medal posthumously.

In 1940, the U.S. Army sent a representative to Arizona to choose a site for an Army Air Corps training field for advanced training in conventional fighter aircraft. The city of Phoenix bought 1,440 acres (5.8 km2) of land which they leased to the government at $1 a year, effective March 24th, 1941.

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Area Employers

Here is a sampling of the many potential employers in the Phoenix metropolitan area.