A week in Arizona - Culdesac and Mountain Shadows Resort

Earlier this month I took a week to get some sun and explore new housing developments in Arizona. I was particularly interested in seeing Cul-de-Sac, https://culdesac.com/ which was presented as America's first car-free community. I thought this was quite remarkable since Arizona is very much a car-oriented state, and Phoenix is a particularly car oriented city. What I found was more of a rental housing development, rather than a new community or neighbourhood. But it's a start. Here's some information based on a Wikipedia post and my own observations.. 

Culdesac Tempe is a car-free neighborhood in the U.S. consisting of 1000 residents at full build-out and zero cars or parking spaces for residents.

It is located in Tempe, Arizona about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the center of downtown Tempe.^[5] Culdesac Tempe is the first project for the startup Culdesac originally based out of San Francisco, California and now relocated to Tempe, Arizona.

Ryan Johnson is the founder and chief executive of Culdesac. His primary motivation for starting up the company was that he believed the future of American cities would be walkable in the way that San Francisco and New York are.

 for Culdesac Tempe began in 2019.The project was estimated to cost US$140 million, span 16 acres (6.5 ha), and include 636 apartment units and 24,000 square feet (2,200 m²) of restaurant and retail space.^[7]

The Phoenix metro area is commonly known as the capital of urban sprawl due to its status as the second-worst big city in America for walkers according to the website Walk Score. In most areas of Phoenix, residents rely heavily on personal vehicles for transportation. Culdesac eliminates the need for cars by providing most necessary services within the neighborhood and mobility benefits via partnerships with rideshare companies and public transit agencies. 

Moreover, there is a tram outside the door which connects into other parts of Tempe and Phoenix.https://www.valleymetro.org/project/tempe-streetcar

Cocina Chiwas restaurant, Street Corner Urban Market, and Archer's Bikes are open, and plans are in place for a coffee shop, co-working space, and additional shops on site at Culdesac Tempe. Another result of a ban on parking spaces is that there are more opportunities for green space including courtyards, gardens, and places to gather in community within the Culdesac Tempe neighborhood.

Dan Parolek is the architect working on the design plans for the community. He coined the term "missing middle housing" to describe the type of walkable, sustainable housing that Culdesac is intended to exemplify. However, I would not define the community as 'missing middle'. It's simply all lowrise apartments.

The company plans to expand to other locations with the goal of building on the success of "the first-ever car-free neighborhood built from scratch in the United States".

While I was disappointed with Culdesac, I was not disappointed with the Mountain Shadows resort where we stayed. www.mountainshadows.com. Located in Paradise Valley, the resort occupies the site of an earlier 1959 motel that was demolished. Everything about the resort is new, except for the archival photos around the property. In addition to the hotel rooms, there is a condominium as part of the complex offering larger suites that can also be rented out. 

There is also a challenging par-3 golf course on the premises around which are some very nice privately owned homes. There are a few restaurants, a lively bar, and a vibe that made the stay most enjoyable. I can highly recommend it, and I will be back.