Maryvale

Maryvale Overview

Maryvale is a section of west Phoenix. This area has some of the city’s most affordable neighborhoods. When developer John F. Long opened Maryvale in the 1950s, its low-cost block homes drew residents from across the country. The growing Grand Canyon University is on the northern end of this area. Desert Sky Mall can be found here. Because of its centralized location, freeway access is easy.

Transportation

Interstate 10 runs along the southern edge of this neighborhood. Interstate 17 runs along the eastern edge. And Loop 101 bisects the western part of this area.

Explore the 6 areas of Maryvale

Grand Canyon University: 85017

Grand Canyon University is home to the private, Christian college it’s named after. Neighborhoods around the school are being revitalized by its growth. Many students rent in the area. But there are also many longtime residents here.

Alhambra: 85019

Alhambra is named after a high school and older community in this area. It’s near Grand Canyon University. Neighborhoods can be found on the northern end of this area. Industrial parks are on the southern end.

Old Maryvale: 85031

Old Maryvale is the original part of this planned community. Block homes with carports line most streets. A growing number of houses are being renovated.

Maryvale West: 85033

Maryvale West is the second phase of this west Phoenix community. Houses are typically block with a carport on small lots.

Desert Sky: 85035

Desert Sky is named after the mall in this area. Ak-Chin Pavilion is nearby. Houses are typically block with stuccos facades in this area that stretches along I-10.

Westwind: 85037

Westwind has newer homes than other parts of this neighborhood. Loop 101 bisects this area and has spurred more development. Ak-Chin Pavilion can be found here.

Housing

This neighborhood has many older homes built mostly in the 1950s and ’60s. Newer houses and apartments can be found in the Westwind and Desert Sky areas. Grand Canyon University’s growth is helping to draw buyers and renters to the brick and traditional wood homes built there in the 1970s. Maryvale was lauded nationally for its affordable homes with air-conditioning when it opened. The area suffered through a period of urban blight in the 1980s but is drawing residents again. The neighborhood’s location -close to freeways and affordable homes- is helping with its revitalization.

The Market

Maryvale was hurt more than many parts of metro Phoenix by the foreclosure crisis. The area’s home values are still far from boom levels.
Investors have been purchasing bargain homes in this neighborhood, fixing them up and renting them out. Rentals are aplenty in this area. New apartments can be found farther west.
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Maryvale has the most affordable neighborhoods. Home prices are slightly higher in Westwind and Desert Sky, where newer houses can be found.

Living here

Expect an older neighborhood with affordable homes. Grand Canyon University’s growth is helping revitalize that part of this west Phoenix area. Easy freeway access and low home prices are a draw for this area. Rentals are easy to find here. Phoenix city leaders have been working on Maryvale’s blight issues. Parts of this area still have crime problems. Maryvale has a large Hispanic population and many longtime residents. Homebuyers looking for a neighborhood close in and affordable are moving here.

Things to do at Grand Canyon University: 85017

Main attractions

This neighborhood is home to the expanding Grand Canyon University, a private Christian college that offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs. In February and March, Maryvale Stadium is the spring training home of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Out on the town

Easy access to the Valley’s major freeways means downtown Phoenix, with its sports and entertainment venues, convention center and many dining options. The Great Wall has some of the best dim sum in the Valley. Get there early on weekends. Beautiful weather calls for a trip to historic Encanto Park and its 222 acres of lagoons, golf courses, urban fishing and family-friendly Enchanted Island Amusement Park. For everything else there’s Christown Spectrum, a shopping center outfitted with a state-of-the-art Harkins Theatre.

Outdoors

Most outdoor recreation is going to require a short drive from these neighborhoods. San Tan Mountain Regional Park is to the west. Estrella Mountain Regional Park and South Mountain Park are a short drive to the south. The Grand Canal Trail, which follows part of the Salt River Project canal system, cuts a diagonal swath through the area.

The Maryvale area is densely populated with many young Hispanic residents renting older houses. The Westwind neighborhood (85037) is the only one in this area where the high-school dropout percentage doesn’t approach 40 percent. Incomes are lower than average in each neighborhood. Homeownership is also relatively low.

5 things to know about Phoenix

It’s big: Phoenix is the nation’s sixth biggest city and its population is still growing faster than many other U.S. cities. The city was named in the mid-1800s by settlers who compared their new home to the mythical bird that burned and rose from the ashes.
It’s a great place to hike: National Geographic ranked Phoenix as one of America’s 15 best hiking cities. The city has a vast network of desert preserves and hiking trails, including iconic summits like Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak. You’ll find trail maps and descriptions online.
It has a reputation for being a well-run city: Phoenix has received various awards for good governance and has the highest credit rating of the nation’s six largest cities. But the city has struggled to get its fiscal problems in order since the Great Recession. City Council members regularly have coffee meetings open to all residents.
It is focusing on urban growth and transportation: Phoenix’s general plan focuses heavily on infill development along the light-rail corridor. Light rail will continue to be one of Phoenix’s key development tools, with city leaders hoping to triple its miles of track by 2050.
It has a thriving cultural scene: The Phoenix Symphony, Arizona Opera and Ballet Arizona all perform in the city’s Symphony Hall located downtown. The Orpheum Theatre, Herberger Theater Center and Valley Youth Theater are all nearby. Also located in the central city are the Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona Capitol Museum, Children’s Museum, Arizona Science Center and Heard Museum. A popular monthly art walk to a growing number of downtown galleries is called First Fridays and held on the first of each month.