Phoenix Architectural Touring on Two Wheels
I ride my bicycle year round in Phoenix. That probably means I'm a bit crazy. 6 months of the year biking is bliss, the other 6 months I just freeze a Camelback® hydration bag overnight before strapping it to my back before a ride. The cold melting ice and ice cold water helps a lot.
The other day I realized that one of my regular rides passes some pretty interesting architectural points of interest. So I thought I'd document it as a bike tour specifically designed to showcase a part of Phoenix's architectural legacy. It also includes some interesting examples by Frank Lloyd Wright.
For visitors to the valley consider beginning at the little strip mall on the S.E corner of 16th Street and Glendale Avenue.
Here you can rent a high quality bike at the Trailhead Bike Cafe (Stop #1). Maybe make a stop next door at Sprouts (Stop #2) and stock up on a little fruit, some healthy snacks and some fluids.
Update 6-2021 For Valley Visitors
Covid took its toll on the bike market nationally depleting inventories leaving few shops in Phoenix that currently offer bike rentals. The Trailhead Bike Cafe closed its 16th St. Store. I'd suggest checking in with the family run Grey Matter Bike Shop at 16th Street and Bethany Home where they still advertise that they will rent cruisers.
REI near Paradise Valley Mall also still rents high quality "Coop" bikes. Main thing is if you arrive without a bike, you'll need to figure out where to rent and where you want to start this tour.
Now, to begin the ride just walk up the hill to the Arizona Canal bike trail and begin your trip.
For residents, just grab your bike and start anywhere.
Stops #1 Trailhead Bike Cafe
Stop #2 Sprouts
This stretch of the AZ Canal bike trail offers a lot of pedestrian / bicycle underpasses reducing the places where you'll need to stop and cross some busy streets.
And I can't stress enough how important it is to be alert around cars in Phoenix. Actuarial reports are clear, Phoenicians are lousy drivers. So be alert and assume that some drivers here will be rude. Also remember it is Arizona so many will also be armed.
The first cross street you come to (East Maryland) has very little traffic. Here, I'd cross over to the north side of the canal as it offers an underpass at (busy) 24th Street.
When you emerge from the underpass you'll come to start the gravel portion of the trail and arrive at a white bridge leading to the Wrigley Mansion Club. Cross the bridge to the south side of the canal and keep riding east on the canal trail. You'll be passing beneath the "little mountaintop cottage" William
Wrigley built in celebration of his 50th wedding
anniversary. The mansion has an amazing story which you can read here:
Wrigley Mansion.
The Wrigley Mansion
Viewed From the Arizona Canal
Arriving at Stop #3
The Arizona Biltmore
Soon you'll glimpse the front view of the mansion on your right and the first of two bridges over the canal that lead to the Arizona Biltmore Resort on your left.
The Wrigley Mansion
Just Below Piestawa Peak
The Arizona Biltmore has the distinction of being one of the only Wright "inspired" hotels on planet earth. It is Stop #3.
A Biltmore Bridge with Wright's Palm Inspired Concrete Masonry
When you come to the second palm motif concrete bridge cross it and ride up to a valet. They can direct you to the resort's bike racks. After locking your bike head into the lobby and ask the concierge for a grounds map with history of the hotel. Then begin your exploration through this massive and remarkable 1929 resort.
If you plan it right (arriving on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday at 10:00 am) you can take the official 1.5 hour tour of the hotel.
The Spire Atop the Aztec Room
At The Arizona Biltmore
Contrary to what many believe, Frank Lloyd Wright was not the architect for the Arizona Biltmore. The architect was Albert Chase MacArthur. MacArthur was an architectural graduate from Harvard. As if that were not enough he was also an engineer and mathematician. Like many architects of the era, MacArthur found inspiration in Wright's work and retained him as a design consultant on the resort.
Wright's contributions to the hotel's design include the unique cast concrete masonry with its distinctive palm motif. Although Wright advised that the blocks should be square, MacArthur, the mathematician, opted instead for a rectangular shape he felt was more proportionately correct.
As you stroll the building and grounds Wright's inspiration is in evidence everywhere; the low ceilings, rooftop spires and slender steel columns.
The resort has been a coveted winter getaway for celebrities since the day it opened. Check out the little side hallway near Frank and Albert's restaurant for some great photos.
The timing of the hotel's opening, though could not have been worse due to the 1929 stock market crash. Just one year after construction, William Wrigley Jr. bought out the interests of all other investors and the Wrigley family became the hotel's sole owner for the next 43 years.
With Wrigley's ownership came the hotel's famed Catalina pool (reportedly Marilyn Monroe's favorite pool and the site where Irving Berlin penned White Christmas).
While touring the building, peek into the Gold Room (specifically to see its two magnificent tapestry / murals) and the star shaped Aztec Room with its deep fireplaces and gold ceiling.
Inspired? Good, get back on your bike and continue riding east along on the canal as it bisects the The Adobe and the Links golf courses. You might even see (nearby resident) Alice Cooper roll up to play a round at The Adobe.
When you reach 32nd street stop. Do not cross it. Instead turn left and head north (up the hill) for just a short ride to San Miguel Drive. Turn left (west) on San Miguel stopping at the crest of the little rise where you'll see a marker for "Alta Vista Estates".
Alta Vista Park Estates
Just above "Alta Vista" entry marker was the site of the Wright's stunning 1939 Rose Pauson House. Stop #4. Tragically, the Pauson
house survived just 4 years before burning to the ground when an ember from the fireplace ignited drapes in 1943. Its "Shiprock" chimney (the only remaining fragment of the house) stood here until it finally crumbled in 2012. The site was considered so significant that N. 32nd St. was diverted in design to preserve the Pauson site.
The Rose Pauson Residence
Now proceed further west along San Miguel to N. 30th Street where you'll arrive at Stops #5 and #6 (Wright's 1952 Benjamin Adelman House at 5802 and the Jorgine Boomer Cottage at 5808 N. 30th Street). Both residences are privately owned so be respectful and view them from a distance.
Now retrace your steps back to N. 32nd street and cross at the crosswalk light onto Stanford Drive.
You've now crossed into Paradise Valley. Locals refer to it as "PV". PV is home to many of Arizona's wealthiest residents.
"Welcome" Sorta
Be extra careful in PV as the police are notorious for citing bike riders for really stupid stuff. A police officer from a neighboring city told me even he got cited on his bike in PV for not "stopping at a stop sign".
Of course he had stopped (as recorded by both his Go Pro® and his gps). Despite that the citing PV officer informed him that "a full stop requires the cyclist step off a pedal and touch the pavement with one foot". Since that is total bunk, the ticket was voided. But just be aware.
Coming up pretty quickly will be The Hermosa (Stop #7). I've been known to stop in here for a drink on the patio or in The Hermosa's cozy bar.
While the Hermosa Inn has no connection with Frank Lloyd Wright, it is still pretty interesting in its own right. The Inn was created from the estate of Arizona's Cowboy artist Lon Megargee. Megargee's work includes 18 murals in the Arizona Capital. His famous sketch of a cowboy watering his horse is still found in finer Stetson hats.
Ask a server if you may poke into the the library as that is where Megargee's True West magazine covers are all carefully framed.
When you are ready head back to the bikes. Continue riding east on Stanford Drive toward Camelback Mountain. Along the was you'll roll past some very nice mid-century modern homes before the street ends at N. 44th street.
Mid-Century Moderns
Starting Up The Hills
At the "T" interwsection light turn left up the hill on N. 44th St. As the road curves N. 44th Street becomes N. Tatum Drive. Stay on Tatum until you reach Lincoln Drive. N. Tatum can get busy so ride with care. Cross Lincoln and take a water break at the Goldwater Memorial (Stop #8). While I find the proportions of Barry's statue to be odd, the landscaping here is lovely and there is a water fountain, so it is a good place to stop amd refill a water bottle.
When ready continue pedaling up Tatum to the crest of the hill.
Here, at the top on the right is Stop #9 Wright's 1954 Harold Price Sr. residence. Price is the same Oklahoma oilman who commissioned Wright's only constructed "highrise"; the 19-story Price Tower in Bartlesville Oklahoma.Which now, coincidentally has been repurposed into a boutique hotel.
Just 4 years before his death Wright designed this sprawling 5,000 square foot residence for Price with a roof that seems to float above the home itself.I believe it is now owned by the family "that owned the U-Haul" trailer rental company. Again this home is in private usage so be respectful.
After viewing the Price house from the street turn around and retrace your ride Tatum to Stanford (now all downhill!). Ride west on Stanford to N. 40th Street and turn left (south) back to link back up to the AZ Canal. If you are hungry consider stopping at Chelsea's Kitchen. With its big patio and lots of bike parking CK is always a good choice.
Chelsea's Kitchen
From here rejoin the south side of the AZ Canal trail and retrace your ride west along the canal back to the Trailhead Bike Cafe to turn in the bikes.
More by Car....
Although there are many other Wright buildings throughout Metro Phoenix, I recommend the following 3-4. Sadly, they are not bike friendly, so consider driving to see these.
1959 Norman Lykes Residence
Head out of the Sprouts parking lot driving east on Glendale Road (which will soon become Lincoln Drive). When you arrive at N. 36th Street turn left (north) and drive up into the little slot canyon where you may enjoy a nice view of the Norman Lykes house. This is one of the last homes designed by Wright, construction was actually deferred until 1967. It is a really special home with a stunning view.
The First Christian Church
Now head back to Lincoln Drive and drive west. Continue past Central Ave. to N. 7th
Avenue. Note that any N/S street west of Central Avenue is a numbered "Avenue" and any N/S street east of Central Avenue is a numbered "Street".
Turn left (south) on N. 7th Avenue and you'll soon see the tall concrete bell tower on your right. This is Wright's First
Christian Church (6750 N. 7th
Avenue). This church was faithfully built in 1972 using the plans
Wright created in 1949 for the (unbuilt) Southwest Christian Seminary.
1951 David and Gladys Wright Residence
This very special residence is only open for special events, so plan accordingly. It was designed by Wright for his son David and his wife Gladys. The couple lived in the house until their death (David passing in 1997 at 102 and Gladys passing in 2008 at the age of 104).
The very vocal and wealthy Arcadia neighbors have forced access to the house (when it is open) from an obscure little gate in the back parking lot of the Camelback Church of Christ. Truly absurd.
You can see photos of it here:
David and Gladys Wright House.
And....
Many visitors plan to see Wright's
Taliesin West studio in North Scottsdale and/or Wright's 1959
Grady Gammage Auditorium on the ASU campus in Tempe.
Taliesin offers a variety of tours. Tours there are sort of dense in the "Cult of Frank" so I'm not a big fan. Gammage is open for performances but in this architect's opinion it is a hot mess architecturally. While some rave about it, I am not a fan of the slavish circular forms, steep balconies and odd sight lines. The design was actually created for a site in the Middle East, but then was site adapted for Tempe.
Even geniuses must be forgiven for an off day.
Roadboy's Travels © 2018
