Avondale - from Stagecoaches of Yesterday
to NASCAR Today!
In
the late 19th century, Avondale was a pit stop on the
main thoroughfare for folks racing to the ‘Golden Coast’. Today,
this vibrant city is a premier destination for International NASCAR
racing, festivals, shopping, dining, recreation, education, family
living, employment and business location.
YESTERDAY
Avondale's founding father, William "Billy" G. Moore, arrived in
Arizona in the late 1860s, settling near the
Agua Fria River around
1880. Billy Moore called his settlement "Coldwater, Arizona" -
apChandler Arizona Real Estate MLSly both for the river and for the water that flowed from a
local spring. He served a brief stint as Justice of the Peace for
the Agua Fria
area. He bought land, established a stage stop, erected a saloon and
a general store, and was even Postmaster of Coldwater from 1901 till
1905.
In
the early 1900s, the Coldwater post office moved to a site near the
nearby Avondale Ranch. The post office soon became known as
Avondale, and the name Coldwater was discontinued. In December 1946,
the City of Avondale was incorporated.
TODAY
Avondale is a modern city, near the heart of the
Phoenix-metropolitan area. The current population is more than
70,000, and is expected to reach 123,000 by the year 2020. The
anticipated build-out population is estimated to be 170,000
residents. That rapid growth makes Avondale one of the
fastest-growing communities in the valley, and the nation. Over the
last decade, housing starts grew more than 700% with a current
average home price of $273,000. Household income has steadily
increased and is currently estimated at $72,024.
FAST
PACE
To
keep pace with the rapidly-growing population, a variety of
cultural, economic, recreational and educational advantages have
evolved. Resources range from the programs of the West Valley Arts
Council to the academic resources of Estrella Mountain Community
College and Universal Technical Institute. From the soccer fields of
Friendship Park to the high excitement of Phoenix International
Raceway(PIR), Avondale has something for everyone. PIR is billed as
the world’s fastest one-mile paved oval and plays host to multiple
NASCAR events annually, each attracting nearly 400,000 enthusiasts
and hundreds of race teams, contributing hundreds of millions of
dollars into the state and local economy.
ON THE MOVE
Avondale is situated in an ideal commercial corridor at the
crossroads of Interstate 10 and the Loop 101, which has piqued the
interest of many investors, especially along the I-10 and Avondale
Boulevard. This corridor is a mecca of multiple power retail
centers, an extensive auto mall, hotels, restaurants, business
parks and more.
Avondale has already begun the next step in its evolution to meet
the growing local demand for employment, with an emerging medical
corridor, attraction of offices, business parks and light
manufacturing. Over 400 acres, designated as employment in the
General Plan, is currently in various stages of design approval, and
under construction.
Avondale Snapshot
Incorporated December 13, 1946
Size:
54 square miles
Estimated 2007 Population: 75,000
Median
Age: 29.43
Projected 2020 population: 123,000
Average home value: $273,000
Average annual household income: $72,024
City
Budget - FY 2007-2008: $267 million
-
Major Employers
-
Aqua Fria Union High School District
-
Avondale Auto Mall
-
Avondale Elementary School District
-
Avondale Integrated Medical Services
-
Baker Concrete Construction
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City of Avondale
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Costco Wholesale
-
Home Depot
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Litchfield
Park Elementary School District
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Sam’s Club
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Tolleson Union High School District
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Universal Technical Institute
-
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Avondale Landmarks
PIR
–Phoenix International Raceway
Estrella
Mountain Community College
Estrella Mountain County
Regional Park
