New Homes & Lifestyles

Fountain Hills Mystique

The year was 1970. The soon-to-be community of Fountain Hills was merely a small enclave at the base of the McDowell Mountains in the Arizona desert. There were no homes or schools on the old cattle ranching land, but there would soon be one major attraction.

This was the year Robert P. McCulloch, the founder of thriving Lake Havasu City, decided he wanted to base a new community around one major landmark. So he began research and development on the namesake for which the community is now most famous.

Designer Charles Wood Jr. joined McColloch in developing what would become the fountain at Fountain Hills. Not just any ordinary fountain, but a 560 foot surging goliath. It is one of the world’s highest, and has a 28 acre lake as its base. With such an extraordinary landmark as the town’s first major feature, Fountain Hills was destined to become a notable place.

Early in 1971, construction began on town roads and a few scattered homes and condominiums. The emerging small town was laying the groundwork for some big growth. The community has experienced tremendous growth, the most dramatic increase occurring since its incorporation as a town in 1989.

Natural Beauty
MCO Properties, the original master developer of Fountain Hills, is still involved in the development of home communities in the town; MCO even coined the town phrase, "A hometown by nature." The town phrase could more accurately be called its “credo.” The community comes as close to living in a natural preserve as possible.

In fact, Fountain Hills is virtually encompassed by picturesque mountains: McDowell Mountain Regional Park to the north, and the Salt River Pima Indian Reservation to the south. The town’s eastern border is marked by the Tonto National Forest.

The town of Fountain Hills owes most of its incredible growth to its mountain vistas. The views are one of the primary reasons people purchase a home here. The mountains are also the factor that will forever keep the community from mass expansion. These mountain borders also serve to give the community a special hometown feel.

Natural beauty is not the only motivation for settling in Fountain Hills. Residents know there are many other reasons why they chose to make this town their home.

Community Celebrations
People flock to Fountain Hills to find a true communal setting. Community involvement is a major staple of life in the town. There is almost always an activity or event going on such as the Fountain Hills Great Fair, featuring the annual hot air balloon rally each. The town has also become well know for its St Patrick’s Day Celebration, where the world’s tallest fountain turns emerald green and the Fountain Park is filled with live concerts, arts and crafts and irresistible Irish food.

It may still seem like Fountain Hills is a bona fide small town. However, there is no shortage of attractions here, from luxurious resorts to one of the largest recreational areas in Central Arizona; the community has more to offer than many major cities. It is home to The McDowell Mountain Regional Park which offers endless biking, hiking and camping opportunities. The 21,099-acre regional park is crossed with 55 miles of desert trails and serves as a haven for outdoor enthusiasts.

Golfers also flock here. The town boasts five award-winning golf courses, many of which are recognized by golf publications around the nation for their precisely contoured fairways and immaculately manicured greens.

Town officials are continually working to enhance the quality of life for residents. The town’s elegant library, located adjacent to its Community Center, houses the River of Time Museum, chronicling Fountain Hills’ and the entire Lower Verde Valley area’s history and culture.

But what amazes and attracts so many people is the fact that all of these incredible features can be found in a 12,000-acre town. In 2005, the population of Fountain Hills was 25,251 people. At full build-out, the number is expected to near 35,000—yet another reason to make the move to Fountain Hills sooner rather than later. The town population is just one of many stark contrasts to nearby Scottsdale, where almost 230,000 people have made their home.

Future Development
Development plans are under way by Ellman Company for the recently annexed 1,300 acres of state trust land at the north end of town (1,400 home sites anticipated). Additionally, a development agreement is expected to be entered into later this month between the town, local businessman George Kasnoff and Conrad Development for a 13-acre "Town Square" mixed-use development along the Avenue of the Fountains featuring a “movieplex,” retail shops, restaurants, condos, as well as a greenway and water features.

Residents of Fountain Hills really do get to leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind each day because their community is separated from the rest of metropolitan Phoenix by the McDowell Mountains, which serve as a natural barrier between big city life and home. Homes in the community range from $100,000 to more than $3 million for custom-built houses on one of the many picturesque hilltops, with enviable views of those surrounding mountain ranges.

What gives Fountain Hills its mystique? Is it the beautiful mountain views? That world-famous fountain? Or, perhaps it’s the old-fashioned sense of community that has become so contagious in this town. Perhaps we will never know exactly. But homebuyers who sought a quality small-town lifestyle agree they have found that special something here, in their own personal retreat: a town with so many desirable features, it turns visitors into lifetime residents


INFO LINK
Fountain Hills Fort McDowell Visitors Bureau
www.visitfhfm.com
Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce
480.816.5100
www.fountainhillschamber.com