by Gina McKinley | Jun 19, 2019 | Community Info, General
Construction of a new elementary school in the Chandler Unified School District is expected to break ground this fall. The students and faculty at the current Weinberg Elementary will be moved to the new building, while the existing one will be transformed into the district’s second gifted academy.
CUSD expects the gifted school to start out with a reasonable number of students and will grow to about 750 students within a four to five-year span. The new school will be located off Ocotillo Rd & 148th St in Gilbert. It will have a construction budget of $18,000,000 and be modeled off the Auxier Elementary campus for energy efficiency and optimized safety.
The district also announced several elementary school boundary changes expected to alleviate student populations in the East side schools, which will go into effect in 2020. Students living in the one-mile block for Queen Creek, Gilbert, Ocotillo, & Cooper Roads currently positioned in Haley Elementary will be redirected to Ryan Elementary. Students living in the (currently empty) eastern half mile portion of Val Vista Drive, Ocotillo, Chandler Heights, and Lindsay Roads will move from Ryan Elementary to Weinberg Elementary. The final shift is for students living in in the square mile from Hunt Highway, Riggs, Recker, & Higley Roads from Patterson Elementary to Riggs Elementary.
Students currently enrolled for the 2019-20 school year will have the option to be grandfathered in at Haley or Patterson Elementary through the 2025-26 school year. If capacity allows, open enrollment will continue to be an option.
If you would like additional information about neighborhood schools or the housing market, please call The Gina McKinley Group at 480-355-8645 or email [email protected] today!
by Gina McKinley | Apr 30, 2019 | Community Info, General
The Chandler City Council unanimously approved a development on one of the last vacant city-owned properties last week. The development, to be completed by LGE Design Build, will be a 37,500-square-foot mixed-use entertainment destination. LGE is also the developer behind Overstreet Chandler across the street, now occupied by Flix Brewhouse.
The lot, known as Site 7, is a two-acre parcel that used to be a gas station and tire shop. More recently, it’s been used for parking. LGE also has the option to negotiate with the owner of the Jack in the Box restaurant to the north, to possibly relocate the restaurant and purchase the land for a larger project.
The project is set to be completed by 2024. LGE must break
ground within three years of the development agreement being signed, and
complete construction no more than two years after breaking ground. LGE will
rent the land from the city for five years (about how long the project will
take to be completed) although they also have the option to purchase the land
outright during any point of the lease agreement. If they are unable to
negotiate terms to relocate the Jack in the Box, the project timeline will be
moved up.
This is exciting news for Chandler as downtown continues to
expand! The development will be a welcome addition to the vibrant community. If
you’re thinking about making Chandler your home, please give The Gina McKinley
Group a call at 480-355-8645 or email [email protected]
today! We’d love to share more things about what makes the city we live, work,
and play in so great.
by Gina McKinley | Apr 23, 2019 | Buyer/Seller Tips, Community Info, General
While nobody wants their home broken into, the FBI facts are
that a burglary occurs every 20 seconds in the US. Home burglars generally have
a pattern, as criminals are looking for an easy target they can rob and get out
fast. Here are six tips from career burglars that you can use to protect your
home and prevent break ins without installing top-dollar security features.
1. Nighttime
Burglaries Aren’t the Most Common
Burglars are looking for the most probably time that there will be no one home, which means the daylight hours. Weekdays are ideal, since weekend schedules are too unpredictable. The most popular times that break-ins occur are between 12:30PM and 2:30PM when people are usually away at work or school.
2. They Know When You’re
Not Home – Thanks, Social Media!
Most people post in real-time when they’re on vacation or away
from home. Unfortunately, tech-savvy criminals take advantage of that and scout
social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and FourSquare
to find victims. An I-Team survey found that over 10% of burglars used social
media to find victims, including one burglar in Orange County who targeted at
least 33 women he saw in public and used the GPS data embedded in photos posted
to their Facebook & Instagram to break into their homes in 2015. Even for
those with private accounts, an old friend from high school or a neighbor down
the street could be a potential criminal.
Never post what times you’re not home or how long you’ll be gone and
save trip photos to post after you’re back home.
3. They Don’t Like
Security
Burglars don’t want anything to do with alarm systems,
whether they’re top of the line or not. Homes without an alarm system are
almost 300% more likely to be a target. If you have an alarm system, make sure
the code isn’t easy to guess like a house number or a birthday, and make sure
to keep the keypad clean so a burglar can’t guess based off the numbers you’ve
pressed the most. Make sure to use the security features your home already has,
like locking your windows, doors, and keeping the exterior of your house well-lit. Tricks that make it seem like someone is home
also work. Motion sensor lights, bright flood lights, timed lights in the
house, radio or TV left on, or a car in the driveway are all things that make a
burglar nervous that someone is home.
4. Gun Advertisements
are Not Security
If you’re a proud gun owner, it entices burglars more than
it scares them away. A gun is stolen
roughly every two minutes in the US, so it’s better to keep your guns in a
safe. NRA bumper stickers or Smith &
Wesson signs on a house advertises that there’s usually a lot of guns to steal
inside.
5. Shrubs &
Architecture Make Great Hiding Spots
Tall thick bushes, half walls, big fountains and other overgrown
landscaping are great to hide in, not only from you but from the neighbors,
too. Keep your landscaping regularly
trimmed and décor elements well-lit. If you do want big plants by your windows,
consider something thorny like cacti or roses.
6. Valuables Left in
the Open Are an Enticing Target
Expensive things left within clear view of windows are advertising
to burglars what kind of items they can steal. Make sure to put tablets, laptops,
or anything valuable away from view from first story windows. Key hooks, especially
labeled ones, should also be kept out of sight. Mike Fraser, a former professional
burglar and host of the BBC show Beat the
Burglar, also advised to leave large family calendars out of view since
they detail when you’ll be away from home.
Any documents with your personal information should also be kept out of
view as they can turn into a gold mine for criminals looking to easily steal
your details for identity theft.
Using these tips can help you prevent your home from being
broken into. Be sure to research crime
rates and trends in your city and neighborhood, especially when you’re looking
to purchase a home in an area you’re not familiar with. It’s an important step of the home buying
process!
If you’re thinking about purchasing a home, please give The
Gina McKinley Group a call at 480-355-8645 or email [email protected]. We’ve
love to schedule a free consultation to educate you on the home buying process
so you can make the most informed decision for your family.
by Gina McKinley | Apr 10, 2019 | Community Info, General
Summit Point Park, a quaint .29 acre park in Chandler is
getting a makeover starting this month.
For those who aren’t familiar, Summit Point Park is in the heart of the
neighborhood in the northeast corner of Elliot & Alma School Roads. The hope
is to inspire residents, both young and old, to get outdoors and play.
Though small, the corner park has had a substantially
positive impact on the community since its construction more than three decades
ago. In order to make sure the park renovation
will be well received, Chandler has developed a conceptual plan for the park
that includes additions requested by the community itself. The most popular request? Outdoor fitness
equipment.
In addition to the fitness stations, the park will also
expand into a vacant alley behind to add space for cornhole games and a rubber-surfaced
space for other sidewalk style games. Other improvements include a new water
fountain, additional shade canopy, new lighting fixtures, benches, and picnic
tables.
“Parks play an important role in the quality of life in
Chandler. Investing in parks such as Summit Point Park ensures that Chandler’s
parks are kept up to date and the recreational needs of the community are being
met,” the Community Services Planning Manager for Chandler, Mickey Ohland, said
in a statement.
For more information on what makes Chandler such a great
place to live, give us a call at 480-355-8645 or email us at [email protected]
today! We’d love to share what makes the city we live, work, and play in so great.
by Gina McKinley | Apr 4, 2019 | Community Info, General
Maracay Homes, a Scottsdale-based new home builder, recently
paid $24.6 million for an 82-acre land parcel directly north of Veterans Oasis
Park in Chandler. This most recent
purchase added to their 236-acre total holdings, which stretches into Gilbert off
Chandler Heights between Val Vista & Lindsay roads.
The new community, named Canopy, calls for 241 new homes ranging from 2,331 to 3,730 square feet with plans to open the first phase in 2020. A central park and paseo will be designed with raised garden beds, ornamental grasses and pergolas to create a sense of peace and serenity for residents and visitors. The community will also include a trail system that connects to Veterans Oasis Park, which features miles of trails, a fishing lake and nature center.
Canopy will share a corner with Maracay’s other development, Waterston. The land for Waterston was purchased last year and plans for 332 homes ranging between 2,000-5,000 square feet. Both developments will be designed according to the architectural principle of Vatsu Shastra, which integrates nature, functionality, symmetry, and directional elements to create an enhanced living environment. Maracay plans to market the two communities separately, and home prices have yet to be announced.
The new communities plan to be ready for the 7,500 new jobs
are being created in the area, including Allstate’s planned expansion in
Chandler, has plans for 2,500 jobs, Deloitte moving into The Commons at Rivulon
in Gilbert with another 2,500 jobs, and Intel’s new Fab 42 facility in Chandler
with a planned 3,000 jobs.
If you’re considering purchasing a new home or would like to
know more about resale homes in the area, please contact The Gina McKinley
Group at 480-355-8645 or [email protected]
today! We’d love to share our knowledge so you can purchase your dream home.
by Gina McKinley | Mar 8, 2019 | Community Info, General
The famed Chandler Ostrich Festival will be held this weekend for the 31st year running! What started as a modest event downtown is now grown up into a full-fledged entertainment extravaganza.
More than just ostriches, the 31st annual Chandler Chamber Ostrich Festival will feature the world’s largest bounce house, BMX Pros Trick Team shows, pig and dog races, Victoria Circus motorcycle and high-wire acts and numerous carnival rides. The festival will also have over 100 hours of music with headliners like Flo Rida, The Commodores, and Andy Grammer.
While no ostrich races this year, the ostriches will be kept near the petting zoo for people to view and learn more about this strange-looking bird. The racetrack was done away with to make room for the 10,000 square foot Big Bounce America bounce house. It’s currently the Guinness World Record holder for the biggest bounce house and has obstacle courses, climbing walls, giant slides, basketball hoops, ball pits and other fun things for both children and adults.
Another new thing this year is the BMX Pros Trick Show, where skateboarders and BMX riders will perform a variety of stunts on a street ramp and half pipe.
The Ostrich Festival will be held March 8th-10th at Tumbleweed Park, located at 745 E. Germann Road. Tickets and more information can be found online at www.OstrichFestival.com
For more information on what makes Chandler such a great place to live, give us a call at 480-355-8645 or email us at [email protected] today! We’d love to share other fun things to do and what makes the city we live, work, and play in so great.
