Our Community
The Neighborhood
Our neighborhood is nestled in the heart of Phoenix, the Melrose District. It is a quiet, yet vibrant cottage community where most of the homes were built between 1929 and 1949. Our residents are a mix of young and old and many of our residents are original homeowners, we even have some second and
third generation homeowners!
Woodlea Melrose is bounded by Indian School Road, north to the Grand Canal, between 7th Avenue and 15th Avenue and includes over
300 single family homes.
We are proud of the historic character and unique charm of our area. Our Neighborhood Association was formed in 1988 to help us meet the mounting challenges and amazing opportunities of maintaining and building a thriving community in central Phoenix. There is power in numbers and our association provides a unified voice for a diverse group of neighbors with the goal to make this the best place to live in Phoenix!
Our Goals
Promote a sense of community and cohesiveness in the neighborhood by organizing
neighborhood events.
Present a unified voice to our City, County and State governments and adjacent businesses on various issues which may affect our neighborhood. Areas of particular concern include zoning issues, traffic control, crime prevention and property appearance.
Reduce crime in the neighborhood by promoting "Neighbors On Watch" (N.O.W.), our Block Watch Program and acting as a liaison with the
Phoenix Police Department.
Who We Are
The Woodlea Melrose Neighborhood Board consists of 5 elected officers: Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and Newsletter Editor.
We also depend on several other volunteer, event and program coordinators: Communications Officer, Front Yard Friday Chair, Neighborhood Ambassador, N.O.W Coordinator and Tool Shed Coordinator. The Board officers are elected to a one year term. We are registered with the City of Phoenix Neighborhood Services Department as an incorporated neighborhood association. Our membership dues are $10 a year which includes many benefits: tool lending library, the annual neighborhood block party and cookout, holiday luminary candles and bags, annual yard sale signs and advertising and other numerous community initiatives. Dues run from December 1 thru the following November. The Association is a non-profit organization which means your dues and donations are tax-deductible. We would like all residents of the Woodlea Melrose Neighborhood to join us. We do make a difference! We encourage you to get involved by becoming an association volunteer or street representative, you’ll be able to
help in so many ways.
HISTORY
Woodlea Melrose is a medium-sized, mid-century neighborhood in central Phoenix that was platted in 1928, but largely developed in the 1940s.
1920s
In 1928, Thomas Mackenzie purchased 47 acres of lettuce fields north of downtown Phoenix for $20,000. He subdivided the property into 190 lots and named the subdivision “Woodlea” for the many trees on the property. Mackenzie partnered with the Lister Realty Company, which held a grand opening for the subdivision on March 17, 1929. Lots sold at a record pace and several homes were completed within the first year.
Woodlea featured paved streets, electricity, close proximity to a church and school, and “no city taxes.” It was best known, however, for its pure/soft water which was said to be far superior to any water available in the city. The water was pumped from a depth of 347 feet and everyone who came to see the subdivision was invited to sample the water. Lister’s newspaper ads even encouraged people to “bring a canteen” so they could take some Woodlea water home with them!
1930s
Some homes in Woodlea were commissioned to be built between 1930 and 1939, but after the onset of WWII, building came to a halt in Phoenix and many of the lots sat vacant. After the war ended, home building boomed in Phoenix and the Melrose District, in particular. Some owners hired independent builders to construct their homes, but there were also a few builders who made investments in several lots each. One of these contractors, Andy Womack, built eight houses and would go on to become a major figure in the Phoenix area, including the adjacent subdivision, Melrose Manor.
1940s
Womack Construction Company broke ground on the 174-house subdivision “Melrose Manor” on May 5, 1947. All the homes featured 2 to 3 bedrooms, a garage, and were advertised to be close to shopping and public transportation. Within the next few years many of the businesses along 7th Ave were also built, and the Melrose District that we know and love today really began to take shape. Most notably was the Melrose Shopping Center in 1948 (also built by Womack). The center’s main store, A.J. Bayless Markets, was advertised to feature “the very latest scientific development in open air refrigeration!”
1980s to Today
During the late 1980s the two neighborhoods decided to join together; with the City’s approval, “Woodlea” and “Melrose Manor” officially became known as Woodlea Melrose in 1988.
In June 2011, Woodlea was awarded designation as a Historic District along with 11 other Phoenix neighborhoods.
Historical information courtesy of:
Arizona Republic and City of Phoenix Preservation Office
