CHANDLER, Ariz. — The Chandler City Council recently voted to establish a Historic Preservation (HP) District zoning overlay within a portion of Downtown Chandler’s Silk Stocking neighborhood. The HP overlay encompasses 23 designated properties along Washington and Coronado streets whose property owners signed a waiver to adhere to the historic preservation ordinance and its accompanying design guidelines for property maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation.
The request for this new historic district was a grassroots effort led by Silk Stocking neighbors Melisa Lalich and Cheryl Bell — spanning years of conversations with fellow property owners, Planning Division staff, the Historic Preservation Commission, and the Chandler City Council. In fact, neighborhood involvement from Silk Stocking community leaders was instrumental in the creation and adoption of Chandler’s historic preservation ordinance that established the Historic Preservation Commission and various historic designations recognized by the city.
Chandler's City Code requires 60% of property owners to sign a declaration and waiver as required to be included in the HP district. These properties must have sufficient historic integrity. There are a total of 39 homes designated as contributing properties within the Silk Stocking neighborhood. With the 23 properties noted above having signed waivers, along with Washington Street's unique hardscape being considered a historic improvement, the 60% threshold was met.
Additional background about the Silk Stocking neighborhood as shared by Planning Division staff:
- Of the many historic homes within Silk Stocking, the majority exhibit the "Early Ranch" style with examples of Craftsman, Ranch, and Spanish Colonial Revival.
- The very streets that the neighborhood was built on maintain a unique and well-preserved historic aesthetic. Washington Street is one of the few concrete-finished streets left in the Valley from the early mid-century period. The combination of the original hardscape and tree-lined nature of the street lends itself to the historic context of the neighborhood.
- Silk Stocking was also once home to figures important to Chandler's past.
- Perhaps most notably, Arthur Price, the first City Attorney and personal friend of Dr. Chandler, had a home on Washington Street at 201 N. Washington St., which has since unfortunately been demolished.
- In addition to Price, other notable Chandler families got their start in Silk Stocking including the Basha, Bogle and Serrano families.
- Being a more affluent and influential neighborhood, the community also had significant political pull in the early days of Chandler pre-war, with the post-war economic trend lending itself to more of a workforce community. Altogether, the people of Silk Stocking were and continue to be an important part of Chandler.
For more information about historic preservation in Chandler, visit Chandler Historic Preservation.
Media contact:
Stephanie Romero
Public Information Officer, City of Chandler
480-782-2231