Estrella Mountain Ranch Schools (Phoenix, Chandler: appointed, salons, waterpark) - Arizona (AZ) - City-Data Forum

DCslick · 07-22-2007, 10:58 PM

We are considering a move to Estrella Mountain Ranch and are curious about the schools. Does anyone have children in the schools there? Also, any general info on living there would be great. Is it worth the longer commute? Is the community close knit?

Any info would be great!

esterbrook · 07-23-2007, 12:25 AM

Just saw this development today, on our way back to California. I hope to find out more info as well.

songstress · 09-07-2007, 05:27 PM

Does anyone have any info. on this area?
Thanks!

Great Joy · 09-08-2007, 02:07 PM

There's at least one wonderful person that I know of that communicates on here that lives there. I'm sure they will respond soon.

We looked there too, but it's been awhile and I don't know enough current school information to comment. If you're looking at this development, I also recommend looking at Verrado and Vistancia. All three are beautiful and very nice. We looked at all of them including other areas and chose Vistancia. Good luck in your search!

Ponderosa · 09-09-2007, 07:01 AM

I've lived in EMR (now called Estrella) for about 10 years. Estrella is a master planned community in SW Phoenix metro area. It is situated in the foothills of the Estrella Mtns. The setting is quite beautiful with moutain views and hills in every direction. It is an affluent community. Tract homes run from upper 200s to low 800s and there are custom lots and houses that go a lot higher than that.

The community amenities are many. First, it is located right next to a huge county park that has miles and miles of trails and a public golf course. Estrella too has miles of trails. It also has two lakes about 40 acres each where you can fish, sail, paddle etc. Boats are free. There is a waterpark and a huge residents center with a state of the art gym and personal trainers (equipment free - trainers by negotiation). The lakes, trails, waterpark, gym, etc are all private residents only.

There are two elementary schools and a high school in the community. One of the elementary schools earned the states highest rating and the other the second highest rating. Not sure on the high school, but it is pretty new, state of the art facilities. They are even builidng an aquatics center at the school for diving, competitive swim teams etc. School bond issues always pass and there is a lot of parental involvement in all the schools - usually the two hallmarks of quality schools. There is a strong community sense here with lots of professionally managed activities. So you can meet your neighbors, get involved, do stuff together if you want to.

The downside to Estrella is its remoteness. It is about 10 miles from I10 and removed from the metro area by miles of open desert, a river, and a mountain. You do not feel like you live in PHoenix out here. Most people like that but it does get old driving "down the hill" everytime you need something. We do have a C-store and a couple of tiny restaurants, but nothing very good. All that is changing. They recently announced a 200,000 sq ft retail area is going to be built next year. Bashas (a grocery chain) will anchor it and there are to be daycare, salons, hardware store, and restaurants. I like the idea. I am fairly close to where it will be and will be able to walk to shopping with ease.

To sum it up, just about everyone here thinks they are in paradise. Really, it is hard to find someone who does not like this lifestyle. Some complain about the drive, but most find it an acceptable trade off to be away from city life. It is an illusion, of course, but it is the only place I know in the metro area where you can truly fool yourself into believing that you really don't live in a huge metro area. None of the other trendy planned areas have the remoteness factor that Estrella offers. When the shopping goes in, it may be possible to just live here and rarely go into town. That will be great.

Boatdrinks · 09-09-2007, 09:02 AM

We looked a few times at EMR. We drove around the neighborhoods and stopped and talked to people who were outside to get an idea of what it was like, if people liked the area, their builder, etc. We didn't hear one negative comment from anyone, which I think would be pretty unusual in most other developments. The area is beautiful - very unique b/c of the mountain AND lakes. There are other nice mountain/desert communities, but EMR has the lake too, which really makes it for me. People seemed very nice. There are many community events - holiday festivals at the lake - we went to the Halloween festival by the lake last year and had a great time. They have a great farmers market - I believe it's monthly but I could be wrong. And the pool/community center is great.

Our only reservation was the distance we'd have to drive for pretty much everything. We clocked the distance from the homes that we looked at to the 10 and I think it was like 17 miles or something like that - maybe a bit more, actually. And the fact that there's only one way in and out was hard for us too. We happened to be out looking at Vistancia, which also has only 1 way in and out (that we knew of), and there was a serious car accident on that road on our way out. The police closed the road in both directions b/c they needed a LZ for the MedEvac. We had to turn around and just followed everyone else in front of us since we didn't know the area - we were lead through the desert, up and down rocky hills on dirt roads, through washes for like 15 minutes - came very close to bottoming out and doing serious damage to our car - till we came to a real street. It was very disconcerting and not something I'd want to have to deal with again. As well, the distance to hospitals makes MedEvacs more necessary which was a concern for us too, in Vistancia, though I don't know that hospitals are as far from EMR.

Anyway, I know that for us, we couldn't deal with being so far away from everything. Even one or two shopping centers built within EMR wouldn't do it for us b/c we tend to like more variety. They are building a fabulous mall on the other side of the 10 that will have a ton of shopping, restaurants, etc and also hotels I think. But that's a few years out to completion.

If it weren't for the remoteness, we'd have bought there in a minute. Ironically, the remoteness is one of the unique, endearing things about EMR, but it's just not something that we'd deal with very well. But if you don't mind it, I think it'd be a fabulous place to live. I'd recommend making a few visits out there, make the drive from where your house would be to the Walmart shopping center, the 10, etc, to get an idea of what your drive would actually be. If you won't be making a decision until after Halloween, go to the Halloween festival. It'd be a great way to meet people and talk to them about life in EMR.

Good luck!

Ponderosa · 09-09-2007, 11:29 AM

Not to quibble but there have always been two ways in/out of Estrella. The Parkway, obviously, and Jackrabbit Trail. In a couple months there will be a third as Cotton Lane is being extended across the river and over the hill and will intersect with Estrella just north of Elliot. Cotton Lane is the same distance as Estrella which fools a lot of folks around here. Whatever the case, I have never run into any kind of slowdown on Estrella once you start climbing the mountain (except while they were building our traffic circle the past couple months).

There is also tons more commercial along Estrells south (and north) of the freeway. By the time the mall is built it will be sort of an afterthought. There is not much you can't find there already. I don't know if anyone recalls that fellow who was looking to open a Brazilian restaurant, but I noticed a Brazilian restaurant in Goodyear the other day. I was wondering if that was him.

Great Joy · 09-14-2007, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boatdrinks

We happened to be out looking at Vistancia, which also has only 1 way in and out (that we knew of), and there was a serious car accident on that road on our way out. The police closed the road in both directions b/c they needed a LZ for the MedEvac. We had to turn around and just followed everyone else in front of us since we didn't know the area - we were lead through the desert, up and down rocky hills on dirt roads, through washes for like 15 minutes - came very close to bottoming out and doing serious damage to our car - till we came to a real street. It was very disconcerting and not something I'd want to have to deal with again. As well, the distance to hospitals makes MedEvacs more necessary which was a concern for us too, in Vistancia, though I don't know that hospitals are as far from EMR.

Boatdrinks, I'm sorry to hear that road was blocked when you came here. That was the first and only time that has happened since Vistancia opened in mid 2004. It's a bummer that just had to happen when you came.

Here is information to help everyone with Vistancia.

There are plans for additional entrances/exits for Vistancia:
Presently occurring 303 Plans: Loop 303 North of I-10
North Peoria Development: City of Peoria General Plan (http://www.peoriaaz.gov/GenPlan/Default.htm - broken link) -- Check out the maps section in the lower left column -- excellent info including showing the multiple entrances better

The closest hospitals now are Arrowhead and Del Webb, about 20 minutes each. In the future, we will have a hospital in Vistancia:
Future development including hospital within Vistancia: Vistancia - The difference is real

And, here is the present commercial development:
Close to Vistancia: Developers fill Peoria's hot corner (broken link)
Within Vistancia: Phoenix Commercial Advisors: Available Property

TodKat · 11-25-2007, 03:48 PM

My wife and I are both Realtors, and we have lived in Estrella the last 2 years. Previously we lived in Avondale and Chandler, once we found Estrella we knew this was the place to raise our family. As we have 5 children under 11 years old, we wanted a community that was safe and child friendly. We have not be disappointed with Estrella at all, and we even have our own youth sports league Estrella Youth Sports. I have enjoyed coaching and my kids have loved playing basketball with the other kids from the neighborhood.
It is more of a drive to get here, but for us it has always been worth it. If you haven't visited Estrella you need to come see for yourself. I agree with the previous post, everyone I have met here feels like they have found paradise.

markas214 · 11-26-2007, 04:54 AM

My wife and I have 3 children ages 2-7. We both can work at any hospital we choose. How far is the nearest one? How many minutes? Also is there a degree of snobbery or are the people pretty down to earth. Conservative, liberal or middle of the road? We are rather open minded and would like to stay in a middle of the road community where religion is a personal issue, not a way of life. On the other hand we do want to be in a socially responsible community.