Policy EC 3: Support the protection of residential properties in the La Cruz and Washington Park neighborhoods with appropriate transitions in scale and/or provision of screening and buffering with redevelopment of this area.
Neighborhood Preservation (Evergreen Historic District) Most of the identified Neighborhood Preservation area is within the Evergreen Historic District. This is a strong, well-maintained and viable residential neighborhood that should be preserved and enhanced into the future. The Evergreen Historic District was first platted in 1910 as the first subdivision outside the original square mile townsite area. This subdivision developed slowly and reflects several periods of development. The fringes of this area, along Country Club and University Drives, are not within the Historic District, but provide a transition from more intense development to the Evergreen Historic District. Consequently, maintenance of these areas is critical to the preservation of the Evergreen Historic District. Policy EG 1: Support continued preservation of this historic neighborhood to provide a variety of housing options and maintain a sense of Mesa’s historic development pattern. Policy EG 2: Encourage the transition of the Country Club and University Drive Commercial/Mixed-Use Node into a high-quality, urban, mixed-use development
pattern that provides destinations for residents of the Neighborhood Preservation area. Policy EG 3: Support preservation of the historic character within the Evergreen Historic District through active utilization of the historic district overlay.
Neighborhood Maintenance (La Cruz and Washington Park/Escobedo) La Cruz The La Cruz area is primarily a duplex neighborhood along two long streets. As part of a neighborhood improvement project, three playground areas were constructed on the right-of-way of the former Mesa Canal, which diagonally bisects the La Cruz area. This area has been well maintained to date; however, because it is a duplex neighborhood absentee ownership is more common and continued property maintenance will be the focus into the future. Policy LC 1: Encourage active and consistent code compliance in this area to ensure properties continue to be well maintained.
Washington Park/Escobedo The Washington Park and Escobedo areas have a long history within Mesa. Platted in the early 1920s as a neighborhood for minorities, Washington Park contained its own schools, churches, and businesses. This history makes it a unique place in Mesa and many of the current residents treasure that uniqueness and desire to see it maintained. Escobedo has served the City and citizens for many years by providing a low-cost housing option. Continuing into the future, these neighborhoods need to be maintained and rejuvenated in a way that maintains the sense of history and place, provides workforce housing, and contributes to the continued growth of the downtown area. Policy WP/E 1: Support maintenance of the historic neighborhood scale and intensity in the Washington Park area.
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Policy WP/E 2: Encourage redevelopment of the Escobedo area with mixed-income housing. This could include retaining and integrating portions of the existing Escobedo Apartments into the new development.