North Central Phoenix
Also known as “Between the 7‘s”: roughly bounded by Missouri north to Northern, between 7th Avenue and 7th Street, with Central Avenue running north and south right through the center. The North Central Corridor is one of the pricier areas of central Phoenix, and with good reason. With large custom-built homes, deep irrigated lots, North Central has a decidedly rural feel despite its proximity to downtown Phoenix just a few miles south. North Central homes also reside in the highly sought-after Madison School District, adding to the appeal of the area for many.
The neighborhoods encompassing this large residential area have not received historic designation, but they do have some great history and they have been in place for at least 50 years. Central Avenue itself, now becoming densely built with corporate offices and high rise living in the downtown area, still retains its calm charm and neighborhood feel up in North Central.
The historic Murphy Bridle Path on both sides of Central Avenue preserves the shady, rural feel of this main drag—with unpaved gravel paths and old-growth Elm and Olive trees. From Bethany Home Road to Northern Avenue, you’ll see joggers, walkers and baby strollers appreciating this shady path at all times of day.
Streets meander off Central Avenue around mature shade trees and carpets of well-kept grass. This residential calm in the middle of downtown is shared with most of our historic districts but the lush greenness and large acreage is in sharp contrast to most other areas of the valley, maybe most notably in the lack of walls you’ll find here.
The Central Corridor has its own mix of architecture ranging from traditional French Provincial, Cape Cod and sprawling Ranch-styled homes to more modern styles that blend seamlessly with their older neighbors. House hunters can easily lose themselves along the side streets and in the cul-de-sacs on any given evening as they admire the lovely streetscapes.
A home in North Central can be had for somewhere between a few hundred thousand dollars up into the millions. More modest homes and townhomes are also available as you travel farther north and east.
If you like the homes of North Central, you may also like those in the Arcadia neighborhood farther east along Camelback or the estates in the Alvarado Historic District farther south on Central Avenue.
Murphy Bridle Path is listed in the City of Phoenix Historic Register: It’s also a Point of Pride (and rightly so!) for Phoenix. North Central has not been named an historic district by the City of Phoenix, but it has been recognized as a Special Planning District which protects its residential character.
