Los Olivos Historic District Phoenix AZ

Los Olivos

Generally located along Monte Vista Road between Third and Seventh Streets.

Period of Significance: 1906-1935

Los Olivos Historic District is an early suburban neighborhood located approximately one and three-quarters miles north of downtown Phoenix. Situated next to the Alvarado and East Alvarado Historic Districts, Los Olivos is located in a small pocket of historic residential streets book ended by commercial and multi-family properties along 7th Street and Central Avenue. Los Olivos Historic District is a small district less than one block long, and is characterized by custom-built houses on large lots, with tall palm trees and olive trees that line the street. Its irregular boundary includes residential lots along both sides of Monte Vista Road between 3rd and 7th Streets. The district is approximately nine and a half acres in size and contains 15 resources, fourteen of which are single-family houses. The fifteenth resource is the landscape itself, including the palmlined streets and olive trees for which the subdivision is named. Of the resources, ten (66.6%) are considered contributing, and five (33.3%) are noncontributing. All but one of the resources in the district was built between 1911 and 1930, and the majority of the houses are Period Revival or Craftsman in style. The boundaries of the National Register district correspond to the boundaries of a Phoenix local historic district of the same name.

Los Olivos Historic District is situated along Monte Vista Road, between 3rd and 7th Streets. The district lies within the larger Los Olivos Resubdivided plat from 1913; one house was built in 1911, before the land was resubdivided. Lots along the north edge of the original plat were later subdivided into smaller lots, and lots along the western edge now contain multi-family and office buildings. The lots contained within the Los Olivos Historic district boundary, however, are of the size and configuration found in the 1913 plat, and as residential lots, best represent its original appearance. The district includes nine lots along the north side of Monte Vista (house numbers 324 to 390), five lots on the south side (house numbers 341 to 371), and the streetscape itself, which includes tall palms and many olive trees, for which the subdivision is named. The boundary extends west in a narrow strip along Monte Vista to 3rd Street, in order to include the remainder of the historic tall palms and olive trees. The district is surrounded on three sides by non-historic resources. Adjacent to the south boundary of Los Olivos are the lots along Palm Lane, which contain non-historic apartment and office buildings. To the district’s west is 3rd Street, which also contains offices and apartments. East of the district is 7th Street, a six-lane north-south thoroughfare lined primarily with commercial properties. Immediately north of Los Olivos is the East Alvarado Historic District, with smaller lots and resources built primarily in the 1930s.

The streetscape in Los Olivos is uniform, with the fourteen domestic properties facing one another along Monte Vista Road. Setbacks and landscaping are consistent and contribute to the coherent appearance. The street is flat, paved in asphalt, and wide enough to permit on-street parking. It has traditional concrete curbs and straight concrete sidewalks. A strip of grass approximately ten feet wide lies between the curb and sidewalk; palms and olive trees, spaced at regular intervals along the street, are planted in the strip. The lots in the district have broad front lawns, with neatly manicured hedges, low flower beds, and mature palm, mesquite, or pine trees. Lots in the district are very large, measuring approximately 100 feet wide by 300 feet deep. The one exception is the lot at 390 E. Monte Vista Road, which measures approximately 70 feet wide by 200 feet deep and corresponds to its historic size as platted on the 1913 subdivision map. The property at this address is L-shaped and contains a lot along 7th Street, which is included in the district due to common ownership lines. Setbacks are consistent district-wide, with all of the houses set back approximately 80 feet from the curb. Distances between houses vary slightly, but average approximately 40 feet.

The majority of houses have unfenced yards that meet the sidewalk, or have low hedges around their perimeter. This creates a feeling of openness that emphasizes the large lots and ample setback found in the district. The houses at 350 and 371 E. Monte Vista Road have high hedges; however, the houses are easily visible via the entrance drive. The house at 332 E. Monte Vista Road is partially obscured by the lot’s large bushes and trees. Most lots have straight concrete driveways which lead either to attached garages or freestanding garages in the rear. Some original ribbon driveways remain, although the majority of driveways have been infilled or replaced with new concrete. Slightly angled driveways are found at both 366 and 390 E. Monte Vista Road. Widened driveways are found at 355, 360, and 374 E. Monte Vista Road. The house at 371 E. Monte Vista Road has a U-shaped entrance drive. There are three streetlights in the district. No other street furniture exists.

A defining characteristic of the Los Olivos Historic District is its architectural variety. The fourteen houses in the district vary greatly in style, size, and construction material. The common denominator is the custom nature of the houses—these are amply sized, gracious houses designed with attention to detail. When built, the neighborhood attracted well-heeled residents with its variety and uniqueness. This was a prestigious address with custom-built homes.

The houses in the district display various styles and plans; however, all are single-family residences. All but one were built between 1915 and 1935 and are either Craftsman or Period Revival in style. One house was built in 1955 and is Ranch style. The houses in Los Olivos vary in size. One-story, two-story, and one and a half-story houses are found. The overall massing of the houses is similar, however, resulting in a coherent streetscape. For example, roof heights of two-story and one and a half-story houses are similar, and several of the one-story houses have high-pitched roofs. The majority of houses have cross-gabled or side-gabled roofs. Most houses have stucco siding, although brick is found on two houses. Roof materials are most commonly asphalt shingle and Spanish clay tile. Wood double-hung and wood casement windows are the most common types. Porches are not a significant feature of the district; in fact, many of the houses have only small entry porches or stoop roofs. The majority of houses have detached garages located in the rear of the lot. Since many of the houses are Period Revival in style, many ornamental details are found in the district, such as shutters, door surrounds, window headers, and arched entries. Nine of the houses have good integrity and are considered contributing resources. Five of the houses have been altered and are considered noncontributing.

Los Olivos Historic District is a well-preserved residential neighborhood in central Phoenix. Of the 15 resources in the district, all but one is residential in nature, and most were built between 1915 and 1930. The district is characterized by exceptionally large lots, custom-made houses in a variety of Period Revival and Craftsman styles, and mature landscaping including historic palm and olive trees that line the street. These elements combine to present a cohesive streetscape that lends unity to the district despite it being less that one block in size. Sixty-four percent of the resources are considered contributing because they are of historic age and possess good integrity. The boundaries of the National Register district correspond to the boundaries of a Phoenix local historic district with the same name. See source for more detail.

Source: https://www.phoenix.gov/pddsite/Documents/HP/pdd_hp_nif_nrn0007.pdf