Meet the neighbors Archives - Greater Phoenix Arizona Real Estate

Queen Creek’s Transportation Master Plan Update: Preparing for the Future

The Town of Queen Creek is advancing its Transportation Master Plan to accommodate projected growth and ensure an efficient, well-connected infrastructure for the future. As Queen Creek has evolved into a bustling community, the need for a robust transportation framework has become paramount. This updated plan builds on the successes of the 2016 plan, looking ah ead to the next 25 years to align with population growth, economic development, and land use changes.

The Vision for Queen Creek’s Future Roads

Queen Creek’s Transportation Master Plan update is designed to address evolving transportation needs while supporting continued community growth. Key areas of focus include:

Improving Traffic Flow: The plan emphasizes enhancements on key roadways, with projects to widen and extend main routes. Goals include reducing congestion along major corridors, enhancing traffic flow, and connecting residents to key destinations more efficiently.
Enhancing Connectivity: One of the primary objectives is to establish seamless links between neighborhoods, schools, commercial areas, and neighboring cities. This focus on connectivity will make travel faster and reduce local congestion, especially during peak hours.
Supporting Economic Growth: A well-planned transportation network supports local businesses by making Queen Creek more accessible and appealing to residents, visitors, and potential investors.

Key Accomplishments from the 2016 Plan

The 2016 Transportation Master Plan laid a strong foundation, and Queen Creek has achieved over 80% of the projects set out in that plan. Notable accomplishments include:

Widening of Rittenhouse Road to create two lanes in each direction, facilitating smoother travel for residents.
Expanding Ellsworth Road to three lanes each way, alleviating congestion and making the area more accessible.
Extending Riggs Road to Rittenhouse, providing a critical east-west connection that has significantly reduced travel time.
Connecting Signal Butte and Meridian Roads to State Route 24, creating direct links to Phoenix metro highways and streamlining routes for commuters and residents.

These projects are examples of Queen Creek’s commitment to proactive infrastructure development, and they form the backbone of the updated plan’s vision.

Next Steps for Queen Creek’s Transportation Plan

The updated Transportation Master Plan will focus on continued improvements to support the town’s anticipated growth. This long-term plan will:

Prioritize New Projects: Based on growth projections and current traffic data, the plan will identify priority projects for the next decade, targeting high-impact areas that will benefit the most from immediate improvements.
Emphasize Safety and Accessibility: Building safer intersections, improving pedestrian access, and creating bike-friendly routes will be key components of the plan. Enhanced safety measures will support a growing population and promote active transportation.
Prepare for Future Needs: The plan will include adaptable solutions that can scale with Queen Creek’s growth, ensuring infrastructure investments are sustainable and serve the community well over time.

Staying Informed

For more details on Queen Creek’s current and upcoming transportation projects, visit the Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) page at QueenCreekAZ.gov/CIP. As the Transportation Master Plan update progresses, Queen Creek residents can look forward to a modernized, efficient transportation system that meets the town’s growing needs and supports a thriving community.

Michelle Smith: Powering Our Growth as Encanterra’s #1 Real Estate Team

We are excited to introduce Michelle McQuaid Smith, our new Operations Manager, whose expertise and dedication are driving our team to new heights at Encanterra. Michelle’s role is pivotal in ensuring our continued success as the top real estate team in the area.

The Heart of Our Operations

Michelle is the engine that keeps our team running smoothly. Her meticulous attention to detail ensures that all our operations are seamless and efficient. From managing compliance and paperwork to coordinating with lenders and title companies, Michelle handles it all with precision.

Enhancing Team Efficiency

One of Michelle’s key responsibilities is to lighten the load for our sales team. While TJ and the team are out there selling homes and working closely with clients, Michelle ensures that all the behind-the-scenes processes are flawless. She ensures we meet deadlines, stay compliant, and deliver an exceptional experience to our clients.

A Seamless Client Experience

Michelle’s role is crucial in providing a seamless process for our clients. She meticulously manages the details, ensuring that every transaction is smooth and stress-free. Her ability to coordinate all aspects of the home buying and selling process means that our clients can focus on what matters most – finding their dream home.

Driving Our Growth

With Michelle on board, we are more efficient and capable of handling an increased volume of transactions without compromising on quality. Her expertise allows us to streamline our processes, ultimately contributing to our growth as Encanterra’s #1 real estate team.

Michelle’s impact on our team is already evident, and we are thrilled to have her as part of the Encanterra family. Her dedication, expertise, and passion for real estate are helping us reach new milestones and ensuring that we continue to provide top-notch service to our clients.

Buying or selling homes in Encanterra and even across states? Don’t hesitate to message us! @SHEA PREFERRED REALTY GROUP

Encanterra Events: Free Coffee & Donuts by Shea Preferred Realty Group!

Coffee & Donuts!
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Join us on Friday, May 31st from 8-11 AM for a delightful morning treat!⁠
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Location: St. Tropez Model⁠
Date: Friday, May 31st⁠
Time: 8-11am⁠
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Whether you’re a seasoned homeowner, a first-time buyer, or just curious about the market trends, this is the perfect opportunity to connect, learn, and enjoy some delicious coffee and donuts on us!
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Don’t miss out – mark your calendars and bring a friend! We can’t wait to see you there! @SHEA PREFERRED REALTY GROUP

Encanterra Member spotlight Meet Cheryl and Brian!

Encanterra Member spotlight

Meet Cheryl and Brian! They have patiently been waiting for their new Encanterra home to be completed and the time is finally here! Our team assisted them with selling their Gilbert home just over 18 months ago.

Brian is a former police officer and currently works as an aircraft mechanic. Cheryl recently retired from ASU and just started working part time at the Chandler Public Library. Brian is an Arizona native but Cheryl is originally from Florida. Which is one of the reasons why they fell in love with Encanterra. The first time Cheryl drove through the gates of the community, it reminded her of all the lush green landscaping and beautiful water features she had in Florida. She instantly felt like she was home. Brian and Cheryl have four kids, three grandchildren (with one more on the way!) Two dogs and a cat!

When Brian is not working he loves photography. Check out the beautiful photos he captured at Encanterra last night. If you see Brian and Cheryl around the community, stop and say hello to them. They are going to be a wonderful addition to our Encanterra fam

ily!

July Encanterra lifestyle events

Looking for something to do? Check out the remainder of the lifestyle events right here at Encanterra!

Meet the neighbors & welcome the Clarke’s!

If it involves sunshine and being outdoors youâ€™ll find Steve and Julie! They have such a special story and our team recently helped them find a second home in the resort collection. We are excited to have them join the Encanterra family. Steve grew up in California and Julie grew up in Washington. They met while attending college at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA and that is where their love story began. They are the parents of 3 grown sons, all married and they are blessed with 6 grandchildren ages 0-5! This June Steve and Julie will celebrate their 37th wedding anniversary!

Family has always been a huge priority for The Clarkeâ€™s and while raising their sons they focused of creating life experiences, travel and spending quality time together. Those same priorities still remain true for them today as they enjoy time with their grown sons and their families. Since they were living in Washington, trips to the AZ sunshine became a huge priority for their family so they purchased their first condo in Scottsdale many years ago. As their family grew they upgraded to a house in Gilbert (which their boys now own) and Steve and Julie decided to pursue their dream of owning a place in Encanterra. They had been introduced to Encanterra by a friend about 5 yrs ago.

Steve recently retired from a 35 year career with The Bellingham School District. He began his career as a teacher, transitioned to assistant principal, then principal of Bellingham High School for 13 years. He ended his career as the Assistant Superintendent of The Bellingham School District. Steve thoroughly enjoyed his career working with teachers, parents and especially kids. He was always able to find the best in them. Steve was awarded the WA state Principal of the Year award in 2005 and was one of three national principal of the year finalists in 2006.

Julie has always had a passion for organizing and she put her gifts to work over 30 years ago. She taught organizing classes at Bellingham Technical College and in 1998 started her own professional organizing company called Organized at Last in Bellingham, WA. She has an eye for repurposing, reusing and redesigning spaces to create simple, clutter free and highly functional homes. Julie has served thousands of clients and taught hundreds of classes throughout her career. Though she is now retired her passion and love for organizing and helping others do the same continues to grow. Organization creates freedom!

Steve and Julie will be getting settled into their new Encanterra patio home very soon. They are looking forward to lots of biking, swimming, hiking, volunteering, and hopefully meeting plenty of new friends. Welcome to Encanterra!!

Meet The Chiaramonte’s – Helping us mask up and giving back to local Veterans

Mask wearing in these challenging times not only is a gesture of kindness and respect for others, but it’s a fashion statement. Our very own Encanterra members, Deb and Bob Chiaramonte have a special story on how they got into the mask making business. Their story seems like more of a coincidence and it’s kept them on their toes the past few months.

Deb grew up in New York and she was around sewing machines at a very young age. Her father owned a ladies clothing factory in the Garment Center and her mother was a seamstress. Her parents later opened up a sewing machine store in Long Island. Even though Deb grew up around her parents sewing business she never really took an interest in sewing. Her dad even gave her a sewing machine that is now nearly 40 years old.

Deb has worked at Casino Arizona for just over 21 years as a blackjack dealer. It’s been a fun and rewarding career. But when the virus hit, she decided it was time to take a step back. She found herself in a new phase of life where she needed to be home with her husband Bob. They have been married for just over 44 years. Bob has had underlying health issues and they both felt it would be best for her to be at home. Deb soon decided she needed to stay busy and she wanted to give back to the community. She knew it was time to get out her 40 year old sewing machine and start making masks. But very quickly, the old sewing machine broke down. During her first few weeks of making masks, Deb made several trips to a local fabric store. During one of those visits she entered a contest to win a brand new sewing machine. Soon after the old sewing machine broke down, she gets a call and has won the brand new sewing machine! She cannot believe it and knows that it was meant to be.

Deb found a new love for sewing very quickly. Especially with her brand new machine! She averages about 70 masks per week and many of her supplies and tread are all donated. Bob is a huge help with cutting the fabric and ironing the pieces. It’s a team effort between the two of them and they have so much fun together. They also have assistance from their son Bobby and daughter-in-law Rachel. They do the delivering and trimming, so it’s a family affair. And the best part — 100% of the proceeds go to the Veterans. Bob is a disabled Vietnam Veteran so it only made sense to give back to

this organization. They feel so fortunate to be able to give back to the community, help people mask up and assist the veteran community. If you would like to donate any sewing supplies or anything to the Veterans, please contact Deb directly at dzinesbydeb@gmail.com. As an Encanterra Community, we are all in this together. These times are challenging but remember to help those in need and support your neighbors.

Meet the Neighbors | Neal and Marsha from Nebraska

As Neal says, “retirement is the best five days to add to every weekend!” This is something that Neal and Marsha live by. They had a very specific vision when they started looking for a place to retire: they each wanted to have an active lifestyle that supported their love for being outdoors. Encanterra checked off all those boxes immediately.

Neal grew up on a dairy farm in Wausau, Wisconsin. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin and received his graduate degree from American College. Neal worked for Lincoln National Life Insurance Company in Ft. Wayne Indiana for many years and then retired as Vice President of Sales with the Mutual of Omaha. Marsha grew up in upstate New York near Albany. She loved spending her summers at the Jersey Shore. She graduated from Alfred University and received her MSBA from Indiana University. Marsha made a career at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and recently retired after 44 years with them. They consider themselves late to the retirement game, but they loved their jobs and truly felt they were making a difference in the world.

Early in their careers, Neal and Marsha traveled the world and visited many places. Frequent business trips to Arizona eventually led them to retire here. They visited Encanterra in 2018 and were introduced to the Shea Preferred Team when they were looking at the model homes. Their first impression of the community had them completely fascinatedâ€” it was a dream come true and just what they had been looking for in a retirement home.

Neal and Marsha love to be outdoors and are very active. On any given day, Marsha walks for a minimum of 30 minutes. She loves to do water aerobics and play bocce ball, and she is also a member of the culinary club and book club. In their free time, Marsha loves to participate in healthcare events with the American College of Healthcare as well as the Leadership Circle at Phoenix Children’s hospital. Neal loves to cheer on his favorite teams – Green Bay, Nebraska Huskers and the Wisconsin Badgers. Together, they love to play golf, explore all the beautiful sites of Arizona, and simply enjoy each otherâ€™s company. This past summer they visited Meteor Crater in Northern Arizona. This year they will be celebrating their 49th wedding anniversary.

The Shea Preferred team is so happy to have helped them fulfill their dream of retirement. Welcome to the good life, Neal and Marsha! We are happy to have you join the Encanterra family!

Sharon– From Arkansas to EncanterraÂ®

Shea Preferred Realty Group recently had the pleasure of assisting Sharon to find the perfect resale home at Encanterra. She is loving every minute of her new adventure in Arizona.

Sharon grew up in Arkansas where she was raised by her grandparents. She fondly remembers the wonderful childhood they gave her. After high school, Sharon attended college in Spokane, Washington, where she started working for a local company planning events and conferences for up to 3,000 people. Sharon is an extremely detailed and organized planner. Her career allowed her to travel frequently so she was able to see many parts of the US, and she loved it so much that she recently retired with them after 47 years.

Family is extremely important to Sharon and she loves spending time with them. She has a son, Christian (43), and a daughter, Megan (40), who has two children. She loves being a grandma and is looking forward to having her family come to Arizona for a visit.

A few years ago, on a whim, she made a trip to Tucson with her son and felt that Arizona would be a great place to retire. She found Encanterra as she was exploring resort-style communities. As soon as she drove past the community gates, she knew this place was special. Now, she feels right at home and blessed to be here.

In her free time, she loves watching NFL games and considers herself a football fanaticâ€” her favorite teams to watch are the Seahawks, Cardinals, Steelers, and Falcons. She loves going to plays, art exhibits and watching black and white movies from the ’40s and ’50s. Sharon also loves to shop and buy Christmas gifts all year long for her family.

Now that Sharon is getting settled in, she is looking forward to learning more about bocce ball and simply taking in all the wonderful amenities that Encanterra offers. Welcome to the good life, Sharon! We are so happy to have you join the Encanterra family.

Meet the neighbors- Dave & Brooke on Durian

Dave and Brooke have been “Living the Good Life” for many years and we are excited to share their story.

Shea Preferred Realty Group recently helped them find a beautiful resale home, a Monaco plan on Durian Way. Dave grew up in Bountiful, Utah, a small town just north of Salt Lake City. Brooke grew up in Oregon and Northern California. In 1982 they were both attending college at BYU where a mutual friend introduced them. Sparks immediately flew and they were married in September of 1983. During Dave’s senior year, he started his own advertising agency and Brooke was a huge supporter of his new career. The agency quickly grew to over 100 employees with offices in Salt Lake City and Newport Beach, CA. After putting Dave through college, Brooke was able to stay at home and focus on raising their three young children. They have 2 sons and one daughter, along with their spouses, and 8 grandchildren with #9 on the way in April!

Dave recently retired at a young age of 50 after selling his advertising agency. They knew exactly what they wanted to do after Dave retired…sell everything and hit the road! They immediately sold their home and purchased a 45 foot motor coach along with a 30 foot enclosed trailer for their car and Harley-Davidson motorcycle. It had always been a dream to see the sites of our beautiful country from the road. Over the next four years they visited 42 states. A few of their favorite places to visit in the US were the Pacific Northwest, the Black Hills, the Texas hill country and upstate Michigan. Dave and Brooke are extremely spontaneous so many mornings they would wake up and decide which direction they wanted to drive. Last June they decided to travel oversees and ride a Harley for three weeks through the Alps. They made stops in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. It was definitely a “bucket list” trip of a lifetime and they made many new friends along the way.

A few months ago they were visiting their son and his family who recently moved to Gilbert from St. Louis. One afternoon they decided to take a drive out to the Olive Mill for lunch. They happened to drive past the gates of Encanterra and they knew they needed to see what this community offered. They found a perfect Monaco resale plan and it felt like home immediately. They love the sense of community that Encanterra offers and are excited to meet new friends. This September Dave and Brooke will be celebrating their 36-year wedding anniversary and we’re sure they have something fun and spontaneous planned.