One of the sweetest, historic neighborhoods in downtown Phoenix is FQ Story Historic District. We first discovered F.Q. Story after stopping at the Starbucks at the corner of 7th Avenue and McDowell and deciding to take a neighborhood walk. The variety of homes and their beauty is one of downtown Phoenix’s treasures. Take a look at our YouTube virtual tour of the neighborhood and its homes.

F.Q. Story Historic District offers a rare mix of revival style architecture including:

• Prairie & Pueblo Revival
• Tudor Revival
• Spanish Colonial Revival
• Craftsman
• Mid-Century
• English Cottage Revival
• Bungalow
• Transitional Ranch

FQ Story Historic District Historical Facts.. a few of note.

• Development began in 1920 with a huge media blitz calling it the Real Estate Event of the Season while its developers, Jordan, Grace & Phelps, boasted it would sell out in a month. The only problem was they didn’t consult with mother nature who blasted the region with rain storms that flooded the western side of downtown Phoenix… oops.
• Kenilworth School opened in 1920 making the area attractive to families.
• The neighborhood is names after Francis Quarles Story, an early pioneer who lived in California and had many Arizona projects including the Grand Avenue street car line.
• Only 1 home was built in 1921 due to the flood risk. Development in FQ Story continued after the Cave Creek Dam was completed in 1923 making the area safer.
• Dwight Heard took over the original F.Q. Story development in 1923 while another firm, Lane-Smith began building homes in North Story in 1926. An estimated 113 new homes were built costing a whopping $5000.00 each… a big price tag in the 1920’s.
• The Franklin School at 17th Ave and McDowell added to the family attraction of the area.
• In the summer of 1927 Lane Smith built an additional 40 homes and another development firm, Crowley, Higgins and Delph opened construction in West Story with more modest homes priced in the $2000.00 range.
• FQ Story hit its building peak in 1930 when an astonishing 133 new homes were built. The depression took its toll on development between 1931 and 1938 with few additional homes added to the neighborhood. An estimated 602 homes are in FQ Story.
• F.Q. Story added to the National Register of Historic Places and the City of Phoenix Historic Property Register in March 1988.
• If you would like to read the complete history of F.Q. Story, we have a link to the Phoenix Historic Preservation Office Publication on the history of FQ Story here.

FQ Story Historic District Today. Buying and Own a Home in F.Q. Historic

We find FQ Story to offer some of the best values in true revival style historic homes. There is a real pride of ownership in the neighborhood, a vital characteristic to longevity and home values. Some wondered what would happen when many homes were lost to foreclosure and short sale in 2009-2011.

We saw many of the homes purchased at low prices affording the new owners money to invest in updates and remodels. Overall, FQ Story has rebounded well from the market collapse and showing good strength.

Homes prices in FQ Story Historic District saw good rebounds in 2012 & 2013. We expect it to see modest gains in the coming years. Among the good news of strengthening values is the number of updated homes to the west of 13th Ave and on the south side of Culver. These pockets had been in pretty bad shape, yet low prices allowed new owners to come in and join in the neighborhood pride of historic home ownership.

You will find the more expensive homes are still on Lynwood and Willetta between 7th Avenue and 13th Avenue. This is likely due to location. The I-10 freeway impacts homes on Culver and Lathem and proximity to more commercially zoned land makes homes nearer to 15th Ave less attractive.

The Annual FQ Story Home Tour

If you’d like to take a look at the interior of homes in FQ Story, you can attend the annual FQ Historic Home Tour held in early December each year. The difference between the FQ Story tour and other historic tours in Phoenix is the Saturday night luminaria tour followed by the more classic tour on Sunday. Click Here for Info About This Year’s Tour

FQ Story Historic District Final Thoughts

FQ Story is certainly worth checking out. We like to grab our pets and go for a neighborhood walk. We especially like the various pieces of art the late John Pierce created for his friends and neighbors… just look for rather mystical copper work adorning chimneys and rooftops.  Naturally, being real estate folks, we’d be delighted and honored to help you find and buy your very own historic property or help you sell your special home to some lucky person.

Homes for Sale in FQ Story Historic District:

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The Caniglia Group
7600 N 16th St #100
Phoenix, AZ 85020
602-428-5687