Welcome to Armory Park del Sol!
Armory Park del Sol is a community of close to one hundred single-family homes located in historic Armory Park and within walking distance of the local public school, theaters, restaurants and other amenities of downtown Tucson. Although the colorful homes were designed to harmonize with those of their Armory Park neighbors, a closer look reveals that they were all built in the 21’st century.
Solar Energy
All APdS homes were designed for energy efficiency, with photovoltaic panels and solar water heaters that are unobtrusive at street level. Two of the existing houses are zero-energy homes that create more energy than they use. Other construction details common to all houses add to their energy saving capabilities.
Accessibility
Armory Park del Sol is home to people of all ages and physical abilities. Universal accessibility features allow those using baby strollers, wheelchairs or walkers to visit any house in the neighborhood without difficulty. The lack of steps, larger than usual doors, roll-in showers and other design components ensure that any resident or visitor can enjoy all APdS amenities.
Neighborhood
Interior homes front on wide sidewalks, not streets, and each house has, at a minimum, a double garage located at the rear. Residents, out for a stroll with their dogs or enjoying the community’s Ashley Park, will likely encounter other neighbors enjoying the shady tree-lined walks and vegetation. The Armory Park neighborhood has been rated #9 in Tucson for walkability.
The Community
The plan of the development, designed to foster community, has succeeded. Residents gather in several groups that meet on a monthly basis to enjoy discussion and activities of mutual interest. Potlucks in the park, New Year’s Eve parties, and other social gatherings enliven the yearly calendar.
The Homeowners Association
Residents run the Armory Park del Sol Homeowners Association (HOA) with the assistance of a management company. The HOA maintains the front yards and all common areas.
Armory Park Neighborhood Association (APNA)
Because Armory Park del Sol is located within the Armory Park Neighborhood boundaries, APdS residents may join APNA. The Neighborhood Association is active in dealing with many issues relevant to APdS residents such as traffic, parking, and downtown development. APNA generally meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church Parish Hall, 545 S. 5th Avenue at 16th Street.
Walking and Bicycling
Armory Park is the ninth (out of 130) highest scoring neighborhood for walkability in Tucson. To see what this means in terms of your physical and even your financial health, check here. And this map will show you how far you have to walk to get to where you want to go.
The Pima Association of Government is a central source of information about bicycling and walking in Tucson. The Tucson region is rated as the number 1 City in America for road bicycling, according to Outside Magazine. Over 10,000 participants enjoy Cyclovia Tucson each year, a free, family-friendly and fun-filled car-free street event. The internationally famous El Tour de Tucson event, which attracts 9,000 bicyclists, is held annually on the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving.
The Builder
Award-winning developer John Wesley Miller, well-known in Tucson and elsewhere for his advocacy of energy conservation and green building practices, built all of the houses in Armory Park del Sol. Union Pacific and Southern Pacific, two of the street names in the neighborhood, honor the fact that the development was built on land that originally housed railroad workers.