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Mike Hardesty

@discover_phoenix

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🏠 Realtor @azarchitecture
🏛️ Board Member @preserve_phoenix
🎳 Above Average Bowler
📌 [email protected] for real estate

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Imagine taking a visitor around Phoenix and asking them to point out what makes the city unique. Most of what they’d see was built in the last few decades. Places like the Emerson House are rare because they’re physical evidence that Phoenix had a history before the freeways, before the high-rises, before the endless growth. We spend millions of dollars building museums to tell stories. The Emerson House already tells one.

Please sign the petition in my bio as we’re running out of time. There’s a hearing tomorrow (Friday, June 19th) that could grant ASU approval for acquisition through eminent domain, and that’s a precedent that threatens the entire city.

Bonus info: Here’s a more detailed answer on the offer and potentially moving the house: "ASU offered to move the house."
At one point, that was part of the discussion, but it came with a a much lower offer! The current offer is $815,000 based on an appraisal commissioned by ASU, and it does not include moving the house. Relocating a 124-year-old historic home isn't as simple as putting it on a truck. You need a new lot, utilities, permits, site work, and the move itself. By the time everything is done, the cost easily exceeds a million dollars. by @discover_phoenix

I didn’t know much about the history of the Emerson House before I met Robert Young, but in the last month, and in the few hours I’ve spent talking with him, I’ve almost felt embarrassed for not knowing more. Mr. Young’s passion for Phoenix history is simply astonishing, and it’s been an absolute pleasure getting to learn more about the story of the Churchill Addition and the Evans Churchill Historic District.

This whole story hasn’t sat right with me. It’s hard not to feel uneasy and angry watching an 88-year-old man who has owned the historic Louis Emerson House since 1975 face this kind of pressure. Especially considering the home is officially listed on the Phoenix Historic Property Register.

And honestly, what message does this send?

If historic designation and decades of stewardship can still leave homeowners vulnerable when larger personal interests come calling, people are naturally going to wonder why protections really exist in the first place.

Maybe you agree with me. Maybe you think I’m being dramatic. But I do think these conversations matter, because once pieces of Phoenix history are gone, they’re gone for good.

If you feel strongly about it either way, make your voice heard. Reach out respectfully to ASU, the City of Phoenix, or your elected officials and let them know where you stand, because progress doesn’t always have to arrive behind a bulldozer. by @discover_phoenix

I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of time uncovering the history of 300 Bowl, a building so rich with stories I could probably spend the next month making videos about it. But my real goal was simpler: to finally confirm and credit the architects behind this mid-century masterpiece, and to explain why it still matters to this city. Bowling has been the backdrop of my life. I wouldn’t be who I am without the community I found on the lanes.

For decades, even the original ownership was a mystery. Digging through articles of incorporation and early contracts finally put names to the vision: Ira Karon, Raleigh Karon, and Jacob Greenberg, the people who brought 300 Bowl into existence.
Along the way, the building gave up a few secrets of its own:

The Lane Shift: What we now know as Lane 17 was once Lane 1. Lanes 1 through 16 came later, during a major 1962 expansion. This explains the oversized mechanics shop sitting just outside today’s Lane 17.

Hidden History: Beneath decades of renovations, the original fountains and flooring are still there, literally buried in time.

Live-in Legacy: A former manager once lived on-site. Tucked inside the office is a fully equipped studio apartment, complete with a bathroom and hot shower that still works.

Secret Passageways: A blocked-off roof crawlspace once allowed staff to move from the front of the house to the back, unseen.

I’ll probably dive into the competitive sagas another time. For now, I’m just grateful to finally put real facts behind one of my favorite buildings and to shine a light on a true local icon. by @discover_phoenix

Mike Hardesty, a realtor and historic preservationist, has found a way to make everyday people care about historic preservation in a city often focused on what’s new.

Through his Instagram page, @discover_phoenix , Mike shares stories of buildings he thinks are cool, buildings in danger and sometimes, even buildings that could not be saved.

He’s bringing important stories about Phoenix to audiences around the world and helping people see the value of preserving our city’s history.
Listen to our conversation on Tea with Taz to learn what brought Mike to the Valley and how he got into historic preservation.

Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

#TeaWithTaz #historicpreservation #phoenixhistory #phoenixarchitecture #arizonaarchitecture by @discover_phoenix

🎟️ GIVEAWAY! Tag a friend in the comments below for a chance to win TWO FREE TICKETS to the Roosevelt Neighborhood Home Tour on Saturday, November 14th!

The tour wouldn’t be possible without the homeowners, volunteers, musicians, vendors, and community partners who are bringing this event to life.

Want to join us? The Vendor Market is FREE! You can also grab your tickets for the home tour through the link in my bio. Tickets are just $15 per person for ages 12 and up. Only cost is for the actual home tour.

Visit @historicroosevelt for more info!

🏷️ Tag the friend you’d bring along, and come see what makes this neighborhood so special. Drawing will take place on Sunday, November 1st at 7:00pm. by @discover_phoenix

I need a couple of days to collect my thoughts before I post my final reel about my journey with the Coronado Hotel.

Through this journey, I met people who are now friends, but I also lost sleep over this fight. I spent many nights wondering why I care so much about these buildings, why I let it get to me, and why it feels so personal.

The truth is, I do care. And I’m heartbroken.

Not only are we unnecessarily losing these two buildings, but we’re destroying materials that could have been salvaged, reused, or recycled.

Thankfully, the owners found a home for the sign and sold some items during the final sale a couple of months ago. But there’s no reason the demolition couldn’t have been handled more thoughtfully. We didn’t have to lose so much in the process.

I’ve been told the property will be a parking lot for the foreseeable future.

And before you direct your anger at the wrong people, please understand that True North did not end up buying the property. I’m not going to name the new owner right now, because this isn’t about pointing fingers at one developer. It’s about something much bigger than that.

Our system is broken.

@preserve_phoenix and @azpreservation can’t put out every fire. We’re volunteer advocates doing the best we can with the time, resources, and support we have. We can show up, raise our voices, tell these stories, and fight like hell. But we can’t keep doing this one building at a time without better policies and stronger support from the city.

Something has to change.

Maybe that starts with us getting more organized, getting louder, and making it clear that constantly fighting to preserve the culture, character, and history of the city we love is absolutely ludicrous.

I don’t have all the answers right now. I just know that this one hurts.

More to come. by @discover_phoenix

Maggie Keane was driving past a building one day when she noticed a long purple wall. She saw the potential, and Prince was the obvious choice.

The result is an 18-foot-tall, 47-foot-wide tribute to one of the greatest to ever do it. And no matter how many times you pass it, it never gets old.

So the next time you find yourself wandering around the Grand Avenue Arts District, head over to 15th Avenue and Roosevelt. Roll down the windows, turn up Purple Rain, and take it all in. Phoenix has a few gems worth slowing down for. This is one of them. by @discover_phoenix

There’s a little more to this story that didn’t make it into the video. I’m going to be honest with you: I don’t believe someone paid $11 million for this property simply to solve a parking inconvenience for a mixed-use development.
I think it’s a temporary solution while they move chess pieces around and position themselves to develop more of the area—including, potentially, the Valley National Bank building.

That’s my personal opinion. I can’t prove it.
But for now, I’m willing to take the developer at their word. If the goal really is simply to provide overflow parking, then I think the developer should fall in line with the values of Arcadia.

The Arcadia Camelback Mountain Neighborhood Association says its purpose is to preserve the qualities that make the neighborhood special, including its “non-commercial, family friendly, and single family residential character,” generous setbacks, large lots, broad lawns, and historic citrus trees.

So here’s where I stand:
I’m not in favor of doing the minimum and destroying part of one of the most iconic properties in Phoenix simply to create uncovered parking. I understand the property has already been sold. That’s reality.

But I don’t think the neighborhood association, City Council, or Camelback East Village Planning Committee should support the project as currently envisioned.
If overflow parking is truly the goal, then I think there’s a much better solution: Make it a public park that incorporates shaded parking for the development next door.

That would actually reflect the values of Arcadia. It would preserve the landscape, create something the neighborhood could enjoy, and still address the parking problem the developer says prompted the purchase.
Anything less feels like we’re sacrificing a historic piece of Phoenix for a parking lot.

And honestly, it would make me wonder even more whether the parking lot is really the endgame, and whether the ultimate goal is future development of the bank.

I hope I’m wrong. And if I am, great. Then prove me wrong by doing something worthy of the property. by @discover_phoenix

It’s been a minute since I’ve done a home tour, but I figured if I was going to bring them back, I might as well start with a gem.

If you want to take a closer look, comment “PALMCROFT” below and I’ll DM you the listing link to this architecturally significant home in one of the finest historic neighborhoods in the city.

🏠 3 BD
🛀 4 BA
📏 3,541 SF
📍 7th Ave & McDowell
📅 Built in 1939
💰$1,650,000
🪧 Listed by Libby Cohen & Maggie Cohen Botha with RETSY by @discover_phoenix

Part of preservation for me moving forward will be getting more involved in commercial real estate and helping owners find the right buyers and developers for these properties.

People who don’t just see an old building as something to replace, but as something worth investing in.

Because preservation isn’t about stopping change. It’s about making sure change doesn’t erase what makes a place special, and finding the right steward to carry these places forward.

And I believe thoughtful development can be part of that.

If you’re interested in learning more about this wonderful building, which is currently for sale, send me a DM. I’d love to tell you more.

Special thanks to Michael Levine for letting me tour the building a couple of times and for leading me down a rabbit hole I’m very glad I went down. I genuinely love learning about the history of our city, and I hope this story gave you something new to appreciate about the Valley of the Sun. by @discover_phoenix

Fun facts: The Heard Building’s tower is frequently confused with the larger, 240-foot steel television tower atop the nearby Westward Ho hotel. While the Heard Building’s antenna is long gone, the Westward Ho tower still stands.

The antenna on the Heard Building went up in 1930, was rebuilt after a 1954 windstorm, and was still standing when Hitchcock filmed Psycho in 1960. Shortly after the movie was shot, the massive radio tower was dismantled and taken down.

The Heard Building was only one piece of Dwight B. Heard’s footprint on Phoenix. He helped develop Palmcroft and Los Olivos (now Willo), helped build the San Carlos Hotel, and, with his wife Maie, founded the Heard Museum. He was involved in land, agriculture, publishing, and getting the Roosevelt Dam built. The guy was basically betting on Phoenix from every direction. by @discover_phoenix

Hotel Westward Ho -
Maybe a building becomes iconic when a city stops seeing it as a building, and starts seeing it as part of itself. by @discover_phoenix