The City of Litchfield Park is moving forward with an ambitious project to revitalize the historic 20-acre La Loma Homestead, the former retreat of city founder Paul W. Litchfield.
The property, …
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The city of Litchfield Park is moving forward with an ambitious project to revitalize the historic 20-acre La Loma Homestead, the former retreat of city founder Paul W. Litchfield.
The property, gifted to the city by Edith and Wally Denny in 2008, will become a cultural hub for arts, education, and history. The revitalization plan focuses on preserving the site’s historic structures while introducing modern features that will serve the community.
“For many years, I’ve been working on building up the development situation so the city is sustainable. We have the property because the Litchfield family wanted to make sure the property was used in a way that was consistent with what Paul Litchfield envisioned back in the 1920s — a cultural and performing arts area,” said Litchfield Park Mayor Thomas Shoaf.
The revitalization will include the adaptive reuse of existing buildings, the creation of public trails, and spaces for community events and exhibits. A central part of the project is the development of a Fine Arts Academy & Performing Arts Center in collaboration with the Agua Fria Union High School District.
Located at the base of La Loma Hill, the new school will offer students specialized arts education and house a 700-seat performing arts theater that will host professional performances. In addition to the Fine Arts Academy, the plan calls for a new Maricopa County branch library and the P.W. Litchfield Heritage Center Museum.
The museum will honor Paul W. Litchfield’s legacy with exhibits, a research library, and public programming areas, officials said.
To ensure the project reflects the community’s vision, the city will hold a public input meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 400 S. Old Litchfield Road.
The meeting will allow residents to provide feedback on the future use of the property, including amenities such as botanical gardens, outdoor concert venues, sports courts, and walking trails. An online survey is also available for community members to share their ideas.
According to the P.W. Litchfield Heritage Center, the revitalization of La Loma Homestead will continue the Denny family’s legacy, transforming the site into a vibrant resource for both Litchfield Park residents and visitors to the southwest Valley.
Visit litchfieldpark.gov for more information and to take the survey.
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