The vision to transform the historic La Loma Homestead into a cultural and educational hub took a major step forward as the Litchfield Park City Council approved the design and construction plans for two of its feature projects: a performing arts high school and a new public library.
The council unanimously approved final plans for The Hilltop School for the Arts, aperforming arts high school that will include a 700-seat theater. The council also voted 6–1 to approve a 10,000-square-foot Maricopa County Library District branch at the same site.
Both projects will be located on the historic La Loma Homestead, at the southwest and northwest corners of Litchfield Road and Brinton Avenue. The property, long underutilized, is zoned for Agritourism and sits atop a hill that once belonged to Paul W. Litchfield, founder of the city.
The Hilltop School for the Arts is being developed by the Agua Fria Union High School District and is set to open in August 2026. The design, approved by the city’s Design Review Board on May 8 and finalized by the council later in the month emphasizes architectural harmony with the historic site. The building elevations mirror the style of the original hilltop cottages, with the school campus situated lower in the terrain to preserve views and minimize disruption to the natural hillside.
The natural hillside, once a desert oasis the city took pride in, has ended up as a nearly barren lot with unused historic landmarks on it.
“You look at the hilltop today and you would think ‘do I really want to invest this kind of money and rely upon the fact that by the time we’re done with the school that the city will be able to transform the hilltop, so that the hilltop is an appropriate spot for this investment?’” said Mayor Thomas Schoaf. “Thank you to Agua Fria staff who have put your reputation on the line with your governing board. We are happy that you and your governing board are going down this path.”
The project’s associated theater and restaurant will support both student productions and community arts events. Events at the theater will be limited to after-school hours to reduce parking overlap, and the restaurant is intended to serve theatergoers without triggering additional traffic or parking needs.
City officials say the development fulfills the cultural and social aspirations first outlined by the La Loma Homestead Planning Committee more than two decades ago.
“The proposed uses echo the goals established in 2003, when the city and members of the Litchfield family discussed keeping this land tied to its historical and cultural roots,” said Litchfield Park City Manager Mathew Williams.
Also approved was the design and construction of a new Maricopa County Library District branch that will replace the existing city library built in 1979. The new 10,000-square-foot facility will include adult, teen, and children’s reading areas; a 1,500-square-foot program room; study spaces; and dedicated staff and storage rooms.
In the city council’s meeting, concern was raised over the 30% of the new library space being used for a seven-cubical work space and a break room for Maricopa County Library District staff, leading to council member Andrew Fraser to vote against the construction on the presented design.
The site will be accessible via the shared driveway serving the overall Hilltop campus. It includes 68 parking spaces and 18 additional stalls for golf carts to support shared use with the adjacent school, museum, and park spaces.
Design Review Board members unanimously recommended approval of the library plans with a request for additional natural lighting via expanded windows or a light well. The design was praised for matching the site’s architectural character and blending with the adjacent campus.
While the library has been a point of community debate, with opposition voiced last fall over the relocation from its current, more central location, city leaders say the new facility will significantly expand programming space, technology resources, and public access.
“This new facility is part of a broader cultural complex that reflects the future of our city while honoring its history,” said Schoaf.
Construction on both the library and the Hilltop School for the Arts is slated to begin later this year.
The school and theater are expected to open ahead of the 2026–27 school year alongside the library’s scheduled opening in fall 2026.
The developments sit alongside other planned features for the homestead site, including the P.W. Litchfield Heritage Center. Landscaping improvements, pedestrian connections, and traffic enhancements along Litchfield Road are also in the works as part of the broader revitalization.
More information is available at litchfieldpark.gov.
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