Alhambra is a suburban Phoenix neighborhood eight miles north of downtown and just east of Glendale.

It’s made up of a lot of small subdivisions with housing ranging from large homes to small apartment buildings.

The east side of the neighborhood was originally developed into 20-acre lots. These have since been divided many times.

In the northwest section of the neighborhood, 1950s ranchers are common.

Northwest Alhambra also has a few shopping centers.

Southeast Alhambra, adjacent to the Encanto neighborhood, is a thriving business district.

N. Central and N. 7th Avenues are lined with shops, restaurants, cafes, and bars.

A stretch of N. 7th Avenue falls within the Melrose District, the city’s officially recognized gay village.

Alhambra is bisected by I-17, a straight shot south to downtown Phoenix.

The light rail also runs right through the neighborhood, stopping along Camelback, 7th, and Central en route to downtown.

High-rise apartment and condo buildings are within walking distance of the light rail line.

Tuesday afternoon at Solano Park, one of a dozen local parks in Alhambra.

"It’s a great place to raise a family. Very quiet." —Travis M., resident