Phoenix' s ' Yellow Brick Road' The mystery of the pink sidewalk at the Biltmore HEAD TOPICS

Phoenix' s ' Yellow Brick Road' The mystery of the pink sidewalk at the Biltmore

10/21/2022 5:00:00 PM

Phoenix' s ' Yellow Brick Road' The mystery of the pink sidewalk at the Biltmore

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azcentral

Phoenix's 'Yellow Brick Road': The mystery of the pink sidewalk at the Biltmore Lots of unknowns surround the pink path built at Arizona Biltmore in the 1920s. Who built it and how is it tied to William Wrigley, Jr.? What remains?    Special to Arizona Republic“Is there a pink sidewalk on a Valley mountainside?” It was a question that the former Phoenix Gazette “Answer Line” often received over 50 years ago. The simple answer then, was YES! As for today, you might find remnants if you know where to look. As many of Phoenix’s quirky historic tidbits go, the story behind this celebrated pink sidewalk depends on who is telling the story. One thing for certain, it is connected to the Biltmore Hotel and William Wrigley, Jr.Wrigley of chewing gum fame and that baseball stadium in Chicago, was a major investor in the Biltmore Hotel. After the completion of the Biltmore, Wrigley purchased 30 acres nearby in April 1930 and began construction of his 16,000-square-foot home (the smallest of his five properties) in July of that year. Billed as his winter home, the house was completed in 1931. When you go there, you will understand why Wrigley selected that spot. Prior to its completion, Wrigley would stay at the Biltmore. After all, he owned the place. Read more:
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As many of Phoenix’s quirky historic tidbits go, the story behind this celebrated pink sidewalk depends on who is telling the story. Filling the softly lit, purple-carpeted space—which was open to the public, by appointment, this past weekend—were people diligently arranging items in glass vitrines atop tall columns and the smell of fresh espresso. One thing for certain, it is connected to the Biltmore Hotel and William Wrigley, Jr. But it’s not what you think. Wrigley of chewing gum fame and that baseball stadium in Chicago, was a major investor in the Biltmore Hotel. A few of the 52 items on display: a Rubik’s Cube made of 18k gold and diamonds; a mammoth, multicolored Louis Vuitton steamer trunk; an 18k yellow-gold-encased PlayStation Portable and Blackberry; three pairs of Adidas Stan Smiths covered in chunky Swarovski crystals; and a Super Mario pendant featuring yellow gold, sapphires, rubies, and diamonds of the white, brown, and yellow varieties. After the completion of the Biltmore, Wrigley purchased 30 acres nearby in April 1930 and began construction of his 16,000-square-foot home (the smallest of his five properties) in July of that year. The supercharger was fitted with a new pulley, a bespoke vibration dampener, performance catalysts and an upgraded radiator. Billed as his winter home, the house was completed in 1931. And now many of those treasures are going under the hammer.’ I’m a real person,” she said. When you go there, you will understand why Wrigley selected that spot. Prior to its completion, Wrigley would stay at the Biltmore. He’s wearing an oversized black bomber jacket, custom sunglasses by Tiffany & Co. After all, he owned the place.” To my followers: do better. One story relates that Wrigley and his wife liked to walk their dogs and did not enjoy getting sand in their shoes. Williams credits Tidying Up With Marie Kondo , the popular Netflix show that premiered in 2019, with prompting him to reexamine what he was holding on to. It’s still an SL at heart, weighing in at close to two tonnes, but it’ll also monster a 0-62mph sprint in 4. Did that annoying desert sand give impetus for Wrigley to have a pink sidewalk built that meandered from the hotel north to the hotel’s reservoir? Or, was the sidewalk constructed for the hotel guests to allow them to enjoy the pristine desert, at the time, and the views as they strolled northward along the walkway up a portion of what we now call Piestewa Peak? Here's what we do know from various sources. The color pink, or terra cotta depending on your knowledge of colors, matched the pool deck or the driveway in front of the hotel; the sidewalk was 1 mile or 2 miles long; the end was at a reservoir that provided water to the hotel (and kids loved to sneak in and swim in it); it was called Gran Paseo; the path went through a culvert beneath what is now Lincoln Drive, and there were pink benches resembling beds with white concrete pillows along the walk. It took a while for Kondo’s minimalist-oriented edicts to fully sink in, but once they did Williams realized he had built up quite a collection since first bursting onto the ’90s rap scene. Before all the development began to occur on the north side of the hotel and Lincoln Drive, high schoolers often rendezvoused at night along the sidewalk. Some to skateboard, others to play pranks on classmates. Most of the paraphernalia was tucked away, divided between 11 storage units, so the 49-year-old decided to clean house. Young lovers and old found the pink sidewalk provided a romantic glow on moonlit nights. It’s also an extremely rare sight here in the UK, with only six right-hand drive examples sold. Others came during the day and had picnics, perhaps using the “bed” benches where they could lay out the food.” To do that, Williams launched Joopiter , a global auction house where people can participate in sales both online and in person. In 1973, the Biltmore ceased using the reservoir when it connected to the Phoenix water system. The owners at the time filled the reservoir with dirt to eliminate it as a hazard. Future plans include inviting friends, creatives, and even brands to mount auctions of their own, as long as they have exquisite (and Pharrell-approved) taste. And developments spelled the end of the pink sidewalk as it slowly crumbled from lack of maintenance. Did Albert Chase McArthur have the sidewalk built in 1928 or did William Wrigley, Jr. “You’re not just here to buy an item, you’re here to buy a story,” Williams says. add it in 1931? Lots of unknowns may always remain, but one thing is for sure: The memory of the Biltmore pink sidewalk is equivalent to Phoenix’s “Yellow Brick Road.” Donna Reiner has co-authored three books on Phoenix history and numerous National Register Nominations.” Photo: Ahad Subzwari “The provenance of these items is that they’re coming from an African American who lived in Virginia,” Williams says. .