Mountain First Neighborhood Profile

Mountain First Neighborhood by CJ Boyd

Mountain First is a residential neighborhood developed mostly in the 1950s, defined as Mountain Avenue to First Avenue, Glenn Street to Grant Road. There are only two streets that cut through the neighborhood: Park Avenue running North/South and Cooper Street running East/West. All other neighborhood streets bend or dead end, creating a quiet neighborhood where traffic has no means to cut through. According to 45-year neighborhood resident Jeff Storm, a citrus grove was located in the area east of Park Avenue before houses were built.

The neighborhood sign at Mountain and Glenn

At the center of the neighborhood is Mitchell Park, a diamond shaped park with jungle gym, swings, benches, and lots of shade from the mature mesquite trees.This park truly is the heart of the neighborhood; it is where the neighborhood association meets every other month and where they’ll be having their spring potluck / barbecue at the end of the month. Residents have worked hard to make improvements, keeping it an ideal place for neighbors to congregate and recreate. “Mitchell park is a really well used and loved community gathering place!” according to neighborhood president and 21-year resident, Sarah Studd.

A house at Fremont and Silver, with its piles of stacked rocks

Paul Stein, who has lived in his home on East Mitchell street for 49 years, loves the park and said he appreciates how friendly and quiet the neighborhood is. Paul says when he moved into the neighborhood in 1973, most of the residents were the original owners of the houses in the neighborhood. He said most of the houses were built throughout the 1950s, with his built in 1956. 

Mitchell Park, located along Mitchell Street between Mountain and Park Ave

Asked what she loves about living there, Sarah Studd said, “I love walking the neighborhood and enjoy seeing how many homes have beautiful native plants and water harvesting. I also love having walking access to Mitchell Park.”

While there is one church – Coronado Baptist – and one pre-school located in the neighborhood boundaries, Mountain First residents have a great selection of locally owned restaurants in walking distance. On North First Avenue, Tucson eateries include Buendia Cafe, BK Carne Asada & Hot Dogs, Fatman Kitchen, Smokey Mo BBQ, and Presta Coffee Roasters. Along the Southern border of Grant some of the neighborhood favorite restaurants include Sher-e-Punjab Indian Restaurant and Yamato Japanese Restaurant, both located in the Grant Park shopping center next to CVS.