SUBTITLE $5.99 NOVEMBER DECEMBER 2022 SERVING CONTRACTING FIRMS AND THE ARIZONA COMMUNITY. . . THEN & NOW
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 6
PLEASURE-DOMES WITH PARKING: A HISTORY OF PHOENIX’S MALLS THE SEISMIC RETAIL WAVE THAT HIT PHOENIX: METROCENTER WELTON BECKET AND ASSOCIATES: THE TALE OF THREE PHOENIX MALLS ARCHITECT JERRY CLARK AIDS DOWNTOWN PHOENIX’S SKYWARD GROWTH UNFETTERED SHOPPING: PARK CENTRAL’S UNIQUE CHILDREN’S NURSERY PARK CENTRAL MOTOR HOTEL: LIFE AT A MID-CENTURY MINI-RESORT
Arizona’s Timeless Have a wonderful MerryMagazine Christmas!
SPECIAL EDITION ACC MAGAZINE WINS COVETED HISTORY AWARD!
‘TWAS A MALL, MALL WORLD:
VALLEY SHOPPING THROUGH THE DECADES AMERIS STARTS EDISON MIDTOWN CONDOS
CANNON & WENDT ELECTRIFY BETMGM SPORTSBOOK
WSM’S JOHN CADZOW’S BIG-RIG TOY COLLECTION
MCCARTHY COMPLETES SOUTH MOUNTAIN SCIENCE COMPLEX
MAIN STREET REINTERPRETED: KIERLAND & SCOTTSDALE QUARTER
Publisher Billy Horner billy@arizcc.com Books on 7th Avenue / Ignite Sign Art Museum Store
FAVORITE LOCAL STORE?
Editor Douglas Towne douglas@arizcc.com
Contributors James Logan Abell, FAIA Brass Armadillo John Bueker Antique Mall Aaron Gilbreath Desert Rat Offroad Bill Kelton Truck Center George H. King Jeff Kronenfeld Goodwill Jay Mark Luke M. Snell Johnny Rocket Doug Sydnor because it’s fun
The Container Store Stinkweeds Records La Gattara Cat Cafe
Phoenix Art Museum Gift to see the waitStore staff singing Production Manager the oldies. Laura Horner
laura@arizcc.com
Publisher’s Representative Barry Warner Acoustic Vibes barry@arizcc.com Music P R I N T | PA C K A G I N G | M A I L I N G | F U L F I L L M E N T E C O - F R I E N D LY S O L U T I O N S
In Memoriam Charles “Chuck” Runbeck 1928 - 2020 Advertising 602-931-0069 arizcc.com/advertise 2022 winner of Arizona Historical Society’s Al Merito Award, the group’s highest honor. Subscriptions: Online at arizcc.com Serving Contracting Firms and the Arizona Community… Then & Now
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Arizona Contractor & Community (ACC) magazine is published bi-monthly (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/June, July/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec). ACC is a professional publication designed for the contracting industry, engineers, architects, equipment rentals, suppliers, and others interested in Arizona and its history. Content including text, photographs or illustrations may not be reproduced without the written permission from the publisher. The publisher does not assume responsibility for unsolicited submissions. ACC reserves the right to reject any editorial and advertising material and reserves the right to edit all submitted content material. Arizona Contractor & Community Copyright © 2022 All rights reserved.
NOVEMBER DECEMBER 2022
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ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY
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Contributors - Aaron Gilbreath & Luke Snell From The Editor: Arizona Contractor & Community Covers Makes History With Award - Douglas Towne Construction Around Arizona: Projects • People • Practices Back When: Park Central Shopping City’s Park-and-Shop Nursery - Billy Horner ‘Twas a Mall, Mall World: Valley Shopping Through the Decades - Jay Mark Pleasure-Domes With Parking: A Personal History of Phoenix’s Malls - Aaron Gilbreath The Seismic Retail Wave That Hit Phoenix: The Boisterous Beginnings of Metrocenter - John Bueker Sweet Frozen Music: The Architecture of Jerry Clark James Logan Abell, FAIA Old School Equipment: Barber-Greene’s XL-50 Continuous Excavator - Billy Horner Building on the Past - 1968: Park Central Motor Hotel Billy Horner Architect’s Perspective - Welton Becket and Associates: Tale of Three Phoenix Malls - Doug Sydnor, FAIA
86
Digging Through the Archives: Bill Rucker - Billy Horner
92
Bid Results
94
Advertising Index
Front Cover Groundbreaking ceremony at Chris-Town Shopping City, 1960. Article on page 48
TWELVE
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NOVEMBER DECEMBER 2022
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ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY
CONTRIBUTORS
AARON GILBREATH ARTICLE ON PAGE 56
B
CORRECTION In our Sep-Oct 2022 edition, we stated the Roman Candelaria “rolled a 641 scraper.” He actually photographed the scraper on its side when working for Peter Kiewit on a project in Sanders, Arizona. “No one was injured or fired, and the machine was fine,” Candelaria said.
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FOURTEEN
orn in Phoenix and schooled in Tucson, Aaron Gilbreath lives in Portland, Oregon but will always be a desert rat at heart. Aaron’s family moved from Oklahoma to Florence, Arizona, in 1946. His granddad, Tommie Gilbreath, was a carpenter who got into Arizona’s booming post-war construction at Del Webb, and Aaron’s father, Joe Gilbreath, worked in construction and land development, too. Joe taught Aaron about Arizona, from plant names to historical sites to the differences between red and green chili burros. Aaron became a writer in love with the West. His essays have appeared in Harper’s, The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Dublin Review, High Country News, and Fretboard Journal. He’s been nominated for a James Beard Award, and recognized in the Best American Essays, Best American Travel Writing, and Best American Sports Writing anthologies. His third book, The Heart of California: Exploring the San Joaquin Valley, was a finalist for the 2022 Oregon Book Award, and his second book, This Is: Essays on Jazz, came out a few days after his daughter’s birth. His newest book is about the cult classic 1994 rock album Deconstruction, made by two members of the band Jane’s Addiction. Portland is a true food city, but the refried beans here just don’t taste like home, and people get confused when you order a burro.
LUKE SNELL ARTICLE ON PAGE 45
L
ongtime Arizona Contractor & Community magazine contributor Luke M. Snell recently received an Honorary Membership in the American Concrete Institute (ACI). Luke has served on numerous ACI committees during his career and has been instrumental in starting ACI chapters in Mongolia, Algeria, and Ethiopia. The professional organization previously recognized his work in the concrete field with the 2015 ACI Certification Award, 2008 ACI Henry L. Kennedy Award, 2002 ACI Educational Committee Member of the Year Award, 1997 ACI Chapter Activities Award, and 1995 ACI Joe W. Kelly Award. Luke is an Emeritus Professor of Engineering at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. He has done extensive consulting work on construction and concrete problems throughout the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Mongolia, and Algeria. In addition, Luke has worked with China, India, Saudi Arabia, and Taiwan to start concrete certification programs. His resume includes more than 300 articles on concrete, construction materials, and construction education. Other honors for Luke include being named one of the “Ten Most Influential People of the Year in the Concrete Industry” by Concrete Construction and Concrete Producer magazines in 2007. Snell’s other awards include an honorary doctorate from Aria University of Sciences and Sustainability (2011) and Construction Laureate of Mongolia (2007). He is a licensed professional engineer in Missouri and Illinois. NOVEMBER DECEMBER 2022
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ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY
Image Courtesy of AHS
EDITOR’S COLUMN:
ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY COVERS MAKES HISTORY WITH AWARD
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SIXTEEN
in this issue, I, too, had a ravenous affair with “The Straw.” The pastrami, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut sandwich at the original Miracle Mile Delicatessen was, for me, the highlight of Park Central Mall. Unfortunately, the deli is no longer at Park Central but has new outlets that offer “The Straw.” Still, it’s not the same as enjoying one during a busy workday lunch at the Al Beadle-designed interior. From the first shopping malls to oldschool equipment used in their construction, Arizona Contractor & Community covers the history of our industry and its community. So, it is especially meaningful that our publication was recently in the unusual position of making history instead of publishing it. Last month, the state’s preeminent historical group, the Arizona Historical Society, recognized ACC Above: AHS Board Member Tom Foster presents the Al Merito Award to Billy Horner, Laura Horner, and Douglas Towne. Left: “The Straw” sandwich at Miracle Mile Deli. RIght: Al Merito Award plaque.
Image Courtesy of Dou
I
have a confession to make: malls aren’t my jam. Oh sure, I have a few fond memories of University Hills, Cinderella City, and Buckingham Square shopping centers, aka “Pleasure Domes with Parking,” having grown up in Denver. But since venturing to Arizona as a young adult many years ago, my relationship with malls has been virtually non-existent—with one exception. As Douglas Sydnor, our architectural columnist alluded to in one of his articles
glas Towne
DOUGLAS TOWNE
magazine with the annual Al Merito Award. Since 1974, AHS has given this accolade to acknowledge those who have “contributed significantly to preserving and promoting Arizona history.” Al Merito, which means “for merit” in Spanish, is AHS’s highest honor. The story of ACC’s Al Merito Award begins when, as a long-time AHS member, I saw the organization’s call for nominations. Then, in one of those “What the heck?” moments where some might, on a whim, purchase a few lottery tickets, I decided to put forward the magazine. The difference was that the nomination process was much more work than scratching off a few tickets or selecting random numbers. I sent off what turned out to be a four-page essay since it turns out that NOVEMBER DECEMBER 2022
Images Courtesy of AHS
adequately describing our hybrid publication gets pretty complicated. Nevertheless, I felt good about throwing our hat in the ring. Kind of like the time long ago when the Miller beer distributor walked into The Draught Board tavern at the University of Denver with some swag to give away, and I nailed a Lite Beer knit cap. Tom Foster, a member of the AHS board of directors, notified me that we had been selected. He said that not only had ACC magazine won the award, but it had also made history as the first publication to be so honored. Prior winners had typically been distinguished historians, museums, and historical societies. We’re humbled our magazine will be added to such an impressive group. A few names of past winners include former U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater, James Babbitt (Bruce’s brother), Dr. James Griffith, Arizona State Historian Marshall Trimble, former Phoenix Mayor John Driggs, and Vic Linoff, aka Jay Mark, who is a frequent contributor to our publication. Competition for the award was stiff, with 18 applications, but ACC magazine won unanimously. We had a strong advocate in Sherry Rampy, the Maricopa County representative on the AHS board. I had met Sherry years before as, get this, both she and my wife, Maureen, used the same hairdresser. This connection has put the kibosh on future complaints about the cost of my better half’s coiffeur. Billy Horner, Laura Horner, and I were invited to the annual meeting to receive the award. In a brief speech, I dedicated the moment to our late advertising manager, Chuck Runbeck, without whom the magazine would never have become a reality. We hope Chuck was there in spirit. His image certainly was as Laura held an
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enlarged photo of our beloved partner to Top left: AHS Board President Linda Whitaensure his efforts were commemorated. ker and AHS Executive Director Dr. David We want to thank AHS staff, especially Breeckner. Executive Director Dr. David Breeckner, Above: Douglas Towne dedicates the award to Outreach Coordinator Shelley Coriell, and the late Charles “Chuck” Runbeck. Grants Coordinator Jason Mihalic for rolling out the red carpet for us. The magazine is with the honor, it will make our shared goal appreciative of the recognition the award of capturing the history of our great state a gives us. But we’re even more grateful that, bit easier.
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Projects . PEOPLE . PRACTICES
CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA Projects
CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA
MAIN STREET REINTERPRETED: KIERLAND COMMONS AND SCOTTSDALE QUARTER DOUG SYDNOR, FAIA
A
mericans love to shop, and developers have been exploring ways to attract them into their retail shops for decades. Up until the mid-1900s, shopping activity focused in town centers, with the streets lined with shops offering enticing services and products. In Downtown Phoenix, pedestrians enjoyed shaded walkways and arcades. Smaller communities such as Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, and Gilbert had downtowns with a “Main Street” feel. The original townsite grid for these communities often had a central plaza or park, such as Phoenix’s Patriot’s Park (since demolished), Glendale’s Murphy Park, created in 1909, and the Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza in Prescott, which debuted in ARIZCC.COM
1912. Such public spaces often host celebrations, commemorations, campaign kickoffs, concerts, outdoor movies, and festivals. They are treasured urban and public spaces and, both geographically and spiritually, are the center of the community. Starting in the 1950s, a new retail experience with outdoor malls opened for Phoenix-area residents. The initial offering was Park Central Shopping City (now Park Central Mall) at Central Avenue and Earll Drive in 1957. Goldwater’s, Diamonds, and J.C. Penney department stores anchored the mall and were connected by a linear series of stores and restaurants. Los Angeles-based Welton Becket designed Park Central; J. John Schotanus, Jr, AIA, served as the project architect. Schotanus decided to stay in Phoenix, left the firm, and started his own local practice in 1959. Schotanus designed the Scottsdale Fashion Square outdoor mall at the northwest corner of Scottsdale Road and Camelback Road in 1961.
In 1963, the Biltmore Fashion Park outdoor mall, designed by Welton Becket, was completed at the northeast corner of 24th Street and Camelback Road in Phoenix, with anchor stores I. Magnin and Saks Fifth Avenue. This commission followed the pattern of California-based developers and architectural firms bringing this retail concept to the Sonoran Desert. The first air-conditioned shopping center was Chris-town Mall, located at 1703 West Bethany Home Road in Phoenix in 1961. Designed by Victor Gruen Associates, also based in Los Angeles, this mall became the new preferred type of retail center. I toured Chris-Town when it opened, impressed with the pleasant interiors with tall spaces, water features, bird aviary, landscaping, skylights, comfortable seating, curved ceilings, and high-quality finishes. Korrick’s, Montgomery Ward, Above: Kierland Commons. ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY