VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3
$5.99 MAY JUNE 2023 SERVING CONTRACTING FIRMS AND THE ARIZONA COMMUNITY. . . THEN & NOW
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S LONG STRAW: THE COLORADO RIVER AQUEDUCT A WHALE OF A TEMPE TALE: ONE VERSION OF BIG SURF’S ORIGIN CASTLE HOT SPRINGS: ARIZONA’S WELLNESS RETREAT WINS AN EMMY C.W. FREELOVE’S FOUR GENERATIONS OF ARIZONA WELL DRILLERS RECAPTURING THE SPIRIT OF PLACE: KIVA CRAFTS CENTER REHAB
Arizona’s Timeless Magazine Arizona’s Timeless Magazine
SALUTING ARIZONA’S BUILDERS: NEW PUEBLO’S KARL RONSTADT HOLLAND BELT LOADER: THE MACHINE THAT “GOBBLED EARTH”
ARIZONA’S LAZY RIVER:
THE CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT AQUEDUCT POWER GENERATOR: BOB PISKE AND GEN-TECH
ALCORN CONSTRUCTION GETS INNOVATIVE AT MESA WAREHOUSE
MCCARTHY TOPS OUT MATADOR CENTER AT YUMA’S ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE
A CONSTRUCTION DREAMLAND: CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023
THE ONGOING EVOLUTION OF JOB SITE CONNECTIVITY
“TELL US WHAT YOU NEED AND WE WILL WORK WITH YOU TO MAKE IT HAPPEN”
39
YEARS IN BUSINESS SINCE 1984
480-641-3500
BELLY DUMP-SUPER 16-END DUMP-LOW BOY SIDE DUMP-EXCAVATOR-LOADER-GRADER
Contents
14
Contributors - Frank A. Kozeliski & Douglas Sydnor
16
Feedback
18
From The Editor: Castle Hot Springs: Arizona’s Favorite Wellness Retreat Wins an Emmy - Douglas Towne
21
Construction Around Arizona: Projects • People • Practices
47
Back When: A Camel’s Seal of Approval Douglas Towne
48
Arizona’s Lazy River: The Central Arizona Project Aqueduct - Douglas Towne
54
Southern California’s Long Straw: The Colorado River Aqueduct - Douglas Towne
60
Battling Over the Colorado River: Nellie Bush and the Arizona Navy - Michael Cady
62
Saluting Arizona’s Builders: Karl Ronstadt
66
A Whale of a Tempe Tale: One Version of Big Surf’s Origin: Part 1 - Aaron Gilbreath
72
A Whale of a Tempe Tale: One Version of Big Surf’s Origin: Part 2 - Aaron Gilbreath
76
Old School Equipment: Holland Belt Loader Billy Horner
80
Building on the Past - 1951: The Kleanbore Well Cleaning Machine - Billy Horner
82
Architect’s Perspective - Saving Significant Architecture with Relocation - Doug Sydnor, FAIA
86
Digging Through the Archives: C.W. Freelove - Billy Horner
92
Bid Results
94
Advertising Index
Front Cover First National Bank Vice President, William K. Humbert and Jim Gile, a well driller for C.W. Freelove, during construction of a well in front of the bank building at Central Avenue and Washington Street, 1956. Article on page 48 TWELVE
Image Courtesy of Marty Weber
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ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY
CONTRIBUTORS
FRANK A. KOZELISKI ARTICLE ON PAGE 39
DOUGLAS SYDNOR ARTICLES ON PAGE 27 & 82
rank A. Kozeliski, pronounced he magazine’s long-time Fconcrete” (Cause-a-Liskey), “loves that Tarchitectural columnist, and works as a ready- Douglas Sydnor, recently
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mix concrete consultant and materials engineer. The Gallup, New Mexico native is a noted pervious concrete expert, including incorporating recycled materials such as crushed glass, concrete, rubber, and paper in the mix. He has also developed long-haul concrete that can endure up to five hours of delivery time. Kozeliski owned and operated Gallup Sand & Gravel until 2007 and continues as an advisor to the company, now named Michele’s Ready-Mix Rock & Recycling. Kozeliski graduated from New Mexico State University with his B.S. (1967) and M.S. (1969) in civil engineering and is a registered professional engineer in Alabama, New Mexico, and Texas. A member of the American Concrete Institute for over half a century, he was awarded an honorary membership in 2018 and has been involved with the ACI’s New Mexico Chapter since its inception. Kozeliski is also a long-time member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Society for Testing and Materials. Sea cruises and hunting are among Kozeliski’s hobbies, but he doesn’t usually stray too far from concrete projects and technical meetings. He likes getting creative with his passion and has developed methods to make concrete business cards, coasters, award plaques, gavels, and other unique items.
received the “Arts Hero” honor sponsored by ONMedia and Salt River Project, which called him an “architect, artist, historian and author—a true arts champion.” The award, carried in regional theater playbills, noted that Sydnor “lives a life with no seams. There’s virtually no line between professional and volunteer work. There’s no separation in his mind between arts, culture, and community.” Sydnor has held leadership roles in 20 arts organizations, including Scottsdale Arts, Phoenix Art Museum, and Scottsdale Sister Cities Association, where he has overseen the Young Artists and Authors Showcase for the last decade. He was an early champion for the “percent for arts” movement to set aside 1 percent of municipal projects’ budget for public art. A Phoenix native, Sydnor is the son of an architect. His degrees include a Bachelor of Architecture from Arizona State University and a Master of Architecture from Harvard University. As a licensed Arizona architect, he has practiced for more than 45 years. In 2016, Sydnor relaunched his art career, participated in 12 solo, group, and juried exhibitions, and served as an Arizona Artists Guild Member. His art is in 40 private and public collections, including the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum and Scottsdale Arts Public Art Permanent Collections.
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ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY
CASTLE HOT SPRINGS:
Image Courtesy of Castle Hot Springs
ARIZONA’S FAVORITE WELLNESS RETREAT WINS AN EMMY Douglas Towne
C
ontractors and engineers can be considered magicians, as they do the near impossible by making water run uphill. This feat is apparent locally with the Central Arizona Project, which carries Colorado River water from Lake Havasu and brings it upgradient to destinations including Phoenix and Tucson. This issue of Arizona Contractor & Community will focus on water and, specifically, the Colorado River. However, my editor’s column will spotlight Castle Hot Springs, perhaps Arizona’s most unique waters. Located northwest of Lake Pleasant, Castle Hot Springs features one of Arizona’s most miraculous natural wonders: a constant flow of thermal water that fills pools amidst beautiful rock formations. Early Above: Castle Hot Springs, 2022. Right: Castle Hot Springs: Oasis of Time documentary, 2019. Far right: Castle Hot Springs match cover, 1950s. EIGHTEEN
entrepreneurs capitalized on its mystical aura starting in 1896, creating the state’s first resort with luxurious accommodations. For 80 years, Castle Hot Springs was the Grande Dame of Arizona resorts, hosting presidents and tycoons who soaked in its therapeutic
Image Courtesy of Castle Hot Springs Image Courtesy of Author
MAY JUNE 2023
Image Courtesy of Author
s
Image Courtesy of Castle Hot Spring
waters, hit golf balls on the short nine golf course, and swatted badminton shuttlecocks on the lawn. The resort’s pristine backcountry, where the Bradshaw Mountains and the Sonoran Desert intersect, provided privacy and added to its charm. The idyllic resort closed when fire destroyed its Palm Lodge in 1976. The resort’s future was uncertain until 2014 when noted local philanthropists Mike and Cindy Watts, founders of Sunstate Equipment, purchased the 120-acre property at auction for $1.95 million. The Watts revitalized the storied retreat, creating a modern version of its former glory, centered around the therapeutic qualities of its thermal waters. “My Below: A casita at Castle Hot Springs, 2022. Right: Douglas Towne taking the waters at Castle Hot Springs, 2006.
intent was to restore it and bring it back to life to be able to share a true Arizona treasure with people literally from around the world,” says Mike Watts. The resort reopened in February 2019. “I think, based upon our early feedback, we have accomplished restoring the magic that was once there.” In the Jul/Aug 2019 issue, Arizona Contractor & Community covered the historic resort and its recent transformation into a luxury boutique resort. But an even better appetizer for those considering visiting this enchanted, one-of-a-kind destination is the 37-minute film Castle Hot Springs: Oasis of Time, which won the 2020 Rocky Mountain Emmy Award for “Best Historical Documentary.” As part of the resort’s renovation, the Watts commissioned film producer Kristin Atwell Ford to create the award-winning
Image Courtesy of Castle Hot Springs
Image Courtesy of Author
ARIZCC.COM
Left: Castle Hot Springs advertisement, 1950s. Above: Maureen Towne and Cindy Watts at the Scottsdale Museum of the West for the documentary premiere in 2019.
documentary. Coincidentally, Atwell Ford had a legacy connection to Castle Hot Springs. Her mother, Sherri Chessen, owned the property in the early 1980s. “Seeing the resort reopen is like seeing a beloved family member come back to life,” Atwell Ford says. “Throughout history, Castle Hot Springs has been a place to gather and experience a rare connection with those you love. It’s an evocative place that forges powerful memories.” The documentary features historical images, drone footage by director of photography Bill Davis, narration by Hollywood actor Peter Coyote, vintage footage from Cecil B. DeMille’s 1931 feature film The Squaw Man, and color film shot by Senator Barry Goldwater in the 1950s. The soundtrack was composed by Dolan Ellis, Arizona’s Official State Balladeer, and Pearl Django. The film traces how the resort and its healing waters evolved from initially hosting dignitaries like Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, and Franklin Roosevelt to helping veterans recuperate after World War II, including John F. Kennedy. “As the century evolved, so did the resort, but what is essential remained intact,” Atwell Ford says. “Much like the hot mineral water that flows without interruption from the earth, this land’s influence on the human spirit has never wavered. It is a landscape of myth and memory.” Mike Watts, who also served as the film’s executive producer, says he and his wife have always loved the history of the resort and the stories about the people who experienced it. “To be able to share the history of what Castle Hot Springs means to Arizona and the American Southwest was made possible by the exceptional team of film creators, and we are grateful for the work that they did.”
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Projects . PEOPLE . PRACTICES
CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA Projects
CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA
A CONSTRUCTION DREAMLAND: CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023 BILLY HORNER
A
lthough I spent many years in the field side of the construction industry, it’s only since I’ve become the publisher of Arizona Contractor & Community that conferences and mixers that been added to my resume. My first experience at the CONEXPO 2023, the biggest exhibition of construction equipment in the world, was eye-opening! For fun, I’ll contrast the 2023 event with the first CONEXPO in 1969. CONEXPO-CON/AGG hosted the 2023 event, which was held for five days at the Las Vegas Convention Center starting Tuesday, March 14. Preparations, however, were set up months in advance. The show crushed expected attendance numbers, drawing over 139,000 professionals from 133 countries. It’s the largest trade show in North America, with more than 2,400 exhibitors from 36 countries spread out over 3 million square feet of exhibit space. ARIZCC.COM
“The innovations in the construction industry unveiled this week will play a role in helping construction professionals drive meaningful and sustainable economic growth,” says Phil Kelliher, Caterpillar senior vice president, and CONEXPO-CON/ AGG show chair. “Live events in the construction industry are very important because you can see, touch and experience the products. That value was reaffirmed this past week across the show floor.” This year’s show emphasized how the construction industry is evolving in many ways to adapt to sustainable technologies, products, and practices. Show attendees were treated to sustainability in action, from electric and hydrogen-powered construction equipment to more recyclable materials and waste reduction opportunities. One of the event’s biggest sustainability efforts is a partnership with the Arbor
Day Foundation, which will result in the planting of 139,000 trees, one for every show registrant in a forest of greatest need. My wife, Laura, and I were honored to be asked to attend by E&E Companies’ owner, Buddy Escapule, as he brought along his other operators and spouses. We started our Vegas journey on Wednesday, Laura’s birthday, and celebrated at Chef Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen inside Caesars Palace. Several locals in the industry had indicated they were planning on going or had been in the past. A few reflected on the
Above: The Volvo EC250E Remote Control excavator at CONEXPO, 2023. Right: Billy and Laura Horner at CONEXPO, 2023. ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY