VOLUME 13 ISSUE 2
$5.99 MARCH APRIL 2024 SERVING CONTRACTING FIRMS AND THE ARIZONA COMMUNITY. . . THEN & NOW
THE VAN BUREN: A JOURNEY FROM CAR LOT TO CONCERT HALL STAGECOACH INN: SO LOVELY THAT WE BOUGHT THE PLACE LIFE AT PHOENIX’S GREEN PARROT AUTO COURT IN THE 1930s CREATING COTTON FIELDS: IBEN & POHLE LAND LEVELING CO. JAMES ELMORE: FOUNDER OF ASU’S COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE
Arizona’s Timeless Magazine
EMBRACING NEW CONSTRUCTION METHODS: E.L. FARMER
VAN BUREN: THE NEON-LIT PATH THAT ONCE GUIDED MOTORISTS TO PHOENIX CHASSE FINISHING OUTDOOR- METRO SURVEY DEBUTS ROBOTIC RIBBON-CUTTING FOR McCARTHY’S VALLEYWISE HEALTH HOSPITAL ALL THINGS METAL UNLEASHES ORIENTED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STRIPER ON BROADWAY CURVE MILL AVENUE PARKING STRUCTURE COMPLETED BY KITCHELL VOORTMAN FOR METAL PROCESSING
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CONTENTS
14
Contributors - Sherry Dewane & Steve Schumacher
18
From The Editor: Where Future Phoenicians First Spent The Night: Van Buren’s Motel Row - Douglas Towne
21
Construction Around Arizona: Projects • People • Practices
47
Back When: The Stars Align For Liberace In Phoenix Billy Horner
48
Van Buren: The Neon-Lit Path That Once Guided Motorists To Phoenix - Douglas Towne
54
On The Pathway To The Golden State: Life At Phoenix’s Green Parrot Auto Court In The 1930s - Douglas Towne
58
The Stagecoach Inn: An Overnight Stay On Van Buren So Lovely That We Bought The Place - Sherry Dewane
62
The Van Buren: A Historical Journey From Car Lot To Concert Hall - Steve Schumacher
66
Transforming Desert Into Cotton Fields: Iben & Pohle Land Leveling Company - Ted Pohle
70
Saluting Arizona’s Builders: Evert L. Farmer
74
Old School Equipment - The Euclid Blade-Veyor Loader Or “BV” - Billy Horner
78
Building on the Past - 1947: Arizona Republic And Phoenix Gazette Building - Douglas Towne
82
Architect’s Perspective - Matching Wildlife To Architecture At The Phoenix Zoo - Doug Sydnor, FAIA
86
Digging Through the Archives: Johnnie Iben: An Enigmatic Phoenix Contractor - Billy Horner
90
Bid Results
94
Advertising Index
Front Cover Engineers surveying on Van Buren Street in Downtown Phoenix, 1953. Article on page 48
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CONTRIBUTORS
SHERRY DEWANE
STEVE SCHUMACHER
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ARTICLE ON PAGE 58
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herry Dewane grew up on a picturesque lake in the Midwest, where her imagination, work ethic, reading habit, and love of the outdoors were nurtured during her early childhood. Her family later moved to Arizona to operate The Stagecoach Inn in Phoenix, which is the subject of her article in Arizona Contractor and Community magazine. Living in the state led to a fascination with its colors, desert plants, food, geology, sunsets, and textiles. Her love of Arizona is captured in her blog alovelettertoarizona.com. She graduated from Scottsdale High School and Arizona State University with honors. Sherry then spent six years in Montana until relocating to Los Angeles. There, she served on numerous not-for-profit boards, focusing on arts, culture, and social support, including Friends of the [Griffith] Observatory, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, and the T.J. Martell Foundation, where she was honored with the inaugural Women of Influence Los Angeles Award. Sherry has also served on the Board of Trustees and National Advisory Council for Rocky Mountain College in Montana. Her writing has been published in Big Sky Business Journal, Heritage Auctions Journal, Griffith Observatory Magazine, Biz Women, and the Beverly Hills Courier. Sherry continues to research and explore small towns in her travels.
ARTICLE ON PAGE 62
teve was appointed as the inaugural official historian of the Phoenix Mayor’s Office by Mayor Kate Gallego in 2022 after advocating for the creation of such a position for three years. His role is to document and share the city’s rich history with its citizens, from its earliest days to the present. Since becoming the Mayor’s Historian, Steve has conducted seminars for various City departments and public groups, written articles, been interviewed on radio and television, promoted Phoenix history on social media, and worked with numerous City leaders on how we can celebrate our civic memory. Current projects include developing a Phoenix history curriculum for third graders, producing a Phoenix history video series, and building 3D models of the early Phoenix townsite. Steve grew up in West Phoenix, attended Maryvale High School, has two business degrees from Arizona State University, and was formerly a leadership and change consultant. As a long-time member of MENSA, Steve has served in various volunteer capacities with gifted children. He is an accomplished long-distance runner, avid reader, and music collector. Steve’s daily routine includes completing a crossword puzzle, Wordle, and working to uncover unknown Phoenix history. He has two adult children, one in the Phoenix area and the other in San Diego. MARCH APRIL 2024
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Left: Palm Lane Motor Court postcard, 1954. Below: Chilton Inn postcards, 1964.
Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Van Buren across from Papago Park to catch the Phoenix Firebirds, the newly rebranded Triple-A farm team of the San Francisco Giants. Afterward, we got a room at Ward’s Motor Hotel at 3037 East Van Buren, less than four miles down the street from the ballpark. I vividly recall checking in and turning on our room’s TV to find historical footage of the Rolling Stones. It was their first concert with Mick Taylor and, supplemented by Ginger Johnson’s African tribal drummers, they performed “Sympathy for the Devil” in London’s Hyde Park in 1969. Not only was my first night in Phoenix indelible, but it turned out that the motor hotel had an intriguing history, too. nix Public Library Opened as the Chilton Inn in 1964, it reImage Courtesy of Phoe placed an older accommodation called the Palm Lane Motor Court dating from the 1930s, which had been demolished the previous year. The new two-story complex had 96 units in a U-shaped configuration with “Texas-length” queen-size beds, direct-dial phones, and televisions. The motor hotel featured two swimming pools, a dining room, and a coffee shop. Its lounge hosted live music by flamenco guitarist Juan del Rey and organist Kay Carpenter, supplemented by a Scopitone, a Frenchadditional lodgings called motels and even made jukebox that screened 16 mm music multi-story accommodations termed mo- videos. tor hotels. Guests seemed pleased with the acAlthough a latecomer to the claim, I, commodations, as indicated on a Chilton too, am among this fading group who over- Inn postcard sent to Mr. and Mrs. Lester nighted on Van Buren during their first visit Henderson in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, on to Phoenix. In April 1986, my late partner- July 9, 1966. Rosana wrote, “This is one of in-crime, Cathy Weiler, and I headed north our lovely places…had a six-handed euchre from Tucson, where we were graduate stu- card game last night. We are sure enjoying dents at the University of Arizona. After vis- ourselves, something new all the time, and iting her friend in Scottsdale, we drove to all going fine.”
FROM THE EDITOR:
WHERE FUTURE PHOENICIANS FIRST SPENT THE NIGHT: VAN BUREN’S MOTEL ROW DOUGLAS TOWNE
I
t was once a common experience among Phoenix transplants that when they moved to the city, a motel on Van Buren Street was their first “home.” This trait dates to the 1910s when auto camps along the street served intrepid motorists in their Ford Model Ts. By the 1930s, Van Buren was the pathway for four federal cross-country highways, U.S. 60, 70, 80, and 89, and motor courts lined the road. After World War II, entrepreneurs built
Images Courtesy of Author
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Images Courtesy of Author
Above: Romney Motor Hotel postcard, 1971. Top right: Ward’s Motor Hotel, 1993. Left: SureStay Hotel by Best Western Phoenix Airport, 2023.
The Chilton Inn was part of a new Phoenix-based chain with outlets in Gila Bend and Yuma. The ownership group included Dr. Paul Chilton, a dentist whose name just happened to be “Hilton” with a “C” in front. Another partner was Art Linkletter, who authored Kids Say the Darndest Things and hosted House Party, which ran on CBS radio and television for 25 years. Chilton explained to The Arizona Republic in 1965 that their business strategy consisted of creating modern “shelters” priced slightly below the most expensive accommodations. The following year, the Yavapai Hotel Corporation purchased the Chilton Inn chain. The corporation also owned the Gadsden Hotel in Douglas and broke ground but never completed a Ramada Inn in Prescott. The company was headed by Lee Ackerman and Ned Warren Sr., who became known as the “Godfather of Arizona Land Fraud” after his conviction in 1978. The Yavapai Hotel Corporation was soon rebranded as Western Growth Capital
Corp., which collapsed and became the subject of a federal probe. According to a 1967 Republic article, “A federal official described Western Growth’s books as ‘spaghetti…meaningless.’” In 1969, Wayne Romney purchased the Chilton properties, and the business was renamed the Romney Chilton Inn and later the Romney Motor Hotel. In a marketing splash, some units featured trendy water beds. Romney had started a Phoenix-headquartered motel chain in 1961, which would include 42 properties by 1971. Van Buren’s heyday had passed, however, because it was bypassed by the I-17 Maricopa Freeway to the south, which opened in the early 1970s. Motorists patronized its new national lodging chains, and demand for Van Buren’s dated and less accessible motels decreased. Finally, in 1989, Van Buren was decommissioned as a federal highway. Today, only a few motels remain along Van Buren,
including what was once the Chilton Inn. In 1981, the business was renamed Ward’s Motor Hotel. It was rebranded as Best Inn in 2004, later became the Econo Lodge, and now operates by the word-salad name of SureStay Hotel by Best Western Phoenix Airport. The motor hotel’s history illustrates how Van Buren transitioned from momand-pop motels to more extensive, corporate, multi-story motor hotels before its overnight accommodations evanesced. What started as the Chilton Inn is a rare survivor that has been in business under different owners for nearly 60 years, offering memorable stays for generations of travelers.
Clockwise from top: Douglas Towne and Cathy Weiler at Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, NM, 1986. Rolling Stones Hyde Park London poster, 1969. Mick Jagger with an African tribal drummer, 1969. Phoenix Firebirds baseball program, 1986. Image Courtesy of vintag.es
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Projects . PEOPLE . PRACTICES
KENNEDY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TAKING SHAPE THANKS TO CHASSE
“S
ince breaking ground in September, it’s been a busy time at the Larry C. Kennedy School in Creighton School District,” says the CHASSE Building Team project manager, Connor Lewis. The original school was demolished in 2022 to create a new state-of-the-art campus built by the CHASSE Building Team and designed by Weddle Gilmore Architects. The district’s newest K-8 campus rebuild project is slated for completion in fall 2024 – just in time for the campus to welcome students for the new academic year. The master-planned campus features three stand-alone buildings – A, B, and C. Building A is a 60,000-square-foot, two-story classroom building. At completion, it will house 32 traditional classrooms. ARIZCC.COM
A prominent feature of Building A is the centrally located Learning Stair, which will be utilized for student-led brainstorming and breakout sessions. Learning opportunities will continue as students transition outdoors; atop Building A is a 2,738-square-foot rooftop garden and terrace featuring brick pavers, raised garden beds, and flexible workspaces. In all ground-level classrooms of the building, students will have access to an ample outdoor learning space with imaginative seating and a hardscape. Buildings B and C will become home to a new cafeteria, central kitchen, and stand-alone multipurpose building for the campus. The project is on Osborn Road between 27th and 28th streets, a high-traffic area
CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA Projects
CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA
Images Courtesy of CHASSE
surrounded by developments that present some construction challenges. “The rebuild also shares a campus with an occupied school in the district, so it’s essential that everyone on-site follows and exceeds safety standards and expectations,” Lewis says. “We want to showcase that we are good neighbors from the jump.”
Kennedy Elementary School is under construction by the CHASSE Building Team. ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY
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Above: Kennedy Elementary School Learning Courtyard. Left: Main entrance to Kennedy Elementary School. Images Courtesy of CHASSE
As with any school, CHASSE is eager for the community and district to be part of the building process. The company is particularly proud of how the surrounding school’s neighbors, parents, and residents collaborated during open board meetings. “As a result, the outdoor learning spaces became a priority and are among the most interesting elements of the project,” Lewis says. “For example, all ground-floor classrooms have doors that lead outside to a collaborative courtyard learning space. Upstairs, classrooms can access exterior balconies that provide a full view of the courtyard below.” A unique aspect of the project is that the district chose to prioritize integrating sustainable outdoor learning spaces into
the design of this rebuild. “That said, the rooftop garden and terrace are very cool elements for a K-8 school,” Lewis says. “It will feature planter walls and a large area with pavers that’s safe and accessible for students. Ultimately, this area is a creative use of space, offering the hands-on learning opportunities that the district values so much.” Once open, Larry C. Kennedy will accommodate up to 700 students in grades K-8. “This school was built with growth in mind,” Lewis says. “Our team laid the groundwork for future phases across this site’s 6.25 acres, including a multipurpose field, facility shed and service yard, treehouse plaza, and event lawn down the road.”
CHASSE thanks and sends massive kudos to the project team, which has played an enormous role in this school. “The Creighton School District staff have all been wonderful to work with, particularly Scott Wells, Director of Transportation and Facilities, and Aaron Wilkinson, District facilities manager,” Lewis says. “The same can be said for FMG Group’s Tammy Caraway, the owner’s representative, and Jeff DeHaven and his team at Weddle Gilmore Architects.” Lewis adds that CHASSE wants to recognize their construction team working on the project, including Rob Petersen, superintendent; Wyatt Formo, assistant superintendent; and Dominic Bergs, assistant project manager.
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Connor Lewis Project Manager Experience: 9 years with the CHASSE Building Team Favorite job task: This is tough, but the answer is twofold, with both aspects found in our company’s name. While studying biology in college, my brother worked at CHASSE, and I knew several other family members in the A/E/C industry. I wasn’t focused on construction management or building at the time, but when the opportunity to join CHASSE arose, I knew I had to take it. It’s a company comprised of talented, hardworking individuals I am lucky to have learned from and collaborated with over the last decade. Our President, Barry Chasse, likes to say, “Team is in the name
for a reason.” He’s built a company that focuses heavily on working together to provide the best product for our clients and communities. Being a part of this team is something I’m genuinely grateful for. Outside of that, our work has tangible rewards—the structures we build help many people and bring positive changes to the surrounding communities. I never thought I’d be involved in building schools, recreation centers, or healthcare facilities, but it’s important to work that has lasting, generational effects. Toughest job task: I love collaborating with our partners in the construction process. However, I think the A/E/C industry would say that adapting to the changing labor environments, fluctuating costs, and material procurement is a continuous challenge. Most memorable day at work: Ribbon-cutting days are always fun and
exciting. These events allow us to celebrate the hard work that went into the project that’s now complete – the building can serve its envisioned purpose. It’s a gratifying feeling, especially in the K-12 market. Some recent ribbon cuttings that come to mind include Lakin Prep Academy for the Littleton School District, West Point High School in Tolleson, and Canyon View High School in Agua Fria. Another event I look forward to each year is our annual CHASSE-Giving. We always try to have a giving project on tap, but this one seems our biggest! Each year, the week before Thanksgiving, our team packages and delivers holiday meal kits to families in school districts across the Valley and Tucson. This year, we distributed over 1,500 meals! Favorite off-job tasks: I like to take advantage of any time I can get outside. Golf is my favorite hobby, but I also enjoy fishing in the lakes and rivers of Arizona.
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Kevin and Eder Zuniga operating the TinySurveyor Robot.
METRO SURVEY’S EMPLOYEES—AND ROBOTS—WORK ON ADOT’S BROADWAY CURVE
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ne of the state’s largest construction sites, the Interstate 10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project, can undoubtedly be hazardous. Distracted drivers, changing lanes, and heavy construction combine to create a dangerous combination. That’s one of several reasons Brandon Gallimore, owner of Metro Engineering & Survey, deployed a robot for lane striping. “This robot is taking the place of my guys out on the roadway, though we typically follow the robot with a vehicle,” he says. “Metro Survey is going to look into anything that provides a safer work environment and gets them off the road where they’re exposed to hazards.” Gallimore says Metro Survey, founded in 2013, is one of the surveying companies contracted for supplemental Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) help on
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the Broadway Curve team. Consor is the main survey lead. “A typical stripe layout is done with a crew of one or two, with GPS and data collectors walking to complete the layout,” Gallimore says. “So, for the freeway, if it is 3 to 4 miles long and 4 or 5 lanes wide, you’re talking about a lot of miles to walk.” For this project, Metro Survey utilizes its striping robot called the TinySurveyor. “The robot can be equipped with our existing GPS heads and utilize all the data we already have to normally layout, and it lays out stripe itself with great accuracy and, more importantly, much quicker speeds,” Gallimore says. Metro Survey’s transition to the TinySurveyor has overcome some minor hurdles, including making sure it had adaptable software, GPS heads, and enough power for the tablets. “The robot is touted to have over 8 hours of battery life, but when the tablet that controls it only works 3-4 hours, you don’t get the maximum use of the robot,” Gallimore says. “Another
challenge is the robot only works in state plane coordinate system, so for any projects not in state plane some conversions of data may be required.” According to Gallimore, the main challenge using the TinySurveyor is that the designs are still happening as the Broadway Curve project gets built. “So, we could receive data on pretty short notice, or the design can change on a moment’s notice,” he says. “Luckily, with the TinySurveyor, we can make quick adjustments and adjust lines on the fly, which has made the project easier in those regards.” Thanks to work by Metro Survey and other companies, more steps have been made on the Broadway Curve in early 2024. The new westbound I-10 on-ramp at Broadway Road is scheduled to open, and the eastbound I-10 connector ramp between 48th Street and Broadway Road will close. For some motorists commuting daily through the construction site, the completion cannot come soon enough.”
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Left: Valleywise Health Medical Center under construction. Above: Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center under construction. Below: Valleywise Health Medical Center showing reflection flags.
KITCHELL SET TO OPEN VALLEYWISE HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER IN PHOENIX
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e broke ground before the pandemic and continued to do construction when the health systems in Maricopa Country were facing their biggest challenges,” says Phil Glenn, vice president of operations for Kitchel Contractors. “On the construction side of things, we had to begin balancing labor shortages and supply chain. It was a very interesting time to be involved in one of the biggest projects in Maricopa County.” Glenn is speaking about the April 2024 opening of the new 673,000-squarefoot, 10-story state-of-the-art Valleywise Health Medical Center at 2601 East Roosevelt Street in Phoenix. The Cuningham Group served as architect, and Kitchell, a firm founded by Sam Kitchell in Phoenix in 1950, was the general contractor. “Valleywise Health is Arizona’s only public teaching hospital and safety net system of care,” Glenn says. “The new site EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Phil Glenn, Vice President of Operations Experience: 15 years with Kitchell Contractors Favorite job task: Working with the team of construction professionals on this project and the staff at Valleywise Health who genuinely care for their patients and the mission. Most memorable day at work: Topping out at Valleywise Health and seeing the community rally around our public hospital during the pandemic was pretty special. Favorite off-job task: Enjoying my wife and kids, along with camping, and Arizona Diamondbacks baseball. ARIZCC.COM
also houses the 75,000-square-foot Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center and specialties including cardiology, trauma and emergency, maternity, NICU, oncology, pharmacy, and radiology. It features ten operating rooms, two interventional radiology areas, two cardiac catheterization labs, and two helipads; the new site represents significant growth over the legacy hospital that opened in 1971.” Construction of the hospital was 95 percent complete in November 2023, with exteriors and infrastructure, including electrical, plumbing, and medical gasses, all finished. The last few months of construction have focused on testing systems, final inspections, touch-ups, and clean-up. “It’s beyond exciting to be only months away from opening our new Valleywise Health Medical Center,” says Valleywise Health President and CEO Steve Purves. “This state-of-the-art hospital will serve to further our mission of providing exceptional care without exception, every patient, every time.” “This new hospital is far more than a building; it’s the healthy future of our
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Images Courtesy of Kitchell Contracting
community,” says Dr. Michael White, Chief Clinical Officer. “It will enable us to better provide safe, quality care and train a new generation of health care providers in a healing, patient-centric environment.” “Our new hospital was designed to put patients first,” White adds. “It incorporates the significant technological advancements made in health care, and the additional space will ensure we can provide the best care possible.” This milestone comes on the heels of the opening of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust Pavilion. The Piper Pavilion serves as a new learning and teaching hub, with clinical education housed on three floors of the six-story facility, in addition to administrative services and community meeting space for up to 300 people. Glenn says constructing the Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center is the most captivating aspect. “This is a world-class facility, and learning from Dr. Foster and previous burn patients has been incredibly inspiring,” he says. “That is the part of the project I am most looking forward to once we open in April.”
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VISITING ASU JUST GOT EASIER: MCCARTHY FINISHES NEW MILL AVENUE PARKING STRUCTURE OPENED IN TIME FOR HOLIDAY SEASON
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he barrier gate arms officially lifted in time for the holiday season with the recent completion of the $42 million, six-level, 429,000-square-foot Mill Avenue Parking Structure for Arizona State University (ASU) in Tempe. For those heading to the college and looking for a place to park, the structure is located at 951 South Mill Avenue, east of Mill Avenue, between 9th and 10th streets. The new parking structure, a design-build partnership between DFDG Architecture and general contractor McCarthy Building Companies Inc., adds 1,205 parking spaces to the busy area and provides designated valet parking for the Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU, as well as for events at the Nelson Fine Arts Center and Gammage Auditorium. “For several years, we have been diligently working on transforming what we call the Block 22/27 portion of the University from a low-density and under-utilized piece of our campus,” says Alexander Kohnen, vice president of facilities development and management for ASU. “This parking garage will allow members of the University community and visitors alike to take advantage of the new facilities we have created on the Block.” To enhance the exterior look, the parking structure’s north and south faces feature a vertical metal screen composed of thin blades set at various angles for a distinctive look that is not typical of a parking facility. Its design increases vehicle traffic flow through the garage’s different levels. During high-traffic events, the entrance has a reversible gate arm that allows increased flow upon entry and can be reversed to
increase flow after an event for more efficient exiting. Construction on the related $88 million Mill Avenue Academic and Office Space (Wrap) structure surrounding the garage began in January. The five-story, design-build structure connected to the parking garage will feature 126,000 square feet of multiple academic, administrative, and retail spaces. The third floor of the wrap has been designed with an extensive sound isolation system to control external and internal sounds for instrumental practice rooms, group rehearsal and ensemble rooms, and recording studio rooms. The wrap also has designated spaces for Esports, research labs, computer labs, filming/photography spaces, office spaces, and flex-use areas. “Community members and ASU visitors now have an additional parking option to access popular downtown Tempe
businesses and ASU amenities,” says Justin Adams, project director with McCarthy Building Companies. “Our design-build team continues to collaborate on and build the wrap structure, which will be completed in time for the start of ASU’s fall semester in 2024.” Design consultants for the Mill Avenue Parking Structure included Henderson Engineers, PK Associates, and WoodPatel & Associates. The project’s key construction trade partners include Tyler Reinforcing, Sun Valley Masonry, Arizona Elevator Solutions, Resolute Steel, RH Dupper Landscaping, Superior Post Tension, Beusing, Arizona Specialty Demo, Aero Automatic Fire Sprinkler, AROK, Kovach, ColorCor Painting, Falcon Contracting as well as McCarthy self-perform teams for civil, concrete, ornamental metals, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work. Images Courtesy of McCarthy
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Silvino Villanueva, Project Manager Experience: 13 years with McCarthy Building Companies Favorite job task: Problem solving logistical, schedule, and constructability challenges with our self-perform teams while simultaneously developing win-win scenarios for everyone involved. Toughest job task: Having to make difficult decisions in the project’s best interest. ARIZCC.COM
Most memorable day at work: The turnout was amazing when we held our craft appreciation party on-site. We had all our craft workers from our trade partners, project team, ASU leadership, McCarthy leadership, inspectors, and vendors show up. We grilled lunch, had raffle prizes, and even a dunk tank so our craft workers could dunk team leaders. It was great for the project’s culture and morale. Favorite off-job tasks: Spending time with my two daughters, whether attending their games or practices, climbing monkey bars, drawing in coloring books, or simply dancing in the kitchen while making dinner; they make everything so joyful. ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY
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ALL THINGS METAL UNLEASHES ITS VOORTMAN ON THE FUZE BALLPARK APARTMENTS PROJECT
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hose considering steel installation should be aware there’s a new machine in the Valley that can give them an edge, according to Jason Kessler, an account executive for All Things Metal. The company is currently working on a project helping build the 321-unit Fuze Ballpark Apartments, a new modular construction in Glendale located by the Arizona Cardinals Stadium. “We have only done about a fifth of our scope so far,” Kessler says. “There are 7,522 total assemblies, and the total tonnage for our scope is 543 tons, which is over one million pounds.”
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Images Courtesy of All Things Metal
All Things Metal, a Phoenix company headquartered in Deer Valley, is a commercial construction steel subcontractor providing detailing, fabrication, and erection of structural steel on commercial and multifamily projects. All Things Metal, founded in 2002 to serve the Phoenix custom residential market, expanded to the commercial sector a handful of years later thanks to the vision of growth shared by owner Timothy Rock. The company recently acquired a Voortman V807 to process metal, which has led to a quicker product. The average time per assembly on the Voortman V807 is 15 - 25 minutes, compared to twice that if done manually, according to Kessler. “The time that it saves, though, is even more because of the time saved in material handling and quality control,” he says. This machine boosts efficiency and increases the quality of each assembly, eliminating excess time spent on quality control. ACC magazine had Kessler explain the features of the Voortman V807. Q: How does it work? A: Voortman is a CNC plasma cutter that has a five-axis arm that can rotate around a piece of steel without flipping it to cut and scribe where pieces are needed in the steel building process. It uses CAD files to nest and set up projects for cutting and scribing laying out for steel processing. The Voortman uses self-feeding rollers to load the machine once all material is placed in order on the infeed rollers. This machine can cut steel materials such as beam, c channel, angle, and tubing. Q: What’s the role of its operator? A: Uploading files to nest projects prior to cutting material. Processing material based on shape and size. Ensuring all cuts
and markings to the steel are done correctly. Regulating the machine to get smaller pieces that might fall into the pit area. Ensuring the material and nesting of the machine is set up. Plus, the operator oversees the electronic fence that keeps the environment safe when the machine is in motion. Q: Describe the process of transportation and setting up the Voortman. A: The machine was transported by boat from the Netherlands. Voortman provided All Things Metal with specs to pour a concrete slab to support the rollers and both sides of the machine and the processing shack to house the unit and nesting operation computers. Installation took two weeks, plus another two weeks of training. Q: How does the Voortman outperform other machines? A: There are no rotating large steel pieces to cut, and it cuts holes all in one stoke. It can scribe the material where other metal needs to be welded, for example, to a beam. It will lay it out for our fabricators to put pieces in the right place for accuracy. It also can scribe a number to match where the item goes in the field based on the details—making construction more streamlined. Q: How has the Voortman aided the Fuze project? A: The machine can process more steel in a day than it would take a crew to do in a week by hand. There’s efficiency in cutting and scribing parts according to guidelines that ensure parts are precise. The machine can cut 60 to 80 pieces of steel parts and make over 2,500 cuts a day to steel. It speeds the process of cutting and making parts precise and nothing gets missed from our detail files.
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CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA People Image Courtesy of AZ Rep
ASU’S ARCHITECT INCUBATOR: JAMES WALTER ELMORE, FAIA
in 1938, he went into active duty with the U.S. Army in 1940. He spent six years with the Corps of Engineers in Washington D.C., New York, Philadelphia, London, Paris, and JAMES ABELL Frankfurt. rizona will always remember Jim ElIntriguingly, late in World War II, at more as the founding dean of the Col- the Chief Engineer’s Headquarters in Paris, lege of Architecture at Arizona State Uni- Elmore’s desk was right next to the yet-toversity. It is miraculous that he nurtured a be-famous architect Gordon Bunshaft. One nonexistent department at Arizona State day, Bunshaft announced he was visiting College in 1949 into a nationally prominent the great master architect Le Corbusier! design school in less than Elmore laughs as he retwo decades. “SOME REFERRED TO THE ASU calls that, at the time, Yet Elmore’s stewhad not yet heard of COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AS he ardship of the ASU ColCorbusier. lege of Architecture is so THE ‘HARVARD OF THE WEST.’” Later, during his tour towering in its vision and of duty in France, Elmore achievement that it momentarily distracts was awarded the prestigious Bronze Star us from his accomplishments as a distin- and, after the war, continued his service guished soldier, practicing architect, devot- with the Army Reserves Corps of Engineers, ed family man, author, and civic leader of achieving the rank of colonel in 1964. bold ideas. From 1946 to 1948, he was a draughtsBorn September 5, 1917, in Lincoln, man/designer for the New York office of Nebraska, Elmore’s father was a lumber- Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM) beyard manager. Oddly, his interest in be- fore, during, and after his graduate studcoming an architect came from his best ies at Columbia University. Upon his gradfriend’s older brother, who was studying uation, he and his wife Ann decided they architecture. After finishing the University would move to Phoenix and would likely of Nebraska’s B.A. degree in architecture accept a position with Hugh Jones, formerly of SOM, and then a partner with Fred Guirey, FAIA. But first, Elmore planned to pass his licensing exam in New York. On loan to Harrison and Abramovitz Architects from SOM, Elmore worked briefly on the United Nations Secretariat building when he received word of passing his architectural licensing exam. Arriving in Phoenix in 1948, he worked with Guirey & Jones and Edward L. Varney, FAIA.
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Images Courtesy of Author
Top left: James Elmore. Above: Rio Salado meeting, 1967. Below: Renderings of Rio Salado project design and a barge on the waterway, 1967.
He began his private practice in the fall of 1949. Noted Arizona architect Bennie Gonzales, FAIA, was one of his staff draughtsmen during this time. Then, in 1950, ASC president Grady Gammage offered Elmore a full-time teaching position at the college for $3,800 per year. Elmore says, “I was delighted….” Continuing his small consulting practice while he and Ann raised two children, Elmore set about building one of the best architecture faculties at ASU, drawing talent from prestigious American universities and academic institutions from around the globe. At one point, some referred to the ASU College of Architecture as the “Harvard of the West.” As an instructor, founder, and Dean of the ASU College of Architecture for over 36 years, Elmore left a legacy of academic excellence while spawning visionary civic plans. He was known widely as the “Father of the Rio Salado project,” a 55-milelong urban enhancement for the Salt River floodplain, then mainly used for industrial purposes and as a landfill. Elmore was also been a leader in promoting innovations in urban transportation with landmark freeway studies in the 1960s and insightful planning proposals of elevated light rail mass transit concepts in the late 1990s. As a dedicated practicing architect, educator, father, devoted husband, distinguished soldier, author, lecturer, and civic activist, James W. Elmore, FAIA, is arguably one of the most accomplished American Institute of Architects College of Fellows members. ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY
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DOUGLAS TOWNE
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otels are usually considered transient places to stay for a night or two while traveling. But that perception is changing as some older motels transition to long-term lodging during the current housing crisis. The trend is coming full circle, as evidenced by Bill Baker’s memories of his Phoenix childhood at the Green Parrot Auto Court at 2360 East Van Buren Street in the 1930s. Baker lived there for a decade, starting at the age of 1 in 1934. Van Buren was the main highway for people driving to California and back from points east, and it was lined with auto courts, now called motels. The Green Parrot also had a section in the rear where long-term residents lived under spartan conditions (see article on page 54). The Baker family made lifetime friends at their frugal accommodations and still had fun despite having few conveniences. Baker recalls that the Green Parrot’s office was on the west side of the entrance off Van Buren. The owners, Mr. and Mrs. Cilley, who were almost always there selling snacks and registering overnight guests, had a tank about 4 feet long, 2 feet wide, and about 3 feet tall, with a sliding glass top filled with water, ice, and sodas. “It contained several flavors of soft drinks, including Coca-Cola, Barq’s root beer,
CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA People
TRAVELING CARNIVALS, VAUDEVILLE SHOWS, AND FORTUNE TELLERS: A RICH CHILDHOOD ON VAN BUREN DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION
Images Courtesy of Bill Baker
orange, grape, and other fruit flavors, and, Above: Bill Baker at age 5 with his sister, Jeri, my favorite, cream soda,” Baker says. and a Model A Ford, 1938. The tank was stocked full of bottles. Left: Bill Baker’s soda bottle opener. “So, if you wanted a soda, you would look into the water, but they were not always until she gave birth to their daughter, Bevvisible, so you would stick your arm into erly,” Baker says. “Mr. & Mrs. Cilley had a the water and fish out an ice-cold bottle of new, yellow Studebaker sedan, and when I soda. If it was a flavor you wanted, great, was in high school, they would always wave at me driving by. They were very nice to my but if not, you fished again.” The soda bottles were uncapped by family and, in fact, were family.” Baker says that Bob Miller was a fun using a small tool mounted on the side of guy who had a gift shop on the box. “Some of the kids the highway between Tempe would pry the cap off with their teeth, but I never had “AT A CARNIVAL, I SAW and Mesa and sold lamps and teeth I could trust to do that,” A MAN SHOT OUT OF A other items he made from Baker says. “I still have a bot- CANNON,” BAKER SAYS. cholla wood and other cactus material. Later, he worked at tle opener mounted on my wall that my parents had for as long as I can the Goodyear plant west of the valley, got married, and started a family. remember.” His mother’s best friend at the Green At the time, Mrs. Cilley had two adult kids, Florence and Bob Miller, from a pre- Parrot was Mrs. Newton. Her husband Vern vious marriage. “My Uncle Buck married had tuberculosis and originally lived in SunFlorence, and they took me on day trips, nyslope before moving next door to the and I spent many overnighters with them – Bakers. “Dad worked nights as a musician, ARIZCC.COM
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where he found tarantulas, horned lizards, snakes, and other animals. A “pet” spider spun a web outside their cabin door, and Baker would catch insects to toss onto the web for the spider’s meal. “I taught science as an adult and believe that interest was kindled because of my experiences as a kid,” he says. The highway brought all sorts of people, some of whom set up camp in a vacant lot across from the Green Parrot. These included carnivals, vaudeville shows, and Walk-A-Thons. “At a carnival, I saw a man shot out of a cannon,” Baker says. “Dad and I rode on the Ferris wheel, where he loved to scare me by rocking the seat when we were stopped at the top. Maybe for that reason, Mom never came along.” For a spell, a family lived in a small house on the vacant lot: mother, father, some older kids, one boy, and 30 or so young chickens. “The boy was about my age but way ahead in worldly things, as he taught me how to tell a male from a female chicken,” Baker recalls. Baker says the mother told fortunes and had a monkey tied to a business sign out front. He was intrigued and one day saw the monkey up close. “It jumped on my shoulder, and I couldn’t get it off,” he says. “The woman came out, took the monkey off, and said something in a language I didn’t understand, but the meaning was clear: ‘Stay away from the monkey!’ I don’t know their ethnicity, but they were very dark-skinned, small, and wiry.” Baker never again made the mistake of messing with the soothsayer’s mystical accomplice.
so many evenings we would go to their cabin, and Mom and Mrs. Newton crocheted together and chatted,” Baker says. “I think they were African American, but the topic never came up.” While Baker doesn’t recall Vern’s occupation, Mrs. Newton worked late at night cleaning offices downtown. “They were both very nice people, and Vern was talented and made three 25-inch penguins out of large gourds for Mom that I still have,” Baker says. “They had a 1930s-era encyclopedia set that I loved to read, and they gave it to me when I got married. They were our best friends for many years.” The Baker family lived in a unit on the court’s west side, which bordered a field
Images Courtesy of Bill Baker
Above: Bill Baker with his dog, Rags, at the Green Parrot Auto Court, 1938. Right: Gourds painted to look like penguins by Vern Newton. ARIZCC.COM
ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY
THIRTY EIGHT
MARCH APRIL 2024
CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA Practices
AGGREGATES FOR CONCRETE: MAXIMUM-SIZED AGGREGATES LUKE M. SNELL, P.E.
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any think aggregates in concrete mixtures are inert fillers and are of minimal importance in the finished result. In my experience, the selection of aggregates has a significant influence on the success of the final product and its cost. In the next series of four articles, I’ll examine the critical requirements for aggregates and how they influence the performance of the concrete mixture. Until batching concrete in mixers or trucks occurred, many contractors would use as big an aggregate as possible. Farm foundations built before World War II often have large rocks dropped into the concrete to take up space, which is called cyclopean concrete. Rocks were cheap and available on the farm; cement was expensive and had to be purchased. Thus, the contractor, likely the farmer himself, saved money by using as big a rock as possible. It is not uncommon to find old farm building foundations with rocks one foot in diameter. Their placement technique was to make the concrete with regular-sized aggregates and then insert the rocks into the concrete when placing the foundations. This strategy would save money but would be very labor intensive and only work where these large rocks were available.
Research reveals that using the largest that most construction projects’ nominal available rock allows us to use less cement; maximum size of coarse aggregates should thus, the concrete is more economical. The be no more than 3/4 inch. There needs to be more clarity about goal is to use as large an aggregate as possible; however, the aggregates need to fit what is meant by nominal maximum-sized into the forms and be able to pass through aggregates as opposed to maximum-sized aggregates. The nomthe reinforcements. maximum-sized Thus, practical limits “USING THE LARGER ROCK REQUIRES inal aggregate defines the exist on how big an agLESS CEMENT MAKING THE largest size allowed gregate can be used. The Building Code CONCRETE IS MORE ECONOMICAL.” for the majority of the aggregates; in other Requirements for Structural Concrete - ACI 318 guides deter- words, typically, 85-95 percent of the agmining the maximum-sized aggregates that gregates would be smaller than the speccan be successfully used in concrete mix- ified nominal maximum-sized aggregates. tures. It states that the nominal maximum About 5-15 percent of the aggregates size of coarse aggregates is not to exceed: would be expected to be slightly larger. 1. One-fifth the narrowest dimension beThe most widely used coarse aggretween the sides of the forms, gates are ASTM #57 (maximum size of 1 2. One-third the depth of a slab, and inch) and ASTM #67 (maximum size of 3/4 3. Three-fourths of the minimum speci- inch), which are widely used because they fied clear spacing between individual rein- meet the above requirements for most forcing bars batch plants and precast molds. The Building Code also states that all The following article will examine reinforcing bars should have at least one- the smallest-sized aggregates contractors inch clear spacing. This requirement means should use in concrete mixtures. Images Courtesy of Author
Top right: A farm building with large rocks in the foundation. Above: Cyclopean concrete made of coarse aggregates. Right: Stockpile of coarse aggregates. ARIZCC.COM
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BUILDING ARIZONA: HOW THE LOWE’S FOUNDATION AND COCONINO COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARE TRAINING CONTRACTORS BETSY CONWAY AND DR. ERIC HEISER
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s one of the fastest-growing states in the U.S., Arizona is facing a housing shortage in part because we don’t have enough skilled tradespeople to build the homes we need. This lack of tradespeople is not limited to Arizona. The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) estimated that in 2023 alone, the construction industry nationally needed an estimated 546,000 new skilled tradespeople on top of the normal pace of hiring to fully meet demand. Here in Northern Arizona, the city of Flagstaff has declared a housing crisis and announced plans to create or preserve nearly 8,000 housing units by 2031. We need to address the housing crisis, but this can only be achieved by the builders, plumbers, electricians, and HVAC technicians who have the skills to do so. Unfortunately, over the past three decades, fewer people have chosen skilled trades as a career path. We now face a situation where just 11 percent of the workforce is under 25 years old, well below the average for the rest of the workforce. Meanwhile, approximately 22 percent of the skilled trades workforce will reach retirement age in the next five years, which means the workforce will lose many of its most skilled workers. That is why the Lowe’s Foundation and Coconino Community College (CCC) have partnered to expand Coconino’s innovative Construction Technology Management program. With a $750,000 grant from the Lowe’s Foundation’s Gable Grants program, the college will expand its skilled trades training programs in construction, HVAC,
Images Courtesy of Lowe’s Foundation
plumbing, and electrical. The school also of construction workers and 27 percent of plans to remodel its workshop to create carpenters being self-employed. more lab space for our students, upgrade CCC is an especially important provider equipment, computers, and software, and of skilled trades training in Arizona because hire additional instructors to work with the it is one of the only institutions offering new students who will join skilled trades training in these growing in-demand Coconino County (the “THIS LACK OF TRADESPEOPLE second-largest county in programs. These jobs are ex- IS NOT LIMITED TO ARIZONA.” the U.S.) and because it is cellent and rewarding training the skilled tradesopportunities for many people. For exam- people who may help address the ongoing ple, the median hourly wage of plumbers housing emergency in Flagstaff and northand electricians is 30 percent higher than ern Arizona. the median U.S. hourly wage, according to Community college training programs 2021 wage data. And people who go into of this kind provide a solid pathway to the skilled trades are satisfied with their meaningful careers at a time when many work. Construction workers reported the American parents and students are rethinkthird-highest level of happiness of any in- ing their assumptions about a college edudustry, the fourth-highest sense of pur- cation. In a 2021 Gallup survey, nearly half pose, and the second-lowest stress level of parents wished their children had more of the 18 industry categories tracked by postsecondary options, including paths to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, according skilled trades. to the Washington Post. These jobs also By working together, the Lowe’s Founoffer paths to entrepreneurship, as many dation and CCC are creating the future of skilled tradespeople use their skills to skilled trades in northern Arizona. The start their own business, with 25 percent students who train in CCC’s Construction Technology, Construction Management, Alternative Energy, and Sustainable Construction programs in the next few years will be the ones who are building our homes and infrastructure, contributing to our communities, and growing our economy for decades to come. For more information on the Lowe’s Foundation and its 5-year, $50 million commitment to train 50,000 job-ready skilled tradespeople, see corporate.lowes.com/ our-responsibilities/lowes-foundation. Betsy Conway is Lowe’s Foundation director, and Dr. Eric Heiser is president of Coconino Community College. Far left: Betsy Conway. Left: Dr. Eric Heiser. Above: Lowe’s Foundation presents check to Coconino Community College Foundation, 2023.
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espite national declines, Phoenix stands at the forefront of industrial space occupancy and demand, with a 3 percent increase in occupied space and the delivery of 16.5 million square feet of industrial product in Q3 2023, as highlighted in LGE Design Build’s newly released Q4/Q1 Construction Delivery Outlook report. “Our report dives into the intricate factors that impact construction labor, supply chain dynamics, material volatility, and demand to provide valuable insights to help industry leaders make informed decisions as we continue to move into the new year,” says Blake Wells, vice president of preconstruction at LGE Design Build. “We’re optimistic about the future in this market. Phoenix’s metro area is becoming a hub for tech giants due to its lack of natural disaster risks, a stable climate, low utility costs, business-friendly environment, and regulatory measures.” A summary of the report’s other key findings include: Construction Labor Arizona’s construction workforce is expanding alongside the state’s economic growth, with a surge in construction projects. Other notables: • According to the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity, over 900 construction jobs were added in the Phoenix metro area in November 2023 for a total of 161,400. • Arizona has fostered partnerships, training programs, and initiatives like the Voluntary Protection Program to enhance workplace safety, apprenticeship opportunities, and overall workforce development, contributing to the state’s robust construction talent pipeline. • In November 2023, job growth in the U.S. increased, but the unemployment rate rose to 3.8 percent, marking the highest level since February 2022, before the Federal Reserve began raising rates. This rate is Images Courtesy of LGE Design Build
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up from 3.5 percent in July, and wage gains slowed, indicating a softening of labor market conditions. This scenario reinforces the belief that the Federal Reserve is unlikely to raise interest rates soon, as the labor market is slowing down in response to the central bank’s efforts to cool down economic demand through substantial rate hikes. Material Costs Material price increases in the construction industry are stabilizing at historic levels of 3 – 5 percent. Still, electrical gear and HVAC equipment face ongoing price increases due to high demand and limited manufacturing capacity. The shift away from Asian suppliers towards more dependable sources is a noteworthy trend. Other notables: • Regional cost pressures are evident in raw, heavy materials like concrete, gypsum, and asphalt, with transportation costs influencing higher prices in specific regions. • In the fourth quarter of 2023, construction costs were highest in the familiar states of Alaska, Hawaii, California, and the Northeast, compared to the national average. • Material costs exhibit a clear pattern, with higher prices observed the farther one is from the Mississippi River and major manufacturing centers in the Midwest. Installation costs follow a similar delineation, with the Southeast and Mountain States maintaining lower labor costs, while the Midwest, West Coast, Northeast, and overseas locations continue to experience higher costs.
CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA Practices
INDUSTRIAL SPACE OCCUPANCY THRIVES IN PHOENIX DESPITE NATIONAL DECLINE
transformers, and miscellaneous mechanical equipment may face continued challenges. Other notables: • Trucking freight has experienced a surge in overall demand, with the American Trucking Associations’ For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index indicating a 1.3 percent increase. Future increases are projected and could cause price hikes. • Despite a decrease in supply chain disruptions, shortages of skilled professionals in the supply chain persist, according to supply executives, requiring a combined effort of people and technology to rebuild and strengthen the supply chains. • Procurement pain points continue to be HVAC units, electrical components, and drywells.
Demand by Product Type While Phoenix stands out as an exceptional leader in industrial space occupancy, the Valley’s office real estate outlook is cautious due to potential adverse impacts such as a further national economic slowdown, ongoing inflation, and elevated interest rates. Other notables:w • Despite challenges in Phoenix office real estate, positive indicators include ongoing demand for well-equipped office spaces, along with newer Class-A and trophy buildings, to aid in the return-to-work efforts by many companies. • While interest from smaller tenants may mitigate unstable vacancy rates, the moderate pace of new office construction is expected to limit immediate supply-side risks. However, larger entities may explore cost-cutting measures, such as Supply Chain reducing office footprints if national ecoSuppliers expressed optimism about nomic conditions worsen. A full recovery to stabilizing prices and improved lead times pre-pandemic levels is anticipated to take during the closing of 2023, but certain time. products such as generators, switchgears, ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY
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BY ASSOCIATION OF EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS (AEM) STAFF
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lectrification of construction machinery is hardly a new concept. For years, electric equipment has been commonly seen in various applications, from demolition and mining to aerial lift and industrial work. Now, electric equipment is becoming increasingly prevalent on and around job sites. Its potential is evident, and its benefits are clear. Its long-term place in the industry is no longer up for debate. And, as electric vehicles continue to be more widely adopted by consumers, all that’s left to do is examine – and try to accurately determine –how the construction industry should prepare for the technology to become fully mainstream in the not-too-distant future. “If you go out about three years, there will be approximately 700 electric vehicles roadside, and that’s not even getting into construction and agriculture,” says David Knight, CEO of Terbine, a provider of technology for the seamless exchanging of IoT data between the mobility and energy sectors, who spoke on how the construction industry should prepare for the widespread adoption of electric vehicles in the not-too-distant future at CONEXPO-CON/ AGG 2023. According to Knight, there are five main reasons why equipment end users in the construction industry are strongly considering investing (or already have invested) in electric machinery: 1. Lower operating costs – The savings on diesel costs alone are significant. Most OEMs cite a range of four to eight hours of runtime for “average” use on electric compact equipment, with an eight-hour overnight charge. And while it’s quick and easy to compare run times on a fully charged electric machine with a full tank on Image Courtesy of Volvo
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CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA Practices
FIVE REASONS CONSTRUCTION JOB SITES ARE GOING ELECTRIC
Image Courtesy of CONEXPO
diesel units, there’s no idle on an electric machine. Therefore, an operator can get a day or more of productive work out of it because they’re typically not running a machine for eight continuous hours a day. 2. Lower maintenance costs – Reciprocating engines possess many friction-generating parts, which fail. The friction, the frictional components, and the amount of heat generated when an engine is running are really what contribute to parts being replaced and maintained. 3. Federal and state tax credits – Incentives can offer savings across a single fleet in tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands. Because they change constantly, organizations need to stay current regarding what’s available, both regionally and nationally. 4. Carbon credits and offsets – Carbon credits, also known as carbon allowances, work like emission permission slips. When a company buys a carbon credit, usually from the government, they gain permission to generate one ton of CO2 emissions. When one company removes a unit of carbon from the atmosphere as part of its
normal business activity, it can generate a carbon offset. Other companies can then purchase that carbon offset to reduce their own carbon footprint. 5. ESG goals – Many organizations are setting and working toward Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) goals, and it’s a trend that’s only expected to become more common with time. Without goals and corresponding policies, organizations face ESG risk, which includes loss of investors, a damaged reputation, and fines for regulatory noncompliance. There is every reason to believe that electric vehicles and electric equipment will continue to develop and improve over time, says Knight, thus making a greater level of adoption even more likely in the very near future. According to the Terbine CEO, the architectures of electric vehicles are going to even higher voltages. The higher the voltage, he explained, the less current is needed for a given amount of wattage. That also means less heat. And, while voltages are very good now, they are expected to improve significantly in the coming years. “They’re going to be really good in three to five years, and that’s going to allow for even faster and more efficient charging than ever before,” he adds. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) is the North America-based international trade group representing offroad equipment manufacturers and suppliers with more than 1,000 companies and more than 200 product lines in the agriculture and construction-related industry sectors worldwide. The equipment manufacturing industry in the United States supports 2.8 million jobs and contributes roughly $288 billion annually to the economy.
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Back When
THE STARS ALIGN FOR LIBERACE IN PHOENIX BILLY HORNER
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ocated along 24th Street north of Van Buren, the Phoenix Star Theater kicked off its 1965 season with a week-long engagement by Liberace. This gig began the pianist’s nationwide tour, named the “Silver Anniversary in Showbusiness.” Liberace’s two-hour concert at what is now called Celebrity Theater included special guest Marni Nixon, renowned for her singing for Audrey Hepburn in the movie version of My Fair Lady. Liberace wore a sequined black tuxedo and began the concert with jokes and audience banter. His performance ranged from variations of “Chopsticks” and compositions inspired by Chopin to a medley of George Gershwin tunes. Each performance was unscripted, as “Mr. Showmanship” lived up to his nickname every night. The 1965 tour was highlighted by a testimonial dinner in Liberace’s honor hosted
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by the prestigious Friar’s Club in Beverly Hills. Dot Records celebrated the tour’s success by releasing an album titled “Silver Anniversary.” Born Władziu Valentino Liberace, the Minnesota native made his concert debut at age 11 in 1930. Liberace launched his nightclub career in 1951 and made his local television debut on Tucson’s KOPO-TV in February 1953, just two weeks after the station’s launch. Liberace used the new medium to become a musical superstar. Liberace died in 1987 in Palm Springs. Eight years previous, he established the Liberace Museum in Las Vegas. Liberace’s museum closed in 2010, though
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exhibitions of his extensive collection of stage costumes, cars, and pianos continue in assorted venues. Liberace, well known for his flashy costumes, said, “I don’t give concerts; I put on a show.”
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VAN BUREN: THE NEON-LIT PATH THAT ONCE GUIDED MOTORISTS TO PHOENIX P
hoenix once had the world at its fingertips. Polynesian villages, royal chateaus, and a Middle Eastern oasis were set among the Statue of Liberty, Old Faithful, and the Alamo in a scene reminiscent of Disney’s Magic Kingdom. This mid-century assemblage of geographical whimsy consisted of motels cloaked in exotic themes
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DOUGLAS TOWNE along Van Buren Street, one of the nation’s most dazzling roadside strips. Van Buren, then the city’s main artery, pulsated with excitement created by these mini-resorts that featured fanciful names, make-believe buildings, lush landscaping, and huge neon signs displaying lines of liquid fire. Like catchy pop tunes, these advertising platforms conveyed simple and infectious messages. “A neon sign’s overall effect is mesmerizing,” Carlos Lozano, founder of the Vanishing Tucson preservation group, says. “Centuries ago, viewing religious figures in stained glass produced the same desired effect.” For many tourists, Van Buren and its miles-long neon slumber party defined their Phoenix experience. But this kitschy wonderland, like a mirage, faded and disappeared. What created Van Buren’s bright
lights and then caused them to go dark decades later? The city’s greatest light spectacle started as just another dirt road in a dusty town. When the Phoenix townsite that now comprises Downtown was created in 1870, its northernmost street was named after the eighth U.S. president, Martin Van Buren. By 1895, Van Buren was called Tempe Road, east of Seventh Street, and Yuma Road, west of Seventh Avenue. But as automobiles gained popularity, the street’s reach extended much further. Around 1915, Van Buren became part of an informal network of roads called auto trails, including the Bankhead Highway and the Old Spanish Trail. Private civic booster organizations cobbled these rough, poorly marked routes from existing roads. In 1925, the federal government officially took over MARCH APRIL 2024
Images Courtesy of Library of Congress
Clockwise from upper left: Van Buren looking east from Fifth Avenue, 1940; Arizona Motel at 2625 East Van Buren, 1940; Cottage Court at 5218 East Van Buren, 1940; Old Faithful Inn at 1916 East Van Buren, 1991; and motels looking east from the Lazy “A” Court at 2635 East Van Buren, 1940.
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Clockwise from upper left: Liberty Motel at 1911 East Van Buren, 1991; Log Cabin Court 1940 (b&w) and 1991 (color); Camp Montezuma at 1850 East Van Buren, 1920; and Sea Breeze Tourist Village at 2701 East Van Buren, 1938.
highway nomenclature and designated Van Buren as U.S. Highways 80 and 89. A few years later, U.S. Highways 60 and 70 were added to Van Buren’s resume, allowing motorists direct routes to both coasts, Mexico and Canada. “Van Buren was the most developed stretch of the only place in America where four U.S. cross-country highways overlapped each other,” Donna Reiner, a local historian, says. “The street acted like a giant funnel that collected the tourist traffic between the Mexican border and Route 66.” All these travelers needed someplace to stay, whether moving to or vacationing in Phoenix or just resting their heads on a pillow overnight before continuing their journey to Southern California. Roadside lodging initially consisted of auto camps that were spartan places where motorists pitched tents and shared a communal bathroom. Gradually, accommodations upgraded to cabin camps or cottage courts with individual buildings, then tourist courts, sometimes called auto or FIFTY
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Images Courtesy of Library of Congress
motor courts with a carport between units, and eventually L or U-shaped motels. By 1941, Phoenix claimed to have the “largest number of tourist courts, cabins, and motels of any city in the U.S.” Two memorable overnight accommodations on Van Buren symbolize this era’s homespun ambiance. Sea Breeze Tourist Village blew into Phoenix in the late 1930s. The motel’s evocative name was a play on its owner’s name, Robert H. Seebre. The motel’s ame- whose name was, perhaps inadvertently, nities included a heated swimming pool used to link this humble business to the and telephones in every room. Nearby, iconic Rose Bowl parade and bowl game the Log Cabin Auto Court opened its rus- held in Pasadena, California. “I rememtic doors in 1939 with individual structures ber my family having Thanksgiving dinner that appeared to have been created by Paul in 1963 at the restaurant connected to Bunyan. This woodsy aesthetic carried over the Rose Bowl Motor Hotel,” says Arizona to the swimming pool, which had an over- native John Jacquemart. “It was a swank sized water wheel. place!” After World War II, new construction Van Buren’s most memorable roadside on Van Buren transitioned from mom-and- lodge opened in 1961. The 111-room Kon pop motels to corTiki Hotel offered “A porate, multi-story “A NEON SIGN’S EFFECT IS MESMERIZING. Little Bit of Waikiki motor hotels. These in the Heart of PhoeCENTURIES AGO, VIEWING RELIGIOUS nix.” Its Googie delarger venues wooed travelers with up- FIGURES IN STAINED GLASS PRODUCED sign had a Polynesian graded amenities. theme, with flared THE SAME EFFECT.” The Hiway House angular roofs covconveyed guests from the lobby to their ered in Bermuda tile. Tiki masks, torches, rooms in a miniature train. Fine dining was tropical plants, and a fire fountain added to featured at the Rose Bowl Motor Hotel, the South Seas motif. ARIZCC.COM
By the early 1960s, Van Buren had reached its zenith, whether measured in motel numbers or creative chutzpah. Dubbed the “Funset Strip,” it was touted as a tamer, casino-less version of the famed Las Vegas Boulevard. The strip’s future seemed as bright as its neon glow, but its demise had already been set in motion. Motorists were transitioning from twolane blacktops to speedy superhighways funded by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956. Van Buren’s downward spiral began in the 1970s when the Maricopa Freeway, with its new nationally franchised lodging chains, gave travelers the option to bypass the street. Demand decreased for the dated, less accessible Van Buren motels. Some motels turned to “weekly or monthly rates” or reinvented themselves as “adult” hideaways, which lent to their frequent appearances in police blotters. The street’s death ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY
Top: Rose Bowl Motor Hotel at 2645 East Van Buren, 1991. Below: Kon Tiki Hotel at the northwest corner of 24th Street and Van Buren, 1961. Images Courtesy of Author
knell occurred in 1989 when Van Buren was decommissioned as a federal highway. Motels along Van Buren slowly closed, blinking out like the neon tubes on their malfunctioning signs. The Sea Breeze was demolished in the mid-1960s to allow construction of the 200-room Hotel Desert Hills, which became the Salvation Army’s Phoenix Social Service Office in 1984. The Rose Bowl Motor Hotel sign was donated to the Arizona Historical Society in 1993, shortly after the business closed and the motel was razed. The Kon Tiki closed in 1993, and the building was demolished in 1997. The Hiway House became a women’s prison in 1979 before being demolished in 2006. Not even the ultra-kitschy Log Cabin Motel could avoid destruction despite preservation efforts. The motel was razed in 2010, but Michael Levine, who preserved several Phoenix warehouses, rescued its neon sign and donated it to the Mesa Preservation Foundation for use in a future museum. From the estimated 200 motels that once existed, only a few places remain today. But Van Buren’s legacy didn’t have to end that way, according to Steph Carrico, a local artist who owns the Trunk Space. “Places need to have carbon; it’s something you can’t just make. They need time to exist and build it up,” she says about the importance of a building’s history. “The Log Cabin was unique to Phoenix, had lots of carbon, and its restoration could have been an anchor for redevelopment of that section of Van Buren.” The Log Cabin is now an empty lot surrounded by vacant properties and generic buildings. “Van Buren has lost most of its carbon, which feels like such a missed opportunity for Phoenix,” Carrico laments. Image Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community
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ON THE PATHWAY TO THE GOLDEN STATE: LIFE AT PHOENIX’S GREEN PARROT AUTO COURT IN THE 1930s DOUGLAS TOWNE
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any students have read the classic American novel The Grapes of Wrath, which depicts the migration of desperate Dust Bowl families heading west, hoping for a better life in California during the Great Depression. The John Steinbeck book is an impressive account of proud people’s tenacity in seeking a better life. Reading about dirt-poor Okie farmers leaving their homes, strapping their meager possessions on a late model auto, and following the setting sun hoping to find the promised land is a powerful but vicarious experience. It’s an entirely different perspective to watch this procession from your front door. Not many individuals can provide such a first-hand account. Bill Baker, a 91-year-old Phoenix native, is one of the few. Baker has a fantastic recall of details of his childhood living at the Green Parrot Auto Court at 2360 East Van Buren Street, located on then-U.S. Highways 60, 70, 80, and 89 in the 1930s. But as sharp as his memories are of living at a motel and watching travelers going by day and night in front of his home, Baker would just as soon forget what he says is his earliest childhood recollection.
Although he was born at his grandmother’s house at 369 North 15th Street in Phoenix, his first memory is of a painful incident at the Green Parrot when he was about three years old in 1936. “I fell into a prickly pear cactus while running,” Baker says. “I had thorns all over, so the women took my clothes off, put me on an outside table, and used tweezers to pull the stickers out. The recollection still hurts!” According to Baker, the Green Parrot was the second auto court west of 24th Street on the north side of Van Buren. “We call them motels now, but they were auto
courts in those years,” he says. “The Green Parrot had two sections; the front one had nice cabins with toilets and covered parking for overnight visitors, and the back area was for people like us with little money.” Baker lived at the roadside lodge until he was in the seventh grade. The auto court opened in 1928, a handful of years before his family had moved in. According to the book Desert Accommodations, the Green Parrot featured individual cabins surrounding a central court. A small store in the office sold soft drinks and snacks. Baker says that other than that prickly incident, life at the court was a happy time for him as a kid. “We lived in a tiny, old shack, but there were lots of kids, people, and things to do. Our cabin had a front room with a bed for Mom and Dad, a center section with a kitchen, an ice box, a stove, a sink, and a booth to eat at, and a back room Images Courtesy of Bill Baker
Above: Green Parrot Auto Court, 1936. Right: Bill Baker and his father, William, at the tourist section of the Green Parrot Auto Court in 1936. FIFTY FOUR
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with a bed for me and my younger sister, who was born in 1938.” Their cabin was equipped with electricity and, at times, more running water than they could handle. “The roof leaked like a sieve when it rained, so we would have pots, cans, bowls, and whatever to catch the dripping water,” Baker says. “Mom made a game of it as we watched to see what pots needed to be emptied.” During the winter, the court’s owners set up a kerosene stove, which was round, about 30 inches high, and 10 inches in diameter, in the Baker’s front room for heat. The heater had a wick that absorbed the kerosene in its base, which could be raised higher for more heat or lower for less. “The heater was great because if you were freezing, you could bake the front of your body, then turn around and warm your backside,” Baker recalls. “Once, I was playing with modeling clay and found that if I touched the stove with the clay, it would leave a bright, white mark. Mom didn’t like that, so I quit.” Most importantly, a chimney went through the ceiling and roof. “At Christmas, I wondered how Santa could get down the narrow chimney,” Baker says. “Another imponderable in a kid’s life!” One amenity the Baker’s cabin lacked was a toilet, as lodgers in the back of the Green Parrot had a community lavatory, showers for males and females, and a room with clothes washers. “You don’t miss what Above: Green Parrot Motel featured “30 fully modern, very nicely furnished, air-cooled units with electrical heat, showers and carports at reasonable rates” in 1953. Bottom: Bill Baker and his father, William, and his mother, Iva, by the community bathrooms at the Green Parrot Auto Court in 1936. Below right: Bill Baker by a prickly pear cactus at Green Parrot Auto Court, 1936. Images Courtesy of Bill Baker
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Image Courtesy of Phoenix Public Library
you never had, like inside toilets,” Baker Baker recalls a truck that came daily says philosophically. “We used a large cof- to deliver ice. “With our icebox, 25 pounds fee can if we urinated at night.” Baker adds was the largest we could fit in. If we needed that it wasn’t until high school that he lived ice that day, a square card was in the winin a house with such dow with ‘25’ on the amenities. Outhous- CARS GOING BY OFTEN HAD A WATER top for the truck driver es were still common to see,” Baker says. “He when his family moved BAG HANGING FROM A DOOR OR UP would chop a block of FRONT BY THE RADIATOR. closer to his grandparice that size and bring ents on Mojave Street, it in.” in a neighborhood west of Sky Harbor According to Baker, this delivery beAirport. came an event during summers because The Green Parrot’s cabins had ice- the truck driver would chop small pieces of boxes unless renters bought refrigerators. ice for kids. “We would all scramble to the “The oak iceboxes were quite nice,” Baker truck to get a free cold piece of ice to lick,” recalls. “They were about 4 feet high, 18 he says. “The drivers were all great and inches wide, and 15 inches deep, and had never turned us down.” When he was in an opening at the top, where the ice went. the sixth grade, his parents bought a small Another door opened to shelves for food, refrigerator, so they no longer needed the and it had a flap door on the bottom where ice box. Baker married in 1956 and, the folthe melted ice drained into a funnel con- lowing year purchased a house and used nected to a hole in the cabin’s floor.” that old refrigerator for a long time.
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The Baker family kept their drinking water in a large, round, unglazed clay jug, wide at the bottom, narrow at the top, and 15 inches tall, made in Mexico. “It operated on the same principle of water evaporating somewhat in the slightly porous clay, which cooled the water,” he says. “There was a matching clay cup on top we all used to drink from. Being clay, it had a particular taste that was quite pleasant to me.” The cars that drove along Van Buren past the Green Parrot ranged from new vehicles to old rattling jalopies stuffed with belongings. “One thing they often had in common was a water bag hanging either on the passenger door or in front of the radiator,” Baker says. “They were made of tan canvas material, were rectangular and measured maybe 12-16 inches on a side, and had a screw cap. The water bags were slightly porous, so when the air blew over them as the car moved, it would cool the water for drinking.” Another vivid memory was the Arizona State Hospital for those suffering from mental health illnesses on the northeast corner of Van Buren and 24th Street. “Winnie Ruth Judd was the most infamous patient there,” Baker says. “A friend’s mother worked there and fixed Winnie’s hair, and she told me Winnie Ruth was as sane as anyone she knew.” After the Baker family moved in late 1944, his mother kept in touch with friends at the Green Parrot. The court later became the Green Parrot Motel and sold its rear cabins, including the one the Baker family once lived in. According to a want ad in The Arizona Republic, it was advertised for $350 in 1952. The business was subsequently renamed the Jay Hawk Motel in 1954 and the Wrangler Motel in 1957. The motel closed in 1975, and two years later, the motel was razed. The lot remains vacant. Baker’s reminiscences about the Green Parrot are a fascinating window into the past and a reminder of how many conveniences and luxuries are now commonplace. The only question he couldn’t answer was how the court came to be named. “No green parrot was living there, to the best of my recollection,” he says. Below: A 1952 want ad for cabins at the Green Parrot Motel likely including the one where Bill Baker lived in the 1930s.
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THE STAGECOACH INN:
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Above: Stagecoach Inn along Van Buren, with the larger updated signs, early 1970s. Right: Manager Fred Engker at the Stagecoach Motor Hotel, looking west along Van Buren Street, 1951.
AN OVERNIGHT STAY ON VAN BUREN SO LOVELY THAT WE BOUGHT THE PLACE SHERRY DEWANE Arizona was all about vivid blue skies, des-
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ho buys a motel on a road trip? My dad. I was born in rural Wisconsin, and my family lived on a lake in the woods until I was 12. After two Great American road trips to California during the 1960s, my father decided that he wanted to own a motel in Phoenix. We spent New Year’s Day in 1967 on the second road trip at the Stagecoach Inn. Two years later, my parents bought the motel at 4311 East Van Buren on the southwest corner of 44th Street. At the time, Van Buren served as four cross-country highways: U.S. 60, 70, 80, and 89. When we moved, Phoenix was a foreign land to me. Friends and family in Wisconsin told us many things before we left. As is usual with significant change, there were naysayers, but there were also funny ideas. Friends at school said the city contained only cowboys and Indians, which seemed interesting on many levels. They also mentioned tumbleweeds, six shooters, cactus, scorching temperatures, and no rain. When I first saw the city at the age of 8, it was a revelation. There was little FIFTY EIGHT
resemblance to my former life, and I was fascinated. Everything about the Stagecoach Inn was beautiful, especially its rose gardens, palm trees, spacious green lawns, the pool with bright umbrellas, and the original buildings dating from the 1930s. Fast-forward many years later, and family nostalgia grew with our collective aging. I started searching online at eBay for postcards from the Stagecoach. I discovered the history of our property and all its iterations – Inn, Motor Hotel, Motel, Motor Court – whatever its name. I also found souvenirs from Phoenix’s other hotels, motels, motor courts, inns, and tourist camps. With this treasure trove, I rediscovered my fascination with Arizona history. Concurrently, I researched my great-grandparent’s hotel in rural Wisconsin. There was a marked difference between the postcards from the two states.
ert rocks, and cacti, but it always came back to color – vivid, striking, amazing, fascinating, enchanting color. This ephemera made me wonder who lived in that landscape, what made them stop there, and why those people chose this location. Postcards helped answer those questions and provided color to my imagination. I started collecting Stagecoach Inn postcards and expanded my collection
Right: Sherry purchased a key fob on eBay from a seller in England whose father was a traveling salesman who stayed in Room #27 in the 1950s. Far right: A later fob style for the Stagecoach Inn, 1970s. MARCH APRIL 2024
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Left: Shawn Dewane, Joan Dewane, an unknown man, Sherry Dewane, and Joan’s cousin (l-r), 1973. Above: Gene Dewane, Sherry’s father, 2020.
to Arizona, a state that personifies roadside greenery. The original buildings had Spanhistory, with people visiting on foot, horse- ish tile, plaster and lathe, and a shake roof. back, train, plane, and automobile over The ceilings were low, with wide, wooden time. beams. Exuberant tiles On postcards, peo- WE HAD REPEAT GUESTS WHO covered the bathrooms; I ple wrote home to their can still picture their colsweethearts, family, and STORED PERSONAL FURNITURE or and pattern. The thick friends. I realized these AND CROQUET SETS WITH US. walls made the rooms were their day’s Instaquiet and cool – a respite gram, Facebook, and Twitter. These post- from summer heat. I still feel the sense of ings described the discoveries of those a room like that, which is my favorite archiwho were awed, amazed, startled, lonely, tectural style, and it feels like home. I learned other tidbits about the Inn’s happy, and relieved. My postcard collection catalyzed my fascination with the Stage- history. It started as the Aricopa Motel, with coach Inn and the motel culture of Phoenix, 27 rooms, including eight kitchenettes, which has grown into a resort destination and changed its name to the Stagecoach with endless possibilities of where to stay. Motor Hotel by 1952. It was managed by But back to the Stagecoach Inn, which Fred Engker from 1949 until Gerald Kinney, started with a few rooms and abundant from Seattle, purchased it in 1956. “The
$250,000 transaction of the 27-unit complex was the city’s largest by Ed Post Realty to date,” stated The Arizona Republic. The buildings were updated with new shake tile roofing, the office received a flagstone façade with glass panel windows, and $5 got customers two rooms in the early 1960s. The business was renamed the Stagecoach Inn in 1964. The original neon sign and stabilizer poles that were directly west of the main lobby along Van Buren were demolished, and a new Stagecoach Inn sign was erected further to the west next to the main entrance In the 1970s, more units were added to the motel. The complex expanded to include a pool to the left of the stagecoach lantern at the driveway, where a large cabana and office were built. A second pool
Right: The original swimming pool with the new office in the background. The pool was moved to the rear of the property when additional units were added in the mid-1960s. Below: Sherry’s youngest brother and mother, Shawn Dewane and Joan Dewane, at the Stagecoach Inn, early 1970s.
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was built, and the original pool was filled in. My dad added a huge sign, which I recall needed repairs with some frequency. Why it “broke” remains a mystery. Visitors to the Stagecoach Inn enjoyed winter in the Valley of the Sun. We had guests who came every year and stored personal furniture and croquet sets on the property. Their hometowns usually were places with snow: Canada, the Midwest, and the East. Before sports were colossal business enterprises, athletes stayed at the Stagecoach Inn. We hosted PGA golfers competing in the Phoenix Open, which was then held at the Phoenix Country Club. We had baseball players for spring training and drivers from the National Hot Rod Association Winternationals and the NASCAR Phoenix 500. Visiting bands and musicians were also our guests, especially those who performed at the Red Dog Saloon in Scottsdale. I didn’t think about them differently; they were just other guests for whom I occasionally babysat. In our first year in Phoenix, we lived on the property. I could walk to Pueblo Grande and visit the Hohokam ruins. There were nearby horse stables where I could spend my babysitting money to ride through Papago Park. An essential part of the Stagecoach Inn was Smitty, our property manager. I believe he had been an actual cowboy working cattle in his youth. He dressed the part and always wore a 10-gallon hat, boots, belt, and jeans. Smitty’s gnarled hands seemed to be able to fix anything on the property. He was part of the Stagecoach Inn, and I loved him. Smitty introduced me to a new world of culture, people, and food. I discovered tortillas, refried beans, tacos, burritos, chili peppers, and other Mexican food delights. Coming from a childhood of Midwest food, this was a new universe of taste. But Van Buren slowly declined as a tourist destination, and we sold the property. Later, the Stagecoach closed in 1985 and was razed shortly afterward to become a long-term parking lot for Sky Harbor Airport. Hohokam artifacts were later discovered on the lot, meaning people have lived there for centuries. Over the years, I’ve received emails from people who stayed at the Stagecoach Inn, including a few from its prior owners. I’ve read hundreds of postcards sent from Arizona, the senders describing the magic similar to mine that they felt the first time they saw the Valley of the Sun. And sometimes, when I see roses, I think of our lovely rose bushes at the Stagecoach Inn, tended to by Smitty, which will always remain with me. ARIZCC.COM
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THE VAN BUREN:
A HISTORICAL JOURNEY FROM CAR LOT TO CONCERT HALL STEVE SCHUMACHER
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ew opening night concert-goers in 2017 at The Van Buren likely knew that the space was an auto showroom for most of its existence, featuring gas pumps out front. Similarly, the performers probably didn’t realize that mechanics once used the backstage area for car repairs. They’re to be forgiven, as the building was covered with stucco for decades, with no hint of its architectural splendor underneath. Still, they felt and appreciated its historic vibe. “The Van Buren is a state-of-theart concert room with a beautiful backstage SIXTY TWO
area and green room,” says Lonneke van der Loos of Tinlicker, a Dutch electronic music group that played the venue in 2023. “Despite the capacity, it still feels intimate because the hall isn’t that deep, so your audience is always nearby. We did feel there is quite some history on this site.” The Van Buren was initially a place where Buicks, Chevrolets, Fords, Jeeps, Packards, and Ramblers were displayed for sale. Patrons pick up refreshments at windows where parts and service transactions took place, and the outdoor tables once
had car lifts to facilitate oil changes and tire rotations. This remarkable transformation is the story of the adaptive reuse of a building, which is one of only three original pre-war automobile dealership buildings remaining in Phoenix. The 14,000-square-foot building opened as the Dud R. Day Motor Company, a Ford auto dealership, in 1930. Owned by Dud R. Day, a native Arizonan and World War I veteran, it was the second Ford dealership in Phoenix. Even during the Great Depression, Day saw the potential of Phoenix, which had just gone through a building boom and had opened Sky Harbor Airport. Day hired the renowned architects Lescher and Mahoney to design the $30,000 building. Most auto dealers were along Central Avenue, so Day opted for a location on West Van Buren, a street that also served as U.S. Highways 60, 70, 80, MARCH APRIL 2024
Images Courtesy of McCulloch Collection
Phoenix Motor Company, 1939.
and 89. Compared to the Central Avenue dealerships oriented toward pedestrians, the building’s design was meant to attract motorists. However, Day was ahead of his time, however, as Consolidated Motors, marketing Packards and Hudsons, took over the building after a couple of years, and Day moved to Los Angeles. In the late 1930s, Phoenix Motor Company took over the building from the Packard dealership and sold Buicks and Chevrolets. W.C. Quebedeaux, the company’s president, added a 10,000-squarefoot addition on the building’s west side, constructed by Del Webb. The addition expanded the service bays and parts department and added a body shop, towing service, and four gas pumps. The dealership displayed used cars west of the service ARIZCC.COM
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Image Courtesy of Douglas Towne
Left: Phoenix Motor Company exterior, 1946. Above: The Van Buren, 2023.
bays. In 1950, the Quebedeaux name replaced Phoenix Motor Company and started selling Chevrolets exclusively. In 1954, Quebedeaux moved to a new location on Grand Avenue, and Ray Korte Rambler-Jeep moved in for 11 years before relocating to another site within Phoenix. Ray Korte was the last car dealership in the building, as the City of Phoenix obtained the now non-descript building. The building became a warehouse, storing vehicles and medical supplies. It was not quite an eyesore along Van Buren but showed little promise. “Over time, the structure had lost its historic character and become a generic stucco box, with its storefronts covered and architectural details stripped away,” says Kevin Weight, principal planner for the City of Phoenix Historic Preservation Office. “It could have easily been demolished or left to languish, but thanks to a new owner who had a bold vision of what it could become, the building was restored to its historic appearance and converted to a new use.” However, the City’s Historic Preservation Office initially didn’t see the potential for adaptive reuse that Pat Cantelme and Jim Kuykendall would perform after purchasing the building in 2015. The office turned down their application for historic designation because the building had been stuccoed, and wood covered the windows. The City later reversed course and went from writing off the former Phoenix Motor Company building to providing the owners and operators with a $250,000 rehabilitation grant. The restoration work revealed ARIZCC.COM
that the beauty of the building remained, music scene in Downtown Phoenix. Kudos although covered up for decades. Doors, are extended to Cantelme, Kuykendall, and windows, roof trusses, and the beautiful Charlie Levy, who had previously launched Spanish tiles below the windows remained, The Crescent Ballroom and the Valley Bar. just as when car salespeople were talking The Van Buren’s journey from a car to customers in the showroom. The com- dealership to a premier performance venue plete 180-degree change in perceptions of encapsulates the spirit of Phoenix’s growth the building resulted in the 24,000-square- and evolution. Throughout its rich histofoot building being listed on the National ry, the building has stood as a testament Register of Historic Places in 2018. to the City’s commitment to preserving The project united the creative vision its architectural heritage while embracing of the property owner, assisted by city cultural progress. The venue is a cultural grant funds, according landmark, inviting artto Helana Ruter, City IT’S A REMARKABLE ADAPTIVE REUSE ists and audiences to of Phoenix Historic unite and celebrate the Preservation Officer. OF ONE OF ONLY THREE PRE-WORLD power of music and “I think the adaptive WAR II AUTO DEALERSHIP BUILDINGS performance. Its hisreuse of this property toric significance and LEFT IN PHOENIX. epitomizes a ‘Demoncontemporary appeal stration Project’ as an arguably visually un- make it a true gem in the heart of Phoenix, interesting building that most folks would forever weaving itself into the fabric of the have said was not worth saving was trans- City’s vibrant cultural tapestry. formed back into an architectural showEven the mayor is aglow about the piece of pre-war Spanish Colonial Revival project. “From sitting empty for decades style. The building not only visually contrib- to eventually landing on the National Regutes to the area’s historic character but has ister of Historic Places, the Van Buren is a been activated as a public space, helping to prime example of the positive impact our ensure its long-term preservation.” preservation programs can have on both The Van Buren has become a premier our local economy and community spirlocal concert venue. Opening night, on Au- it,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego says. “As gust 23, 2017, featured the Cold War Kids Phoenix continues growing and evolving, I and Joywave, playing to a sold-out crowd. will always have a special place in my heart The concert hall has won awards from lo- for the places in our community that offer cal publications, including Best New Music a glimpse into our rich past.” Venue, Best Large Music Venue, and Best Reuter says that at the end of the day, Medium-Sized Music Venue. The state-of- “historic preservation” is really about guidthe-art venue presents acts for all music ing change. “How can we activate buildings tastes – reggae, rap, country, hip-hop, and that visually tell the story of Phoenix’s rock, to name a few. In the six years since past? I think the Van Buren does an amazits opening, The Van Buren has been a ing job of this.” critical ingredient in the resurgence of the ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY
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TRANSFORMING DESERT INTOIBENCOTTON FIELDS: & POHLE LAND LEVELING COMPANY A
business can be successful but not fit the lifestyle of one of its founders. This attribute occurred with the Iben & Pohle Land Leveling Company, launched in Phoenix in late 1945. World War II had just ended, and construction work took off in Arizona. The company’s proprietors were Johnnie Iben and my father, Shelby Pohle. The partnership lasted only two years, converting flat Sonoran Desert lands around the city into farmland, mainly to grow cotton. It was an exhausting occupation, and Pohle eventually pursued another vocation. Here’s their story of working long hours, often in hot, dusty conditions, to make the desert bloom. Iben and Pohle played together on the football team at Brophy College Preparatory School in Phoenix. My father later attended Arizona State Teachers College (now ASU) and played left halfback on the football team, which was then nicknamed the Bulldogs. He met my mother, Ruth Wallace, in college. They married in 1938, graduated in 1941 with teaching degrees, and taught school afterward. As for what Iben did after high school, I assume that he went to college, like most Brophy alums. If so, he likely took business classes as he was an astute businessman. I don’t know if Pohle and Iben kept in contact after high school. But they teamed
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TED POHLE up a dozen years later to launch Iben & Pohle Land Leveling when they were both in their early 30s. The company had assistance getting started, thanks to Pohle’s father-in-law, Frank Wallace, a successful Phoenix businessman who owned Wallace & Wallace Contractors. Wallace helped Iben and Pohle purchase two used Allis Chalmers HD-10 crawler tractors with carryall scrapers. With Wallace’s extensive experience as a road construction contractor, he gave the pair guidance on running a contracting business involving land leveling, which had many similarities to road construction. Pohle had previously operated heavy earth-moving tractors part-time for Wallace & Wallace. Iben also had a connection to road construction as his grandfather, Redman Touhey, had been a pioneer Arizona contractor who helped build the Santa Fe Railroad across northern Arizona. Iben & Pohle Land Leveling soon secured a contract with the Goodyear Farms Company located west of Phoenix. The huge farm was started by Paul Litchfield, Left: Shelby Pohle and Johnnie Iben, who is wearing Pohle’s letter jacket, standing with their new Wooldridge Terra Cobra scraper, 1946. Below: An Iben & Pohle employee servicing an Allis Chalmers crawler, 1946.
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Above: Johnnie Iben (top left) and Shelby Pohle (top right) at Brophy College Preparatory School, 1930s. Right: Arizona State Teachers College football program, 1938. Far right: Pohle wearing his letter jacket, 1946.
the owner of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, who bought 16,000 acres in 1917. The company required large quantities of cotton, which were used to produce their high-quality Goodyear tires. Much of the 16,000 acres had been cleared to grow cotton by the 1920s, but many undeveloped acres remained. Goodyear Farms expanded into other agricultural fields and needed more farmland after World War II. This job jump-started Iben & Pohle’s small business, and they made good money. Within a few months, Iben & Pohle Land Leveling Co. purchased two new rubber-tired Wooldridge Terra Cobra earth-moving scrapers from the Neil B. McGinnis Equipment Company, a Phoenix equipment distributor. This acquisition provided the company with four large earth-moving tractors for their land-leveling business. The small Iben/Pohle Company had doubled in size in a very short amount of time. These rubber-tired tractors were larger and faster than the slower steel-track Allis Chalmers tractors. The new machines allowed the company to complete projects much faster. Fortunately, most of the desert land the company leveled was reasonably flat, except for some mounds and washes. The partners hired three experienced equipment operators to help run the SIXTY EIGHT
four tractors and assist with other tasks. The company had jobs around the Valley, creating farmland in Gilbert, working in Wickenburg, and leveling a 50-acre cemetery within a South Phoenix residential neighborhood after the graves had been removed and reburied in another location. Owning their land leveling business was daunting, as Pohle and Iben managed their company and operated the tractors year-round in all types of weather. They also greased and refueled the four tractors with the help of their employees, which was dirty work crawling around on the ground with grease guns and hand-pumping fuel from 55-gallon barrels. They would come home each day after dark, tired and grimy. They would then arise early the next day to do it all again.
Spiritually, their finished product didn’t sit well with them either. On numerous occasions, Pohle and Iben were distressed about destroying the habitat of coyotes, rabbits, and other desert animals. They considered clearing pristine desert land one of the regretful actions associated with humans’ questionable progress. So, after about two years of this grind with hardly any days off, Pohle decided on another career as a rancher and farmer. He seized an opportunity to purchase 400 acres in Cochise County near Elfrida. In late 1947, Pohle sold his half of the business to Iben, though he kept one of the crawler tractors with a carryall to use on his new spread. MARCH APRIL 2024
Left: Iben & Pohle operating their new Wooldridge Terra Cobra scraper at Goodyear Farms, 1946. Above: Shelby dislodging their Allis Chalmers crawler from mud, 1946.
At that point, Pohle and his family started a new life raising crops of cotton, alfalfa, and sorghum, along with cattle. Iben continued the land leveling company in Phoenix, and in a few years, he expanded into road contracting as Johnnie Iben Construction Co. (see Digging Through the Archives, pages 86-88). When our family relocated to Cochise County, I was five years old. A number of times before we moved to our ranch and farm, my mother had taken me out to see my dad and Johnnie working on the land leveling jobs. My dad occasionally let me ride with him on his Allis Chalmers HD-10 crawler tractor, which was more exciting than any carnival or amusement park ride. Those times left fond memories that I never forgot even though I was only four and five years old at the time. I was enthralled by those huge earth-moving tractors making
loud noises and creating vast dust clouds as they leveled the land. I could hardly wait until I was old enough to drive them myself. Until then, I contented myself with toy trucks and tractors. In Elfrida, my dad occasionally used his tractor and carryall to level land for crops. When I was nine, to my joy, he taught me how to drive that massive beast as it snorted out puffs of black smoke. The loud diesel engine and the rhythmic clanking and squealing sound of the steel tracks were music to my ears. I was the envy of many of my school friends. My parents farmed and ranched and also taught school in Elfrida. During summer break in 1951, my father worked for Wallace & Wallace, operating an International TD-21 pulling a Sheepsfoot compactor on a road project at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Each summer until 1958, my father would work operating machinery with his father-in-law’s company on road construction jobs. He usually drove a crawler tractor pulling a Sheepsfoot compactor, but sometimes he ran a Caterpillar bulldozer. In 1958, my father worked as a gradesman, surveying the roadbed as the equipment operators made cuts and fills. My parents sold their farm and ranch in 1953 and moved the family back to Phoenix, where both became career teachers. They loved and excelled in that profession. They both retired after teaching for over 30 years each. Still, the exciting taste of construction in my youth left an indelible impression on my mind. I have always had fond memories of when my father was in the construction business.
Images Courtesy of Author
Above: Pohle with his son, Ted, and daughter Georgia Ruth, who goes by the nickname “Sweet Pea.” Right: An Iben & Pohle crew standing with a new Wooldridge Terra Cobra scraper at Goodyear Farms, 1946. ARIZCC.COM
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SALUTING ARIZONA’S BUILDERS: EVERT L. FARMER
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vert L. Farmer, known as “EL,” was a visionary builder who significantly shaped midcentury Arizona. Born in 1914, Farmer’s journey from early days on an Oklahoma farm to becoming a prominent figure in Arizona’s construction industry is a testament to his determination and entrepreneurial spirit. Farmer’s parents moved to Arizona when he was a young boy to manage a major farming and ranching operation. During this time, he learned valuable skills and the importance of hard work. But what ignited Farmer’s passion was creating vibrant communities through homebuilding. Farmer joined Herbert Anderson, building homes in Phoenix and Tempe as Anderson & Farmer. World War II soon
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sidetracked their business as both enlisted in the military. Farmer sought to join the Seabees with his building and carpentry skills but was turned down. Undeterred, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps, becoming a flight engineer and top turret gunner on a B-17 bomber with the 303rd Bomb Group in England. His military service contributed to his construction skills. After the war, Farmer partnered with a friend in 1946 to establish Farmer & Godfrey Construction Co., later known as F&G Homebuilders. Demand for housing was immense, driven by the return of military veterans. The company did well, and subdivisions often sold out before model homes were completed. Farmer was known to
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Above: E.L. Farmer, 1957. Below: Farmer’s Hy-View subdivision gateway, 1963.
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Above: E.L. Farmer advertisement for the HyView subdivision, 1961. Right: Concrete beams hoisted into place during construction of Star Theater on the northwest corner of Van Buren and 24th streets, 1963.
personally run the sales office during weekends while overseeing the construction operations throughout the week. Farmer had a skill for fostering collaboration among his subcontractors, and they worked well together to build homes. These included Thomas Air Conditioning, Valley Electric, and Frank Castle Plumbing; Virgil Moss Signs created their billboards. The Hy-View subdivision in Scottsdale, located east of 64th Street between Thomas and McDowell roads, was one of his many successful projects. The land had previously been used for Camp Papago Park, an internment camp during World War II. At one point during excavation, a bulldozer fell into a former underground tunnel used by the POWs to escape in December 1944. Years later, a Hy-View homeowner watered Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community
a tree overnight and woke up to a massive hole in her backyard, attributed to the tunnel. Farmer’s team filled the hole with imported dirt and restored her yard. Farmer embraced new technologies and construction techniques, including the construction of urethane foam panel houses. A revolutionary concept at the time, these panels allowed for faster construction and energy-efficient homes. Farmer
extended the panel length to 30 feet, significantly reducing setup time and costs. In the early 1960s, Farmer diversified into commercial construction as E.L. Farmer Construction when a downturn occurred in the housing market. His company constructed shopping centers, theaters, grocery stores, schools, and other commercial structures, including Phoenix Municipal Stadium, Celebrity Theater, and Phoenix Trotting Park. The precast structures of these buildings illustrate Farmer’s dedication to attempting new construction techniques. Not content with just running a construction company, Farmer had side hustles operating office buildings, apartments, food distribution centers, and a dairy operation. He also had a ranch near Cordes Junction where he raised Charolais cattle, which later became the site of architect Paolo Soleri’s dream city, Arcosanti. Farmer’s life exemplifies the American dream, from humble beginnings to a successful trailblazer in the construction industry. His passion for homebuilding, innovation, and community has left an enduring legacy.
Far left: E.L. Farmer building a home, 1941. Left: E.L. Farmer during World War II, 1943. ARIZCC.COM
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OLD SCHOOL EQUIPMENT: THE EUCLID BLADE-VEYOR LOADER OR “BV” BILLY HORNER
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uclid’s Blade-Veyor Belt Loader, or “BV,” was a mid-20th century creation to assist earth-moving contractors with mass excavation. Primarily used on long highway projects, the BV was popular worldwide during the 1940s and 1950s. The company was founded in 1909 by George Armington as the Euclid Crane & Hoist Co. in Cleveland, Ohio. By the 1930s, the company produced multiple types of machinery for various construction applications. Euclid tripled its equipment production during World War II to assist the war effort, according to the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History website. Tom Berry of Construction Equipment magazine noted in a 2012 article that Euclid built a BV prototype in 1940, but the company suspended its
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development during the war. By 1948, after six prototypes, Euclid started production of the BV product line and showcased the machine at the 1948 Chicago Road Show. In the late 1940s, it became the Euclid Road Machinery Company. The company featured its BV machine in advertisements oriented toward contractors looking to maximize earth-moving production. The BV became a preferred method for “continuous earth moving” and suffered “little downtime,” according to Euclid advertisements. This marketing touted the BV as setting new records by moving material on various jobs. This efficiency allowed lower costs and increased production on projects such as roads, railroads, airports, and levees. The BV was an attachment to help load material hooked to the rear of a crawler tractor. As the crawler moved forward, a 10-foot-wide cutting blade would gouge
into the earth at a maximum depth of 24 inches, with material traveling up a 54-inch conveyor belt. Earth-hauling machinery, usually large bottom-dump scrapers, would line up one after the other, creeping along the BV loader as the material poured into them from the massive conveyor. The crawler operator used three levers to control the BV unit, adjusting the angle of the blade, depth, and option to start and stop operations at any time. A Cummins diesel engine mounted at the rear of the machine powered early BV production models. After General Motors purchased the Euclid company in 1953, the company converted BV loaders to GM-powered engines. All BV versions utilized hydraulic tracks at the rear for stabilization. The Arizona distributor for Euclid during the promotion of the BV was State Tractor & Equipment Company, located at 815 East Jefferson Street in Phoenix. According to Berry’s article, Euclid phased the BV out of production in 1956. Arizona contractors that utilized the BV included Arizona Sand & Rock Co., Bowen & McLaughlin, and Isbell Construction.
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Left: A Euclid BV connected to a Caterpillar D-8 8R series, working an 11.5-mile stretch of the Phoenix-Tucson highway near Picacho Peak, 1949. Top: Euclid haul scrapers in line to be loaded from the BV. On this Arizona project, Bowen & McLaughlin use two Allis Chalmers HD19 crawlers to push and pull the BV, 1949. Above: Euclid BV advertisement for the State Tractor & Equipment Company, Phoenix, 1950. ARIZCC.COM
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BUILDING ON THE PAST
1947 – ARIZONA REPUBLIC AND PHOENIX GAZETTE BUILDING DOUGLAS TOWNE
A
s October rolled around in 1947, Del Webb would be forgiven for being a bit unfocused on his company’s construction agenda for the new $1 million Arizona Republic and Phoenix Gazette Building in Downtown Phoenix. Webb, who had once earned more as a baseball player than a carpenter, had become co-owner of the New York Yankees two years before. That autumn, the Yankees won the World Series for the 11th time, beating their cross-town rival, the Brooklyn Dodgers, in seven games. The series recorded several milestones as the games bounced back and forth between Yankee Stadium and Ebbets Field. TV covered the series for the first time, and Jackie Robinson, who swung a bat for the Dodgers, became the first African American to play. It was also the only time Joe DiMaggio
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showed his emotions on the field, kicking the dirt in disgust after Al Giofriddo robbed him of a home run at the outfield fence. “From the standpoint of thrills, I think it was the greatest series ever,” Webb told The Arizona Republic while trying to catch up on his contracting business. “All except one of the games were in doubt until the final out, and the sensational plays were almost a dime a dozen.” Meanwhile, the Del E. Webb Construction Co. continued working on the 70,000-square-foot, two-story structure designed by local architects Lescher and Mahoney. Groundbreaking for the building occurred in April at Van Buren and Second Streets. Previously, the site at 120 East Van Buren was the location of Consolidated Motors Used Cars, which was razed shortly before construction.
The building would include the new printing plant for the two newspapers purchased by Eugene C. Pulliam in 1946. “This building, a material thing, as valuable as it will be, will only serve the purpose for which it is constructed, provided we house in it the moral, idealistic, and mental values that make newspapers great,” Pulliam said at the groundbreaking. “The building was built with lots of concrete and very secure,” recalls Michael Ging, a former Republic photographer. “The printing presses were in the two basements, and you could feel the building vibrate when they started up in the old days.” Almost 50 years later, in 1995, Phoenix Newspapers Inc. moved its offices down the block to a 10-story office building and parking garage at 200 East Van Buren. Digital Realty, a data services company, currently occupies the midcentury building. “The fact that it was so well made is why they wanted to make it into a secure server building,” Ging says. “They did have to add a lot more air conditioning units on the roof to keep the servers cool.”
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Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community
Main: Construction view of the basement, building columns, Bucyrus Erie shovel, and Mixermobile equipment onsite (on the left), 1947. Above: An onlooker admired the building as concrete workers completed the sidewalk with ready-mix delivered by the Arizona Sand & Rock Co., 1947. Top right: Consolidated Motors Used Cars at Van Buren and First Street before demolition for the new Arizona Republic and Phoenix Gazette Building, 1946. Right: An Allison Steel Company crane setting palm trees along Second Street, just north of Van Buren, 1947. Left: Consumer Analysis of the Phoenix Market report published by the newspapers, 1954. ARIZCC.COM
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I
n 1962, Robert Maytag, of kitchen appliance fame, founded the Maytag Zoo, now called the Phoenix Zoo. The zoo opened in Papago Park northeast of the Galvin Parkway and Van Buren intersection at the former Arizona Game and Fish headquarters, which featured rock outcrops, ponds, and trees. So, there’s long been a heritage of wildlife at the eastern terminus of Van Buren Street. Congress designated the area as the Papago-Saguaro National Monument in 1914 but rescinded the designation in 1930, allowing facilities to be constructed within the park. Besides the Phoenix Zoo, these include the Desert Botanical Garden in 1939, and Papago Park Golf Course across Galvin Parkway in 1963, and the Phoenix Municipal Stadium (now the
Architect’s Perspective:
Matching Wildlife to Architecture at the Phoenix Zoo Doug Sydnor, FAIA Doug_sydnor@outlook.com
Arizona State University baseball facility) across Van Buren in 1964. The community has witnessed the non-profit Phoenix Zoo’s growth and its focus on the wildlife of the Southwest. First and foremost, it is an effective conservation organization, having launched
successful breeding programs for endangered animals, including the Arabian oryx, the black-footed ferret, and the cactus ferruginous pygmy owl. Over the years, the Phoenix Zoo has matured with new trails, exhibits, landscaping, amenities, food options, and annual events such as the popular Zoo Lights during the holiday season. The architecture has strived to keep the wildlife center stage and be less intrusive by integrating with the natural topography and landscape. Over time, the structures are becoming more environmentally sensitive and sustainable, including using a warm-colored and textured materials palette. The following features a sampling of completed projects in the past decade. WDM Architects of Wichita, Kansas, a firm that specializes in zoological commissions, has completed, since 2009, a series of Phoenix Zoo facilities, including a Master Plan, Land of the Dragons, People of the Forest Orangutan Exhibit, Neely Events and Education Center, Entry Oasis, Isle of the Tiger, and the Administration and Volunteer Center. Approaching the Phoenix Zoo, the Entry Oasis greets visitors. Completed in 2013, this 6,000-square-foot gateway structure on 1.5 acres comprises tall serpentine walls and piers of rammed earth topped with a concrete beam. It weaves through a grand public plaza that manages large crowds arriving, including kids deposited by school buses. Sitting just behind this entry portal are smaller ticketing booths to move patrons efficiently. The portal and mature trees provide shade for patrons in the intense sun. This public space extends behind the portal and delivers visitors to a linear bridge that spans a pond with turtles, ducks, and fish. Just left of the Entry Oasis and directly accessible from the parking area is the Administration and Volunteer Center, completed in 2015. This three-building structure with an L-shaped plan addresses the existing pond views to the southeast, embracing this natural setting. The architecture places most full-height walls Left: Phoenix Zoo Entry Oasis exterior.
Images Courtesy of Author
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Right: Phoenix Zoo Administration and Volunteer Center exterior.
to the more severe exposure of the west and full-height glazing with shade canopies to the east and south. These horizontally composed structures utilize rammed earth walls that provide a layered texture and coloration, which conveys how a geological formation may have evolved. The composition is elevated to maximize distant views while avoiding potential flooding should the pond water level rise. The overall character is understated, elegant, and well-scaled for the immediate site and aesthetically contributes to the zoo entry experience. The project received the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold-Level Certification. Within the heart of the Phoenix Zoo is the Savanna Grill, which reopened after a significant expansion and renovation. This project addressed the need for a more spacious venue to provide the public with food and is sized to handle larger groups and families, with two connected dining spaces. The interior character is defined by high ceilings, tall perimeter windows for daylighting, and rotating art exhibits on walls. The art program was underway when artist Bob Berg notified the Phoenix Zoo that a pair of 19-foot-tall stained glass windows depicting kudus at an African water hole were available. They had been installed at Leona Helmsley’s Paradise Valley residence, which was being demolished. The Scottsdale-based architectural firm of Weddle Gilmore has completed many facilities and exhibits at the Phoenix Zoo, including the Wallaby Exhibit, Monkey
Images Courtesy of Author
Above: Phoenix Zoo Savanna Grill exterior. Right: Phoenix Zoo Savanna Grill interior. ARIZCC.COM
ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY
Images Courtesy of Weddle Gilmore Architects
Village, Native Species Conservation Center, Tropics Restroom Building, Animal Care Center Expansion, and Desert Lives in 2020. This wildlife exhibit focuses on the bighorn sheep and Arabian oryx. “The project’s goals were to develop…a total desert environment immersion experience for the visitor,” says Phil Weddle, FAIA. “Within the zoo’s existing animal collection were important species representing both the local Sonoran Desert environment, such as the bighorn sheep, as well as the desert environment of the Arabian Peninsula, such as the Arabian oryx. The development techniques used in the project are designed to be a lesson in environmentally sustainable building technologies.” We look forward to the firm’s next exhibit, Big Cats of Arizona, in 2024. To the left after the Phoenix Zoo entrance is a gate leading to the new Wild Side Gallery, a renovation completed in 2023. The 3,400 square-foot structure, designed by Cartmell Miller Associates,
opened in 1970. The building has been used as an auditorium, for storage, and behind-the-scenes functions. Artist Dyanna Hesson formed an art committee with “visions of wildlife and conservation through photography, paint, and mixed media.” The gallery’s current exhibition is a wildlife theme by Arizona artists. It’s heartwarming to see the Phoenix Zoo salvage the existing structure with good bones, as it has slump block walls, clerestory windows for daylighting, and a relatively open plan conducive to an art gallery. The Phoenix Zoo removed additions for storage, uncovered
exterior windows, upgraded interior finishes, installed new lighting and seating, and added movable display partitions, creating an outstanding amenity. These projects demonstrate the variety of needs being met at the Phoenix Zoo that enhance visitors’ experiences with a better understanding of our natural world and its wildlife. Douglas B. Sydnor, FAIA, is Principal at Douglas Sydnor Architect + Associates, Inc. and the author of three Arizona architecture books. Above: Phoenix Zoo Desert Lives exhibit. Bottom: Phoenix Zoo Wild Side Gallery.
Images Courtesy of Author
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DIGGING THOUGH THE ARCHIVES JOHNNIE IBEN: AN ENIGMATIC PHOENIX CONTRACTOR BILLY HORNER
W
hen we first launched the publication in 2012, I came across Johnnie Iben as a construction name. However, there wasn’t enough information to write an article about him. Almost 12 years later, I befriended Ted Pohle when he wrote about his grandfather, Frank Wallace, who was featured in our Nov/Dec 2023 issue. For this issue, Ted authored a feature on the Iben & Pohle Land Leveling Company and shared his knowledge of Johnnie Iben. So, to complement Ted’s article, here’s what I’ve learned Right: Iben during construction work on U.S. Highway 93, 1956. Below: Johnnie Iben operating a new Wooldridge Terra Cobra scraper, 1946.
about this little-known figure among Arizona contractors. Born in Long Beach, California, in 1911, Iben attended Brophy College Preparatory School and played on the football team with his friend Shelby Pohle. After graduating in 1934, he worked in construction as an engineer. The following year, he married Dorothy Katherine Burke. They would have three children together: Johnnie Jr. in 1936, Patricia in 1938, and Pennie in 1946. Iben continued in the construction field, on the engineering side, in the 1940s. He also managed the (Phoenix) City Employees Club softball team and swung the bat for the Goodrich Silvertowns, one of the local tire companies that fielded teams against each other.
By the early 1950s, Iben had bought out his partner and operated a fleet of scrapers as Johnnie Iben Construction Co. He received road contracts and rented his heavy equipment to prominent local contractors, including Arizona Sand & Rock Company, Fisher Contracting, Isbell Construction Co., and Mardian Contracting.
Image Courtesy of Ted Pohle
EIGHTY SIX
MARCH APRIL 2024
Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community
Above: Iben’s leased equipment constructing a runway at Phoenix Sky Harbor, 1949. Right: Iben’s leased equipment building a 2.3mile stretch of McDowell Road in Mesa, 1951.
Unfortunately, in 1956, Iben made the Wickenburg Sun newspaper when his employee of 13 years, 47-year-old Charles Lawrence, died during the construction of U.S. Highway 93, 12 miles northeast of Congress. Lawrence was eating lunch in the shade of a bulldozer that had been left running when Iben jumped into the driver’s seat, backed up, and crushed his friend to death. Iben had previously spied what he thought was his entire crew of workers eating lunch together at another spot and wanted to move the bulldozer so that he could drive his road grader to another location. Iben was overcome by grief and taken to Prescott for treatment. An investigation ruled the death as accidental. In a 2024 interview, Pennie Iben recalled that Lawrence had cancer and was sitting away from the rest of the workers and in the sun rather than in the shade. “There was speculation due to the severity of Lawrence’s condition that he may have ARIZCC.COM
ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY
Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community
Station. “I was also on the project working as a laborer for Bechtel and sometimes saw him on the job,” Pennie Iben says. “At that job, I recalled grabbing my dad by the collar and giving him a quarter to call Local 428 to get me started as an apprentice. I later became a crane operator.” Iben’s name appeared in The Arizona Republic in 1980, when Brophy acknowledged him and other 1930s graduates during the 21st annual Fete de Joie (Feast of Joy) dinner dance. Iben passed away in 1987. Though much of Iben’s biography remains unknown, he made significant contributions to construction in Arizona. Whether playing football in his youth or becoming a key player in major road projects, Iben led an intriguing life. Anyone who can fill in more details, please contact me at billy@arizcc.com.
Above: Jim Pulice, Sr. and Johnnie Iben at the Arizona Highway 74 project near Wickenburg, 1964. Right: Iben’s Euclid scrapers rented by Isbell Construction during Black Canyon Highway expansion north of New River, 1963. Below right: Iben’s blade held by a Caterpillar D8 and cables to pull slopes along Black Canyon Highway, between Grand Avenue and the Durango Curve, 1962.
become incapacitated during the lunch break,” recalls Pennie Iben. “The other crew workers onsite thought it was strange that he would sit in the sun, where he was out of view of Iben, and technically in a space he shouldn’t have been in.” Iben’s leased equipment continued working on projects in the 1960s, including the construction of the Black Canyon Highway. On this job, he collaborated with Isbell Construction, and his machinery assisted Isbell’s crews in excavating material from the Grand Avenue overpass to 16th Street. In 1964, William Pulice Concrete Construction outbid 13 contractors to secure their first heavy highway project that constructed 4.75 miles of Arizona Highway 74 east of Wickenburg. Iben aided the job by contributing three of his Euclid TDT23 scrapers. Iben retired from contracting in the 1970s. His daughter, Pennie Iben, helped him sell his equipment. “His equipment was ragged and not worth much,” she says. “He gave his blade to an organization that helped alcoholic men learn to operate and be productive.” During semi-retirement, Iben assisted the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 428 and worked for other contractors operating heavy equipment, including at the Palo Verde Generating EIGHTY EIGHT
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BID RESULTS JAN FEB 2024
BID AWARDS MAR-APR 1984 JWJ Contracting Inc., Phoenix $2.3 Million Widen Shea Blvd, Scottsdale Rd. to SR 87 Arizona Transportation Board
Town Park Improvements DWD Construction $1,093,235 1/4/24
Clifton Frisco Ave Bridge Meridian $2,197,112 1/19/24
Quartzsite US 60 Vicksburg Fann Contracting $4,888,888 2/2/24
(CMAR) Scenario 3B Transmission Main Sundt Companies $25,775,000 1/4/24
SUSD Lift Station By Pass New Private Sewer KE&G Construction $269,736 1/25/24
Ehrenberg Scaddan Wash FNF Construction $16,146,915 2/2/24
(JOC) Medium Diameter Transmission Mains B&F Contracting $28,000,000 1/4/24
US 191 SR 75 Granite Construction $6,519,519 1/26/24
City Core Pavement Rehabilitation Pioneer Earthmovers Inc $4,740,622 2/7/24
Prescott Ash SR89 Hawk Contracting $524,444 1/5/24
Holbrook Lupton Highway Pinta Fann Contracting $29,985,000 1/26/24
WW Clyde Southwest Division Office Shop Porter Brothers $9,000,000 2/8/24
West Stock SR 260 Sewer Replacement Apache Underground and Excavating $591,350 1/5/24
Grace Neal Channel Water Line Box Culvert Show Low Construction $659,466 1/30/24
Safford Springerville Black Hills Cactus Asphalt $2,167,799 2/9/24
AZ FLAP SR181 Chiricahua Access Road C A Native Constructors $8,933,645 1/11/24
Maricopa Housing Sewer Connection CDBG Elite Civil Construction $392,000 2/1/24
Phoenix Cordes Happy Valley Rd Acme Concrete Paving $10,245,358 2/9/24
Public Storage Tolleson EMJ Corporation $14,000,000 1/18/24
Citywide Bus Pullout Phase 1 Visus $1,408,000 2/1/24
Quartzsite US 60 Centennial Wash FNF Construction $13,707,564 2/9/24
Guadalupe Highline Canal Roadway Electric LLC $964,749 1/19/24
Horizon 6 Waterline Replacement B4 Enterprises Inc $2,560,368 2/2/24
Airport Pavement Sealcoat Services Performance Paving & Sealing $608,500 2/13/24
Kingman Ash Fork Vastco $1,045,127 1/19/24
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(CMAR) Pickleball Courts Tumbleweed Park Hunter Contracting $5,000,000 2/15/24
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National Applicators, Phoenix $667,180 Widen Shea Blvd, Hayden Rd. to Pima Rd. Arizona Transportation Board Bentson Contracting, Phoenix $299,709 I-10, Baseline Rd. to Williams Field Rd. Arizona Transportation Board The Tanner Companies, Phoenix $114,554 Detour Construction, Hohokam Expressway Arizona Transportation Board Case International, Keeneyville, IL $79,500 Shaft Drilling in the Salt River, Hohokam Bridge Arizona Transportation Board C.K.C. Construction, Safford $476,214 Resurface 2-Miles of US 666 Arizona Transportation Board C.K.C. Construction, Safford $279,451 Resurface 3-Miles of US 70 Near Duncan Arizona Transportation Board The Tanner Companies, Phoenix $1 Million Resurfacing 10-Miles US 60 Arizona Transportation Board Desert Specialties Inc., Phoenix $182,414 Install Traffic Signals US 89 in Oro Valley Arizona Transportation Board
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NINETY FOUR
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FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES CONTACT BILLY HORNER 602-931-0069 BILLY@ARIZCC.COM
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