Sep/Oct 2024

VOLUME 13 ISSUE 5

$5.99 SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024 SERVING CONTRACTING FIRMS AND THE ARIZONA COMMUNITY. . . THEN & NOW

HERB’S UNDERGROUND FOUND THE GROOVE AS PHOENIX’S FIRST DISCO RINGSIDE HARMONY: BOXING CHAMP TONY DEMARCO’S PIANO LOUNGE O.H.S.O. BECOMES 23RD RESTAURANT TO OPEN AT THE “TOP OF CENTRAL” CRAWFORD TRACTOR TO COPPER STATE: 50 YEARS OF ARIZONA EQUIPMENT MARION JORDAN: PROVIDING EXPERTISE IN DIESEL ENGINES AND HOT-RODS MICHAEL DEFIEL, AIA: BRINGING CREATIVITY AND CARE TO ARCHITECTURE

Arizona’s Timeless Magazine

DCS CONTRACTING: PAVING ITS WAY TO 30 YEARS

THE “KRAZY” STORY OF KOKO:

ONE OF PHOENIX’S “HOTTEST” NIGHTCLUBS HUNTER CONTRACTING BUILDS FUN AT QUEEN CREEK PARK

ACADEMY FOR CONSTRUCTION EXCELLENCE OPENS IN PHOENIX

LAYTON TOPS OUT CENTRAL STATION IN DOWNTOWN PHX

BILL CONOVER AND BRANCO MACHINERY’S INSPIRING LEGACY

CHASSE BUILDS CHILD & FAMILY WELLNESS CENTER

2

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

Simply better than the best

480.940.0100 | INSEARCHCORP.COM 8845 S HARDY DR. TEMPE, AZ 85284

TUSCON

(520) 682-2158

SIERRA VISTA

(520) 378-2321

GLOBE

(928) 425-5775

YUMA

(928) 343-4150

PHOENIX

(602) 416-2652

FLAGSTAFF

(928) 526-5250

PRESCOTT

(928) 443-9207

CAMP VERDE

(928) 567-0893

BULLHEAD

(928) 763-1022

A GLOBAL READY-MIX, AGGREGATES, ASPHALT, AND CEMENT SUPPLIER

CEMEXUSA.COM ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

FOUR

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

RELIABLE... BECAUSE WE ARE

PHOENIX METRO PORTABLE BATHROOM RENTAL SERVICES GET IN TOUCH TODAY! 602-601-2222 INFO@RPBAZ.COM 3014 E MOHAWK LN. PHX, AZ 85050 RELIABLEPORTABLEBATHROOMS.COM ARIZCC.COM

At reliable portable bathrooms. We are committed to changing the perception of portable bathrooms. Our mission is to shatter the notion that they are dirty and gross. We take pride in our superior cleaning processes, ensuring that every unit we rent is delivered on time and in an immaculate, brand new condition.

Our dedication to cleanliness means that our bathrooms are free of tar, graffiti, urine stains, and any unpleasant odors.

Don’t just take our word for it – explore the glowing reviews from our satisfied customers.

Their testimonials speak volumes about the quality and satisfaction they have experienced with our facilities.

Join us in embracing a new standard of excellence in portable bathrooms. Experience the difference for yourself, and let us exceed ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY your expectations.

THE LEADER IN PROVIDING TEMPORARY POWER GENERATION SYSTEMS IN THE GREATER PHOENIX AREA

Publisher Billy Horner billy@arizcc.com

Turkey pot pie Landco Rentals offers: • Emergency 24-hour response and service • Rugged DOT approved trailers with Portable generator set’s ranging from 20kw-2000kw • Ultra silent Generators • Standby generator capabilities that are Bio diesel capable • Onsite powered light towers along with electric light tower options • Fuel containment for generators • On site fueling • Cable’s for all applications • Electrical Distribution panels and transformers 480-788-1333 info@landcorentals.com 222 S. 52nd St, Suite 2 Tempe AZ 85281

Garrett 602-541-0554 Jon 602-541-5971 greerparts@hotmail.com

Editor Douglas Towne douglas@arizcc.com

Butternut squash soup

Bratwurst and beer

Dim Sum

FAVORITE FALL MEAL?

Contributors Alison Bailin Matt DiBara Ed Dobbins Maria Khokhlova Luke M. Snell Doug Sydnor

My Mom’s corn casserole

Pancakes with chunky applesauce, maple syrup, and hickory smoked bacon

Production Manager Laura Horner laura@arizcc.com

Grilled cheese & tomato soup

In Memoriam Charles “Chuck” Runbeck 1928 - 2020

QUALITY HEAVY EQUIPMENT PARTS REASONABLY PRICED

NEW, USED, AND REBUILT Advertising 602-931-0069 arizcc.com/advertise Subscriptions: Online at arizcc.com Serving Contracting Firms and the Arizona Community… Then & Now

KEYSTONECONCRETELLC.COM O: 480-835-1579 SITE CONCRETE DEVELOPMENT BIDS@KEYSTONECONCRETELLC.COM SIX

Arizona Contractor & Community (ACC) magazine is published bi-monthly (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/June, July/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec). ACC is a professional publication designed for the contracting industry, engineers, architects, equipment rentals, suppliers, and others interested in Arizona and its history.

Content including text, photographs or illustrations may not be reproduced without the written permission from the publisher. The publisher does not assume responsibility for unsolicited submissions.

ACC reserves the right to reject any editorial and advertising material and reserves the right to edit all submitted content material.

Arizona Contractor & Community Copyright © 2024 All rights reserved.

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

SPECIALTY COMPANIES GROUP

UTILITY ADJUSTMENTS

There Is Nothing We Can’t Do. There Is No Place We Won’t Go. Contact us anytime!

SPECIALTYCOMPANIESGROUP.COM

623-582-2385

BUILDING OUR FUTURES

Serving all of Arizona KE&G CONSTRUCTION, INC.

SIERRA VISTA: 1601 Paseo San Luis # 202  Sierra Vista, Arizona 85635  520.458.9594  www.kegtus.com TUCSON: 3949 East Irvington Road  Tucson, Arizona 85714  520.748.0188 ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

“TELL US WHAT YOU NEED AND WE WILL WORK WITH YOU TO MAKE IT HAPPEN”

40

YEARS IN BUSINESS SINCE 1984

480-641-3500

BELLY DUMP-SUPER 16-END DUMP-LOW BOY SIDE DUMP-EXCAVATOR-LOADER-GRADER

10 12 15 43 47 48 54 58 62 66 70 74 78 82 86 90 94

CONTENTS Contributors - Ed Dobbins & Maria Khokhlova From The Editor: When Jo Jo and I Lived in Tucson, Arizona - Douglas Towne Construction Around Arizona: Projects • People • Practices DCS Contracting Celebrates 30 years - Special Advertising Section Back When: Tempe’s Twangy Riverbottom Roadhouse Douglas Towne The “Krazy” Story of KoKo: One of Phoenix’s “Hottest” Nightclubs - Billy Horner Herb’s Underground: Finding The Perfect Beat as Phoenix’s First Disco - Douglas Towne Ringside Harmony: World Boxing Champion Tony DeMarco’s Piano Lounge - Douglas Towne One Location, 22 Businesses: O.H.S.O. and Little O’s Open in Sunnyslope - Ed Dobbins Crawford Tractor to Copper State: 50 Years of an Arizona Equipment Company - Billy Horner Saluting Arizona’s Builders: Edward Earl Douglas Towne Old School Equipment: International Harvester Pay Scraper - Billy Horner Building on the Past: 1962 - Phoenix Municipal Stadium Billy Horner Architect’s Perspective - Michael Defiel, AIA - Bringing Creativity and Care to Architecture - Doug Sydnor, FAIA Digging Through the Archives: Marion Jordan: Expertise in Diesel Engines and Hot-Rods - Billy Horner Bid Results Advertising Index

Front Cover KoKo restaurant, 1955.

Article on page 48 Image Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

EIGHT

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

PROUDLY CELEBRATING 10 YEARS IN BUSINESS! COMING SOON CONCRETE READY-MIX NEW LOCATION IN PEORIA! CURRENT LOCATIONS: Avondale Plant #17 & #18 SWC Southern & El Mirage 30 trucks (safely can deliver 250cy/hr.)

Ross 10 yd. Batch Plant Con-E-Co LO PRO 12 yd. Batch Plant SWC Southern & El Mirage Available Products for FOB Sales: #57 Aggregate, 3/8” Chips and Clean Top Soil (Fill Dirt) Inert Landfill: Concrete, Rock, Dirt only. No trash, Organic or Petroleum Products

DISPATCH – 623-925-4743 LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED DIAMONDBACKMATERIALS.COM 11435 W. BUCKEYE RD SUITE #104-276 AVONDALE, AZ 85323 O (623) 925-8966 | F (623) 925-1072 E INFO@AZDBM.COM

Travis Williams - General Manager

Jim Latto - Business Development

Donavon Stewart - Operations Manager

Over 28 Years of experience in the Ready Mix Industry travis@azdbm.com | (602) 292-1224

Over 40 Years of Ready Mix and related Business Experience jim@azdbm.com | (602) 696-4139

Over 24 Years of experience in the Ready Mix Industry donavon@azdbm.com | (623) 271-5042

CONSOLIDATED ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTORS, INC. 1717 E RAIRDAN LANE

PHOENIX, ARIZONA, 85034

3816 W Lower Buckeye Rd. PO Box 19010 Phoenix, AZ 85005-9010

Reuter Equipment & Fabrication provides custom metal fabrication services.

We have sixty years’ experience in the metal fabrication industry.

Let our qualified personal bid and build your special job.

This state of the art facility is equipped to fabricate numerous projects, i.e. conveyors, silos, metal forming, shearing, chassis, platforms, walkways, access ladders & machining.

Phone:602-437-4200 Fax: 602-437-0773 E-Mail: conorq@cedphx.com Website: www.cedphx.com

Est. 1994

REUTER EQUIPMENT & FABRICATION

GRADING/ PAVING CONCRETE UNDERGROUND UTILITIES

CONTACT US

11535 E. Germann Road, Chandler, AZ 85286 | 480.732.9238 www.dcscontracting.com

ARIZCC.COM

For Information Contact: Brent Reuter (623) 695-1204 • brentr@rec-reuter.com www.reuterequipment.com ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

CONTRIBUTORS

ED DOBBINS ARTICLE ON PAGE 62

E

THE MISSION OF AZUCA ARIZONA CHAPTER OF NUCA IS TO BE A RESOURCE FOR THE UTILITY CONSTRUCTION AND EXCAVATION INDUSTRY IN ARIZONA; AND TO HELP IMPROVE THE OPERATIONAL PROFICIENCY AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF MEMBER COMPANIES THROUGH TRAINING, SAFETY, EDUCATION, INFORMATION, ADVOCACY, NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORT. TEN

MARIA KHOKHLOVA ARTICLE ON PAGE 35

M

d Dobbins shares his enthusiaria Khokhlova is a visionasm for the area he has lived ary entrepreneur and in for over 50 years by present- the co-founder of TraceAir, a ing stories on Phoenix history groundbreaking company revthrough videos, articles, and olutionizing the construction talks. His favorite topics are usu- industry with advanced drone ally found within a few blocks and data visualization technolto miles of the north-central ogy. Maria hails from a family Phoenix neighborhood he calls deeply rooted in academia, with home. both parents and grandparents One prolific Arizona jour- serving as physicists. From an nalist described Dobbins’ early age, this academic enviresearch as beginning “in his ronment instilled in her a pasown front yard.” The reference sion for scientific inquiry and was to the grapefruit tree on innovation. the lawn, a link to when his Maria earned her PhD in home was part of the citrus laser physics from Moscow belt at the foot of the Phoenix State University, where she Mountains, whose fruit were conducted pioneering research processed at a soda pop factory and honed her critical thinkin Glendale. ing and problem-solving skills.

Dobbins also enjoys Despite her academic success, researching the very different Maria realized her strengths lie world of 19th-century Phoe- in bridging the gap between scinix. His volunteer experience entific innovation and practical with the Pioneer Memorial & application. This realization led Military Park on West Jefferson her to transition into product Street has led him to consider management in the IT sector, the origins of long-standing fea- where she successfully ran a tures and services in the city. custom software development Dobbins’ exploration of how company.

Phoenix planned, created, and In 2015, Maria co-founded maintained its first cemeteries TraceAir Technologies to transresulted in his booklet on the form the construction industry.

Histories of Pioneer Cemeteries Under her leadership as chief in Phoenix, Arizona, now avail- executive officer, the company able on the Pioneer Cemetery has developed a comprehenAssociation website. sive visual management platOn his YouTube channel, Ed form that integrates sensor Dobbins has several short vid- data, drone imagery, and projeos on topics such as the his- ect plans to enhance efficiency tory of early highways in Phoe- and accuracy in construction nix, the beginnings of Paradise projects. Maria’s strategic vision Valley, and why there is a curve and commitment to innovation in Seventh Avenue. have propelled TraceAir to work with major builders across the globe.

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

servicing Arizona’s construction industry since 1996!

We have also expanded our RV service and repair business.

Competitive rates ($140/hour service+labor) and Factory Trained and Certified Technicians Services Offered: Problem Diagnosis • Oil Changes/Service • Insurance Repairs & Claims • Chassis Inspection • Rubber Roof Cleaning & Coating • Parts & Accessories • Aftermarket Parts Sales & Installations • Custom Modifications Mobile service availabile

As a get acquainted offer, mention this ad and we will give you a 10% discount on all services rendered at that time.

Come to Us or Let Us Come To You

Lonnie cell: 602-376-1448 David cell: 602-252-3226 5626 S 43rd Ave, Phoenix AZ 85041 dynamicdieselrepairinc.com

Office: 602-237-3377 • Fax: 602-237-3944 • Cell: 602-376-1448

SHARP CREEK CONTRACTING

YOUR TRUSTED SOURCE FOR GRADING, PAVING, AND WET UTILITY SOLUTIONS

GRADING, PAVING, AND WET UTILITIES EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE. REACH OUT TODAY

(602) 437-3040 • Fax (602) 437-3041

WWW.SHARPCREEK.COM/GRADING-PAVING

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

EDITOR’S COLUMN:

WHEN JO JO AND I LIVED IN TUCSON, ARIZONA DOUGLAS TOWNE

A

s the fall season approaches, whether it heralds returning to school or just a welcome shift to cooler temperatures on the construction site, after-work destinations hold a special place for unwinding with friends. In this issue, amidst our usual contracting focus, the magazine delves into the timeless allure of Arizona’s happy-hour destinations. Personally, tavern-talk transports me 40 years back to Tucson, a place brimming with memories.

My two abodes in the Old Pueblo were each along Speedway Boulevard, a road that Life magazine controversially labeled “the ugliest street in America” in 1970. To support this declaration, the article “Look Down, Look Down, that Loathsome Road” featured a two-page photo overflowing with signage along Speedway near Country Club Drive. The story’s aftershocks influenced an update of the city’s sign ordinance, which banned the construction of oversized and animated advertisements and any near the curb. Depending on your taste, this was either overdue or misguided. Personally, I think that the commercial cacophony along Speedway was just part of the city’s charm.

My initial residence was the former College Inn, a three-story motel-like complex that included a swimming pool. Constructed in 1967, the University of Arizona purchased and converted it into a dorm and office facility called Babcock Inn in 1976. The unique multi-use building was located across Speedway from a popular nightspot called Dirtbags: A Part of Growing Up. Despite its convenience, the crowd I ran with seldom patronized the place. The name was TWELVE

too cloying, and its student clientele wasn’t quite our speed. Instead, we’d congregate at other college hangouts, such as the original iteration of Gentle Ben’s, and two long-gone places: the Green Dolphin on Park Avenue and Granfalloon Saloon on Broadway.

Often, though, we’d explore the Old Pueblo for places that

offered a more diverse clientele and a touch of history. A bar that provided, at times, too much ambiance was the infamous Bashful Bandit, located at Speedway and Dodge Street. During my second year in Tucson, my girlfriend, Cathy Weiler, and I lived at the La Playa Apartments, a midcentury dwelling a stone’s throw from the biker bar. Originally called Rio Rita, the place had a rough reputation, aided by motorcycle parts dangling over the roof along the façade. Fortunately, the craziest thing I witnessed at the Bashful Bandit was a patron lighting a string of Black Cat firecrackers…inside. It was recently reinvented as a BBQ joint, retaining the infamous name.

Images Courtesy of Author

Top: Tucson Small Animal Hospital sign at Ignite Sign Art Museum, 2024.

Above: Dirk Arnold’s “Gateway Saguaro” on Miracle Mile, 2024.

Bottom right: Tucson International Airport control tower, 2024.

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

Many of my other hangouts have had their last calls since the mid-1980s. Namechecking favorites include the Grant Road Tavern near Tucson Boulevard, famous for its many pool tables and backdoor entrance from the parking lot. Similarly, barflies can no longer ascend the neon-outlined Twin

Peaks Cocktail Lounge on West Grant Road near Stone Avenue, which predated and had no relation to the “breastaurant” chain. Ditto for Berky’s Bar, a destination for live music on East Speedway, and A Bad Location, which lived up to its moniker in an industrial district south of campus.

Cross Roads Drive Inn in South Tucson, famous for the waitstaff placing a pitcher of beer on a car hop tray that hung on your driver’s window, had discontinued this anachronism long before it closed last year after a fire.

A few holdouts, however, continue to serve cold refreshments, including our go-to dive, the Bay Horse Tavern on East Grant Road, famous as the site of Mark Lundgren’s legendary rendition of the Rolling Stones tune “Salt of the Earth.” Even then, the pub used a cheap spotlight to illuminate its sign instead of having its proud stead aglow in neon. Further east on the road, The Shelter, a mid-century classic cocktail lounge with a Left: The Shelter, 2013.

Bottom left: Bay Horse Tavern, 1986.

Below: With Bob Hendry at the Bashful Bandit, 1986.

Bottom right: The Beatles’ Get Back album was never released, but many of its songs are found on the album Let It Be.

Left: Cross Roads Drive Inn sign, 1986.

Above: Life magazine image of Speedway Boulevard, 1970.

lava rock wall façade, has made the coveted evolution to hipster hangout.

Arguably, Tucson’s most legendary watering hole was located at 4980 East 22nd Street, which I visited once with Bob “Beatle” Hendry. Our pilgrimage to Jo Jo’s had bad timing, as someone had been shot in the parking lot the night before. The bartender was in a dour mood but said that Paul and Linda McCartney had occasionally stopped by years ago from their nearby 151acre ranch, thus leading to the famous lyrics in the Beatles’ song “Get Back.” Of course, whether this was true or not, promoting an alleged Fab Four connection helped business.

Some have claimed Jo Jo’s, with a sign that incorporated an eyeball in each “o” ( ), was named after the song’s lyrics. The bar, however, had been around since at least 1960, nine years before “Get Back” came together during the band’s sessions for the Let it Be album. McCartney, unavailable to be interviewed, had previously said “Jo Jo” didn’t reference any particular person.

Did McCartney find inspiration from the Tucson bar’s name? There’s likely a connection. But the upshot is that both Jo Jo and I, for different reasons, ended up leaving our “home in Tucson, Arizona.”

Images Courtesy of Author

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

14

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

Projects . PEOPLE . PRACTICES

CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA Projects

CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA

Images Courtesy of Layton Construction

LAYTON DIGS DEEP TO CONSTRUCT CENTRAL STATION IN DOWNTOWN PHOENIX

L

ayton Construction is utilizing every square inch of property in building the $250 million Central Station in the heart of downtown Phoenix. The three-year project is on 2.6 acres at Central Avenue and East Van Buren Street, south of Civic Space Park and ASU’s Downtown Campus.

“One of the more unique aspects of the project is the subterranean parking garage,” says John Sirrine, Layton’s vice president. “The project was not only on a lot with heavy amounts of sand, but the building’s footprint is also lot line to lot line. This means all foundations had to be pushed directly up against the property line and could not be done in a traditional foundation approach you would normally see in Phoenix.”

ARIZCC.COM

Sirrine adds that Layton opted to complete the foundation walls with a soil nail system because of these elements. This construction technique uses long slender poles installed into pre-drilled holes (soil nails), reinforced with mesh, tied to vertical I-beams, and covered with shotcrete.

“Carving out the soil five feet down at a time in horizontal rows, each row known as a lift, the project required seven lifts, with 231 vertical pilers and over 1,000 nailers installed at varying angles based on their height and position,” Sirrine says. “With underground utilities, storm drains, and the City of Phoenix’s light rail all within less than 10 feet proximity, high levels of quality control and accuracy in calculations were paramount to project success.”

Central Station is set to become a new city landmark that features two residential towers offering a mix of market-rate, student, and workforce housing, two levels of below-grade parking, a City of Phoenix

Above: John Sirrine, Layton Vice President.

transit hub, and retail/office spaces. This comprehensive development addresses the community’s need and desire for quality housing adjacent to public transit. “The integration of student housing alongside traditional residential and office spaces within a transit redevelopment is a unique aspect ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

Committed to superior quality and results

Ready Mix Concrete Delivery and concrete Pumping Services Arizona trusted company

FREE ESTIMATES PLEASE CALL - 602-503-9391 ORDERS - DISPATCH@BAJAREADYMIX.COM

BAJAREADYMIX.COM A+ accredited business by the better business bureau

602-276-2040

PROVIDING RENTALS AND SERVICE IN AZ, SINCE 1998 Frank Alvarez

Operations Manager O: 602-276-2040 C: 602-769-6725

franka@eccoequipment.com

SIXTEEN

Ryan King

Jeff Hightower

Paul Kannapel

ryank@eccoequipment.com

jeffh@eccoequipment.com

paulk@eccoequipment.com

Service Manager O: 602-276-2040 C: 480-356-1275

Outside Sales O: 602-276-2040 C: 602-725-1123

Outside Sales O: 602-276-2040 C: 602-647-5816

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA Projects Images Courtesy of Layton Construction

Above: Central Station topping out ceremony.

that adds diversity that will benefit the public and patrons of the space,” Sirrine says.

The transformative project is on track to open its doors in early 2025. Central Station will revolutionize the City’s primary downtown bus and light rail transit center, which currently serves two million passengers annually. It’s important to note that Central Station is a public-private partnership, with the City retaining ownership of the land and the development partners entering into a long-term ground lease for the project.

Central Station includes a 32-story mixed-use tower housing 362 apartments EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Brad Bayer Senior Superintendent.

Experience: 2 years with Layton Construction.

Favorite job task: Mentoring our staff’s growth, both professionally and personally.

Most challenging job task: Building a cohesive team. We have two tower teams (East and West Towers), a site team, and a safety team that all need to work together on a very tight site.

Most memorable day at work: Watching all teams succeed every day.

My favorite off-job tasks: Spending as much time as I can with my wife and watching my sons grow into successful men.

ARIZCC.COM

and 70,000 square feet of office/retail space and a 21-story student housing tower with 435 units (655 beds). This tower will also include 12,000 SF of office space for the transit department. Both towers sit atop a 200,000 SF two-level subterranean parking structure with 425 stalls. Once complete, all previous bus and light-rail routes, stops, and operations will be returned to the site in their pre-development configurations.

Sirrine says that ensuring uninterrupted transit services during construction requires complex coordination. “This involves synchronizing construction teams and schedules while maintaining ongoing transit operations and communicating site logistics to the general population,” he says.

“Construction projects are ever-evolving throughout completion. A temporary pathway or active area can change weekly or even daily. Providing the public with a safe environment while keeping in line with our proposed schedule makes these interactions essential.”

There are several other challenging aspects to the Central Station project, according to Sirrine. “Managing active transit during construction adds a layer of complexity that has required careful planning to minimize disruptions to public transportation users,” he says. “Coordinating construction, traffic flow, and pedestrian access while maintaining safety standards are of utmost importance.”

The site required extensive coordination with Arizona Public Service, and Layton had to be mindful of both the power lines and light rail during foundations. An APS vault had to be completely rerouted north of the site to reach power needs on the opposite side. Layton worked with the

City to get an easement for APS to properly achieve the redirect of power.

Sirrine says that building a project in a main downtown corridor also typically results in a need for unique logistics for material delivery. His project team laid out strategic hoisting areas where one is located at a main entry point, and another is wide enough to give the ability for trucks to back directly to the platform. “Utilizing construction logistics software, monitored by the Layton project team, subcontractors schedule times and needs for both cranes, hoists, and project site entrances to maximize efficiency,” he says. “This important and clear communication provides a safer site and enhances the time on site for both subcontractors and the public. Ultimately, this benefits the project overall.”

The project subcontractors include Buesing Corp. for earthwork and shoring, Suntec Concrete, MMI Industrial & Steel for steel, MKB Construction Inc. for framing and EIFS, Walters & Wolf Construction Specialties Inc. for glazing, TD Industries for mechanical, Hayes Commercial for plumbing, Olympic West Fire Protection, and DP Electric Inc. The most unusual aspect of the Central Station project involved a design decision to work with an economical material palette of EIFS (Exterior Insulation Finishing System) and glass to invest in the solar and environmental performance of the building façade.

“Working within a tight budget, the two towers include a second exoskeleton of prefabricated shading elements designed per each solar orientation to shade the building façade, exterior pedestrian spaces along the street, and upper floors,” Sirrine says.

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

POWERSCREEN WESTERN

GL A DI ATOR

FINISH BLADE RENTAL WITH OPERATOR EXCAVATING | UNDERGROUND UTILITIES | CONCRETE STRUCTURES

Gladiator PT400 Jaw Crusher

Gladiator TP320SR Closed-circuit Impact Crusher

Gladiator MT1150 Open-circuit Cone Crusher

Gladiator MT1150SR Closed-circuit Cone Crusher

Gladiator MT1300 Open Circuit Cone Crusher

Gladiator H6203 Horizontal Screen

Gladiator H8203 Horizontal Screen

E M AD IN TH

E USA

BUDDY@EANDECOMPANIES.COM LICENSED | BONDED | INSURED EIGHTEEN

Gerald McCarthy 602-772-1419 Adam Barber 480-321-9185 POWERSCREENWESTERN.COM

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

I

ALISON BAILIN BATZ

n January 2023, Child Crisis Arizona embarked on a groundbreaking project.

Teaming up with CHASSE Building Team and Architectural Resource Team (ART), and with the support of local dignitaries like Mesa Vice Mayor Francisco Heredia and major funders including Janis Merrill, Kathye Brown, Erik Olsson, Thunderbird Charities, and board members, they set out to create a 38,000-square-foot, climate-friendly, net-zero campus at 424 West Rio Salado Parkway in Mesa. The two-story Child Crisis Arizona Center for Child & Family Wellness campus spans 2.4 acres and is more than just another building. It’s a testament to their commitment to sustainability and a gift to future generations.

The highly anticipated project is nearing completion and expects to open its doors this fall. “Once completed, the Center for Child & Family Wellness campus will centralize Child Crisis Arizona operations and leverage synergies with partner EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Ben Shunk is a commercial business unit leader at CHASSE Building Team and has been with the award-winning general contractor since 2018. He is working on the Child Crisis Arizona project and has overseen the construction of various projects, including retail, industrial, office, tenant improvements, medical, religious, tribal, K-12 education, multi-family construction, senior living, and green building.

Favorite job task: Seeing the clients’ smiling faces at the ribbon-cutting ceremony and showing off the team’s hard work.

Most challenging job task: Working through material procurement issues and subcontractor staffing challenges.

ARIZCC.COM

CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA Projects

CHASSE CLOSE TO FINISHING CHILD CRISIS ARIZONA CENTER CONSTRUCTION

organizations, resulting in children, youth, and families receiving high-quality wraparound services in one convenient location,” says Torrie A. Taj, CEO of Child Crisis Arizona.

Child Crisis Arizona’s mission is to provide children and youth in Arizona with a safe environment, free from abuse and neglect, by creating strong and successful families. According to Taj, the space will enable the organization to provide myriad services and facilities. Partnerships with Friendly House, Goodwill of Central & Northern Arizona, and Prevent Child Abuse Images Courtesy of CHASSE Arizona are also planned within the walls.

Eight art-inspired spaces connect visitors to The building will also be a Certified the natural elements on display within the Living Petal Project Facility, which is an interbuilding. nationally recognized building challenge “The design and construction revolved organized into seven performance areas: around the International Living Future Insti• Place: creating a positive environmentute’s Living Building Challenge, which aligns tal impact within the community. with Child Crisis Arizona’s vision for ‘Safe • Water: hydration stations throughout Kids, Strong Families’”, says Ben Shunk, the to limit single-use plastic and collectcommercial business unit leader at CHASSE ing rainwater in underwater cisterns for Building Team, noting that the design of landscaping. the building itself focuses on showcasing • Energy: ample solar power with limthe foundational earth elements of earth, ited electricity use thanks to natural water, and air. lighting and electric vehicle charging stations on-site.

• Health and Happiness: optimizing Most memorable day at work: I have two! First, I was on a team demoing an physical and psychological health and old Target store to build a new, larger well-being with a workplace wellone. We had to move the old store fixness room, art-inspired spaces, and tures from one side of the store to the a metered walking path around the other to abate the flooring. I got to drive building. a Bobcat through a Target store and • Materials: Use of safe, non-toxic, and smash the fixtures. It was very satisfying. recycled materials throughout, includSecond, I was involved with a low-ining steel, wall and ceiling installation, come veterans housing project in Tempe, flooring, and FSC-certified wood. where we discovered archaeological arti• Equity: Supporting a just and equitable facts. My middle son was in elementary world with programs supporting chilschool then, and I got him and his entire dren, young adults, and low-income Cub Scout troop onto the job site late families in the community. one afternoon to meet with the archeol• Beauty: Celebrating design that uplifts ogist. He gave a tour of their findings and the human spirit with the use of light, showed the kids some incredible old artiliving green walls, mature trees, and facts. He discussed our amazing Native natural elements throughout.

American history and his role in helping “Once complete, it will also meet the uncover and preserve that. highest level of standards for Indoor Air Quality, making it truly one of the most Favorite off-job tasks: Besides spending ambitiously sustainable buildings in Aritime with family, I enjoy woodworking. zona,” Shunk says.

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

ACC mag ad Sept-Oct 2024 v1.pdf

1

8/6/24

1:47 PM

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Ideal performance for indoor use, hospitals, schools, neighborhoods, nursing homes, overnight jobs, and contracts requiring alternative-fuel equipment.

SERVING

ARIZONA

TWENTY

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA Projects

HUNTER CONTRACTING BUILDS FUN AT QUEEN CREEK’S FRONTIER FAMILY PARK

T

he $78 million Frontier Family Park, offering recreational space at the corner of Ryan Road and Signal Butte Road in Queen Creek, opened just in time for summer. The 85-acre park has something for everyone, whether interested in active pursuits or peaceful spots. It includes a 5-acre lake, multipurpose sports fields, pickleball courts, a playground, ramadas, walking paths, and a splash pad.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT David Hollifield, Senior Project Manager Experience: 30 years, with 22 years at Hunter Contracting Co. Favorite job task: Working as a team with the Town of Queen Creek, J2 Design, and all the trade partners to keep the schedule on track.

Construction started in September 2022 and finished in June 2024. However, according to David Hollifield, senior project manager at Hunter Contracting Co, the project was not without its challenges.

“Overall, successfully navigating them required careful planning, collaboration, and adaptability throughout the project lifecycle,” Hollifield says.” By addressing these issues proactively, project stakeholders overcame obstacles and delivered a high-quality recreational space that will enrich the community for years.”

Hollifield cited five broad aspects of construction that required particular focus: • Construction Logistics: Coordinating activities, scheduling deliveries, and managing subcontractors for an 85-acre park with multiple amenities.

• Budget Management: Balancing land acquisition costs, infrastructure, and amenities while maintaining quality and meeting community expectations.

Images Courtesy of Hunter Contracting

• Environmental Considerations: Preserving natural habitats, managing water resources, and complying with environmental regulations.

• Community Engagement: Balancing diverse interests, addressing concerns, and incorporating community feedback while adhering to timelines.

• Maintenance and Operations: Ensuring ongoing upkeep of facilities, landscaping, and infrastructure and securing funding for long-term success.

Most challenging job task: Coordinating subcontractors and their self-performing pipe and concrete crews, which included weekly coordination and pre-activity meetings to keep all parties involved and informed.

Most memorable day at work: The grand opening event because it was a great feeling to see the kids on the playground and splash pad and all the people using the pickleball courts.

Favorite off-job tasks: I enjoy yard work, beaches, and cooking dinner for my family and friends.

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

Proud Member of

Hydraulic Shores Trench Boxes Trench Plates Slide Rail Confined Space Equipment Competent Person Training

OUR COMMITMENT TO SAFETY RUNS DEEP Now part of the Sunstate Equipment family. SunstateEquip.com

TWENTY TWO

hablamos espanol

PHOENIX

(602) 253-3311

TUCSON

(520) 576-8828

TrenchShoreRentals.com

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA Projects Images Courtesy of Hunter Contracting

Hunter Contracting was supported in construction by a host of talented subcontractors, including 3D Painting, 3QO Plumbing, Adams Fence, ACS Services, AR Mays Construction, EPS, Exerplay, General Acrylics, Dave Bang Associates, Intertwine Environmental, Kimbrell Electric, L&L Asphalt, National Barricade, Pacific Aquascapes, Rummel Construction, Shade n’ Net, Siteworks Landscape, TSS Enterprises, and YESCO. Hollifield says that one standout aspect of the Frontier Family Park project was its comprehensive approach to recreation and community engagement. “The park goes beyond standard amenities by offering a diverse range of activities for all age groups,” he says. “Another highlight was the park’s emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility. Features like collector roadways, driveways, and ample parking ensured easy access for individuals of all abilities, demonstrating a commitment to serving the entire community.”

Frontier Family Park has many innovative elements, such as a giant playground inspired by Mansel Carter Oasis Park and a dedicated urban fishing lake. These features provide recreational opportunities and contribute to the park’s distinctive character.

The project was a collaborative effort involving local government, community stakeholders, and park planners. This partnership reflected a shared commitment to creating a space aligned with community values and aspirations.

“Frontier Family Park stands out as a multifaceted recreational destination that embodies innovation, inclusivity, and community collaboration,” Hollifield says. “It enriches the local landscape and fosters a sense of belonging.

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

GRADING • PAVING •SEALCOATING DEMOLITION • CONCRETE & MORE

(602) 992-2201 | SHANESPAVING.COM ROC #255891 A-5 & #38635 A-14 21801 N. 16TH ST., BOX 5, PHOENIX, AZ 85024 TWENTY FOUR

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA People Image Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

Image Courtesy of Author

at the convergence of U.S. Routes 80 and 89 and State Highway 84. Sometimes called the Casa Grande Highway, the 1.5-mile stretch in Tucson was renamed Miracle Mile after improvements during the Great Depression in 1937. The section was the first divided highway in Arizona, and Arizona Highways magazine called it the Miracle Mile of Safety.

A popular eatery along the road was the Green Lantern, which, as the name suggests, featured an oversized neon lamp as its sign. Randy Pool, the proprietor, initially lived at the restaurant with his family before moving offsite. The restaurant featured T-bone steaks, chicken, and shrimp in baskets.

Karl Ronstadt launched New Pueblo Constructors with his friend, Howard King, in 1959. “I recalled eating at the restaurant

says. “But the contractors’ meetings at Ye Olde Lantern occurred after I had retired from construction.”

In 1959, Dean Short purchased the restaurant and renamed it Ye Olde Lantern. The menu included a top sirloin for $3.50, Australian lobster tails for $3.25, and swordfish for $2.30. The restaurant adopted an Olde English theme, with the menu called “The Bill of Faer [sic] at Dinner,” and included categories such as “The Innkeeper Recommends,” “The King’s Own Beefe [sic],” and “Favorites of Henry VIII,” according to the book, Lost Restaurants of Tucson by Rita Connelly.

The dark interior with red Naugahyde booths was perfect for enjoying a classic cocktail like a martini or Manhattan. Waitresses wearing orange pinafore

CONTRACTOR DEALS “WELL DONE” AT For decades, dating back to the 1930s, when I was in college or farming in the TUCSON’S YE OLDE LANTERN RESTAURANT Tucson’s epicenter of food and lodging was 1950s when it was the Green Lantern,” he DOUGLAS TOWNE

“C

onstruction industry lunches at the Ye Olde Lantern were a great place to develop relationships that turned into lifetime friends,” says Kevin Woudenberg, who then worked for Woudenberg Enterprises.

“These get-togethers started sometime in the 1980s and lasted for years. They were terrific opportunities to get to know our customers, build trust, and create chemistry.”

The restaurant, with its old English pub feel and delicious high-end meaty entrees, helped put Arizona contractors in an excellent mood to get deals done in a way that would been more challenging in a conference room. Here’s the story about these meals, the restaurant, and the unique highway strip where they took place.

Image Courtesy of Rita Connelly

Top left: Tucson’s Quality Paving Co. doing road work on Miracle Mile by Ye Olde Lantern, 1989.

Top right: Ye Olde Lantern sign, 2004.

Above: Green Lantern matchbook cover, 1950s.

Right: The Green Lantern.

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

ALL THE GEAR YOU NEED Hercrentals.com Call for rates and reservations Gilbert: 480-507-1680 Phoenix: 602-269-5931 Peoria: 623-760-0631 Tucson: 520-573-1344

SHANES HAULING A Division of Shanes Grading & Paving

(602) 992-2201 | SHANESPAVING.COM | 21801 N. 16TH ST. BOX 5, PHX, AZ 85024 ROC #255891 A-5 & #38635 A-14

TWENTY SIX

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA People

Image Courtesy of Author

Above: Cook and Company Signmakers moving Ye Olde Lantern signs to Dirk Arnold’s backyard, 2008.

Left: Ye Olde Lantern signs in Dirk Arnold’s backyard, 2024.

dresses served dinner entrees such as mesquite-broiled steak, prime rib, chicken, and seafood. The main dishes came with old-fashioned relish trays on ice, salad from a roving cart, bread, and a baked potato.

Woudenberg recalls that the Ye Olde Lantern lunches were sponsored by TUCA (Tucson Utility Contractors Association) and continued for years, with many companies participating, including Sundt, Ashton, Granite, KEG, and Borderland. “We got to know these guys well, and even their families.

There were some jobs negotiated over those luncheons, all the good things that happen when you come together like that,” he says.

“We’d invite them to a ball game, a dinner, or to play golf; those were a residual of getting together and developing relationships.”

Woudenberg doesn’t remember when the contractors’ lunches at Ye Olde Lantern faded. “Those things come and they go,” Images Courtesy of Dirk Arnold

ARIZCC.COM

he says. But mixing business and socializing at the contractors’ lunches was fun for Woudenberg. “It was a classic restaurant that had been around for decades,” he says.

“And everyone appreciated the food!”

But Miracle Mile eventually developed a seedy reputation for prostitution and drug dealing. In 1995, Short sold Ye Olde Lantern to Bob and Madeline Hawes, who ran it until it closed in 2006.

The Elks then remodeled part of the building into Lodge #385 and swapped out a giant elk statue for the restaurant’s iconic neon lantern. Casey Hovey was driving by the old restaurant as a crew removed the sign and loaded it onto a flatbed trailer destined for a scrapyard. “Casey asked if they would take it to her house instead, which was on the edge of an industrial area just south of Downtown Tucson,” says Tucson artist Dirk Arnold.

Meanwhile, Arnold learned about the sign removal and visited the site. “There was a large, vaguely phallic arrow sign in the parking lot that said “Restaurant” and a couple of rectangular signs below that said “Parking” and Cocktails,” he recalls. “Those had been unceremoniously cut in half with a welding torch, but with the help of Hilary Eshelman and her pickup truck, I retrieved those remains.”

Arnold says the neon channel letters had been removed from the sign sometime before the demolition, and their whereabouts are unknown. “In their absence, you can see where the sign used to say ‘The Green Lantern,’” he says. “Also, as the lantern’s black paint fades, you can see that it was once indeed green.”

In 2008, Hovey wanted to build a guest house where the Ye Olde Lantern signs were stored, and she contacted Arnold. “This long predated the Ignite Sign Art Museum, and I live in Dunbar Spring, a pretty hippie neighborhood that seemed unlikely to complain, so I said I would take them,” Arnold says.

“Cook and Company Signmakers craned the lantern and two large box signs into the backyard of our 1916 former Chinese grocery store, previously known as the Lim Poy Market and the Lim Nuey Market. They remain there today.”

Arnold is the artist whose Gateway Saguaro public art sculpture, fabricated by Cook and Company in 2010, is also on Miracle Mile, a few blocks from where Ye Olde Lantern once stood. He’s still working on his estate plan but has some ideas for the future of the Ye Olde Lantern signs. “When I go, they will go to Ignite—unless they can be restored in place someday.”

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

TOP NOTCH EQUIPMENT

FROM THE GROUND UP Sunstate’s rental equipment is reliable, durable, and deliverable.

No matter what your project is, our rental equipment and tools can get the job done right. In fact, when you’re on the job, so are we. With on-time delivery and pick up, 24/7 live, local field support, and ongoing communication, our team works hard to earn your trust — and that’s something we build on every day.

( 888 ) 456-4560 | SunstateEquip.com 28

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA People

THE IMPRESSIVE LEGACY OF BILL CONOVER AND BRANCO MACHINERY BILLY HORNER

“B

ill Conover was a hard worker who depended on the Lord every step of the way,” said Tom Angstead, pastor of Gilbert Bible Church in Tempe, to a large congregation honoring the memory of a longtime member of the Arizona construction industry. Bill had recently died at age 88.

“I admired Bill’s love and care for his family and his work ethic. I fondly remember his sense of humor and his joy-filled outlook on life. Bill leaves a legacy and an example of integrity and perseverance,” Angstead said about the man he had known for more than four decades.

Bill was born to Harold and Mary Conover in 1935 in Springfield, Ohio, and was raised on a 30-acre farm where his love for tractors and machinery began. He displayed his mechanical talents at an early age when a friend received a new Whizzer bicycle and sold his old Whizzer to him. Soon after, Bill’s father found the bike completely disassembled and said, “You took it apart and ruined it!” Harold saw the bike a few days later, but it was assembled and ready to ride. Impressing his father was a proud moment for Bill.

Bill attended Ohio State University for one year, studying pre-veterinarian medicine, but left college to work in the construction industry.

One day in his early 20’s, during the dead of winter in Ohio, he ventured out west for a spontaneous road trip with some of his buddies. They headed to California to check out some custom hotrod shops and stopped for a break in Phoenix, Arizona. As he was sitting on a park bench basking in the beautiful sunshine, he decided there and then it was time to make Arizona his permanent home.

In 1959, Bill moved to Arizona with his first wife, the late Connie Conover.

After three years, he became a journeyman operating engineer in the first Arizona Operating Engineers Apprentice Program.

Bill spent the next 17 years working for Isbell Construction Co. and two Caterpillar dealerships: Darr Equipment Co. in Dallas, Texas, and Empire Machinery Co. in Mesa, Arizona.

Bill particularly enjoyed his time at Isbell, a family-oriented company. He was honored with the “Apprentice of the Year” award and later became head mechanic, a position that allowed him to fly in the company plane to construction projects around the West.

In 1979, Bill launched Branco Machinery Company, which provides parts and services to heavy equipment contractors in the construction and mining industries.

Images Courtesy of Conover family

Above: Bill Conover on a John Deere tractor, 1999.

Top right: Bill Conover working at Isbell Construction, early 1960s.

Right: Bill Conover loading a John Deere tractors from an Iowa farm, 1999.

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

Dispatch: 602-278-7777 Main Office: 602-278-4444

rizona Materials

Locally Owned and Operated arizonamaterials.net

www.gentechusa.com

7901 N. 70th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85303 \ 800-625-8324 THIRTY

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

One of his early business decisions was to become a local dealer for JCB but later transitioned to selling wear parts for all makes and models of earthmoving equipment.

“Dad was frugal and at the time he moved the heavy steel cutting edges around with a backhoe, which proved cumbersome,” says Brad Conover, his son. “In his travels, he spotted an old model 680P Towmotor forklift abandoned in a weedy field at Western Machinery Co. and offered them $1,000 and delivery. They countered Bill’s offer at $1,030. Puzzled, Conover asked why the $30 dollars, and the man stated, ‘Delivery charge.’”

Bill rebuilt the forklift in his spare time and discovered the engine bell housing was missing. Six months later, he returned to the field with the seller and located the part. Bill first used the Towmoter forklift in the early 1980s, and it is still in operation at Branco Machinery.

Part of Branco Machinery’s success was Bill’s focus on customer service. “He believed in treating a customer fairly and

building a relationship with them,” Brad says. “He would never turn down someone who asked for something or asked him to do something. Even if it wasn’t convenient, he would be there.” The business is now in

CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA People

Images Courtesy of Conover family

its 45th year of operation, and Bill’s children and grandchildren are involved.

Away from work, Bill enjoyed outdoor activities, such as hunting, jeeping, and boating. He also had a lifelong admiration for John Deere tractors and began collecting them in later years. “My father was a calculated collector,” Brad says. If there were several variations of a particular machine, he needed every one. He was proud of his collection, but the hunt and find kept him going.”

Bill inspired many, and with his caring and outgoing personality, he enjoyed lifelong friendships. He leaves behind his loving wife of nearly 29 years, Linda Conover, two children, three stepchildren,13 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. “He would be most proud of his family and the legacy he helped build for Branco Machinery,” Logan Conover, his grandson, says. “It was those longtime relationships he held with the people in an industry he loved.”

Above: Bill Conover, with son Brad Conover (r-l).

Right: Bill Conover’s rebuilt Towmotor forklift, 2024.

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

VERMEERMOUNTAINWEST.COM/TRAINING

BRANTLEY GALLIMORE TRAFFIC CONTROL SERVICES

4950 W Watkins St

DBE/SBE Certified Contractor

Phoenix AZ, 85043 O. (623) 879-0610 I F. (623) 879-0611 E. BRANTLEY@METROTRAFFICCONTROL.NET

Jeff Martinez

(602) 622-6789

Jeff.martinez@rtunderground.com

AZROC 306671

LOOP 202

LOOP 101

PRICE

3RD ST.

SMITH

McCLINTOCK

RIO SALADO

UNIVERSITY

YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR ALL TOOL NEEDS •Tools and Accessories •Tool Repair •Family Owned and Operated 480-968-0123 www.FisherTools.com THIRTY TWO

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

LUKE M. SNELL, P.E.

T

wo basic aggregates are commonly used: natural and manufactured aggregates.

Natural Aggregates: Natural aggregates are mined or dredged from sand pits or deposits in current or ancient rivers. They are used with little processing and tend to be smooth. The rocks and sand have tumbled down the rivers for centuries, and their sharp edges have worn down before reaching the location where they are mined.

Natural aggregates present some challenges. Their smooth surfaces can hinder the bonding with cement, resulting in less strength than crushed aggregates with sharp edges and more exposed area for cement bonding. Additionally, natural aggregates mined from river deposits often contain silts and clays, which require washing to remove.

These materials have little strength and can further weaken the cement-aggregate bonding process.

Images Courtesy of Author

Natural aggregates offer many possibilities in concrete applications. They can be used to create an architectural concrete surface, adding color and texture, known as exposed aggregate concrete. There are numerous methods to achieve an appealing surface with natural aggregates. One approach involves removing the top surface with sandblasting or placing retarders on the surface and washing off the surface concrete pastes after the rest of the concrete has set. Another method is to place the concrete and then seed or embed the desired natural aggregates onto the surface during the finishing process.

When I lived in Illinois, I had a driveway and sidewalk with exposed aggregate concrete. The base concrete was typical grey concrete with reddish-colored exposed natural aggregates. Last year, I visited my old house and saw the driveway still intact, having survived over 30 years of some of the worst free-thaw conditions in the U.S. Manufactured aggregates: Manufactured aggregates, on the other hand, are

CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA Practices

AGGREGATES FOR CONCRETE PART 4: NATURAL VS MANUFACTURED

known for their durability. These aggregates, typically crushed from larger rocks in a quarry, have a rough surface that bonds well with cement, resulting in strong concrete. This strength is evident in their ability to withstand adverse conditions, making them a reliable choice for various concrete applications.

Manufactured aggregates must also be washed since the crushing activity will create fine dust, which will pass through a #200 sieve. If the aggregates are unwashed, this dust will cling to the aggregates and hinder the bonds between the aggregates and the cement. One simple test to determine if the manufactured aggregates have been washed is to pick up a handful of the aggregates. If your hands have a coating of dust on them after you drop the aggregates, it has yet to be washed or washed sufficiently.

On one project I worked on, the batch plant switched from a manufactured coarse aggregate to a natural coarse aggregate.

The compressive strength of the concrete immediately decreased by over 20 percent.

The batch plant had to add more cement to overcome this loss in concrete strength and deal with an unhappy long-term customer.

This change of aggregates proved expensive for the batch plant and inspired them to switch back to manufactured aggregates.

The critical lesson is that the aggregate used will impact the concrete’s beauty, its construction techniques, and cost. Creating a beautiful exposed aggregate driveway or patio will require carefully selecting suitable natural aggregates while maintaining the necessary strength and performance of the final concrete.

When producing regular concrete, the aggregate selection should be based on the overall cost of the concrete and ensure it provides the required performance and strength. Since the aggregate is not exposed, there is less concern with its appearance.

Image Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

Top: Aggregate operations.

Above: Natural aggregates.

Right: Masons expose pea gravel for an architect’s desired look, 1961.

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

S OA K IN T H E R E L AXAT I O N PROUDLY SERVING ARIZONA! CONTACT US (602)817-6929

www.calportland.com

EXPECT MORE ... WE DELIVER!

®

WEESSTATBLRISHOEDC199L4LC

• PRECISION FINE GRADING • ABC PLACEMENT AND FINISHING • EARTHWORK , ALL PHASES • MATERIAL IMPORT/EXPORT HANDLING • DRAINAGE EXCAVATION • FULL TOPCON OR TRIMBLE CAPABILITIES CONTACT TAYLOR WESTHOFF

480-550-1815

PTWESTHOFF@WESTROCLLC.COM 10031 E. DYNAMITE BLVD SUITE 135 SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85262 THIRTY FOUR

castlehotsprings.com | 844.276.8052 | Morristown, Arizona

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

MARIA KHOKHLOVA

A

s Arizona continues to experience robust growth, the pressures on the construction industry to innovate are mounting.

Aerial technology, once thought to be limited to capturing stunning visuals, is now at the forefront of a technological revolution in land development, reshaping project management, execution, and delivery across the state.

This shift is a huge step forward for the industry. It promises to disrupt traditional practices and pave the way for a more efficient and collaborative future while minimizing developers’ risks.

Addressing Arizona’s Unique Challenges Arizona’s construction industry faces distinctive challenges, such as fluctuating temperatures affecting work conditions and material integrity and a burgeoning population demanding rapid infrastructure and housing development. For example, Arizona’s population grew by 11.9 percent from 2010 to 2020, significantly increasing the demand for new housing and infrastructure projects. This growth requires efficient, cost-effective solutions that only innovative technologies can provide.

Images Courtesy of Author

Traditional construction management methods are inadequate to meet these needs. They are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and prone to errors, often leading to project delays and budget overruns.

However, with the introduction of aerial technology, such as drones, Arizona’s land developers and construction professionals can now capture detailed data and create accurate 3D models of construction sites.

This capability allows for precise measurement, enhanced planning, and better execution.

Transformative Impact of Aerial Technology in Arizona In Arizona, the adoption of aerial technology in residential construction management is changing the landscape. It replaces old, labor-intensive methods with precise, effective, and cost-efficient solutions. The technology provides real-time data sharing and streamlines stakeholder communication, reducing bottlenecks and improving overall efficiency.

For instance, detailed aerial data enables teams to track and quantify dirt movement to achieve site balance and manage risks proactively. It offers accuracy down to centimeters, empowering teams to make confident, data-driven decisions that minimize errors and optimize resource allocation.

Moreover, aerial technology significantly reduces the need for frequent drives to each project site, ensuring that projects progress according to plan without constant physical supervision. This capability saves time and reduces travel costs, enhancing overall efficiency even in populated areas.

Tech-Forward Leadership in Arizona’s Construction Sector Arizona’s land development leaders are increasingly recognizing aerial technology’s potential to revolutionize their operations.

By integrating this technology, they can

CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA Practices

REVOLUTIONIZING ARIZONA’S LAND DEVELOPMENT AND RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION WITH AERIAL TECHNOLOGY

expedite projects, promote accountability, empower teams, and enhance operational efficiencies.

Adopting aerial technology also reduces dependence on external consultants, fostering greater collaboration within project teams and bridging the gap between the field and the office. Access to precise, realtime data ensures alignment among all team members, creating a collaborative environment conducive to efficient project execution. Additionally, with the current shortage of land development managers, emerging aerial technologies enable teams to manage more projects with fewer resources, effectively addressing this industry challenge.

Maximizing Efficiency Through Aerial Technology Despite the common perception that the construction sector is slow to adopt technological advancements, Arizona’s industry leaders are proving otherwise.

They are embracing aerial technology, which helps avoid change orders, expedite projects, and significantly enhance efficiency—all crucial for maximizing profit margins in a competitive market.

The technology facilitates remote progress monitoring and precise measurements, improves project management, expedites timelines, and enhances overall efficiency.

These benefits are significant in Arizona, where the rapid pace of development and the unique environmental conditions present ongoing challenges.

The Future of Construction in Arizona: Aerial Technology at the Forefront Aerial technology is set to play a pivotal role in shaping Arizona’s construction industry, ensuring it remains efficient, cost-effective, and aligned with the community’s evolving needs. As the industry continues to grow, aerial technology will be crucial for maintaining a competitive edge in the dynamic landscape of residential construction and land development.

The transformative impact of aerial technology on Arizona land development and residential construction cannot be overstated. It offers a promising solution to the industry’s age-old challenges, making project management more streamlined and execution more precise. Looking towards the future, aerial technology is leading the charge toward a brighter, more innovative industry, ready to meet the demands of Arizona’s growing population and its associated infrastructure needs.

Maria Khokhlova is the co-founder and Chief Product Officer at TraceAir, the No.1 provider of construction site analysis and management solutions for land developers and homebuilders.

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

THIRTY SIX

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

“T

he Academy for Construction Excellence was formed based on a need here in our industry for quality training and leadership education,” says Jennifer Swanson, executive administrator for Small Giants Marketing. “For almost 40 years, our industry here in Phoenix has thrived because of the investment it’s made in education.”

Small Giants has introduced this ambitious educational program to meet the escalating demand for training in the construction industry. The Academy for Construction Excellence was meticulously crafted under the guidance of an advisory council boasting over 200 years of collective experience in all aspects of construction education. This planning ensures that the Academy is well-equipped to assist construction professionals in realizing their full potential through tailored training programs and expert guidance.

“The Academy for Construction Excellence brings together the best-of-the-best as far as industry leaders who have prioritized education,” says Danielle Feroleto, owner and president of Small Giants. “We reach companies that don’t have in-house training, those without other educational options, and those who need a wider spectrum of education.”

Feroleto adds that several forces impact the industry’s increased need for training: the current retirement rate of critical people in companies in the field and ownership/ leadership, the hiring of a new workforce to the construction industry, and the current rate of construction activity in Arizona.

According to the Registrar of Contractors data, there are 41,871 commercial contractors registered in Arizona and more than 240,000 skilled trades professionals working in the industry. The Academy was Above: The Advisory Board for the Academy for Construction Excellence at a launch event.

Below: Board members (l-r) Erica Lange, Michael J. Holden, and John Murdough.

Bottom right: Board member Anthony Jeffers (r) speaks during a program launch event.

Images Courtesy of Small Giants

ARIZCC.COM

created to offer these professionals educational program options, ranging from leadership and technical training and marketing to interview preparation and strategic planning for every role in the industry.

Feroleto, who has been offering training for construction professionals, as well as teaching at Arizona State University’s Del E. Webb School of Construction for more than 20 years, developed this dedicated program after multiple client requests and sharing their challenges with obtaining quality education.

“The demand on companies to keep up with training as they grow and scale is increasing, and even the resources available in-house and externally are not enough to train for the future,” she says. “The Academy offers a variety of topics already, but we are shaping the curriculum around the requests we get from companies.”

Initial class offerings include Holistic Succession Planning, Crafting Employee-Centric Education and Training Programs, Introduction to Planning and Scheduling, Cyber Liability, and AI for Construction. The Academy will also offer Leadership, Marketing and Business Development, and Superintendent and Project Manager training.

Each course at the Academy is facilitated by an industry expert knowledgeable about the class subject. Offerings are meant to serve every contractor size or existing

CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA Practices

SMALL GIANTS FILLS INDUSTRY GAP

BY LAUNCHING THE ACADEMY FOR CONSTRUCTION EXCELLENCE

company training. Customized in-house training, as well as scheduled open classes, are offered.

The advisory council for the Academy is comprised of: • Andrew Atkinson, Managing Partner and Certified Work Comp Advisor at INSURICA Southwest • Danielle Feroleto, Owner and President of Small Giants and an adjunct professor in the Del E. Webb School of Construction at ASU • Michael J. Holden, Founding Member at Holden Willits PLC • Anthony Jeffers, Director of Project Development at Hensel Phelps • Erica Lange, Training and Career Development Director at GCON, Inc. • Carol McMullen, retired industry educator and a member of the ASU Construction Advisory Committee • John Murdough, partner emeritus at Baker Tilly US • Jennifer Swanson, Executive Administrator/Special Projects at Small Giants.

Classes and seminars occur in the Small Giants Learning Lab, centrally located at 5555 East Van Buren Street in Phoenix.

The classes offer a hands-on setting where everyone is encouraged to participate. All attendees are welcome for the classes, seminars, and programs, regardless of client status, size, or specialty. For more information about the advisory council and the Academy, visit academyforconstructionexcellence.com.

“Right out of the gate, we’re bringing some outstanding topics to an industry that’s always hungry for it,” says Andrew Atkinson, managing partner at INSURICA Southwest. “There are a lot of things that excite me about the Academy. We have outstanding speakers who are so well-versed in their topics. I think it’s going to be successful from the get-go.”

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

BRANDON GALLIMORE

WWW.SUNLANDASPHALT.COM

602.323.2800

Land Surveying Services Construction Staking

7777 N 70TH AVE GLENDALE, AZ 85303

O. 623.466.6640 I F. 623.879.0611 C. 623.707.7067 I E. BRANDON@METROAZ.NET

CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE SERVICES » CRACK SEALING » SEALCOATING » ASPHALT REPAIRS » CHIP SEAL » MILLING/PULVERIZING

» PAVING & OVERLAYS » EARTHWORK & GRADING » UNDERGROUND UTILITIES » CONCRETE STRUCTURES/ FLATWORK

NEVER MISS OUT ON THE LATEST ISSUES DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS NOW AVAILABLE! SUBSCRIBE TODAY AT ISSUU.COM/ARIZCC.

YES, WE RENT THAT Efficient and affordable, our fleet of ride-on and walk-behind trenchers are ready to rent. Designed for versatility, our trenchers deliver fierce digging power helping you complete the job fast.

Rent from our growing fleet of 15+ premium brands!

1-800-RENT-CAT | CatRentalStore.com/Empire THIRTY EIGHT

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

ANGY STEINER

A

fter a decade of meticulous work, the new smoke alarm standards, as outlined in UL 217, Standard for Smoke Alarms, 8th Edition, have been crafted to address the challenges of modern construction materials and home furnishings. These factors, including synthetic materials and the prevalence of open floor plans and higher ceilings, have significantly reduced the average escape time from a home fire. The average escape time has plummeted from 10-15 minutes in the 1970s to a mere 1-2 minutes in today’s modern homes, as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reported.

The Evolution of the Standard for Smoke Alarms UL, a leader in facilitating the development of standards for smoke alarm performance for decades, partners with industry experts, regulators, and end users to ensure that advances in safety and technology are inherent and drive effectiveness.

These updates go back to 1976 when UL collaborated with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop the first standard for smoke alarms.

Homes today are, on average, 56 percent larger than homes built in 1970. They are made of synthetic materials, which burn hotter and faster than traditionally organic materials like feather-down, cotton, wool, and linen. High ceilings, open floor plans, and popular construction materials featured in many modern homes also contribute

to the faster spread of fire and declining escape times.

The 8th Edition is the result of several testing updates, bringing a significant upgrade to make alarms better suited for the modern home. This new standard, which is not optional, went into effect June 30, 2024, for all smoke and combination smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms manufacturers. Compliance is crucial, as UL 217 is cited in many building codes and state laws pertaining to smoke alarms for existing residential units.

Adapting to Modern Homes More than 200 technical changes have been incorporated into manufacturing to help better detect and warn of fires in homes built and furnished with modern construction materials. Most notably, three new fire tests have been added to the standards criteria – two polyurethane foam fire tests (smoldering and flaming) and a new cooking nuisance alarm test.

According to the NFPA, nuisance alarms are a leading reason for disconnected smoke alarms, and roughly three out of five fire deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarms or working smoke alarms. As reiterated by UL, disabling a smoke alarm could prove deadly, and standards matter when addressing this critical safety issue.

To enable manufacturers to create more responsive alarms that do not trigger unnecessary alerts while cooking, UL undertook a research initiative to gather data on smoke behavior during typical cooking scenarios.

This study resulted in the establishment of updated test criteria for evaluating nuisance alarms.

BRK has updated its entire lineup of smoke and combination smoke and CO alarms to meet these standards. BRK’s latest Precision Detection™ line features advanced sensing technology to detect smoke faster and provide early warning, allowing occupants more time to escape. They are also engineered to address agency requirements related to nuisance alarms, the often unwanted and non-emergency alarms that

CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA Practices

BRK INTRODUCES PRECISION DETECTION SMOKE ALARMS TO MEET CHANGING STANDARDS

Images Courtesy of Author

may be caused by non-fire cooking smoke or steam.

How the New Alarms Benefit Builders These Precision Detection alarms also include several models of 10-year sealed battery alarms, which are an ideal choice for builders. The BRK 10-year battery smoke alarm lineup offers hassle-free devices that are either hardwired with a 10-year battery backup or battery-powered with a 10-year sealed lithium battery.

These features eliminate the need for frequent battery replacements throughout the alarm’s lifespan, providing homeowners with a hands-off and worry-free experience.

For multifamily residences, installing 10-year battery alarms helps property managers protect the facility without managing battery replacements in each unit. Different models of BRK’s 10-year battery alarms feature various additional benefits, such as interconnecting capabilities, voice and location alerts, and visual warnings.

To make this transition as easy as possible on builders, BRK’s 8th Edition smoke and combination smoke and CO alarms will be readily available through well-established and strategically placed distributors.

Building a home is complicated, but choosing products that help protect what matters most is simple. For more information about BRK Precision Detection Alarms, visit brkelectronics.com.

Angy Steiner is the director of sales for the electrical division of Resideo Products & Solutions. Steiner has decades of experience serving the needs of professionals in the residential building industry, with a keen focus on fire safety and indoor air quality devices. You can reach her at angy.steiner@ resideo.com.

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

TRUCK PARTS IN STOCK IN GILBERT, AZ! All Construction Truck Part Needs: Water Trucks | Mechanics Trucks Dump Trucks | Flatbeds | Fuel & Lube Trucks Vacuum Trucks | Crash Attenuator Trucks

1145 W Gary Ave, Gilbert, AZ 85233

FORTY

SalesAZ@curryfluidpower.com

602-661-6596

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

THE NEED FOR CONSTRUCTION EDUCATION MATT DIBARA

F

ew industries stand as examples of progress and development, quite like construction. The construction trades built America, from new neighborhoods constructed to tackle the housing crisis to towering skyscrapers that stand as beacons of industry. However, despite the industry’s obvious significance, it faces a shortage of skilled, properly trained professionals equipped to take on constantly evolving work.

According to recent studies, the construction industry will need to hire an additional 501,000 workers in addition to the usual number hired per year to keep pace with the demand. The construction trade, to meet this labor demand, needs a greater focus on education and skill development. A push for more education in the construction industry could address several issues that plague the space, making development, housing, and industry innovation difficult.

Education can also help improve the workforce that is already in place through continued skill-building. Here are a few of the challenges the industry is grappling with that could be directly addressed with education: Labor Shortage The construction industry is facing a labor shortage that could spell disaster for future development, especially with the great need for housing nationwide. Due to retirement, job dissatisfaction, or other reasons, an estimated 1.9 million construction workers will leave their jobs in 2024 — leaving a gaping hole in a workforce that is already struggling with retention. Skilled craftsmen, engineers, and project managers are needed to keep the work going. With comprehensive education programs, workers can be trained to fill these roles, creating a steady supply of reliable and qualified ARIZCC.COM

professionals to meet the significant needs of the industry.

Safety and Compliance In 2020, nearly half of all OSHA inspections on construction projects found violations. Construction can be one of the most dangerous jobs, and construction sites are inherently hazardous environments.

Ensuring worker safety is paramount, and safety training and education on the importance of regulation compliance are required.

Education can be crucial in promoting adherence to construction regulations and safety protocols. With this education, new and seasoned workers can learn how to avoid risk and potentially deadly accidents.

Modern Technology In our digital age, technological advancements inform everything, even in an age-old industry such as construction. Education can help workers learn new tech skills, such as augmented reality on job sites, drone usage, or digital twin technology. Learning these new skills can help construction employees grow their careers and stay ahead of industry trends, making them more employable.

Craftsmanship standards It is often said that “they don’t build ‘em like they used to.” This quote applies to homes, commercial buildings, bridges, and roads. While construction has changed over the years, with fads coming and going, craftsmanship standards remain essential to most. Continued education can help construction workers build and maintain those critical standards, so in 50 years, the construction workers of that generation can say, “They don’t build ‘em like they used to!”— and mean it.

Sustainability Environmental sustainability may seem like a buzzword, but there is growing awareness of this issue in construction. There is increased pressure on the construction industry to maintain sustainable practices, use sustainable materials, and utilize

CONSTRUCTION AROUND ARIZONA Practices

Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

Above left: Masonry Guild apprentice program at the Scottsdale Community Center, 1960.

Above: Apprentice training for Local 570 IBEW in Tucson, late 1950s.

renewable energy systems. Education in green building techniques and renewable energy can help construction professionals minimize their environmental impact.

Efficiency To deliver projects on time (and on budget), people need to be trained in effective project management. Construction management methodologies change as much as construction trends, and continued education is necessary to stay on top of the latest in workflows, standard practices, and communication techniques. Better project outcomes can be achieved with skilled and trained project management professionals on the job.

Education Is necessary to see progress and innovation in the construction space. The complexities of urbanization, technology, and sustainability demand a highly skilled and trained workforce ready to tackle the industry’s new challenges. With the labor shortage looming large over the entire industry, a robust education system may hold the key to rescuing an industry that has traversed some problematic roads in the past few years.

Investing in education is not only an immediate need, but it will serve to preserve the construction industry’s future.

By nurturing a skilled workforce, we can move toward a future with more building innovation, necessary development, and possible solutions to ongoing housing crises. The need for education in the construction space is evident as we look ahead.

It can help lay the foundation for a future of innovation, sustainability, and excellence, driving progress for the industry nationwide and globally.

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

3

PUBLIC ONLINE AUCTIONS HELD MONTHLY PREVIEW EVERY MONDAY - FRIDAY 7AM-4PM CONSIGNMENTS WELCOME Western Sales Management 1616 S 67th Ave Phoenix, AZ 85043

42

623-936-3300 wsmauctioneers.com info@wsmauctioneers.com

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

DCS Contracting: PAVING ITS WAY TO 30 YEARS

W

hen the late Douglas (Mack) Standifird set out to start his own construction company, he relied on his relationships, integrity, and a lot of hard work. These traits had served Mack well during his early career, when he started and ran other successful businesses. Seeking a new challenge, Mack surrounded himself with trusted partners and launched DCS Contracting, Inc. (DCS) in 1993. Officially incorporated on June 22, 1994, DCS has since become one of Arizona’s leading locally owned heavy civil contracting firms.

“DCS began as a collective of friends and family who enjoyed collaborating,” said Brandon Byrne, the current President and General Manager for DCS and the eldest son of one of the original partners, Marty Byrne. “They were eager to establish a company founded on mutual values, unwavering trust, and high-quality workmanship in heavy civil construction.”

These friends and family created a company involved in many notable Phoenix projects and are poised to continue growing as the Valley expands across the Sonoran Desert. For 30 years, DCS has served as a trusted partner on projects large and small. To understand how DCS became one of Arizona’s most respected heavy civil contractors, let’s look back on their journey.

THE EARLY YEARS

A

fter starting DCS in November 1993 in Mesa, Mack brought on his son, Wade, as owner/operator and Tom

DCSCONTRACTING.COM

DCS founders Marty Byrne, Tom Sizer, and Wade Standifird (left to right) stand with their first purchase of a brand new excavator.

Sizer as an accountant. Wade’s first hire was Eleuterio Maldonado, affectionately known as Mr. T, as a laborer/grade checker. These hires proved successful, as both Sizer and Mr. T remained with DCS. Sizer served as Controller, and Mr. T took on the role of Field Operations Manager.

Shortly afterward, Mack’s son-in-law Marty Byrne, a 10-year heavy civil construction veteran, joined the team to bid and manage projects. Mack, Marty, and Wade officially incorporated the company in June 1994, starting with only a few employees. Their focus was on small grading, paving, and underground utility projects. The initial equipment fleet included a 140G Motor Grader/ Blade, a 950E Loader, an End Dump, a CASE Backhoe, a Cat 613 Scraper, a Water Tower, a Water Truck, and a couple of pickup trucks. The first year was spent building relationships with general contractors and residential developers, completing small commercial and residential jobs. They ended 1994 with $1 million in revenue.

As DCS grew, maintaining company culture was crucial. Mack, Marty, and Wade had worked for large contractors before, where being an employee felt

more like being a number than part of a team with common goals and ethics. This belief was continuously practiced, allowing DCS to retain its workforce and clients.

In 1998, a milestone year for DCS, Mack retired, and Tom Sizer became a part owner. That year also marked DCS’s first major multi-year project: constructing the DC Ranch community in Scottsdale for DMB Associates. The DC Ranch site, located in the McDowell Mountains, posed many constructability challenges, providing a great sense of accomplishment upon completion. The scope of work included rock excavation, blasting, grading, paving, concrete, dry utilities, and water, sewer, and storm drain installation. DCS worked on DC Ranch projects for nearly 10 years until most of the community’s land was developed.

140G Blade prepping fill areas on a site at DC Ranch in the early days.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

of Milestone Projects N

City of Surprise

60

303

Verrado DMB went west to Buckeye and another master-planned community nestled against the White Tank Mountains. Verrado is an 8,800-acre development and DCS was a part of the original construction team transforming the site. DCS attributes its prior successful work and collaboration with DMB and Kitchell at DC Ranch that helped to open the door for heavy civil construction needed at Verrado.

DCS expanded its resume and into alternative delivery method projects when they won a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) project with the City of Surprise.

“We were thrilled when the city saw the value DCS’ infrastructure experience could bring to the Waddell Road improvements project,” said DCS Chief Estimator Matthew Byrne.

51 101

202

“Before working at DC Ranch, we did small projects for residential developments, such as 10 to 20-lot subdivisions and 2- or 3-acre commercial sites,” said Matthew Byrne, current Vice President and Chief Estimator at DCS and second eldest son of Marty Byrne.

“Working at DC Ranch with DMB and Kitchell was a significant steppingstone to larger, single-family residential work, leading to consistent projects.”

During a housing boom in the Valley, DCS’s ongoing work at DC Ranch led to calls from several other developers and builders. In the first two years, DCS established itself as a trusted partner capable of self-performing multiple trades on a project and delivering highquality results.

The rapidly growing company outgrew its initial office in Mesa and moved into FORTY FOUR

a 1,500-square-foot office in Chandler in 1996, renting an equipment yard in Gilbert.

The company purchased its first excavator, a Komatsu PC220 from Road Machinery & Supplies Co., that year. In 1997, two Case 590SL Loader Backhoes were acquired from Bingham Equipment Company.

DCS took another growth step by acquiring bonding to bid on public and private projects across the Valley in 1998. By the early 2000s, DCS made its largest equipment purchase to date with a Caterpillar 365B Excavator. This was followed by acquiring an 8-acre property in South Chandler from Chandler Ginning Co. The former cotton gin was transformed into the new DCS equipment yard, complete with a shop and storage facilities. DCS also renovated the old Scale House, built in 1955, into office space for its staff. This 2,000-square-foot

“

It was a significant event whenever a piece of equipment was bought, whether new or used. I remember when a new machine was purchased; my father (Marty) would have it delivered to our house. My brothers and I would admire it as my dad put the DCS decals on it himself.”

- Matthew Byrne

DCS CONTRACTING 1994- 2024

Established in 1994, DCS Contracting started as a grading and paving contractor with a 140 Blade and 950E Loader.

Since those humble beginnings 30 years ago, DCS has diversified its core services and added substantially to its fleet inventory – all while working on several marquee projects that have shaped our community.

DC Ranch Located in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains, DC Ranch spans 4,400 acres and is a unique master-planned community developed by DMB Associates. DCS was brought on this project by Kitchell to perform rock excavation, build roads and install water and sewer lines. DCS was involved with DC Ranch for more than a decade and the relationships developed then would set the stage for future residential community work.

101

Eastmark Eastmark is a 3,200-acre master-planned community in Mesa with more than 15,000 residential units. Managed by Brookfield Residential, DCS has completed eight contracts totaling $50 million in the last 12 years, including major arterial and single trade parcel improvements.

202

60

202

60

Town of Queen Creek DCS has completed six projects within the Town of Queen Creek in the last five years. Projects include Riggs Road, Rittenhouse Road (2022 APWA Project of the Year), Queen Creek Road, Meridian Road, Ocotillo Road, and Meridian Road/State Route 24. office served DCS employees through 2018 and again in 2022 as the team continued to expand.

Marty’s sons, Brandon and Matthew, joined DCS while attending Arizona State University and came on board full-time upon graduation. From a young age, both brothers learned the ins and outs of construction in the field. During their college years, they gained valuable experience in the trades and understood what it takes to be valued by clients and co-workers alike.

TURNING WEST

A

fter a decade of successful work at DC Ranch, DMB approached DCS about constructing a new master-planned community in the West Valley called Verrado. The site

DCSCONTRACTING.COM

Superstition Vistas Located near the Superstition Mountains in Apache Junction, Superstition Vistas is a new 2,783-acre development with two developers, D.R. Horton and Brookfield Residential. DCS has played a key role in the design phase and completing construction of utility and roadway CFD work totaling $60 million.

characteristics at Verrado were similar to those of DC Ranch. DCS provided plan review, constructability review, and budgets for the development. Once the project began, DCS performed singletrade and community facilities district (CFD) improvements and turn-key lot development as a general contractor.

In the mid-2000s, the Valley’s housing market was booming, making it challenging to find subcontractors for certain trades—particularly concrete.

So, in 2005, DCS began self-performing concrete work and purchased a Gomaco Commander III from Empire Machinery (known today as Empire Southwest).

As market share increased and building activity grew, the early 2000s’ fever pitch gave way to the Great Recession of 20082012. Like most firms in the construction market, DCS was hit hard. The firm

experienced layoffs, and remaining employees took pay cuts to keep the company operational.

“We saw significant downsizing and restructuring during that time,” said Brandon. “We shifted focus to public works and had significant success, completing projects for local municipalities.”

In 2009, DCS was awarded a roadway and utility reconstruction project on Southern Avenue from 19th Avenue to 27th Avenue for the City of Phoenix. This project helped sustain the firm early in the recession. Following that project, DCS won the Higley and Frye Road Improvements, a roadway widening project for the Town of Gilbert. In late 2010, DCS undertook another project for the Town of Gilbert—a full road reconstruction of Queen Creek Road from Val Vista Drive to Higley Road.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

“These projects were pivotal for DCS; they marked our entry into larger public works projects,” said Brandon.

AFTER THE STORM

A

s the recession waned and singlefamily residential construction slowly rebounded, new clients— home builders, developers, and construction management firms—began recognizing DCS’s value in analyzing sites that had foreclosed during construction.

The DCS team inspected unfinished improvements for all scopes and used their expertise to develop project scopes and budgets to address deficiencies in existing improvements, enabling sites to be completed and homebuilding to continue.

DCS recognizes Eleuterio Maldonado (Mr. T, center) for his remarkable 30 years of service with the company. Mr. T joined DCS as a laborer/grade checker in 1994, and today he oversees all field operations. His hard work grit, and loyalty have truly made a significant impact on those he’s worked with, including current DCS President and General Manager Brandon Byrne (left) and Vice President and Chief Estimator Matthew Byrne (right).

With many developers and home builders having limited resources and expertise in land teams, DCS offered clients the option to rehabilitate existing sites as either a general contractor or subcontractor for a single trade. During this period, DCS also began focusing on commercial sites with challenging and extensive offsite improvements.

DCS’s Legacy:

As the market recovered, DCS collaborated with ASU’s Del E. Webb School of Construction to offer students valuable construction experience to support their career development. DCS recognized the importance of combining education with real-world experience and a strong work ethic. Many students excelled while working at DCS and transitioned to full-time employees, benefiting the company by engaging students early in their education.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Wade’s son Wes joined DCS in 2013.

Similar to Brandon and Matthew, Wes worked in the field to gain the experience and knowledge required for a career in the industry.

DCS celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2014. In 2016, the company began finalizing plans to build a new two-story office building adjacent to its existing office and equipment yard. These plans, started before the recession, were put on hold due to anticipated shifts in the construction market.

Groundbreaking for the new office began in 2016, and by June 2017, the construction was over 80% complete.

However, a fire destroyed the materials FORTY SIX

Matthew Byrne, Brandon Byrne and Wes Standifird

and work that had been done. After a year of insurance delays, DCS opened the new office building at 11535 E. Germann Road in June 2018.

EYE ON THE FUTURE

I

n recent years, DCS has achieved its goal of expanding its client base in both public and private markets, utilizing

negotiated, low/hard bid, Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR), and job order contracting (JOC) delivery methods.

“As DCS looks to the future, we recognize that many talented individuals are retiring from the industry,” said Brandon.

“It’s crucial that our team members receive training and mentoring to grow with us and the industry. This will be a key step for DCS in continuing to grow while maintaining our culture.”

Now with 225 team members and over 150 pieces of owned equipment, DCS continues to provide integrated heavy civil construction services while staying true to its core values of teamwork, integrity, and safety.

DCS CONTRACTING 1994- 2024

Back When

TEMPE’S TWANGY RIVERBOTTOM ROADHOUSE DOUGLAS TOWNE

W

hen JD’s, a nightclub on Scottsdale Road near the Salt River in Tempe, opened in 1964, it changed the Valley’s musical landscape.

JD’s, named after its owner, James David Musil, featured live country upstairs and rock and roll music downstairs. The venue helped launch the career of genre-breaking Waylon Jennings.

West Texas-bred Jennings’s musical career included performing in Buddy Holly’s band and fortuitously giving up his seat in Holly’s chartered plane that crashed in an Iowa cornfield in 1959. Jennings moved to Arizona in 1961 and worked as a disc jockey and musician, eventually performing with his band, The Waylors, at JD’s. He recorded the album Waylon at JD’s, which started him on his road to stardom. Despite the title, the lp was not recorded live at the club but at Arizona Recorders in Phoenix. Nevertheless, the album was initially sold only at JD’s.

“Waylon had quite a following at JD’s and liked signing autographs and talking to

Waylon Jennings and Mac, the singing bartender (r-l) at JD’s, 1965.

Image Courtesy ARIZCC.COM of Arizona Contractor & Community

the fans on and off the stage,” music historian John P. Dixon recalls. “I enjoyed that he played all kinds of music, not just country, in his own style.”

Disenchanted with Nashville’s commercial sound, Jennings carved a niche for himself with his outlaw country style.

His career reached new heights when he formed the super group The Highwaymen with his friends Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson. Jennings, who was married to country singer Jessi Colter, Image Courtesy of Rouge Columnist left an indelible mark on the music industry before his passing in 2002.

JD’s outdoor sign would also gain fame.

Glen Guyett, the art director for MyersLeiber Sign Company in Phoenix, designed it. “I feel the use of scintillating lights, a large grid of red neon, and the plastic spheres effectively carries the gaiety of the night club atmosphere,” he told Signs of the Times The nightclub continued under various magazine. “I also think the use of the tall names until 1978 and has been inducted individual pylon is indicative of a trend to into the Arizona Music & Entertainment this type of sign design.”

Hall of Fame.

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

48

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

A THE “KRAZY”

STORY OF KOKO: ONE OF PHOENIX’S “HOTTEST” NIGHTCLUBS

BILLY HORNER

lthough it occurred in 1957, Ed Chilleen can still recall the blaze that destroyed the original KoKo Club like it was yesterday. Chilleen, who much later owned the Satisfied Frog restaurant in Cave Creek, had the parking concession at the time at the Clown’s Den nightclub at the Arizona Manor, located across the street from KoKo at 2401 East Camelback Road.

“It was close to 1 a.m. when the kid working with me and I smelled and saw smoke coming from the building,” Chilleen says. “I told him to go into the front desk at the Arizona Manor and have them call the fire department. It didn’t burn all the way down, but they still had to raze it and build a new nightclub.”

This fire wouldn’t be the last disaster the KoKo Club suffered. By 1959, the Phoenix restaurant and cocktail lounge, which was graced by entertainers including Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis Jr., and Ella Fitzgerald, had hosted its last performance. Today, the site of this entertainment hotspot at the southeast corner of Camelback and 24th Street has been redeveloped as The Esplanade Phoenix. Although KoKo and its successor clubs lasted an unlucky 13 years, they boast a star-studded history.

The KoKo story begins with Fred and Muriel Kirchof, who operated the Wishbone restaurant at 16th Street and Camelback from 1944-47. They also owned the Kiami Lodge in Scottsdale when, in 1951, they had a vision to create a swank restaurant and nightclub.

The couple turned to Robert “Bob” Haver, a California-based general contractor,

Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

Left: The Mills Brothers headline at KoKo, 1959.

Above: KoKo restaurant advertisement, 1951.

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

Left: A dinner cooked for William Goodheart Jr. (front right) by KoKo Chef Ted Fio, 1959.

Above: Advertisement thanking contractors who helped built KoKo, 1951.

Below: North African-themed interior of KoKo, 1959.

Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

FIFTY

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

Above: Promoting Zsa Zsa Gabor at KoKo, 1959.

Right: Gabor rehearses with fellow performers at KoKo, 1959.

Below: KoKo restaurant, 1955.

to build a nightspot called KoKo. Robert was the brother of famous Phoenix architect Ralph Haver, whose creations are celebrated by mid-century historian Alison King of ModernPhoenix.net. Ralph was the architect responsible for KoKo, while Bob constructed it. Demolition crews razed the Chevron gas station on the property before work could start on the Kirchhof’s new endeavor.

As a side note, after the construction of KoKo, Bob Haver moved to Phoenix in 1953

Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

and shared an office at 207 East Camelback Road with his brother. Tragically, while on a visit to California in 1956, Bob died from injuries suffered in a traffic accident.

According to legend, KoKo means “better food” in Arabic. Ralph Haver’s 3,000-square-foot design resembled one of his famous mid-century houses, with concrete block walls and a Bermuda-slope roof. The interior featured exposed ceiling beams with board and batten wall sections. The nightclub had a hardwood parquet dancefloor. According to Arizona Builder and Contractor magazine, pumice “stacked” block walls were decorated with murals painted by local Western artist John Skolle. There was parking on two sides of the venue; Arizona Sand & Rock Co. performed the grading and paving.

When it opened in December 1951, KoKo featured entertainer Ernest Johnson. The menu offered classics such as filet mignon, lamb chops, lobster, shrimp, and frog legs, served with soup and salad.

The Kirchofs operated KoKo for three years until they sold the business to two New Yorkers, Sol Tropp and Everett Brookshire, successful Times Square restaurant and club owners. Interestingly, according to The Arizona Republic, the two initially met each other in Phoenix. The sale included the restaurant equipment and a long-term building lease.

The club hosted a six-night-a-week, one-hour radio program broadcast from KONI in Downtown Phoenix. Marv Stevens was master of ceremonies for the new show, “Life at KoKo,” which featured live ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

and recorded music and interviews. The nightclub flourished, hosting popular entertainers until the fire that Chilleen witnessed destroyed the business in August 1957.

Once again, architect Ralph Haver was called upon to design a nightclub at the site, working with Tropp’s vision. Local contractor Chanen Construction expedited the project

by working around the clock, including Sundays, so that the business could reopen by winter. The new space was geared more toward entertainment, with Tropp updating the name to KoKo Theater Restaurant with the tagline, “Gayest Spot in Arizona.”

Tropp held a grand opening on December 6, 1957, featuring singer Tony Martin in

the new 300-seat venue with a redesigned bandstand for a 16-piece orchestra. A run

by Dean Martin (no relation) soon followed at KoKo. Comedian Jerry Lewis was a frequent headliner at KoKo, and the Republic noted that he performed for a total of 9,000 people during his extended run. Lewis, Dean Martin’s former stage partner, purchased a 50 percent share of the nightclub in 1958. But the comedian’s star power didn’t impress everyone. “We had the parking concession at the new KoKo, and yes, Jerry Lewis owned part of the club,” Chilleen says. “He [Lewis] was not a pleasant person. I saw him eating dinner before a show, and his manners were lacking, to say the least.”

The Republic listed other bookings, including the Andrews Sisters, Pearl Bailey, Tony Bennett, Spike Jones, the Ink Spots, George Jessel, Lily Saint Cry, and Frank Sinatra. By 1959, Zsa Zsa Gabor appeared regularly, singing and doing sketches with Jimmy Komack.

But the fun ended in November 1959 when KoKo closed and was purchased by a Scottsdale real estate firm. Republic entertainment reporter Jack Curtis noted that Tropp had asked Lewis earlier in June to put additional money into the club for operating expenses, with Lewis stating, “Nothing doing.” Lewis then bowed out.

The nightclub reopened as The Embers featuring Rudy Vallee for a 10-night run under new operator Max Penton in January 1960. Penton, a local entertainer and chef, also owned the Safari Hotel in Scottsdale. He linked up with Phoenix homebuilder Ralph Staggs to create the nightclub. Staggs, however, abandoned the venue by year’s end.

For nearly two years, The Embers neon sign remained unlit. Finally, in late 1963, Tucson entrepreneur Art Leonard reopened it as Art Leonard’s. But by February 1964, it had closed again for the last time. In 1965, the building was demolished, and the site was redeveloped for retail space.

Top: The Embers for lease at 24th Street and Camelback Road, 1961.

Above: Advertisement for Art Leonard’s, 1964.

Right: The former KoKo building, located near a citrus orchard, is demolished, 1965.

FIFTY TWO

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

YOUR TRUSTED EXPERTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS

HAVE AN EMERGENCY? CALL 1-888-4-SPILL-4

24/7 EMERGENCY RESPONSE REMEDIATION • DEMOLITION EMERGENCYENV.COM • 480-809-4687 • SALES@EMERGENCYENV.COM

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

HERB’S UNDERGROUND:

FINDING THE PERFECT BEAT AS PHOENIX’S FIRST DISCO DOUGLAS TOWNE

A

s the Age of Aquarius dawned in Phoenix, a tough-talking, 50-something Chi-town native named Herb Lieb exposed the city to the latest entertainment phenomenon: disco. His trendsetting club came alive at the end of the workday with the unfurling of a “Herb’s Underground” banner over a mid-town parking garage sign. Shown the path to “get down,” revelers descended through the garage to the lower-level nightclub to boogie to pulsating rhythms spun by disc jockeys at Phoenix’s first discotheque.

The disco became a massive success, with Lieb serving as the club’s consummate host and ringmaster. “Herb had a great personality and was a fabulous promoter,” attorney Jerry Lewkowitz recalls. “With his mischievous humor, it was always a fun time with him.”

“My father loved the whole idea of owning a club, even though he lacked experience in the business,” his son, real estate agent Bobby Lieb, says. “But he was single, knew many people in the city, and wasn’t afraid to take a chance.”

That entrepreneurial epiphany came about during a vacation in France, which Lieb had visited before, but under very different circumstances.

Lieb grew up in a tough westside Chicago neighborhood. He joined the Army during World War II and took part in the D-Day landings in Normandy. “My father

didn’t talk about it much, but he saw many friends die on the beach that day,” Bobby Lieb says.

After the war, Lieb married Sharon Nessel and worked managing retail stores. The couple had two sons, Bobby and Michael, before divorcing. Lieb relocated to Phoenix in 1964 and partnered with Geri Kagel in Kagel’s, a fashionable ladies’ clothing store in the old Park Central Mall on Central and Osborn.

Making a success of himself in the Phoenix retail scene, Lieb returned to France as a tourist. It was on this trip that he first observed the popularity of the “discotheque,” a brasher, flashier version of the traditional music club, with a DJ instead of live music and more liberated sexual protocols.

Inspired by the country’s astrological fascination at the time, Lieb, an Aquarius, launched the zodiac-themed Herb’s Underground in the lower level of the Greyhound

Left: Herb Lieb and his brother, Charlie (r-l), during World War II. Above: Herb’s Underground ad, 1971.

Tower under the sign of Taurus on May 15, 1971. The disco featured a multi-colored astrological wheel with blinking lights illuminating it from behind and the 12 zodiac signs over the circular bar.

Lieb brought in Rat Packer Peter Lawford from Los Angeles for opening night, who told The Arizona Republic he’d be “happy to aid the opening night psychedelics.” Lawford was a friend of David Stevens, the club’s interior designer. The nightclub launch warranted mention in Billboard magazine as Phoenix joined heavyweights New York and Los Angeles in the embryonic disco world. The playlist included Top 40 dance tunes, especially by Motown artists, interspersed with songs by Lieb’s favorite singers, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.

The club’s concealed, pop-up-like location in a parking garage gave it a funky vibe.

At 5 p.m., a banner for Herb’s Underground

Below: Herb Lieb at Kagel’s ladies’ clothing store in Park Central Mall, 1966.

Images Courtesy of Lieb family

FIFTY FOUR

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

Images Courtesy of Lieb family

was draped over the garage sign of the Rosenzweig Center, now part of Phoenix City Square at Central and Clarendon avenues. Herb’s Underground was open seven days a week, at 11 a.m. on weekdays and 5 p.m. on weekends, but the banner wouldn’t go up until the end of the workday.

The disco became a hit, but not without an initial off-key note. Lieb hired his good friend, Valley radio personality Bill Heywood, as the club’s disc jockey. “They were

such disco novices that it took them a few nights to realize they needed two turntables at the club,” Bobby Lieb says with a laugh.

In a Republic article in 1971, Lieb was described as a stereotypical ‘70s bon vivant: a divorced bachelor who enjoyed dancing, having fun, and keeping a youthful outlook.

“I felt that the young, sophisticated people in the Phoenix area needed a fun ‘in’ spot,” Lieb told the newspaper. “I’m grateful I was right.”

Above: The astrologically themed Herb’s Underground in the lower level of the Greyhound Tower, 1971.

Being the nightclub’s host fit Lieb’s personality. “He wasn’t into the music so much as he enjoyed having pretty ladies around,” says author Eileen Bailey. “He liked women, even into his 90s.”

The popular nightclub frequently met its 192-person capacity, necessitating a

Above and right: The Jockey Club in at 20th Street and Camelback Road.

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

Images Courtesy of Lieb family

Above: Bob Sikora and Glen Campbell (l-r) help Herb Lieb celebrate his 60th birthday at the Jockey Club in 1980.

Above right: Herb Lieb at the Jockey Club at 20th Street and Camelback Road.

cover charge on Friday and Saturday nights.

“Herb attracted lots of females to his nightclub through his ladies clothing stores, which then brought in the men,” says Bob Sikora, founder of the Bobby McGee’s and Bobby Q restaurants, and Bobby Q restaurants, who befriended Lieb and frequented the disco.

Many regulars were Lieb’s friends, including some with alleged mob connections. “He grew up in the streets of Chicago and knew some gangsters that he remained friends with throughout his life,” says Bobby Lieb. “They probably weren’t the safest guys to be around, but my father wasn’t afraid of anything. That’s why he opened Phoenix’s first disco and then, later, a private club.”

Herb’s Underground featured complimentary food catered by Scottsdale’s Stan’s Deli. The traditional meaty grub attracted some who were not into the disco scene.

“The club had the best spreads around,” says a former patron, who wished to remain

FIFTY SIX

anonymous. “We didn’t fit in with the polyester crowd wearing our Wranglers, boots, and hats, but the food was worth it.”

“We won’t earn a penny from that food,” Lieb told the Republic in 1971. “Of course, if any customers care to have a midday eye-opener or early cocktail hour….”

Such promotions propelled the club’s popularity. “A lot of people who run nightclubs get hung up on the small stuff, but Herb figured out the business and kept the big picture in mind,” adds Lewkowitz, a former Phoenix City Council member.

The disco was welcoming regardless of your astrological sign – or skin color. “Herb encouraged integration at his nightclub,” Bailey says. “It wasn’t about being politically correct; it was about bringing in money.”

NBA teams staying across the street at Del Webb’s Townhouse Hotel stopped by after games. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar almost hit his head on the disco’s low ceiling while dancing at the basement club after his Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Phoenix Suns in 1971.

“When I first came to Phoenix, Herb’s Underground was the only place where people of color could go and not feel threatened

or get thrown out,” Marcus Wright, a Phoenix radio personality, said in a 1995 Phoenix New Times article.

The late evenings eventually took a toll on Bill Heywood, who couldn’t get much sleep hanging out with Lieb, a night owl.

“Bill would DJ until 1 a.m., have breakfast with my dad at the Singing Canary on Camelback, and then go on the air two hours later,” Bobby Lieb says. “Bill said, ’Your father beat me up with the hours!’”

The success of Herb’s Underground proved to be its downfall. Lieb eventually bought out his partners and sold the nightclub in 1974 to the Del Webb Corporation, which closed the place. “It was a conservative environment, and the building’s management didn’t want the headaches associated with a nightclub,” Bobby Lieb says.

Lieb subsequently opened the Jockey Club in 1976 at 20th Street and Camelback Road, Phoenix’s first private nightclub.

The discotheque supper club featured a backgammon room and upscale furnishings, including a $12,500 stairway from the Hobart mansion in Beverly Hills and a $4,500 chandelier from a church in Boston.

He sold the club in 1985 and reopened at another location in Uptown Plaza in 1989.

Lieb retired from the nightclub business in 1995.

But Lieb’s first disco set the tone for many that would follow in the Valley. Sikora, who included discos in his successful Bobby McGee’s restaurants, gave Lieb credit for the concept. “I honored my best friend by always having a table reserved for him in each of my restaurants around the country,” Sikora says. He was a very special soul.”

Lieb died in 2011 at age 91, and more than 275 people attended his funeral. “My dad was a tough guy, but there wasn’t anything that he would not do for a friend,” his son says. Including the Hustle.

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

RINGSIDE HARMONY:

WORLD BOXING CHAMPION TONY DEMARCO’S PIANO LOUNGE DOUGLAS TOWNE

M

essing with the bartender is seldom a good idea, especially when the guy mixing cocktails happens to have been an illustrious prizefighter with a legendary left hook. But patrons of Tony DeMarco’s piano bar, the Living Room Lounge, had nothing to fear from the renowned welterweight. For almost 15 years, DeMarco hosted at his nightclub, creating an atmosphere of joy and camaraderie that lived up to its motto, “Where Good People Meet.”

Opened in 1968 on the southeast corner of Camelback Road and 40th Street, DeMarco capitalized on his fighting fame and sports connections to make the lounge a happening place. Musicians performed nightly, usually on piano, with customers often crooning along. His championship belt and photographs posing with luminaries like Ted Williams and Tony Bennett decorated the interior.

Running a nightspot is no easy feat, but it was a natural fit for DeMarco. His affable personality and celebrity status drew people in, making the Living Room Lounge

popular. However, life has a way of throwing punches, and DeMarco was no stranger to that. He had weathered brutal blows in the ring, mob issues, and health problems.

Yet, it was a family tragedy that tested the champ and his lounge, knocking the wind out of both.

Tony DeMarco was born in 1932 as Leonardo Liotta or “Nardo” to a blue-collar Italian family in Boston’s North End neighborhood. He discovered his pugilistic passion as a youth on a visit to the local boys’ club. “From the age of 12, when I started boxing, I fantasized about someday being the World Champion. Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would come to fruition,” DeMarco writes in his 2011 autobiography, Nardo: Memoirs of a Boxing Champion.

By age 15, DeMarco’s considerable athletic talent had outgrown the club boxing circuit. Not content to languish three years waiting to be old enough for an amateur license, he jump-started his fighting career by borrowing the baptismal record of his older friend, Tony DeMarco. Sporting a new name, DeMarco triumphantly entered the amateur ranks by scoring a second-round knockout. He continued ratcheting up victories, including three in one night when he won his bout – and two others – as a last-minute substitute fighter.

His professional debut came the following year with a first-round knockout of Meteor Jones before 8,000 fans at the Boston Garden in 1948. DeMarco’s fledgling boxing career had an erratic start due to bad management from his trainer, a New Jersey mobster. The crime connection made it problematic for DeMarco to sever the relationship. He was ready to quit the ring when a New England mob boss bought his contract.

With his boxing career renewed, DeMarco won his 1953 comeback fight and reeled off seven consecutive victories. “It didn’t take me long to get my competitive Images Courtesy of Author

Above: Tony DeMarco outside his Living Room Lounge, 1968.

Right: Tony DeMarco at the jukebox of his Living Room Lounge, 1968.

FIFTY EIGHT

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

Images Courtesy of Author

juices flowing again,” DeMarco writes. “I’m talking about that emotional high that came from aggressive training and the knowledge that I was in the best possible condition.”

Holding a 45-6 record, DeMarco took on titleholder Johnny Saxton on April 1, 1955, at the Boston Garden. “The pressure was unbelievable, but I honestly felt in my head that I would not be denied,” DeMarco said in an interview in 2013. And he was not – winning with a 14th-round technical knockout (TKO) that forever changed his world.

The new welterweight champion was honored with a parade in Boston,

presented a personalized “TKO” Massachusetts license plate, and appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. In his first title defense, however, DeMarco lost to Carmen Basilio in a 12th-round TKO on June 10, 1955. An epic rematch six months later, which The Ring magazine named the “fight of the year,” resulted in another tough defeat. But the charismatic boxer’s popularity didn’t wane.

Even Bob Hope stopped by to crack jokes with him.

A huge boxing draw in New England, DeMarco continued to fight, although he was never able to regain the championship,

hindered in part by a blood sugar deficiency.

He retired in 1962 with a record of 58-12-1.

“The desire was gone; it was time to move on,” DeMarco writes.

The scrappy fighter had a soft side, though, as evidenced when he moved to Phoenix in 1963 because his son, Vincent, had asthma. He worked as a liquor salesman for five years but eventually was drawn to a related vocation. DeMarco purchased the struggling Silver Poodle Cocktail Lounge in the Arcadia neighborhood. “I had plans to develop the place into a sophisticated nightspot, not as glamorous as what you

Above: The former Living Room Lounge is now U-Haul of Arcadia, featuring a mural and plaque honoring Tony DeMarco, 2012.

Right: Tony DeMarco taping whis hands in preparation for a fight, 1955.

Below: Tony DeMarco after winning the world welterweight championship in 1955.

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

Left: Tony DeMarco at the unveiling of his statue in Boston’s North End, 2021.

might experience in Las Vegas, but it would be a classy local lounge with live music,” he writes. “The place needed a new identity, and Tony DeMarco’s Living Room Lounge was born.”

Buzz about the champ’s lair spread.

“The jukebox would be going until 8 p.m. when the live musical entertainment started,” DeMarco said in an interview in 2013. The neighborhood watering hole attracted stars like country singer Charlie Pride, who belted out a few tunes when he came in. “We had a lot of regulars; a few couples who met there even went on to get

married,” he said. “The bar never had any major fights, just a few heated arguments. I think my world championship welterweight belt displayed behind the cash register cooled off any explosive situations.”

The piano bar also became a Beantown hangout. The Boston Celtics coach, Tom Heinsohn, and announcer, Johnny Most, stopped by when their team was in Phoenix. “Tony Conigliaro, a star for the Red Sox, came by and loved to sing. If he had not chosen baseball, he could have had a career in show business as a lounge singer,” DeMarco claims.

Business abruptly dropped off, however, when nearby road construction made it challenging for barflies to reach the nightclub. That’s when DeMarco’s friend helped out. “Sonny King, who once was Jimmy Durante’s partner, visited from Las Vegas for an engagement at the Playboy Club,” DeMarco recalls. “After each of his Playboy Club shows, King came to perform at the Living Room Lounge. People flocked in to see him, which helped get the place over a rough spot.”

Tragedy later struck DeMarco in 1975 when his son, Vincent, then 14, died after being hit by a car while riding his bike. It

was a roundhouse punch that flattened the former titleholder, putting his life in disarray and eventually costing him his marriage.

DeMarco’s heart was broken, and his business suffered. “I was in the Living Room Lounge one Saturday afternoon in the early 1980s, and the place was pretty dead,” longtime Valley resident Frank Corkhill says.

“The bar seemed a bit outdated, but it was still a nice place to have a beer.”

DeMarco sold the nightclub in 1982 and moved back to Boston to become a Massachusetts House of Representatives officer.

The well-loved former champ was honored in his hometown with a street renamed for him and a statue. “Tony’s life is an inspiration to many,” his co-author Ellen Zappala says, summing up the affection felt for DeMarco.

In 2021, the Boston brawler died at age 89.

A bit of the champ, however, remains in the Valley. The west-facing wall of the U-Haul store that now occupies his former piano bar is adorned with a historic plaque and a colossal image of Tony DeMarco in his boxing prime, ready to battle. “My wife, Dottie, and I were visiting Phoenix a few years ago and saw it much to our amazement,” DeMarco said in 2013. “U-Haul never contacted me about it. I was really touched by the gesture.”

PHOENIX | TUCSON | FLAGSTAFF CRANES • MACHINERY MOVING • HEAVY HAUL

SWIRUSA.COM

ve o M e W ! t s e w h t The Sou

24/7 ON CALL SERVICE

SIXTY

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

Images Courtesy of Author

ONE LOCATION, 22 BUSINESSES: O.H.S.O. AND LITTLE O’S OPEN IN SUNNYSLOPE ED DOBBINS

A

new Outrageous Homebrewer’s Social Outpost Brewery, better known as O.H.S.O.’s, opened along the Arizona Canal in Sunnyslope this March. It is the seventh location for the Phoenix group and the first to combine O.H.S.O.’s and its breakfast partner, Little O’s, in the same building. The site along the Arizona Canal at Central Avenue is well suited to meet the developers’ goals of creating a bike-friendly establishment designed to become part of the fabric of the local community. The 1.3acre triangular wedge of land with views of the Phoenix Mountains has been a local gathering and entertainment spot for over a century.

The land on which O.H.S.O. and Little O’s now stand has a rich history. It was once part of W. R. Norton’s 1905 homestead and a short distance from his original 1911 Sunnyslope subdivision, separated only by the canal. In 1918, Ed Worcester opened The

Arbor, a desert oasis for nighttime dancing, at the ‘end of the road.’ His neighbor was the prestigious Phoenix Country Club until 1921 when they relocated their golf course and clubhouse to its current location at Seventh Street and Thomas Road.

The 1920s and 1930s were trying times along the north side of the canal beset by an influx of health seekers suffering from tuberculosis, followed by the Great Depression.

The land was owned during these decades

by Anna Wasielewski and her son R. Stanley.

Her other son, Victor F., headed the family’s A. F. Wasielewski Construction Company while Anna and Stanley ran a variety of businesses next to the canal that ranged from a grocery store to a food buffet to cottage rentals. In the early 1950s, Stanley fulfilled a long-held wish by opening a playhouse theatre featuring performances by the local Desert Players of Sunnyslope.

After briefly renting his theatre for use

as a jazz club managed by architect Charles Terry, Wasielewski sold the property in 1956, and the triangle began its run as a restaurant/bar/lounge location that continues to this day. O.H.S.O.’s is the 22nd eatery on the premises since that time. Restaurants on the site have met with varying success and survived for periods ranging from three months to 13 years. Most have emphasized the dining experience over drink and entertainment, but a few were nightclubs that also served food. Several cuisines have been offered over the years in keeping with changing tastes.

Jockey Dave Erb opened the first steakhouse at the old Arbor in 1957 and called it Erbyderby’s after the nickname given to him by fellow jockeys. Erb, who lived in Phoenix when he was in grade school, used the money he earned from his winning ride in the 1956 Kentucky Derby to purchase Wasielewski’s land. Converting the property into a restaurant and nightclub required remodeling the main buildings. This task was undertaken by architect W. Z. Smith who is best known for designing the Stewart Motor Company building on Central Avenue that later became Circle Records.

Erb hired his brother-in-law Darrell Brooks to manage the restaurant as his jockey career required him to be out of town during the long racing season. The partnership did not go well. A little more than a Image Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

Top left: The Arbor, 1956.

Top right: Dave Erb atop Needles, who won the Kentucky Derby in 1956.

Right: Yancey’s Restaurant, 1960.

Below: Erbyderby under construction, 1957.

SIXTY TWO

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

year after opening, Erb was racing at Churchill Downs in Kentucky when he heard that the restaurant was having problems. He returned to town, found Brooks “drinking at work with customers,” fired his brotherin-law, and sold the restaurant.

The club was acquired by local chef turned restauranteur Jim Yancey, who added his name to the Erbyderby’s marquee before changing it a year later to simply Yancy’s.

The chef had 20 years of experience in the business and claimed to have broiled over one million steaks. Yancy’s was succeeded by Swift’s in 1961, which continued the sports connection at the restaurant.

Co-owner Bill Swift was a prize fight manager whose clients included Zora Folley, the popular heavyweight from Chandler who fought Muhammed Ali in a title bout a decade later.

Each of the five restaurants that followed Swift’s contained “Arbor” in its title to connect with the area’s past and appeal to the loyalty of neighborhood residents. The term was originally a reference to the overgrowth of trees that once covered the site and the local name for the triangle prior to the opening of Erbyderby’s. Offerings at the new restaurants remained steakhouse fare until Tony Ammaccapane opened Rafael’s Arbor in 1970. A native of Italy who previously owned a restaurant in New York City, Ammaccapane enjoyed a successful nine years serving authentic Italian cuisine. The times were not without their difficulties, however, as a flood in 1972 and fire in 1976

caused significant damage and interruption of business.

To date, “Top of Central’s” 13-year run from 1982 to 1995 has been the longest for any restaurant at this location. The venue was acclaimed locally as having excellent service and atmosphere at reasonable prices. Blueprints detailing construction prior to the opening indicate a large extension to the north half of the building was added at this time to serve as a bar and lounge. The plans also show the name selected for the restaurant before it opened was “End of Central.”

In the mid-1990s, businesses at the site took a dramatic turn from restaurant to nightclub, a change that was not welcomed by the residents of the neighborhood. The main attraction at Paris After Dark was not food but the “Follies After Dark” weekend cabaret, which showcased entertainment by female impersonators. A year later, Mystique, a self-acclaimed “upscale and classy” nightclub whose late hours kept neighbors awake, closed after only three months when the Phoenix planning department concluded that the business was not in compliance with the property’s zoning.

For three years, the site went unoccupied while neighbors, Phoenix government

Images Courtesy of Author

officials, and the landowner wrangled over reinstating a commercial zoning permit for the property. George Nackard, who owned the location when it was Top of Central and reacquired the land after Mystique failed, opened the Bridle Path Steakhouse and Cameo Parlor Saloon in January 2000. Over the next two decades, five more casual dining and bar businesses did their part to attract locals to the canal at Central. The most recent occupant, Spoke and Wheel, catered to two-wheel traffic on the canal from lunch through evenings.

O.H.S.O.’s addition of Little O’s with its 7:00 a.m. opening for early morning breakfast and brunch promises to be popular with the sunrise crowd of canal walkers and bikers. Among the many improvements to the premises are an enlarged patio and a new south entrance. The Sunnyslope Historical Society, itself a unique community treasure, was consulted in the creation of the locally themed interior that includes a timeline of the history of the building’s location and the Sunnyslope area.

Welcome Outrageous Homebrewer’s Social Outpost Brewery and Little O’s to Sunnyslope!

Top left: Bridle Path Steakhouse advertisement, 2000.

Top right: Calico Cow, 2006.

Left: Artist’s rendering of OHSO. Below: OHSO interior featuring the history of the site, 2024.

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

r er ims ei sp s u m B L U E L I N E E n tLeor p o ra low r sit 4 7 5 1 N H a y fi e l ddD C a m p Ve rd e , A Z 8a6m 3 2e2t , c o n s e c ur w w w. b l u e l i n e ro c kg r i z z l y .tceotm

For more information call: 928-308-1901

HAVE AN IDEA FOR A CONSTRUCTION OR HISTORY ARTICLE? CONTACT US: BILLY HORNER, PUBLISHER: BILLY@ARIZCC.COM DOUGLAS TOWNE, EDITOR: DOUGLAS@ARIZCC.COM VISIT US ONLINE AT: WWW.ARIZCC.COM

MADCO RENTALS

ARIZONA’S NEWEST WATER TRUCK RENTAL FLEET 4,000 Gallon Water Trucks | Skid Steers Rentals

We are here to bust the dust Give us a call today!

480.280.0364 madcorentals.com

By Appointment Only 704 W Happy Valley Rd, Phoenix AZ 85085 SIXTY FOUR

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

ASPHALT BUSTERS

Asphalt Pulverizing

Setting the standard for soil stabilization and asphalt pulverization Experienced—over 30 years as a leader in our industry.

Lime Slurry Soil Stabilization Focused—soil stabilization and asphalt pulverizing are our only business.

Cost Effective—our knowledge of the specialized requirements of our region ensure the best possible job at the fairest price.

Cement Soil Stabilization

AZ ROC 327820 A

For a bid on your next project, call Kim Crenshaw at 623-936-8800. Visit us online at asphaltbusters.com.

Demanding Jobs Demand Kubota!

SVL75-3

• 74.3 Gross HP,† 4-Cylinder Turbocharged Kubota Diesel Engine • Powerful Breakout Force

$

SCL1000

• 24.8 Gross HP† Kubota Diesel Engine • 1000 lbs. ROC with 15 gpm Auxiliary Hydraulic Flow

KX033-4

• 24.8 Gross HP† Kubota Diesel Engine • Optional Hydraulic Angle Blade • Deluxe Suspension Seat

0 DOWn, 0 % A.P.R. FINANCING FOR UP TO 48 MONTHS ON SELECT NEW KUBOTAS! * BUCKEYE CASA GRANDE COTTONWOOD LAKESIDE MESA PARKER PHOENIX PRESCOTT VALLEY TUCSON YUMA

BinghamEquipment.com

*$0 Down, 0% A.P.R. financing for up to 48 months on purchases of select new Kubota K008, KX, U, and SVL Series equipment from participating dealers’ in stock inventory is available to qualified purchasers through Kubota Credit Corporation, U.S.A.; subject to credit approval. Example: 48 monthly payments of $20.83 per $1,000 financed. Some exceptions apply. Terms subject to change. Offers expire 09/30/2024. This material is for descriptive purposes only. Kubota disclaims all representations and warranties, express or implied, or any liability from the use of this material. For more information, see Dealer or go to KubotaUSA.com. † For complete warranty, safety and product information, consult your local Kubota dealer and the product operator’s manual. Power (HP/KW) and other specifications are based on various standards or recommended practices. K1048-24-151125-3

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

CRAWFORD TRACTOR TO COPPER STATE: 50 YEARS OF AN ARIZONA EQUIPMENT COMPANY BILLY HORNER

S

ince the inception of Arizona Contractor & Community 13 years ago, we have hinted to Larry Cox about the possibility of a Copper State Equipment Company article for the magazine. Always, with a chuckle, Cox steered away from the topic. In 2023, ACC tried its luck again, proposing to Cox that we do a history of the equipment companies that preceded Copper State so the contracting community could see the company’s entire timeline.

Cox finally acquiesced and helped us tell this fascinating history.

The story began in 1935 when the Crawford Tractor Company, based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, applied for a business license to the Arizona Corporation Commission.

Later that year, Crawford opened a Caterpillar dealership at 138 South First Avenue in Phoenix. Crawford soon won an Arizona Highway Department bid at $4,320 for a motor grader or blade over other SIXTY SIX

local bidders, Brown-Bevis Co. and Neil B. McGinnis.

Crawford added the John Deere Plow Company line in 1936. In addition to heavy road machinery, the company opened farm-oriented stores in Mesa, Coolidge, and Buckeye. Crawford also acquired the Arizona Implement Company, a building directly south of their Phoenix facility along Madison Street.

Despite Crawford’s vast expansion, in 1940, they announced a $150,000 sale of all assets to a new firm, State Tractor & Equipment Company. State Tractor would continue as the dealer for Caterpillar, John Deere Plow, and LeTourneau at 815 East Jefferson Street. Roy Robinson, the company’s president, had distributed Caterpillar products in Missoula, Montana, for 11 years.

State Tractor absorbed all of Crawford’s 37 employees. “We have elected to invest our capital and business effort in Arizona

Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor

& Community

Above: Crawford Tractor Co. machinery show advertisement, 1937.

Top: A semi-trailer truck belonging to contractor W.E. Orr picking up a Caterpillar D8 1H model bulldozer at Crawford Tractor Co., 1939.

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

because we believe completely and confidently that opportunities are greater here than anywhere else,” Robinson said in a 1940 article in The Arizona Republic. He welcomed local equipment owners to “come in and get acquainted.”

In 1941, State Tractor held its first equipment show, where patrons could

view movies about diesel-powered equipment manufactured and distributed by Caterpillar and John Deere. Crawford had held a similar event in 1937. Attendees at the State Tractor event were greeted by an employee and presented with a small souvenir badge shaped like a tractor. According to the Republic article, an exhibit on how Top: State Tractor & Equipment Co., 1941.

Above: State Tractor & Equipment Co. logo, 1937.

Left: Copper State Tractor advertisement for International TD-25 bulldozer, 1962.

Below: Copper State Equipment Co.’s facility in Tempe, 1974.

ARIZCC.COM

a diesel engine worked included a fine oil spray over an alcohol flame, which demonstrated the combustibility of the fuel.

State Tractor distributed additional manufacturing lines nationwide, including Construction Machinery Company (CMC), Athey, Gardner-Denver, Lorain, and the Euclid line. State Tractor enlarged its Phoenix facility to handle the increased business, modernizing its repair and machine shop.

Robinson announced in a March 1949 press release that the company would occupy a new building at 407 South 17th Avenue in Phoenix.

Copper State Tractor Company purchased State Tractor in 1958 and took over the 407 South 17th Avenue location. The company acquired the International Harvester and Hough heavy road building, construction, and mining equipment lines.

Copper State officers were R. L. Zeidler, president; W. H. Shawver, secretary; James

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

Cox says. “I consulted with them on paving equipment and paving technology.”

Slade told Arizona Contractor & Community in the Fall 2014 issue, “Copper State was so adamant about us buying this machine that their sales rep at the time was playing racquetball with one of the guys at General Electric Finance,” he said. “During their game, he kept egging him on to finance us. When General Electric called us in, they wanted to know if we were serious and that they were going to decelerate our payments. And I didn’t know what decelerate meant. You’ll get four years to pay this Left: Ray Brown, an operator for Tanner Bros., by his roller with Copper State Tractor logo in Holbrook, 1959.

Above: Copper State Equipment logo, 1988.

Below: Back lot of Copper State’s Tempe equipment yard, 1974.

Below left: Leon Slade’s modified ski design for Roadrunner Paving equipment, which he fabricated in Copper State Equipment’s machine shop, 1980.

Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

Bohling, treasurer; and State Tractor’s Roy Robinson, who became the board chairman.

Raymond Harrison soon purchased Copper State Tractor in 1960 and added the Galion Company to their dealer line in 1963.

International Harvester and Hough products were profitable for Copper State Tractor, but the company lost both lines in 1974.

Harrison then purchased used Caterpillar equipment from Hawthorne, a California dealer, to rent to Arizona contractors.

Fresh out of the military, Larry Cox applied to Copper State in 1972 without experience, and was hired by the firm’s sales manager, Gary Cox (no relation). Cox excelled as an outside sales rep, learning the business from Gary Cox. Concurrently, Copper State left its 17th Avenue location and built a new facility at 2323 West University in Tempe.

Harrison saw the potential in Larry Cox and moved him around the state to familiarize him with the company’s customers.

In late 1974, Cox became Copper State’s sales manager, which included working to obtain new equipment lines and negotiating contracts with manufacturers. Copper State had multiple accounts, including Bros SIXTY EIGHT

Equipment, Hyster, Dynapac, Blaw-Knox, Pittman, and Peerless.

Copper State focused on machinery rental instead of sales and purchased equipment directly from manufacturers. To gain market share in the rental market, Copper State purchased Ace-Aerco Rentals in 1977, a company dealing in smaller machinery.

Most of the Ace-Aerco employees and lines stayed in the acquisition. Copper State built two additional locations in the East Valley and Tucson.

When Elmo Chesley and Leon Slade started Arizona Custom Paving in 1978, Cox sold them their first Blaw-Knox PF-120 laydown machine and two new Hyster rollers. “Leon and Elmo were great friends,” SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

machine off, and your payment for the first year is $4,000 a month! Do you think that wasn’t scary going down the road? I used to ride down the freeway, grab the steering wheel, and wonder if I could stay in business for four years.”

Cox furthered his relationship with the paving firm, assisting with their logo and letterhead. Slade also recalled that Copper State let him use its machine shop to modify equipment.

In 1976, Cox became president of Copper State, with Harrison serving as acting chairman. “We had great relationships with all Arizona governmental operations, especially Maricopa County, Tanner Companies, United Metro, W.R. Skousen, George Whitman, M.M. Sundt, and many others, including copper mines around the state,” Cox says.

Copper State was sold to Williams Southwest Inc., a subsidiary of W.W. Williams, in 1988, but the company retained Ace-Aerco’s rental division. Ace-Aerco was purchased by a contractor in Seattle, Washington, in 1991.

Harrison retired, but Cox moved to Las Vegas, where he consulted and worked with rental companies from 1991-1996. Cox then returned to Arizona and took a position at Sunstate Equipment Co. Cox still holds a position with the firm and is currently Vice President of Government Affairs & Community Engagement.

PacWest RENTALS

HEAVY EQUIPMENT RENTALS AND SALES Locally Owned & Operated Articulated Dump Trucks · Dozers · Excavators · Scrapers Motor Graders (grade control available) · Wheel Loaders Water Wagons · Water Trucks · Fuel & Lube Trucks Mechanics Trucks · Stand Tanks · Water Pumps · Compactors

James Bagshaw

Rental Account Manager jbagshaw@pacwestrentals.com

602-723-6838

Justin Peterson

Rental Account Manager jpeterson@pacwestrentals.com

Tyler Denton

480-737-4885

President tdenton@pacwestrentals.com

Mike Rayala

602-541-3633

Field / Shop Supervisor mrayala@pacwetrentals.com

480-710-9358

Bill Masters

Director of Service bmasters@pacwetrentals.com

480-684-4470

1339 West San Pedro Street, Gilbert AZ 85233

www.pacwestrentals.com Phone: 480-832-0855

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

SALUTING ARIZONA’S BUILDERS: EDWARD EARL DOUGLAS TOWNE

I

f there had been a mid-century competition to name “Mr. Tucson,” Edward O. Earl would have been a contender for the title. He held some impressive positions between his arrival in the Old Pueblo in 1945 at age 50 and his death in 1969.

Earl served as president of the Tucson Airport Authority and the Arizona Chapter of American General Contractors, director of the Tucson Chamber of Commerce, the Tucson Sunshine Climate Club, the Tucson Industrial Development Board, and the Bank of Tucson. He was named to numerous boards, including the Tucson branch of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, St. Mary’s Hospital Lay Advisory Council, Old Pueblo Club, Tucson Country Club, and the Catalina Yacht Club.

But perhaps most importantly to the city, Earl operated San Xavier Rock & Sand Co. in Tucson for more than two decades during the city’s massive growth after World War II. The California native started in the construction industry with Link-Belt Commercial Co. in Los Angeles. He later went to work for his uncles, the Oswald Brothers, who were construction and highway contractors with projects throughout the Southwest, including Arizona.

Like so many mid-century contractors, the onset of America’s involvement

70

in World War II brought Earl to Phoenix in 1941 to oversee the construction of military facilities. Oswald Bros. was one of six contractors pulled together for the war effort in an entity called Arizona Constructors. The other companies were Pearson & Dickerson, J.A. Casson, Lee Moor, Phoenix Tempe Stone, and Arizona Sand & Rock. Arizona Constructors built the Navajo Army Depot in Bellemont and Marana Army Air Field.

In late 1941, Earl became a partner in a merger that included Pearson & Dickerson, Oswald Bros., and J.A. Casson, called PDOC. The company expanded Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson and built Dateland Army Airfield west of Gila Bend.

Earl moved to Tucson in 1945 and gained a controlling interest in PDOC two years later, which he reorganized into San Xavier Rock & Sand Co. The company was located on 11 acres at 601 West 22nd Street, where a roundhouse formerly used for servicing locomotives for the El Paso & Southwestern Railroad served as the circular office.

San Xavier performed contracting work but expanded to become a significant materials supplier for southern Arizona. The company operated three readymix concrete plants, an

Above: J.R. Snider and Edward Earl (l-r) display a $50,000 check for the Joint Hospital Drive, 1957.

Below: San Xavier Rock & Sand ready-mix truck, pouring curb and gutter along Interstate 19, 1964.

Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

aggregate plant, and a scoria basalt mine near Douglas. According to an article in the Arizona Daily Star in 1966, its products included ready-mix concrete, building blocks, sand and rock, Lite-Wate Building Blocks, and specialized floor and roofing materials.

The contracting division built many Tucson facilities, including the Midway Drive-In Theatre, which opened with an 850-car capacity in 1948. The venue operated for 31 years.

In 1952, San Xavier teamed up with Del Webb to construct a two-mile-long runway so U.S. Air Force Boeing B-47 Stratojets

could land at Tucson Municipal Airport.

According to Arizona Builder & Contractor, the runway was the longest municipal airport west of the Mississippi River. It could handle the newest commercial airliners, such as the Douglas DC-7.

San Xavier constructed Arizona’s first cloverleaf interchange at U.S. Highways 80 and 89 in 1954. This transportation achievement landed them on the cover of Arizona Builder & Contractor.

In 1966, the company had about 100 employees when Earl sold the materials division to Union Rock & Materials Corp. of Phoenix for almost $1 million.

Earl retained San Xavier’s contracting division and renamed it the E.O. Earl Contracting Co. The company operated only briefly because of Earl’s failing health. In 1967, the firm built an 866-foot-long bridge connecting the Tucson-Nogales and Patagonia highways at the north end of Nogales.

The concrete box girder bridge was the longest in southern Arizona, spanning Nogales Wash and the Southern Pacific railroad tracks.

Two years later, in 1969, Earl died from cancer at age 74. Tucson benefited from his successful business enterprises and generous community participation.

Top: San Xavier Rock & Sand Caterpillar D8 bulldozer pushing a Caterpillar DW-10 scraper south of Tucson, 1963.

Right: San Xavier Rock & Sand aggregate operations for a project on Irvington Road in Tucson, 1963.

Below: Edward Earl and his wife, Madelon (r-l), at an AGC gathering in the 1950s.

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

535 N 51ST AVE PHOENIX, AZ 85043

PARTS - SALES - SERVICE

FULL SERVICE SHOP PARKING AND STORAGE TRAILER SALES PARTS AND REPAIR

(602)415-0222 Superstition Trailers in Phoenix, AZ, have mechanics specializing in heavy and light trucks, trailers, and semi equipment.

We are trained to handle everything from oil changes and engine rebuilds to delicate aluminum welding.

Our shop is open late and on Saturdays.

We are your one-stop truck and trailer shop!

JOBSITE TECHNOLOGY ASK US ABOUT › Trimble Grade Control Systems › Paving Solutions › GPS & Total Stations

› Site Hardware › UAV › Support, Repair & Training

SITECH SOUTHWEST 602-691-7501 | sitechsw.com 1835 S. MACDONALD DR. STE 101 | MESA, AZ 85210

SEVENTY TWO

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

PREMIER LUBRICANT & FUEL DISTRIBUTOR SERVING ARIZONA & SOUTHERN NEVADA

USED OIL RECOVERY SERVICES

ARIZCC.COM

602-759-5559 | NEWWESTOIL.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

OLD SCHOOL EQUIPMENT: INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER PAY SCRAPER BILLY HORNER

D

uring the early 1960s, Tanner Bros.

Construction Co., a Phoenix contractor, embraced the cutting-edge performance of the 295 Pay Scraper line, a testament to the innovative manufacturing by the International Harvester Company. The company harnessed the power of these scrapers on numerous projects, including State Route 260 between Heber and Show Low, Phoenix Municipal Stadium, Interstate 40 west of Holbrook, Interstate 10 near

74

Casa Grande, and the Bee-Line Highway (State Route 87) at Shea Boulevard.

Advertisements for the 295 Pay Scraper

by Arizona dealers Ronstadt Hardware Co. in Tucson and Copper State Tractor Co. in Phoenix initially appeared in 1959. However, contractor J.D. Coggins first demonstrated the new scraper line to the public on Interstate 25, north of Albuquerque.

As stated in a 1959 International advertisement, the 2-axle Pay Scraper featured a

375-horsepower DT-817 six-cylinder power plant and a 4-speed powershift transmission, with speeds up to 32 mph.

Operators effortlessly maneuvered the 150,000-pound loaded units using an exclusive International rack-and-pinion design and tandem pump steering system.

The 3-degree forward spindle pitch was a unique feature that prevented operators from experiencing ‘nose-downs’ on sharp turns. The heavy machine could be slowed down with ease, thanks to the big air brakes on the drive and trailing wheels. For precise full-load control down steep grades, International implemented its own ‘Torqmatic’ power brake setup.

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

Above: Copper State Tractor advertisement for the International 295 Pay Scraper, 1960.

Below: An International 295 Pay Scraper moving earth on a Tanner Bros. project, 1964.

Right: Transmission replacement on a 295 in New Zealand, 1970s.

Bottom right: A Tanner Bros. maintenance truck services an International 295 Pay Scraper, 1960s.

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

SEVENTY SIX

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

BUILDING ON THE PAST

1962 – PHOENIX MUNICIPAL STADIUM BILLY HORNER

T

he San Francisco Giants made headlines in 1962 when they narrowly lost to their former cross-city rivals, the New York Yankees, in the World Series. The seven-game series was determined in the final out when, with two men on base, Willie McCovey’s line drive was caught, preserving New York’s one-run victory.

That same year, plans were launched for a new spring training site for the Giants in Phoenix. The City of Phoenix decided to move on from the original Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The first facility opened south of downtown at Central and Mohave Streets in 1936. It first hosted spring training for the New York Giants in 1947 and continued after the team moved to San Francisco in 1958.

78

On June 4, 1962, the city selected Papago Park to construct the new Phoenix Municipal Stadium, which was designed by local architects Guirey, Srnka & Arnold. Tanner Bros. Construction Co. won a $148,000 contract to transform a former gravel pit at the southeast corner of Van Buren Street and Priest Drive into a stadium site. The site’s challenging terrain required Tanner Bros. to use Euclid push scrapers, Caterpillar and International bulldozers, International pay scrapers, and International TD25 and TD30 bulldozers. Tanner Bros. procured all the machines from Copper State Tractor, Inc. The company’s primary summer task involved excavating, relocating, and compacting 220,000 cubic yards of material.

Crews under Project Superintendent Willis Smith and General Superintendent Carl Jacobson encountered dense rock formations to the east and north of the site, which required the use of rock drills and blasting using Apache Powder. The explosions were controlled for a minimum shock because of the nearby Salt River Project building.

By November, Tanner Bros. had completed the sitework phase with a final budget of $224,724. Under separate contracts, Tanner Bros. Metro Rock division supplied aggregates for the park’s grandstands and parking areas, ensuring timely completion for the opening spring training game between the Giants and Cleveland Indians on March 8, 1964. Willie Mays christened the stadium by hitting the first home run at the park.

The stadium was last used for spring training in 2014, and since 2015 has been the home field for the Arizona State University baseball team.

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

Left: Tanner Bros’ TD30 bulldozer moving earth during construction of the new Phoenix Municipal Stadium, 1962.

Above: Copper State Tractor advertising Tanner Bros. International equipment at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, 1963.

Right: Tanner Bros’ TD25 bulldozer moving earth during construction of the new Phoenix Municipal Stadium, 1962.

Below right: San Francisco Giants baseball players at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, 1964.

Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

CONSTRUCTION AND LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT RENTAL SPECIALISTS EARTH MOVERS Backhoes, Mini Excavators, Excavators, Wheel Loaders, Skip Loaders, Skid Steers, Motor Graders, Trenchers AERIAL EQUIPMENT Telehandlers, Boom Lifts, Scissor Lifts WATER EQUIPMENT Water Towers, 500 Gallon Water Wagons, 2000 Gallon Water Trucks, Hurricane Pumps TRAILERS Dump Trailers, Equipment Trailers

FORREST EQUIPMENT RENTALS BRIAN COLLINS

Vice President of Sales 602-620-2383

bcollins@forrestequipmentrentals.com

MANNY UCHIDA

Branch Manager 602-831-8000

info@forrestequipmentrentals.com

16835 W OLIVE AVE, WADDELL, AZ 85355 |

TUC (520) 822-8333

MAINTENANCE Chippers, Sod Cutters, Stump Grinders, Backpack Blowers CONSTRUCTION Compressors, Jumping Jack’s, Plate Tampers, Concrete Saws, Rollers ELECTRICAL Generators, Light Towers

FORRESTEQUIPMENTRENTALS.COM

PHX (602) 368-8797

TUCSON & PHOENIX LONG DISTANCE & LOCAL EIGHTY

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

602.282.4007 Marrsconstruction.com

Utilities Private / Municipal

Earth Work / Excavation

Paving

Marrsconstruction.com ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

I

n recent years, Michael Bowen Defiel, AIA, name has kept popping up and is associated with some respectable and creative buildings. This future architect was born on February 1, 1929, in St. Paul, Minnesota. From 1944 to c.1947, he attended Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault, Minnesota, an Episcopal mission school and seminary and a college preparatory boarding and day school for 6 to 12 grades.

He married Kathryn McRae in 1952, but it is unclear whether she passed away or they divorced, as his obituary notes that his wife’s name was Mary. He had three sons, Michael, Ross, and John, who attended Scottsdale High School.

During the late 1950s, he lived in Texas, joined the El Paso Jaycees, and obtained

Architect’s Perspective: Michael Defiel, AIA - Bringing Creativity and Care to Architecture Doug Sydnor, FAIA Doug_sydnor@outlook.com his Texas architectural registration #2317 in 1958. In a June 7, 1957 El Paso Times advertisement Michael Defiel Architect designed the “Adobe” by Standard Homes, Inc. for the Mountain Park Development at 2909 Titanic Drive in El Paso.

Upon his relocation to Scottsdale in 1958, Defiel became an integral part of the community, engaging in various activities and organizations, including the Masons and Scottsdale Charros.

In 1959, he designed the Defiel Residence at 4124 North 63rd Place within Scottsdale’s Pickwick Acres development.

The 1,920-square-foot home had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a two-car carport. It featured a low-pitched roof using exposed 8 x 8 x 8 stacked concrete masonry units and wood post and beam structural framing.

Defiel obtained his Arizona architectural license in 1961 and two years later joined the American Institute of Architects.

Left: Mike Defiel.

Below: Defiel residence exterior.

Images Courtesy of Author

EIGHTY TWO

In 1965, he became an Arizona State University lecturer in architecture and a Scottsdale Charros Life Member, where he served as the Baseball Committee Chairman.

His finest project may have been Central Park West at 110 West Missouri Avenue in Phoenix in 1965. The development included 29 condominium units of one and two stories with a Model A 1,481 sf unit with three bedrooms and a Model B 1,250 sf unit with two bedrooms. Residents had shaded parking with adjacent unit storage. Per April 1965 Builder/Architect magazine, units included an “Atrium with a barbecue, walnut parquet flooring, paneling, sand or concrete filled concrete masonry ‘slump’ units, community pool and landscaped malls.”

The project is an intimately scaled and well-proportioned design that utilizes warm natural materials such as the popular tan slump block units and exposed wood beams. Beams top off the block walls and extend over the linear landscaped walks between the units, providing a repetitive rhythm of wood frames as one walks under them.

Crafted details integrate the outdoor lighting, wall louvers, wood-carved doors, and colored glass inserts. The unit atrium provides abundant natural lighting throughout the interior and psychologically expands the spaces. The project received the Western Mountain Region American Institute of Architects Design Award in 1965. Contemporary Design & Development Company of Scottsdale was responsible for its creation.

The c.1965 Casa Moderna at 5028 North 34th Street in Phoenix is a sister

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

Above: Central Park West interior.

Right: Central Park West exterior.

Images Courtesy of Author

project to Central Park West, as the unit types are the same prototypical atrium plan with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The development includes 12 condominium units and a community swimming pool with an identical character, materials, and details as Central Park West.

In the mid-1960s, the architectural firm of Defiel & Miller was formed at 1133 East Missouri Avenue in Phoenix. They designed the 1966 Professional Plaza at 7020 East Third Avenue in Scottsdale, which included

office suites surrounding a courtyard. It was expanded in 1971. The original design had red slump block walls, vertical glazing, wood beams capped the walls, and shaded arcades facing the streets.

Later, in the late 1960s, Defiel worked for the talented Bennie Gonzales, AIA, as a project architect and was involved in work on the 1968 Scottsdale governmental complex, including the City Hall and Civic Center Library. Defiel also worked for Richard McIntyre & Miller on residential

projects, including additions and renovation of the Sunburst Hotel in Scottsdale. During the early 1970s, he was employed by R.A. McIntyre & Associates as vice president.

Defiel designed the 1975 County Courts Building at 3629 North Civic Center Plaza (now Drinkwater Boulevard) in Scottsdale.

The building program included 7,300 sf with Justice of the Peace, Superior Court Commissioners Hearing Room, and Deputy County Attorney’s Office, and Clerk’s Office.

The structure has a similar character to the nearby 1968 Scottsdale Governmental Complex that Defiel worked on at Gonzales’s firm earlier. One can also speculate that the City of Scottsdale heavily influenced this desired character so that it was contextually compatible with the award-winning City Hall and Civic Center Library. Greenberg Construction built the project for $223,000.

The same year as the Courts Building, the Saba Building at 7330 East Main Street Left and below: County Courts Building exterior.

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

FEEDERS UNLOADERS Above: Saba Building exterior.

on the Civic Center Mall (now Scottsdale Civic Center) with Richard McIntyre and Michael B. Defiel was completed. The program included a two-story structure with a family store at the first level and three galleries at the second level, including Trailside Galleries, Marie Nikolic Artist, and The Artery. Currently, a restaurant/bar occupies the upper level. This more eclectic-styled structure is concrete masonry units with a painted plastered exterior, and integrated a wood framed arcade with plastered columns facing the Mall.

In 1979, Defiel worked for Willdan Associates Planners, Engineers & Architects and designed their headquarters office at 1550 East Meadowbrook Avenue in Phoenix. The 15,000 sf, two-story office structure has an atrium and sits on one acre. Willdan occupied 4,000 sf of the first floor and the entire second floor.

Later, Defiel had offices at 1313 East Camelback Road in c.1982 and 5840 North 48th Place in c.1987, both in Phoenix.

Defiel died on June 10, 1992, and his services were at Valley Presbyterian Church in Paradise Valley. His architecture clearly demonstrates the creativity and care Defiel brought to each commission.

AVAILABLE FOR RENT OR PURCHASE IN STOCK MESA, AZ Aggregate Machinery Specialist 3038 N Maple Ave Mesa, AZ 85215

480-730-1212

Other Projects: • 1962 43 Apartments, 1020 East Orange, Tempe, AZ (demolished) • 1963 Park House Apartments Renovation, 23 units, 340 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix, AZ. (demolished) • 1978 Scottsdale Datsun dealership, 1000 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ. (demolished) Douglas B. Sydnor, FAIA, is Principal at Douglas Sydnor Architect + Associates, Inc. and the author of four Arizona architecture books.

EIGHTY FOUR

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

602-586-5909 1-800-208-8913 Take the guesswork out of your pour!

Ready Mix Concrete on Demand!

• on-site concrete mix control • No minimum order • Save time and money • Quantity control and cost savings • Perfect for remote locations • Mixed on-site / eliminate waste

CONCRETENOWAZ.COM

Trucking Services We want to be your Premier Delivery Company!

• Hauling • Import • Export Supply And Delivery Of Dirt • Sand • Rock Agregates • Landscape Material Call today to schedule your delivery!

Serving All of Phoenix and Surrounding Areas Since 2020

ask about our READY-MADE SAND BAGS Product Specs: Pre-Filled Barricade Bags.

Uses for sandbags: • 14’’x26’’ woven poly bag (heavy duty) • Traffic control • 4,000 UV Hours / 2 yrs.

• Flood control • Sewn shut for repeated use.

• Erosion control • Palletized in bundles of 50 or 100.

• Water diversion • Filled with 30 lbs of sand.

• Pipeline Construction • 40 lb - 50 lb bags available.

• Ballistic Barrier • Empty bags and sand available for purchase.

• Volume discounts available.

• Bags available in different colors and material to fit your needs.

DIGGING THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: MARION JORDAN: EXPERTISE IN DIESEL ENGINES AND HOT-RODS BILLY HORNER

M

arion Jordan has received the admiration of noteworthy individuals in our contracting community, including David Lopez of Diesel Forward, Mike Denny, owner of MDI Rock, Lee Jacobs of Jacobs Equipment, and the familiar face in our publication’s house ad, Roland Hamberg. All voiced their enthusiasm for featuring Jordan in our magazine.

Part of their reason is that Jordan and his company, Jordan Machinery Sales, have extensive connections throughout our community. These ties include a decades-long friendship with Branco Machinery’s Bill Conover, forged at Isbell Construction Co. in the early 1960s, and his links with several of our loyal advertisers.

Jordan was born in Lordsburg, New Mexico, in 1936. When he was three, his father passed away from an appendicitis.

His mother relocated the family to Buckeye, Arizona, where Jordan attended Liberty Elementary School and began his fascination with mechanics. Conveniently, a welding EIGHTY SIX

shop was next door to his school, where he would go after classes. It became Jordan’s unofficial apprenticeship, where he learned the art of cutting, welding metal, and painting.

In 1951, at age 15, Jordan enrolled at Phoenix Technical School, which his cousin attended at Fillmore and Seventh Streets.

He convinced his mother to move the family so that he could enroll. She became a cook at Madison School, and Jordan worked part-time in the evenings as a mechanic at Cushman Motor Products.

His mother met Albert Spence, an employee at Isbell Construction Co., and the two soon married. Spence offered Jordan a chance to double his income by working evenings as a night watchman and janitor at Isbell Construction. Albert Isbell oversaw the company’s maintenance operations and personally hired Jordan.

Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

As Jordan showed up for work, he interacted with Isbell Construction’s daytime mechanics, including Hank Sherman, who assembled engines. Sherman recognized Jordan’s potential and became a mentor, assigning him various tasks after completing his nightly duties. These tasks included installing engine valves so the engine heads would be ready for assembly the following morning.

Top: Some of Jordan’s engine collection, 2023.

Right: Jordan with his Drag’ns car club casting, 2023.

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

Images Courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

Jordan graduated from Phoenix Tech in 1956, marking the final graduating class before the school closed. He continued classes at Phoenix Union High School and was promoted by Albert Isbell to a mechanic’s helper.

During those early years, Jordan fondly remembers Isbell Construction’s yellow Beechcraft plane stationed at Airhaven, a small airstrip located south of Indian

ARIZCC.COM

School Road between Grand and 27th ave- Top left: Two vintage loaders for sale at Jordan Machinery Sales, 2023. nues. Jordan became friends with an Isbell Above left: Jordan in his Jordan Machinery Construction pilot and vividly recalls taking Sales office 2023. off, flying directly over the Indian Drive Inn Above: An Isbell Wabco Haulpak truck in Northern Arizona, 1963.

Theater. left: A rebuilt Haulpak rear end at Developers later purchased Airhaven, Below Isbell’s shop, 1963. and Isbell sought a new landing strip. The company’s proposal to create an airstrip behind their property at 2808 North 27th Virginia Avenue, was rejected by the City of Avenue, running between Thomas Road and Phoenix because of nearby residential and commercial developments.

Isbell Construction moved its operation to 75th and Olive avenues, creating a new office, maintenance facility, and airstrip. Jordan assisted Isbell’s surveyors in planning the new landing field. The maintenance building stands and remnants of the airfield are still visible.

Jordan recalls a crazy trip flying home from a construction event in Las Vegas. The pilot wanted to practice flying solely by instruments and placed a makeshift harness across his window. Jordan’s job was to alert the pilot of other nearby planes.

While flying over Prescott, the pilot tilted the plane sideways and claimed that the Prescott radio station should be directly below the wingtip. To Jordan’s amazement, he was correct.

At Isbell Construction, Jordan had a corner in the expansive shop where he oversaw ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

in 1966, she joined Morrison Knudsen and later Road Machinery Co. The two would eventually marry.

His company, Jordan Machinery Sales, has thrived rebuilding diesel engines for over 40 years near Grand and Maryland avenues. One notable achievement involved working with the San Carlos Apache Tribe to acquire their 372 Marion crane in the 1970s.

Jordan painstakingly restored the crane and sold it to Jack Sheinbein, the owner of Valley Steel & Supply Co. Although Jordan occasionally builds motors for clients, he is winding down his operations after nearly seven decades. Friends frequently visit his office, which features another passion: his collection of almost 400 watch fobs.

Jordan was a local “Drag’ns” car club member starting in the early 1950s. The club assembled at U-Rent-It on 20th and Van Buren streets, a small equipment rental company owned by club leader Buddy Sampson’s father. Jordan raced his 1931 Chevy Coupe with a “hot-rodded” GMC motor in drag races across Arizona. Rod & Custom Magazine featured his 1929 Ford Roadster in 1962.

“Marion played a pivotal role in the local equipment industry, doing business with everyone in town,” Lee Jacobs says.

“When someone needed an engine, winch, or parts, they went to him. Jordan broke me into the equipment buying and selling business.”

Jordan has left an indelible mark on the Arizona equipment community. He evolved from a young boy captivated by mechanics to a seasoned expert and made many tearing down transmissions and rear ends. going to say hello?” The voice belonged friends in the process. Because of Jordan’s He recalls a significant project involving ten to Bettie Clemmer, a receptionist at Isbell unwavering dedication and passion, he’s Wabco Haulpak trucks equipped with disc Construction. When the company closed considered an icon in his field. brakes. Dust and ore particles frequently Images Courtesy of Marion Jordan infiltrated the disc brakes, wearing out the linings. Jordan was responsible for disassembling the rear ends, replacing all the bearings, and converting them to drum brakes to resolve the issue.

Jordan’s career trajectory shifted when Isbell Construction closed its operations at Silver Bell Mine near Tucson. The company brought in its seasoned mechanics to work in the shop, and Jordan went to work for the local GMC dealer, Heitel. He remained there until the dealership closed, then became a mechanic for Dallas Smith Transport, a company that hauled new GM cars.

This mechanic’s life changed when he had lunch at Smitty’s on 16th Street and Buckeye Road. Jordan recalls a young lady approaching him, saying, “Aren’t you even Top: Jordan’s 1957 Chevy pulling his 1931 Chevy Coupe to a rally, 1958.

Above: Jordan’s 1929 Ford Roadster, 1958.

Right: Hot rod drivers at Perryville, 1955.

EIGHTY EIGHT

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

WWW.CUSTOMTRUCK.COM

CALL FOR NEW, USED & RENTAL EQUIPMENT

DUMP TRUCKS | ARTICULATING CRANES | WATER TRUCKS | BOOM TRUCKS | SERVICE TRUCKS | AERIALS | MATERIAL HANDLING CRANES | HYDROVACS | ROLL-OFFS | LOAD KING LOWBOY, FOLDING TAIL, TAG & SIDE DUMP TRAILERS

SCAN TO LEARN MORE BRAD BJERKE

602-527-4088

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

BID RESULTS JULY AUGUST 2024

BID AWARDS SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 1989

Westpark Infrastructure DCS Contracting Inc. $1,475,065 7/2/2024

New Airport Entry Monument RCI Property Enterprises $916,747 7/18/2024

ARPA Local Drainage Mitigation Package 2 AJP Electric $3,778,507 7/30/2024

Bentson Contracting, Phoenix #380,135 Street Paving 71st Ave., Acoma Dr.

Sun City Water Main Replacement III Archer Western Walsh Contractors - AZ $1,100,000 7/4/2024

Brakes Plus Prescott Valley Westmoreland Builders $1,600,000 7/18/2024

ARPA Local Drainage Mitigation Package 1 AJP Electric $3,906,189 7/30/2024

LBG Contracting, Tempe $182,178 Grading, Paving America West, T4

Interstate Commerce Park Layton Construction Co. $10,100,000 7/4/2024

Overlay Fall FY 24 25 Asphalt Paving & Supply $1,656,736 7/18/2024

Eagar Main St Central (EGR-0-(204)T) Show Low Construction Inc. $824,481 8/2/2024

LBG Contracting, Tempe $1.14 Million Grading, Paving Cactus Rd.

Interstates 10 19 Prince Rd (010-D(226)T) William Charles Construction - AZ $1,349,003 7/12/2024

Old Highway 66 Rubberized Chip Seal Cactus Asphalt $4,862,425 7/18/2024

Kingman Andy Devine Ave (KNG-0-(212)T) Falcone Brothers & Associates $1,061,908 8/2/2024

Nesbitt Contracting, Tempe $970,755 Grading, Paving Tempe Street Work

Apache Junction Ironwood Dr (APJ-0(221)T) Hawk Contracting $1,351,111 7/12/2024

Benson Steins Pass Wilcox (010-F-(229)T) Granite Construction - AZ $1,185,850 7/19/2024

Page San Simon Topock (999-A-(565)T) Hawk Contracting $3,377,733 8/2/2024

M.G.C. Contractors, Tempe $4.56 Million New Memorial Union Extension ASU

Kitt Peak Hwy (386-A-(202)T) Ashton - AZ $2,412,000 7/12/2024

Show Low Holbrook Rodeo Rd (077-B-(216)T) Perch Alexander Building Co. Show Low Construction Inc. $1,500,000 $1,204,944 8/8/2024 7/19/2024

Brimhall Palmer Const., Chandler $178,979 Additions, Renovations Queen Creek Community

Bullhead (BUL-0-(205)T) Asphalt Paving & Supply $2,620,589 7/12/2024

Gila Bend Lukeville Hwy SR 85 (085-A-(208)T) Highland Place Civil Work Chandler Pinnacle Construction Iowa Combs Construction Co. $1,500,000 $2,298,532 8/8/2024 7/19/2024

Granite Const., Phoenix $489,617 Rubberized Asphalt Project City of Glendale

Glendale Palmair Ave (GLN-0-(264)T) Combs Construction Co. $3,353,000 7/12/2024

(JOC) Water Wastewater Achen Gardner Construction $2,000,000 7/22/2024

Spur Cross Granger 250 SCE Queen Creek Low Mountain Pro Low $5,000,000 8/8/2024

Borderland Const., Tucson $1.60 Million Street Widening Improvements Campbell Ave.

FY 2022 CMAQ Alley Dustproofing VSS International - AZ $3,187,522 7/16/2024

(CMAR) Kayenta Center CORE Construction, Inc. $8,895,000 7/26/2024

Chandler Heights Rd Gilbert Rd Val Vista Dr Sunland Asphalt - AZ $9,784,943 8/8/2024

Sahuaro Petroleum, Phoenix $57,675 Street Improvements Alvernon Way, Tucson

P: 623-847-3594 F: 623-931-3693 W: newwesternrentals.com 7909 W. Glendale Ave. Glendale, AZ 85303 Operators available upon request, small jobs such as jobsite prep, grading & Cleanup Light Towers Generators Earthmoving Equipment Aerial Equipment Track-Out Shakers Water Trucks Water towers & Backflows NINETY

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

MAXIMIZE YOUR PERFORMANCE AND RETURN ON INVESTMENT

WITH DITCH WITCH EQUIPMENT ®

Also, an authorized dealer of Doosan ® Air Compressors.

IS NOW Ditch Witch West is proud to announce we are now your authorized dealer. With locations across the west, we look forward to meeting you, serving your needs and are committed to your uptime. Learn more at ditchwitchwest.com 4028 S. 36th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85040 O:602-437-0351 | F:602-437-1544 ARIZCC.COM

6975 N. Camino Martin, Tuscon, AZ 85741 ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY O:520-579-0261 | F:520-579-0268

BUILDING BETTER BROADBAND HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING UNDERGROUND CONSTRUTION AND AERIAL CONSTRUCTION

SERVING ARIZONA COMMUNITIES SINCE 1988

(928) 567-6585 BTIPPETT@NETWORXCS.COM AZ ROC 195305 KA CA 963850 A PROUD MEMBER OF AZUCA

Leaders In The Aggregate Industry

#1 ASTEC Dealer In USA RANKED BY SALES, SERVICE AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

EQUIPMENT SALES | RENTALS | PARTS | SERVICE

ARIZONA OFFICE (623) 594-5401 5 Locations: NV | NV | UT | AZ | CA NINETY TWO

www.goodfellowcorp.com SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

&3 CAT CAT

328DL L CR 321DL CR

73,000 lb 54,000 lb

Options: Thumb, Hammer, Wheel

CAT CAT

631E 627K

34 yd 24 yd

Trimble-GPS available for certain models

ARIZCC.COM

ARIZONA CONTRACTOR & COMMUNITY

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

PLEASE PATRONIZE OUR ADVERTISERS, THEY MAKE THIS PUBLICATION POSSIBLE! Aggregate Machinery 480-730-1212 aggregatemachinery.net

P. 84

DitchWitch 602-437-0351 ditchwitchwest.com

P. 91

Marrs Construction 602-282-4007 marrsconstruction.com

P. 81

Sonsray Machinery 844-sonsray sonsraymachinery.com

P. 20

Arizona Materials 602-278-4444 arizonamaterials.com

P. 30

Dynamic Diesel 602-376-1448 dynamicdieselrepair.com

P. 11

MDI Rock 602-569-8722 mdirock.com

P. 18

Southwest Asphalt 480-730-1033 fisherind.com

P. 10

Asphalt Busters 623-936-8800 asphaltbusters.com

P. 65

E&E Companies 480-251-8929

P. 18

Metro Engineering & Survey P. 38 623-466-6640 metroaz.net

Southwest Industrial Rigging P. 60 602-278-6281 swirusa.com

AZUCA 970-376-1190 azuca.org

P. 10

Earnhardt 480-926-4000 nobullfleet.com

P. 36

Metro Traffic Control 623-879-0610 metrotrafficcontrol.net

P. 32

Southwest JCB 602-454-9808 SWJCB.com

Baja Ready Mix 602-503-9391 readymixconcreteaz.com

P. 16

ECCO Equipment 602-276-2040 eccoequipment.com

P. 16

NCS 928-567-6585 networxcs.com

P. 92

Specialty Companies Group P. 7 623-582-2385 specialtycompaniesgroup.com

BidJudge 602-456-BIDZ bidjudge.com

P. 31

EES 480-809-4687 emergencyenv.com

P. 53

NECA 602-263-0111 azneca.org

P. 24

Statewide T&T 602-368-8797

P. 80

Bingham 888-969-5516 binghamequipment.com

P. 65

Elite Sports 602-899-9200 elitesportsbuilders.com

P. 16

New West Oil 602-759-5559 newwestoil.com

P. 73

STS Materials 602-586-5909 stsmaterials.com

P. 85

Blueline Grizzly 928-308-1901 bluelinerockgrizzly.com

P. 64

Empire Sales Center 520-582-2050 empirecat.com/eloy

P. 38

New Western Rentals 623-847-3594 newwesternrentals.comw

P. 90

Sunland Asphalt 602-323-2800 sunlandasphalt.com

P. 38

Bobby Lieb, PC 602-376-1341 centralphx.com

P. 56

Fisher’s Tools 800-390-4063 fishertools.com

P. 32

Otto Trucking 480-641-3500 ottotrucking.com

P. 8

Sunstate Equipment 888-456-4560 sunstateequip.com

P. 28

Branco Machinery 480-892-5657 brancomachinery.com

P. IFC

Forrest Rents P. 80 602-620-2383 forrestequipmentrentals.com

Pacwest Rentals 480-832-0855 pacwestrentals.com

P. 69

Superstition Trailers 602-415-0222 stlaz.com

P. 72

Buesing Corp 602-233-3339 buesingcorp.com

P. 4

GenTech 800-625-8324 gentechusa.com

P. 30

Powerscreen 602-772-1419 powerscreenwestern.com

P. 18

Trench-Ade 833-384-1176 trench-ade.com

P. IBC

CalPortland 602-817-6929 calportland.com

P. 34

GoodFellow 623-594-5401 goodfellowcorp.com

P. 92

Preach Building Supply 602-944-4594 preachbuildingsupply.com

P. 61

TSR 602-253-3311 tsraz.com

P. 22

CAMS 602-331-5455 cams-az.com

P. 77

Greer Aftermarket Parts 602-541-0554 602-541-5971

P. 6

Reliable Portable Bathrooms P. 5 602-601-2222 reliableportablebathrooms.com

Vermeer Mountain West P. 32 480-785-4800 vermeermountainwest.com

Castle Hot Springs 844-276-8052 castlehotsprings.com

P. 34

Herc Rentals 602-269-5931 hercrentals.com

P. 26

Reuter Fabrication 602-415-0449 reuterequipment.com

P. 9

Westroc 480-550-1815

P. 34

CED 602-437-4200 cedphx.com

P. 9

Insearch Corp 480-940-0100 insearchcorp.com

P. 3

RT Underground 602-622-6789

P. 32

WillScot 800-782-1500 willscot.com

P. 61

Cemex 602-416-2652 cemexusa.com

P. 3

Insurica 602-273-1625 insurica.com

P. 22

S&S Paving 602-437-0818 sspaving.com

P. 77

WSM 623-936-3300 wsmauctioneers.com

P. 42

Core Machinery 800-989-7121 coremachinery.com

P. 26

JS Cole 602-633-0990 jscole.com

P. 93, BC

Salt River Materials 480-850-5757 srmaterials.com

P. 76

Curry Fluid Power 602-661-6596 curryfluidpower.com

P. 40

KE&G 520-748-0188 kegtus.com

P. 7

Shanes Grading & Paving 602-992-2201 shanespaving.com

P. 24

Curry Supply 800-345-2829 currysupply.com

P. 40

Keystone Concrete 480-835-1579 keystoneconcretellc.com

P. 6

Shanes Hauling 602-992-2201 shanespaving.com

P. 26

Custom Truck 602-527-4088 customtruck.com

P. 89

Landco Power 480-788-1333 landcorental.com

P. 6

Sharp Creek Contracting 602-437-3040 sharpcreek.com

P. 11

Lang, Thal, King & Hanson 480-534-4900 lang.law

P. 84

Sitech Southwest 602-691-7501 sitechsw.com

P. 72

Madco Rentals 480-280-0364 madcorentals.com

P. 64

Solterra Materials 602-531-0454 solterramaterials.com

P. 57

DCS Contracting 480-732-9238 dcscontracting.com

P. 9, 43-46

Diamondback Materials P. 9 623-925-8966 diamonondbackmaterials.com

NINETY FOUR

P. 14

FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES CONTACT BILLY HORNER 602-931-0069 BILLY@ARIZCC.COM

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2024

YOUR LOCAL SHORING SOLUTIONS PARTNER

Phoenix, Tucson and Prescott

(833) 384-1176

ALUMINUM HYDRAULIC SHORING | ALUMINUM HYDRAULIC MULTI-SHORES | ALUMINUM BUILD-A-BOX | STEEL FRAMED ALUMINUM SHIELDS | ALUMINUM END SHORES | TRENCH SHIELDS | MANHOLE BOXES | TRENCH BOX ACCESSORIES | STEEL CROSSING PLATES | CONCRETE BARRIER WALL | BLOWERS AND SIFTER SCREENS | CONFINED SPACE AND PIPE TESTING EQUIPMENT | CRANE TRUCK OR FLATBED DELIVERY AVAILABLE

PRSRT STD US Postage PAID Permit #1662 Phoenix, AZ