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Publisher William Horner Billy@arizcc.com Editor Douglas Towne Douglas@arizcc.com Contributing Writers Larry Bonoff Heather David Michelle Dodd Buddy Escapule Trevor Freeman Sharon Girulat Ian Kraft Patricia Lee Dino Sakellar Catherine Slye Luke Snell Daryl Williams Production Manager Laura Harley Laura@arizcc.com Magazine Consultant Chuck Runbeck Chuck@arizcc.com Publisher’s Representatives Shane Addington Shane@arizcc.com Tom Hogarty Tom@arizcc.com Rick Lafond Rick@arizcc.com Barry Warner Barry@arizcc.com Advertising 602-931-0069 Arizcc.com/advertise.html

Serving Contracting Firms and the Arizona Community… Then & Now Arizona Contractor & Community (ACC) magazine is published quarterly (spring, summer, fall, & winter). 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.

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Michelle Dodds

Sharon Girulat

Heather David

Trevor freeman

Meet the Staff Michelle Dodds – Writer Article on page 38 Favorite AZ Restaurant: Forno at Third Avenue and Roosevelt because I love Italian food and the restaurant is surrounded by wonderful historic buildings!

First job: My first professional job was a second grade teacher in a Catholic school. I loved preparing the kids for their First Holy Communion.

New Skill to Learn: Computer artworks/graphics.

Favorite Holiday: The Fourth of July because I love to celebrate the greatness of this country and watch fireworks!

Goals to Accomplish: To be a pet therapy volunteer in hospitals, nursing homes and schools when I retire. I would also love to travel to each National Park.

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Heather David – Writer Article on page 42 Favorite AZ Restaurant: Frank & Lupe’s Mexican followed by ice cream at the Sugar Bowl!

First Job: Junior Volunteer at the Humane Society.

New Skill to Learn: Adobe Illustrator.

Favorite Holiday: Christmas.

Goal to Accomplish: Publish next book MOTEL CALIFORNIA (expected Spring 2017).

Sharon Girulat – Writer Article on page 50 Favorite AZ Restaurant: Taste of Italy in Goodyear because it’s run by a New Yorker who makes every dish and creates a warm family environment with great fresh food, New York Italian style!

First job: Financial Consolidation Specialist at age 16 in 1962.

New Skill to Learn: Other than to keep my mouth shut? I think I'd like to 'unlearn' a few... the plate overflows! Maybe, learn the 'art' of self-preservation!

Favorite Holiday: Christmas -all year long!

Goals to Accomplish: Activate BenefitAll, a charitable program to enable great charities to serve more.

Trevor Freeman – Writer Article on page 46 Favorite AZ Restaurant: I love Four Peaks Brewing Company!

First Job: Delivering telephone books (a bad idea in the Phoenix heat).

New Skill to Learn: Learning to drive a manual transmission.

Favorite Holiday: Thanksgiving, because it is all about family and food.

Goal to Accomplish: Would like to climb the "Seven Summits of Phoenix" at my own pace, not in the same weekend but in the same year.

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Editor’s Column: More than a Big House: Casa Grande - Douglas Towne Construction Around Arizona: Projects • People • Practices Back When: Phoenix’s Playhouse - Douglas Towne Plowing the Cutting Edge of Construction: Evert L. Farmer - Douglas Towne Phoenix’s Theatre of “Stars” and “Celebrities" Larry Bonoff Phoenix: A Tale of Two Cities and Zoning Ordinances - Michelle Dodds Arizona Time Machine: Part 1 - Mid-Century Scottsdale - Heather M. David Ready to Answer the Call to Post: The Phoenix Trotting Park - Trevor Freeman L'Hippodrome de Phoenix: Envisioning the Future of the Phoenix Trotting Park - Sharon Girulat Architect’s Perspective: Nicholas Sakellar, FAIA: Mid-Century Modern - CN Dino Sakellar, AIA Digging Through the Archives: Prescott’s Henson Construction Co. - William Horner Bid Results - Bidjudge

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Image courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

Front Cover Promoter Buster Brown holds the brochure for the Phoenix Star Theatre, now called Celebrity Theatre, as it's being built by the E.L. Farmer Company, 1963.

Winter 2016

Editor’s Column

More than a Big House: Casa Grande Douglas Towne

I

Railroad, building tracks eastward from and veered westward through Mesa, California, stopped because of hot weather Phoenix, and Buckeye before dropping and a lack of supplies at the site in 1879. south to Gila Bend and continuing west to The settlement was renamed Casa Yuma.

Grande in 1881, in an attempt to create a Arizona Highway 84, also known as the link to the world-famous archeological site Tucson-Casa Grande Highway, provided a 20 miles away. The gateway to the national direct path to Casa Grande and then monument, however, turned west to Gila Bend. became the Town of As so often on the roadside, This shortcut for traffic Coolidge, founded the cryptic word is a private between Tucson and San adjacent to the ruins in Diego was completed by joke and is the original 1925.

1930 and saved The City of Casa motorists many miles owner’s name, “Yates,” Grande grew with the and hours bypassing spelled backward. completion of Arizona Phoenix.

Highway 84, a short cut along U.S. Highway Superseded by Interstates 8 and 10 in 80. A major coast-to-coast route, U.S. the 1960s and 1970s, the former highway Highway 80 meandered through Arizona retains some of its historic ambiance. in the 1920s. From Tucson, the route went One of the city’s unique features is the north through Florence to Apache Junction sign atop the Casa Grande Bulk Plant that

Image courtesy of U.S. National Park Service

t might be the Southwest’s original roadside attraction, causing travelers for more than six centuries to stop in awe. Casa Grande is archeology’s “Big House,” an ancient four-story complex built by the Hohokam civilization around 1400 and abandoned a half-century later.

The buildings were constructed of caliche, a natural concrete containing about 25 percent lime with added clay, sand, and small rocks. Wooden logs support the roof and slab construction (see associated article, page 28). Officially preserved since 1892, Casa Grande was designated a national monument in 1918.

There are archeology wonders of a more modern kind in the nearby City of Casa Grande. The community of 50,000 was unceremoniously founded as Terminus when the Southern Pacific

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Winter 2016

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roadside, the cryptic word is a private joke and is the original owner’s name, “Yates,” spelled backward.

Another roadside relic is the S.S. Blinky Jr. The Casa Grande “ship” is a mimetic structure constructed in 1946 as a gas station and automobile salesroom for Wilson Motors. The design honors the son of the original owner, C.J. “Blinky” Wilson, who was serving in the Navy during World War II. An inmate at the Arizona State Prison in Florence designed this Modernestyle building, which currently navigates as the Ark, aka Noah’s Attic Gift Shop.

These historical elements provide a link to the city’s past and are important

features in revitalizing the downtown business district. “The Casa Grande Historic Preservation Commission has plans to showcase 37 vintage signs that have the potential of becoming local landmarks,” says Chairwoman Marge Jantz.

“We hope to get the entire community as excited about this development as the commission is.”

Opposite page, top left: Road map of Casa Grande area, 1935.

Bottom: The Florence Stage at the Casa Grande Ruins, 1888.

Top left: Cotton’s Wonder Bar, 2006.

Top right: Boots & Saddle Motel, 2006.

Bottom: Casa Grande Bulk Plant, 2016.

Images courtesy of author

spells out the city's name. This identifier was part of a low-technology navigation system that allowed aircraft pilots to steer by rooftop signs. Roofs were painted with the name of a local airport with an arrow pointing in the airport’s direction. Started by the Civil Aeronautics Administration in 1926, there were more than 13,000 rooftop signs by 1941. On the West Coast, many were painted over because of fears they could aid potential Japanese air attacks. By the 1950s, navigation charts and radio made these signs mostly obsolete.

Cotton’s Wonder Bar, is a kidneyshaped sign constructed as McNatt’s Wonder Bar in 1942 and illustrates the post-World War II evolution of commercial signs. Before the 1940s, signs were typically traditional rectangular designs that conveyed simple messages. With the postwar proliferation of signs, these outdoor advertisements evolved into dynamic abstract shapes.

Many businesses of the era adopted Western themes including the Boots & Saddle Motel. The sign includes a “Thunderbird” motif and an expressive arrow with chasing lights that beckon travelers towards the 1944 accommodations.

The Se-Tay Motel, which opened in 1948, gives the impression of being a Native American greeting, perhaps borrowed from the nearby Tohono O’odham tribe. As so often on the

Arizona contractor & Community

Construction Around Arizona

Images courtesy of author

Construction Around Arizona

Projects ∙ People ∙ Practices

Restorative Construction at the Franciscan Renewal Center Patricia Lee

T

he Franciscan Renewal Center is both resourceful and resource-efficient in creating houses of worship.

Initially, 65 years ago, there was a converted bar of a lodge, followed three years later by a community "chapelraising" fueled by burgers, beans, and beer.

On January 3, 2016, the center had the twelve

groundbreaking for a 17,050 squarefoot church, designed to be certified Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). If certified, it will be the first religious building in Arizona and only the 15th in the United States to achieve LEED certification.

“I’m particularly proud that we are able to produce a building of unique architectural and artistic merit,” said Fr. Joseph Schwab, OFM, Executive Director of the center. “With our architect, Westlake Reed Leskosky, and general contractor, Haydon Building Corporation, we are building a church that speaks of our

present technology for many generations to come.”

The new church is the result of a successful fundraising campaign and will seat up to 800 people. Completion is scheduled for the summer of 2017.

Little could Franciscan friars Fr. Owen da Silva and Fr. Victor Bucher imagine such a facility when they discovered the Kachina Winter 2016

more than 800 years ago. Other measures to reduce the Casa's ecological footprint include solar panels on the friary and Assisi guest lodge, recycling programs, ecofriendly takeout dinnerware for guests, and xeriscaping. Detention basins capture rainwater from surrounding Camelback and Mummy mountains to support vegetation and control overflow.

The new church is part of the Casa’s Master Plan, including guest room and pool renovations completed in 2013, campus infrastructure and parking area improvements, the Assisi 32-room guest

lodge that was finished in 2015, and a new Community Life Center to begin construction once the church is built.

The Casa was founded by and is today an active religious community of the Order of Friars Minor – part of the worldwide Franciscan family. Activities at the Casa include daily Mass, Sunday services, private retreats, gathering space for nonprofit groups, as well as 50 volunteer ministries that assist the poor or vulnerable, empower individuals to improve their circumstances and build community fellowship.

Images courtesy of author

Construction Around Arizona

Lodge on 25 acres of desert along the Scottsdale-Paradise Valley border on Lincoln Drive in 1951. They purchased the property for $150,000 and established the Casa de Paz y Bien, now also known as the Franciscan Renewal Center. The bar of the lodge served as the “Casa’s” chapel, holding 44 retreatants; six large guest houses accommodated their overnight stays.

Through word-of-mouth, retreat attendance grew. The friars asked community members to help build a new chapel to house 60 retreatants, offering only the three B’s---burgers, beans and beer as compensation. Lloyd Le Raine Pike, a former retreatant, was retained as architect. The groundbreaking took place in June 1954.

The community continued to grow each decade, and the chapel was remodeled in 1971 to hold 212 people and again in 1988 with 312 seats.

When the Conventual Church of our Lady of the Angels was established in 2006, offering full sacramental preparation, it attracted more members. Ten years later, Mass attendance spills onto the lawn and patios, necessitating a larger chapel.

With the new building, the Casa and its community are committed to environmental integrity and resource efficiency in the way of St. Francis of Assisi, who voiced concern for the environment

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Ian Kraft

F

or the past 10 years, Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix has ushered in several new housing developments, as residential has become a prime focus of the region.

“A true Phoenix treasure,” is what Vice Mayor Kate Gallego calls Roosevelt Row. “It is a place where there is a strong culture of dialogue, conversation and neighborhood passion. It is my belief that

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these principles will carry Roosevelt Row forward and make it better than ever before.”

Gallego is referring to the added apartment spaces dubbed Linear, iLuminate, and Union. Linear and iLuminate are designs courtesy of Baron Properties, while Union is a product from Metro West Developments. Together, they will add more than 900 residential spaces as well as extra commercial space, says Councilman Michael Nowakowski.

The iLuminate building and Linear are built on the corners of Roosevelt and 3rd streets, the former over the old GreenHAUS Gallery and Boutique and the

Images courtesy of author

Construction Around Arizona

Roosevelt Row Undergoing significant Facelift

latter on a vacant lot on the southwest corner.

Arianna Bourque, the Baron marketing manager, calls it “a great time for us right now. We are all excited to see Linear.”

Metro West did not respond to several emails and phone calls comment.

Gallego, speaking on the influx of construction in the recent months: “While the area continues to experience growth, it is the city's goal to see Roosevelt Row grow in a way that respects long-term residents while making new residents feel welcome.

“Roosevelt Row has always been a vibrant community because of its artists, and it is my hope that arts will remain an integral part of the community,” Gallego said.

TJ Jordan is the owner of Revolver Records, a vinyl record store less than one mile west of the Baron properties, and he said the construction has, “obliterated” his business, but he is hopeful that upon

Winter 2016

“Roosevelt Row is iconic for its First Fridays art walks and the diversity of local artists, vendors and partnerships that have been developed throughout the years,” Nowakowski said. “Roosevelt Row has become a destination point for its art, food and hip environment that offers something to everyone. It's been such a success for local artists, I can only foresee it growing as a destination point for families and tourists.”

Downtown Phoenix Incorporated is a community development group based a

few miles south of Roosevelt Row, and representatives say they are excited about the impact the developments will have for the community as a whole.

“We are very excited that there are going to be so many more people living down there. It will increase business and get people back to enjoying the community, which is obviously what that great area deserves,” said Dan Klocke, the partnership’s executive director.

completion, he will see the much needed uptick in customers that the developers have encouraged him about.

“To me, the business was pretty solid, but all of that changed in June of 2014 when the construction came in,” Jordan said. “There were a lot of decisions that were made by whoever was a part of the projects that put the small businesses on Roosevelt Row’s interests last.”

Gallego said she understands the concerns of business owners such as Jordan, and hopes he sees that the light at the end of the tunnel is very close.

“Residential density is the critical piece to a thriving urban downtown core, and I think much of the small business community understands the long-term benefits that should come as a result of short-term pain,” Gallego said.

Nowakowski echoed the sentiment.

“With new developments, there are always impacts to existing businesses and residents. At the end of the day we all benefit from the economic impact that these developments will bring to Roosevelt Row. More residents calling the Roosevelt Row area home will mean more customers for the existing businesses here,” he said.

Roosevelt Row is home to First Fridays, a monthly event in which people gather on Roosevelt Row to play music and display arts throughout the street. Both Councilman Nowakowski and TJ Jordan said the new residential projects will strengthen the impact that First Fridays can have.

“First Fridays are the crown jewel for the area,” Jordan said. “Hopefully the people who move into these new complexes are able to appreciate the greatness that is this event.”

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Construction Around Arizona

Buddy Escapule with his sons, Aiden and Cash, and their 1947 Cat 112 Grader.

Construction Kids: Raising the Next Generation Buddy Escapule

I

Images courtesy of author

’ve worked construction for 12 years, but in some ways, my experience in the industry began before I could walk. At age three, I recall sitting on my dad's lap in a Cat 245 excavator digging sample trenches in the bottom of my grandfather’s open-pit Cochise Silver Mine near Tombstone.

Amazingly, though, my exposure to the field started even earlier. I recall hearing stories about my dad strapping my car seat to the fuel cell of a D9G open-cab bulldozer. He tried to work as I screamed, most likely from the roar of the diesel

engine and pounding on the rocks at the bottom of the mine pit.

Once I got a little older, however, all I wanted was to be on equipment. I enjoyed every moment sitting next to my dad, whether it was fixing roads on our old grader or on a backhoe digging trenches.

These days, most children’s exposure to heavy equipment is mostly limited to driving through a construction site. My two boys, ages six and nine, are exceptions.

My kids want to follow in my footsteps in the construction field. When it comes to operating equipment, they look up to me the same way I did to my dad.

Fortunately, I’m able to introduce to them to some of the same opportunities I had at a very young age.

When I stepped aboard a piece of equipment as a kid, I thought I was just

playing. Now I realize how beneficial these experiences were to my future.

With my kids, I try to keep the experience fun but also try to teach them some things I learned at their age. These include simple things, such as checking the oil or the way to position equipment to dig a trench. I try to mentor them as my father did me.

My family currently owns a 1947 Cat 112 grader, a 1934 Cat Twenty-Two crawler, a 1973 International TD-15 dozer, and a 1950 Ford tractor. It’s important that my boys learn on older equipment that requires more than the modern, turnthe-key and drive method.

My dad always told me operating the machine is just the beginning; understanding what to do with it is the important part.

The vintage equipment I've introduced them to requires a sense of feel for every move you make and teaches my boys to understand the machine’s primary functions. It is a feeling of accomplishment being able to teach them the respect of moving dirt and running equipment the same way my family has for generations.

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Images courtesy of author

Construction Around Arizona

Former Phoenix Grocery Warehouse Rehabbed for WebPT Offices

G

one are the days when goods from Southern Pacific Railroad boxcars arrived on a spur line adjacent to the east side loading docks at the former General Sales Company warehouse. The facility, located in downtown Phoenix at 515 East Grant Street, now has its “deliveries” arriving via the internet.

The newly renovated building now houses the offices of WebPT, one of the

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fastest growing electronic medical records companies. Founded by Brad and Heidi Jannenga in 2008, WebPT had $27 million in revenue in 2014.

Over half of the former 120,000, square-foot grocery warehouse is utilized

by WebPT, with the remaining space used for tech co-working space.

Before the renovation, the building had last been used to store and sell electronic salvage. “It’s where all the technology would come and die,” Angel, who works nearby, says.

“From approximately 1988 to 2008, this business guy bought all the old equipment from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s – like stuff you would see on the old Batman TV series,” Angel says. ”He had a reclamation center, and collected all the old equipment.”

When it opened in 1946, the General Sales Company building was touted as the largest grocery warehouse in the Southwest. Designed by the architectural firm of Lescher & Mahoney, and built by

the Del Webb Company, the building featured reinforced concrete walls, a steel roof, and a basement.

Much of the building, including a frozen food storage room, housed packaged goods that were delivered by either rail or truck. The General Sales Company’s fleet of 28 trucks then made deliveries to local grocery stores.

A model grocery store displaying the latest retail merchandising fixtures occupied the second floor. The warehouse cost $450,000 to construct.

The General Sales Company was owned and operated by seven Phoenix investors including Frank Brophy, according to a 1947 Del Webb newsletter.

Top: Store exterior, 2016.

Bottom, left to right: Railroad ties whose steel spikes flattened several equipment tires, 2016.

Interior roof shell of the building, 2016.

Alejandro Barajas salvages a 1949 concrete stamp by Homes & Sons Construction, 2016.

Winter 2016

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Arizona contractor & Community

Catherine Slye

P

hoenix is intense and harsh under the daylight sun, yet magical and beautiful at night when color is sultry and saturated.

It’s a time when color reveals itself as tangible.

Since moving to the city in 2007, I’ve focused on capturing this heady mix within the urban landscape. Deliberately devoid of humans, my photography centers on architecture, streetscapes, and city vistas.

These are the lesser seen and the unseen elements within a human-built framework.

Capturing beauty in an urban environment helps reveal the architecture of both the built environment and the architecture built on our stories, our actions, and our lives. My photographs are digital as I love the immediacy that medium offers with the range of control that shooting manually allows.

I set out not knowing what I will find, yet confident something that is beautiful, intriguing, and worthwhile will reveal itself.

It’s within this process - seeking, seeing, and capturing - where I am most at home.

Pursuing this artistic process is where I want to be, here in the desert, at night.

Night Water is my third series photographing nocturnal Phoenix. The project focuses on the Valley’s nine canal systems, of which these images represent portions of two systems.

This fall, six of my Night Water photos will be on display at the new FOUND:RE Hotel opening on Central Avenue just north of Roosevelt Street. The exhibit will be open for the December First Friday. For more images, see www.catslye.com.

Images courtesy of author

Construction Around Arizona

Night Water: Arterials That Bring Life to Phoenix

YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR TOOL NEEDS Twenty two

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Arizona contractor & Community

Construction Around Arizona

A

fter a recent home remodel, contractor Jake Bawden might want to add another title to his business card: magician.

Bawden, vice president of Capstone Custom Builders, supervised a project that involved engineering and installing the structural support to carry an additional bedroom on a home’s second story.

Amazingly, at the same time, a main bearing wall was eliminated.

“We don't often get the challenge of building vertically in the interior of a home while taking out the structural wall below,” Bawden says. “It was a fun test!” There were also the added tasks of how to route electrical lines, fire sprinkler lines, and the like without penetrating the structural beams.

The remodel took a zero-lot-line property and added more than 400 interior square feet in the form of a new bedroom and bathroom. Capstone also removed a large bearing wall to open up the downstairs living area and installed a glass door to better incorporate the patio, pool, and hot tub into the house.

Previously, the kitchen/family room and living room areas were divided by a wall. “Now they will be better able to observe the pool area, increasing safety Twenty four

with the young ones and have a fun time in those Arizona winters grilling and chilling,” Bawden says.

Bawden needed a few tricks to perform his magic at the house. “We utilized a large Genie lift in installing the new beams which were put in place to carry the load of the new bedroom and to replace the bearing wall below,” he explains.

Other equipment utilized included a large electric saw to cut the floor so that the new bathroom plumbing lines could go into the drain lines under the slab. For the demolition of the wall, Bawden used a Sawzall, as it allowed flush cuts to the existing wall structures. Bawden hired

framers, an HVAC contractor, plumbers, electricians, drywallers, painters, fire protection contractors, flooring specialists, cabinet makers, and granite fabricators.

The Wilda House remodel project cost approximately $250,000 and took about three months to complete. Additional upgrades connected with the remodel include replacing the home’s 25 windows with high-end Pella wood windows, installing a new master bathtub and converting the downstairs half bath into a full bath with a new tile shower and vanity.

The project allows the Wilda family to grow without relocating and to have a larger living area with which to cook and entertain.

Images courtesy of Capstone Custom Builders, Inc.

House Grows and Wall Disappears in Tricky Remodel

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Construction Around Arizona

Top Three Construction Contract Myths Daryl Williams

I

f you've ever been involved in a lawsuit about the interpretation of a contract, you may have learned the hard way not to sign an important document based on bad information. As a commercial trial lawyer, I am at the worst-case-scenario end of what happens when misinformation leads to arguments. Myths about contracts are all too often the genesis of timeconsuming, costly legal battles that could have been avoided. While their full scope is beyond this article, being familiar with these top three troublemakers is a great start.

Myth 1: Written contracts are sacred.

Is your written contract the holy grail of everything within your legal rights? It’s not, and at the top of the many reasons why are oral understandings.

Verbal agreements are often thought of as not

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legally binding, but this is not true. Even after you enter into a written agreement, the parties can still agree to modify the contract verbally. That verbal agreement is legally binding, and it overrides the applicable portion of the written contract.

Here's a typical example: you're at an onsite client meeting and a solution to a problem is created on the spot. You and the client (or subcontractor) agree to use a different material than outlined in the contract. At this point, there is no addendum to the written contract, but there is a verbal agreement, and you go forward. The verbal agreement, or oral modification, is now the legally binding agreement.

As counterintuitive as it may sound, I’ve argued this point for many clients and have won. Verbal agreements can be upheld through witnesses, follow-up email correspondence, and other evidence that substantiate the oral understandings. In a judge’s eyes, an oral modification can be legally binding if it includes the essential elements of a contract.

Some attempt to circumvent this issue with contractual language such as, “This

contract may not be modified in writing except signed by both parties.” If you think that protects you, you’re still out of luck because such provisions are unenforceable. I’ve litigated against language like that and have won as well.

It’s simply not upheld in court. You see, the parties can orally agree to eliminate that provision and then orally modify the contract.

Winter 2016

In fact, contractual changes cause a host of troubles. Which leads me to: Myth 2: An integration clause is rock-solid.

The first debunked myth illustrates how contracts are fluid. Integration clauses shake your moving target even more.

An integration clause or provision supposedly merges all prior oral agreements and understandings into the written agreement. But what if the agreement is inconsistent with the parties’ intent? A common problem occurs when contract provisions are inconsistent with the actual agreement. When this is the case, the court may ignore the integration clause and enforce what was intended.

Therefore, you must be thorough when it comes to integration clauses. Do not be complacent.

Myth 3: We all speak the same language.

What is a Miller Act job? How about a no-lien job? Before you sign your next contract, be 100 percent certain that you know the meaning of the terms. A full comprehension of the contractual language is crucial. Your understanding of a term may not mean the same as the other parties. Differences can occur because of misunderstood industry jargon (also known as terms of art) if two parties have different understandings.

Perhaps the contract says that the building will be built "of wood." Does "of wood" have the same meaning as "with wood"? Does either term indicate that wood is the main structural material when the building will obviously also involve the use of steel and concrete masonry unit (CMUs), or does “with wood” mean wood requiring no steel or CMUs? What is obvious to you may not be so obvious to others. When it comes to terms of art, don’t assume because the other side will be bound by the meaning of that term as you understand it. Run over jargon with a fine comb before you sign. As you’ve learned, because of terms of art, integration clauses, and written contracts, nothing can be taken for granted when it comes to construction contracts.

Daryl Williams, Attorney at Law, Baird Williams & Greer Attorneys at Law darylwilliamsbwglaw.net www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Construction Around Arizona

Caliche: Nature’s Concrete Luke M. Snell

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n the 1300s, the inhabitants of the Sonoran Desert built a massive “concrete structure” near what is now Coolidge, Arizona. Known as the Casa Grande Ruins, it still stands and amazes us today. Rather than masonry construction, with stone or adobe as the building blocks and mud as mortar, the Casa Grande Ruins was built from a natural concrete, using techniques similar to modern construction.

This important structure was the first prehistoric and cultural site established by the U.S. in 1892. Originally named the Casa Grande Ruins Reservation, it is now known as the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.

Details of Casa Grande Ruins The primary structure of Casa Grande is 58.5 x 43 feet, and the walls are 3.7 feet thick near the base. The current uppermost portion of the structure is 35 feet above

the ground, but the structure was probably much taller when constructed. Although Casa Grande is in a semi-arid area, rain, sandstorms, tourists, and fire have damaged it. The National Park Service helped preserve the structure by erecting a protective cover.

The material used to construct Casa Grande was caliche, containing between 17 and 30 percent lime; the balance of the material was clay with some sand and small rocks. Wooden logs supported the roof and slab construction, similar to how we would use reinforcement today.

What is Caliche?

Caliche is a natural-occurring soil containing calcium carbonate that

"cements" the soil particles together. Early settlers called caliche "hardpan" because it's hard to plow and farm. Some researchers speculated that the ancient Sonoran Desert people may have discovered caliche when digging their irrigation canals and realized its potential as a building material.

Use of Caliche as a Building Material In many ways, caliche is similar to modernday cement and concrete, differing primarily in the energy employed in the manufacturing process and the hardening mechanism for the final material.

For construction, the caliche soil would have been mined, probably in lumps varying from 1 to 12 inches, then broken

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Images courtesy of U.S. National Park Service.

down and mixed with water to make a slurry. It's likely that the builders did not add aggregates because caliche often includes small rock and sand when mined.

The resultant material would be pliable, easily transported in baskets, and stiff enough to be placed on top of previous lifts without the need for forms.

It then dried into a solid, stable mass. The site near the Casa Grande Ruins has soils that contain an abundance of caliche, mixing water from the nearby Gila River, and an arid climate.

structures, caliche has been used to construct buildings in South America, Africa, and Asia. Caliche has also been used to build low-volume rural roads in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arizona—states that have large deposits of the material and relatively dry climates.

Puerto Rico also has some deposits of caliche. Although the climate isn’t suitable for caliche construction, it apparently still has its uses. According to some distillers’ websites, sugar cane from caliche farmland produces a superior rum.

Concluding Thoughts Those who try to garden in caliche soil will almost certainly find the digging tough, but caliche was the building material of choice for many early cultures and the surviving structures are fascinating relics.

Luke M. Snell, FACI, is a Professor Emeritus of Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL, and currently a Senior Materials Engineer with Western Technologies, Inc., Phoenix, AZ.

Properties of Caliche I have experimented with caliche obtained from deposits in Arizona, mixing small pieces in a water-caliche ratio of 0.25 by weight. The resulting mixture was easy to place and to mold into a shape—the clay in the caliche makes it sticky and relatively stiff. This ratio would likely be the approximate consistency used in the construction of Casa Grande.

Two-inch cubes were cured for 28 days and averaged a compressive strength of 80 psi. In comparison, this is five-toseven times stronger than clay but weaker than concrete, which has an average compressive strength of 3000 to 4000 psi.

The Casa Grande Ruins reveals experienced builders in designing and building with caliche. The walls were massive to compensate for caliche's little strength. The floors and roofs were reinforced with wood timbers to carry the tensile forces.

The structure has suffered relatively little damage over 600-plus years. The damage that has occurred was mainly from pre-20th-century tourists who took samples of the walls or defaced them with graffiti.

Other Uses of Caliche While Casa Grande probably represents one of the oldest surviving caliche www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Back When

Phoenix’s Playhouse Douglas Towne

T

he building we know today as the Celebrity Theatre first opened in 1964 as a multi-purpose convention center. The round building soon became the Phoenix Star Theatre where Buster Bonoff promoted Broadway shows and concerts.

Most musicals, such as “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” starring Jane Powell, played to large crowds. One of the shows struggled, however. “Bye Bye Birdie” starring Jack Jones played during a twoweek engagement in 1966. The script, written in 1959, was a satire on the drafting of rock star Conrad Birdie (i.e. Elvis Presley) into the U.S Army. Ticket sales for the show were dismal though. Bonoff’s son, Larry, recalls the solution his father came up with to promote the musical.

“My Dad had the script rewritten with Conrad Birdie having a backup band, Conrad and the Birdies, which emulated the rock bands which were topping the charts at the time. He hired the best local rock band to perform in the show on stage. The group's name was the Spiders, and the lead singer was Alice Cooper.”

Actress Jane Powell with Buster Brown at Sky Harbor Airport.

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Plowing the Cutting Edge of Construction: Douglas Towne

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relocated to run Menada Ranch, a farming and ranching operation in Glendale. Farmer, who was born in 1914, was a quick study in absorbing know-how to help his father, A. Quiller Farmer.

As Farmer matured, he found his bliss. “He felt there was great satisfaction in turning a raw piece of dirt into a subdivision where people lived and played,” his son recalls.

Farmer entered the home construction business with Herbert Anderson in 1937. later missions they flew as the lead in the Evert's wife, Reba, assisted them with the formation.” business.

Although the Eighth Air Force had a But Farmer’s high casualty rate, homebuilding was Farmer’s most complicated Farmer survived to interrupted by World precast structure was the return to Arizona. He War II. After graduating with a friend, Celebrity Theater, formerly partnered from the Amarillo Army Fritz Godfrey, and called the Phoenix Star formed Farmer and Airfield as an aviation mechanic in 1944, he Theatre, which opened in 1964 Godfrey Construction became a top turret flight Company, later to engineer on a B-17 Flying Fortress. “Dad become F & G Homebuilders Inc. in 1946. flew 23 missions with the 303rd Bomb At one point, Farmer employed his father Group out of Molesworth England, 21 over and three brothers, Reg, Jim, and Gene.

Germany, one over France and one over Returning servicemen created a Czechoslovakia,” his son says. “Many of the booming home market. “It wasn’t unusual

Images courtesy of Evert Farmer

f you think the phrase “military intelligence’ is an oxymoron, you need look no farther than Evert L. Farmer, one of Arizona's most renowned, post-war homebuilders.

An accomplished carpenter, Farmer was rejected in his attempt to join the Naval Construction Battalion, popularly known as the Seabees, during World War II. As if to prove his mettle, Farmer went on to become an engineer on a B-17 Flying Fortress and a prolific builder who constructed some of the state’s most beloved structures, including Phoenix Municipal Stadium and Celebrity Theatre.

Mastering these different technology and construction fields came naturally for Farmer. "One of my father's personality traits was that he liked new gadgets,” says his son, Evert L. Farmer, who followed in his father’s footsteps. “He enjoyed using the newest technology and construction techniques to push the industry forward.”

Learning new skills was characteristic of Farmer, starting when he moved from Lindsey, Oklahoma to Arizona with his parents at about age six. The family

Thirty two

Winter 2016

Image courtesy of Evert Farmer

Images courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

to have a subdivision sell out before the models were finished,” his son says. “At one point, the company was selling more than two houses a day. My father ran the sales office during the weekend, and the company during the week.”

Farmer used many of same contractors for his subdivisions, including Thomas Air Conditioning, Valley Electric, Frank Castle Plumbing, Wood Concrete, Art Hahn Plastering, Shanahan Masonry, Harper’s Nursery, Paul Clouse Engineering, Weller Painting, and Shaler Glass.

One of Farmer’s subdivisions was HYView, located east of 64th Street between Thomas and McDowell roads near the former World War II German internment camp. “The ground was so hard that my father had to loan a jackhammer to the Opposite page, top right: E.L. Farmer, 1957.

Bottom left: Evert and Reba Farmer, 1940s.

Bottom right: Herbert Anderson and E.L. Farmer by a home they built, 1940s.

Top left: 303rd Bomb Group with Evert Farmer, kneeling, second from left, 1944.

Bottom right: Sky Harbor Airport branch of First National Bank of Arizona; control tower in background, 1956. www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Image courtesy of Evert Farmer

Thirty four

Image courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

landscape contractor to plant trees,” recalls his son.

Sometimes, however, the construction company had the opposite problem. “During grading of the streets and lots, a bulldozer almost disappeared when it dug into an old underground tunnel,” recalls Farmer.

Tunnels also caused problems for residents. “A homeowner called the office and said that she had been watering a tree overnight in her backyard,” says Farmer.

“In the morning, there was a large hole in the ground with just the top of the tree Winter 2016

Images courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

sticking out. My father had the hole refilled The company worked at all of the with dirt.” state’s universities. They The company also “It wasn’t unusual to have a constructed the built a 135-home education building, Ira subdivision in 1949 subdivision sell out before Payne Hall, and utility located northwest of 15th the models were finished,” tunnels at ASU, the top and Fairmount avenues, fourth-floor addition to which featured 20 designs by Phoenix the education building at the University of architect John Sing Tang, with a different Arizona, and a dorm, the creative arts type of tree featured on each street of the development.

At the HY-View Two subdivision located near Cactus Road and 36th Street, Farmer tried new technology using urethane, foam panel construction. These houses were made out of two-inch foam panel sandwiched between two, 1.4-inch pieces of plywood.

From the curb, the structures appeared to be stick-built homes. Farmer soon created larger foam panels that significantly reduced the setup time.

As the housing market slowed in the early 1960s, Farmer started doing commercial work as E.L. Farmer Construction. For 15 years, Farmer built shopping centers for A. T. Laprade and Rusty Lyons (which later became Westcor), theaters for the Nace chain, Smitty’s grocery stores, apartments, and schools.

building, the boiler room for the south campus, and the engineering building at Northern Arizona University.

Once again, Farmer embraced new technology with the advent of tilt-up concrete construction, including the First National Bank of Arizona operations center in Tempe. His company used this technique for industrial projects, shopping centers, apartments, warehouses, and cold storage facilities.

Three of E.L. Farmer Construction's most notable buildings were on-site, precast concrete structures, including, in 1962, Phoenix Municipal Stadium, which recently became the home of the ASU baseball team. In 1965, the company did the onsite precast concrete at the Phoenix Trotting Park in a joint venture with the Gilbert & Dolan Construction Company.

Unfortunately, harness racing ended after a few years, and the facility has been vacant since.

Farmer’s most complicated precast structure was the Celebrity Theatre, formerly called the Phoenix Star Theatre, which opened in 1964. The company fabricated precast uprights and the pie-

Opposite page, top: E.L. Farmer Construction at Phoenix Star Theatre, 1963.

Bottom right: E.L. Farmer Construction building Totem Department Store at 32ⁿ� Street and Thomas Road, 1960.

Top left: HY View Homes sign, 1963.

Bottom right: E.L. Farmer Construction groundbreaking for Safeway distribution center, 1968. www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

shaped roof panels on location. During erection, the center of the building was supported on structural supports.

“The structural engineer swore that the roof would lift off of the supports when the post-tensioning was complete,” Farmer recalls. “Unfortunately, the roof remained in place, and it was necessary to use a cutting torch to cut the scaffold out from under the roof.”

Farmer blazed other trails in the construction field, including employing women. Lea Wiltsie, who worked for the company for 30 years, recalls how she was first hired in 1962 while employeed by Kelly Girl, a temp agency.

"Farmer brought me on board to do accounting on a unique project involving an apartment complex,” Wiltsie says.

“Eventually, he stated that they couldn’t continue to afford me unless I became a permanent employee. I stayed years at the job; it was always challenging, and I worked with some of the most interesting people in the industry.”

Wiltsie recalls Farmer as a super friendly man, who was a hands-on kind of boss. "He went out almost every day to visit the employees working on the sites.

They were devoted to Farmer, and he was dedicated to them. On job sites he was never referred to as ‘The Boss;' all of the men called him Evert. He treated everyone with the same kind of respect, whether he was talking to a laborer or a developer."

Besides construction, Farmer ran a dairy on Hayden Road in what is now Scottsdale. The operation had the first automated milk barn in Arizona, with the production marketed through Carnation Dairy. Motorola later purchased the property to locate one of their manufacturing plants.

Farmer bred Charolais cattle, a French white or cream-colored variety, near Cordes Junction. Paolo Soleri eventually bought the property for his futuristic community, Arcosanti.

He raised game birds at his home on Osborn Road in Phoenix, which he would have processed. “I would deliver a pair to all of his friends,” recalls his son. “He gave away 150 pheasants every Christmas.”

Farmer also invested in an office building, apartment complex, and two shopping centers. He died in 1975 at the age of 61.

Thirty six

Phoenix’s Theatre of “Stars” and “Celebrities" Larry Bonoff

O

ne of the Valley’s most successful entertainment venues is the Star Theatre, now called Celebrity Theatre.

The theatre’s shows were originally brought to Phoenix by my father, Buster Bonoff. My family, which has been in the theatre business for four generations, were the first professional promoters in Arizona.

They had one of about ten “in the round” theatres that hosted major entertainment events during the summer in the Northeast. These seasonal venues hosted Broadway plays featuring TV personalities who were on summer break from their usual gigs.

My father, who ran the Warwick Musical Theatre in Rhode Island, knew he needed more than seasonal work. He realized TV stars were often in Los Angles or Las Vegas and sought a location in the Southwest to bring them to perform.

Buster Bonoff often told reporters, “I got off the plane in Terminal One in Phoenix to gorgeous weather and discovered there

was no theatre.”

A multi-purpose convention center, which turned into the Star Theatre, had just been built behind the Highway House Hotel on 32nd and Van Buren streets. The hotel was a classy place and had a small train that took guests to their rooms.

The theatre was fantastic, especially considering its 1963 construction date.

The forms for the columns were put together in the parking lot. The building had beautiful copper siding. No poles held up the top of the building – a metal ring did it!

My father had a revolving stage built, only the second in the country. He then brought in professional stars and shows.

In 1964 we opened with the musical “South Pacific” starring Betsy Palmer. The schedule included Nat King Cole, John Raitt in “Carousel,” and Gordon and Shelia MacRae in “Guys and Dolls.”

The audience loved the theatre, and the entertainment expanded to comedy, rock, and country music. Liberace became a frequent guest, and Billy Joel visited several times, performing solo on the piano for his first set.

It was an amazing experience watching the many artists who graced its stage. I’m confident that if Dad hadn’t turned the convention hall into a theatre, this beautiful building would not have survived. I am very proud of what he accomplished.

Top: Schedule for Phoenix Star Theatre's fifth season.

Left: Liberace poses with Ladmo, Aunt Maud, and Wallace at Phoenix Star Theatre.

Winter 2016

A Tale of Two Cities and Zoning Ordinances Michelle Dodds

Image courtesy of author

I

electric trolley that changed the course of development in 1893.

Developers ran lines into areas north of downtown allowing people to live a distance from where they worked. In 1926, the city took ownership of the streetcar system and it hit the pinnacle of its ridership in 1929 at over 6.5 million riders who paid five cents per ride.

Initially, the streetcar suburbs were served by small businesses located in their neighborhoods. Examples of this pattern still exist in the Garfield and Oakland Historic Districts, but eventually, Phoenix followed the trend of many other cities to separate land uses.

The first citywide zoning code was adopted in 1916 in New York City and is referred to as Euclidean zoning.

Cities across the country, including Phoenix, adopted similar codes that called for a separation of land uses and a set of standards such as setbacks, height limits, and lot coverage to regulate development patterns.

The 1930 Phoenix ordinance had seven zoning districts, and there was a simple map of the city that anyone could open to see what the zoning was on their property. Today, the zoning map is a book of more than 170 maps. Thankfully, those maps are also available online.

The basic zoning districts were Residential A, B and C, Commercial A and B, and Industrial A and B. In addition to these districts, the map also noted city and state buildings, schools, parks, cemeteries, and churches on the zone map.

Commercial uses in Phoenix were pushed to major streets. Industrial districts were located primarily south of Jefferson Street.

Image courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

f the authors of the first Phoenix Zoning Ordinance approved in 1930 had been asked to define a COW, they would have thought the questioner a bit daft.

Today’s ordinance writers know a COW as a “cell on wheels� or a portable wireless communication facility. This example is emblematic of changes that have occurred in the Phoenix Zoning Ordinance, which regulates what people can do with their property.

The first Phoenix Zoning Ordinance and Zone Map was a simple document about 30 pages in length (including a 10page index) and contained about 30 definitions. It weighed a couple of ounces and only cost 35 cents. In contrast, today's zoning ordinance involves serious weight lifting. It's a good thing we now have the internet and don't need to lug around such a huge document!

The need for city zoning changed as Phoenix evolved as a city. When Phoenix was incorporated in 1881, its residents mostly lived within walking distance of where they worked. The first horse-drawn streetcars debuted in 1887, but it was the

Thirty eight

Top right: City of Phoenix zoning map, 1930.

Bottom left: Horse-drawn carriage on East McDowell Road, 1901.

Opposite page, top left: Bank President Walter Bimson and a 1912 Ford at the drive thru for the opening of the Valley National Bank's downtown "Motor Bank," 1955.

Opposite page, bottom right: Phoenix zoning announcement at Pinchot and 36th streets, 1956.

Winter 2016

www.Arizcc.com

commercial districts.

Many older, outdated uses are still listed. Uses were only permitted in a district if they were a listed use or an interpretation was obtained that likened them to a listed use.

As technology or lifestyles changed, there were new uses that didn't fit an existing zoning district, and so new ones were created. Some of those new uses needed conditions for approval or a public hearing for approval.

Images courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

In 1930, the ordinance was less restrictive in many ways. A family was defined as any number of individuals living together as a single housekeeping unit.

You could have boarders as long as they didn't occupy more than half the rooms.

Home occupations included uses such as dressmaking, millinery, hairdressing, manicuring, laundry, preserving, and home cooking. You were even allowed to house three motor vehicles in your garage and rent one of them to someone who wasn’t an occupant.

In Residence A (one family), Residence B (duplex) and Business A, (neighborhood business) you could build up to three stories or 40 feet. Residence C allowed apartments, hotels, bungalow courts, and hospitals all up to eight stories or 96 feet.

Business B (general commercial) could be ten stories or 125 feet. Industrial districts had no limitations.

As the years passed, the number of zoning districts proliferated. Today, there are more than 30 zoning districts, not including special overlay districts. There are also more than 500 definitions in just Chapter 2 of the ordinance, with about 50 of them pertaining just to signage.

So, how did this “thickening” of the zoning ordinance occur?

In 1930, the commercial districts were only a small paragraph of permitted uses.

Today’s ordinance has a list of more than 500 separate uses just in the three

In the 1950s, drive-in restaurants and theaters became popular, and their use and definitions were added to the ordinance.

Later, drive-through restaurants proliferated. A look at uses added to the ordinance over time tells an interesting story of how our city has changed. Who would ever have thought cell towers, pet care facilities, tanning salons or medical marijuana facilities would have become listed uses in 1930?

Bill Allison, local land use attorney, was hired in 1988 to be part of a team to rewrite the Phoenix Zoning Ordinance. The team was charged with making the ordinance simpler, shorter, and clearer.

The comprehensive rewrite of the ordinance proved to be fraught with too many issues, and the group moved forward with smaller, incremental changes. A rewrite of the commercial districts fell apart in the early 1990s.

Finding a balance between protecting the interest of neighborhoods and allowing appropriate commercial development was a challenge. Later in his career, Allison became the city’s Zoning Administrator and had to interpret the zoning ordinance.

He explained that applying suburban standards to an urban area was a real challenge. As a practicing land use attorney today, he would still like the city to tackle a rewrite of the commercial districts.

Arizona contractor & Community

Images courtesy of author

Kenilworth Line Streetcar, 1920s.

Recently, there’s been a move to more of a form-based code with the adoption of the Downtown Code with its character districts in 2010 and the Walkable Urban Code with its 12 transect districts in 2015. The emphasis along the light rail lines is more on the integration of

land uses and focus on the public realm.

It is the form and mass of the buildings that are important and their relationship with the street type. Transportation has always been linked to land use, and the light rail has certainly had a profound change on both.

Tricia Gomes, the city’s current Zoning Administrator, noted it is a real challenge to keep up with how uses are changing.

She’s currently tackling how to handle the tiny house craze. Gomes has been in the position for two years, and her goal is conducting an annual update to keep things current. That job is a challenge since the zoning ordinance contains two types of codes, Euclidean and form-based.

Certainly, there will always be a need to update our codes and ordinances to keep up with new technologies and changes in people’s attitudes and lifestyles.

Comparing Phoenix of 1930 and 2016 is really like comparing two different cities as a lot has changed in the past 86 years.

Back in 1930, the city’s population was less than 50,000, and the city was only 6.3 square miles. Today, the city’s population is about 1.5 million and the city covers more than 500 square miles. That’s a massive amount of homes, businesses, and land to regulate!

Michelle Dodds is the Phoenix historic preservation officer.

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Part I – Mid-Century Scottsdale Heather M. David

Famous as the ‘West’s Most Western Town,’ Scottsdale has retained the architecture of the Old West. Situated in the center of Arizona’s fabulous resort area, this unique little town is a congregating point for Indians, cowboys, and tourists.

- Caption from back of postcard, circa 1959

A

fter its incorporation in 1951, the city of Scottsdale, Arizona's chamber of commerce adopted the motto "The West's Most Western Town." Promoted as a prime vacation destination, Scottsdale's historical connection to the Old West was a key component of the marketing strategy. The downtown area, with Western-themed shops, restaurants, and bars, appeared much like a Western movie set. There were Western festivals, rodeos, and parades.

In the decade following its incorporation,

Scottsdale experienced a population explosion.

With the surge of people came new residential and commercial development. During this period of aggressive growth, Scottsdale kept its strong ties to the Old West and its catchy motto, but the town readily embraced other modern trends. By the early 1960s, there was something for everyone in a city that was increasingly cosmopolitan.

Let’s take a ride in the Arizona time machine and check out some of the midcentury sites of Scottsdale.

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One of Scottsdale’s most popular Westernthemed establishments in the 1950s and 1960s was the Lulu Belle Restaurant and Bar. Located downtown, owners Evelyn and Bobby Foehl gave the Lulu Belle a Gay Nineties theme and decorated the place with period-appropriate antiques and collectibles. Staff wore costumes and bartenders served up drinks like “Joanie’s Garter” and the “Gay Nineties Old Fashioned.” The “Showplace of Scottsdale” entertained guests for several decades before morphing into a Mexican Cantina and closing in 1990.

The Lulu's building still stands.

Located at 7212 East Main Street, one will recognize the board and batten siding. No more fancy cocktails and garters, though. The place now serves burgers and Mexican food.

Safari Hotel In the early 1950s, most vacationers to Scottsdale stayed in motels. And the best time to visit was during the winter season as few motels had air conditioning.

Arizona developer Ernie Uhlmann saw the need for a year-round hotel and Uhlmann was a big thinker. Partnering with businessman buddy Bill Ritter, the two invested in a resort complex at the intersection of Scottsdale and Camelback roads. The hotel’s grand reveal was in November 1956, and there was nothing down home or folksy about this venue.

Designed by local architect Al Beadle and marketed as “The Fun Capital of Scottsdale,” the Safari Hotel opened with 100+ rooms (with more rooms added over time), convention

Sugar Bowl The Sugar Bowl opened on Christmas Eve, 1958. Owner Jack Huntress, a former sales and marketing executive for Chrysler, felt the need for a family-friendly restaurant in Scottsdale and modeled

facilities, multiple swimming pools, extensive landscaping, a dining room, coffee shop, nightly dancing, and several cocktail lounges. The hotel’s theming was either African Congo or New Orleans French Quarter,

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depending on your vantage point.

The Safari Hotel closed in 1998 to make way for a Marriott Hotel that never materialized. Today, the former Safari property is home to luxury condos.

Images courtesy of author

Lulu Belle Restaurant

his business after an oldfashioned ice cream parlor in San Francisco. The Sugar Bowl was wildly popular with both locals and tourists. The restaurant received national exposure when Bil Keane, creator of the “Family Circus,” started featuring it in his wholesome comic strips.

The Sugar Bowl still exists today. Located at 4005 N. Scottsdale Road, the restaurant looks much as it did in 1958.

Hotel Valley Ho Just a month after its opening, the jaw-dropping Safari Hotel got itself some serious competition when the Valley Ho – Scottsdale's "newest and finest year-round European plan hotel" – arrived on the hospitality scene.

Designed by local architect Edward L. Varney, the Valley Ho represented a unique marriage of Modernism with Southwestern detailing.

Upon entry, a spacious lobby introduced guests to several enticing options – the cocktail lounge, dining, or a refreshing dip in the pool. All rooms featured private porches for sunning. The hotel was walking distance to shops and art galleries. The Valley Ho was such a success that in 1958, the hotel added two more room wings.

After a forgettable stint as a Ramada Inn, the Valley Ho was purchased

by Westroc Hotels and Resorts in 2002.

The group added a seven-story tower designed by the architectural firm Allen & Philp. The Valley Ho is still in business, and the property is on the Scottsdale National Register.

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Mountain Shadows In 1959, decades before groundbreaking on an “innovative” ring-plan campus for a high-tech company called Apple, a ring existed in the shadows of Scottsdale’s Camelback Mountain. This particular ring belonged to the Mountain Shadows Hotel and Resort, and it consisted of a circle of luxurious hotel rooms, with a “twice Olympic size” pool at its center.

Designed by Southern California-based architect Martin Stern, Jr., best known for his work in Las Vegas (i.e. the Sahara Hotel), the Mountain Shadows featured a sleek, modern architecture. The original developer behind the resort was Jim Paul, but in 1964, Del Webb took over.

Like the Safari Hotel and the Valley Ho, the Mountain Shadows was open yearround and offered dining and meeting facilities.

The Mountain Shadows, however, also had an 18-hole golf course and tennis courts. The resort favored a more conservative, country club atmosphere.

The Mountain Shadows closed in 2004, and the property is being redeveloped.

Trader Vic’s In 1962, the “West’s Most Western Town” said “Aloha” with the grand opening of a Trader Vic’s outpost on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Craftsmen Court. A swooping A-Frame had risen amidst an assortment of trendy shops.

The Polynesian-themed restaurant, with its distinctive architectural design and giant Tiki statue at its entrance, was Forty four

Images courtesy of author

near impossible to miss, and an exotic world of rum-based cocktails and grass skirts was to co-exist pleasantly with barbecue and cowboy boots.

The original Trader Vic’s in Scottsdale closed in 1990. The restaurant was resurrected in 2006, adjacent to the Hotel Valley Ho, but closed again in 2011.

Guaranty Bank Scottsdale Arizona’s “Pace Setter Bank” – Guaranty Bank - opened a regional home office in Scottsdale in the early 1960s. The two-story building was designed by the architect John Schotanus, Jr., who had previously worked for the firm Welton Becket & Assoc. Proudly featured in postcards and described as “a fine example of modern bank architecture,” the bank featured floor to ceiling glass, a floating

staircase, and decorative metal screens.

Sadly, this bank building, once located at 7111 East Camelback, no longer exists.

Final Thoughts As part of a “Cactus Capers” tourism campaign launched in the 1960s, hundreds of travel agents visited Scottsdale and discovered that the “West’s Most Western Town” was just as likely to offer a martini or Mai Tai as a shot of whiskey.

To paraphrase the words of a correspondent for Good Housekeeping, Scottsdale in the 1960s was really “swinging.”

Today, the same holds true.

Although the majority of the businesses featured in this article no longer exist, Scottsdale – with its unique combination of old and new – still, very much, swings.

Heather David is a cultural historian and freelance writer. She is an advocate for the preservation of midcentury modern architecture and the West Coast correspondent for the Society for Commercial Archeology.

She is currently at work on her next book, MOTEL CALIFORNIA.

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Ready to Answer the Call to Post:

The Phoenix Trotting Park Trevor Freeman

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he wind rustles through the weeds as I make my way towards the fence.

Each step sends small wisps of dust into the air as my shoes sink into the powdery soil. I am standing in a field in Goodyear, Arizona approximately 20 miles west of downtown Phoenix. Before me is the Phoenix Trotting Park, a massive

The Phoenix Trotting Park has lay dormant for 51 years, but once upon a time this was a destination for the wealthy and powerful to come and relax. To learn its story, we need to go back to 1964.

structure with a fascinating and troubled past.

The tan-colored building is shaped like a large box with twin flowing arches of concrete that seem to have sprouted up from the desert upon which it sits. Today it is protected by fences to keep out trespassers, vandals, and the curious.

Framing Success In the 1950s, Phoenix was not the sprawling metropolis it is today, and there was no Interstate 10 connecting Phoenix to Los Angeles. The population barely exceeded 100,000, but the stage was set for things to change.

The post-war economic boom gave rise to the nuclear family, and advances in air conditioning made it tolerable to live year-round in Phoenix. Real estate titans like John F. Long and Del Webb built massive subdivisions of tract housing, and people bought homes just as fast as the homebuilders could frame them. By 1960, the population of Phoenix had exploded to more than 430,000 people.

The tremendous growth in Phoenix continued in the 1960s, which saw the first shopping malls, high-rise buildings, and a 12,000 seat stadium. Tourism was also booming, and many people moved Phoenix from the East to seek their fortunes.

Among them was James J. Dunnigan, a businessman from New York.

A Decade of Optimism Dunnigan had run a successful horse racing track called the Buffalo Raceway in Hamburg, New York for 20 years. He saw an opportunity to expand the sport of harness racing to the desert, and construction began on the Phoenix Trotting Park in 1964.

Images courtesy of author

Building the Dream The Phoenix Trotting Park was hugely ambitious: the plans called for a massive

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Top right: Phoenix Trotting Park advertisement, 1965.

Left: Trotting horse at the track, 1965.

Opposite page, top right: Phoenix Trotting Park ephemera, 1965.

Opposite page, bottom left: The Phoenix Trotting Park, 2015.

Winter 2016

structure 86 feet high, 195 feet wide, and 500 feet long with seating capacity for 4,500 patrons and parking for 5,000 vehicles. It would use the latest construction techniques and feature the most modern amenities.

A one square mile plot of land was selected for the site with a 5/8 mile oval, a standard size for harness racing.

Dunnigan hired the Los Angeles design firm of Victor Gruen & Associates to build his new racetrack. They appointed Ivone Grassetto as the Design Consultant.

The building would be a sophisticated place for wealthy and powerful businessmen to meet, have a drink, and watch the races. Harness racing was a winter sport, and there were no tracks that operated year-round in the 1960s. The Phoenix track was intended for use in the winter months only, as it would lack central air conditioning.

New Building, New Methods Construction of the Phoenix Trotting Park was a joint venture between two general contractors: Gilbert and Dolan Enterprises and E.L. Farmer Construction Co., Inc. These firms used cutting-edge construction techniques.

The gleaming facility, which had been estimated to cost two million, cost more than $9.5 million to complete.

The foundation rests on drilled, bellshaped concrete caissons which were cast in place. Almost the entire facility was made of precast concrete sections, which were then assembled into place. The floor and the roof slabs were pre-tensioned using “Spancrete,” while the other structural members such as wall panels, columns, girders, and beams were posttensioned using a patented “Prescon” system.

Building these massive concrete forms in the desert presented unique challenges.

The trucks which brought the concrete to the site had to have their drums sprayed with water to keep them cool during transport. Ice was also used as part of the mixing process to pre-cool some of the aggregate materials in the mix.

The walls, columns, girders, and beams were cast on-site using forms dug into the earth. The structural members were required to have a compressive strength of 6,000 psi – approximately three times that used in ordinary buildings. This massive strength was necessary to support the building's dramatic cantilevers – 32 feet long for the main roof girders and 39 feet for the seat girders.

Images courtesy of author

A Grand View Another impressive engineering feat at the facility was its view of the track. The trackside of the grandstand had a massive installation of 3/8-inch polished glass measuring 471 feet long and 48 feet high.

The glass was installed in 11-foot by 8-foot panels for maximum visibility. The panels were held in place with 7/8-inch tensioned steel aircraft cables, which offer tremendous strength for their size.

The entire 22,608 square foot wall of glass was designed to withstand wind pressures of up to 90 miles per hour. Inside www.Arizcc.com

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the grandstand, the roof support columns were as small as building codes would allow. When completed in 1965, the Phoenix Trotting Park had the largest single installation of glass by PPG Industries.

Image courtesy of author

Horse Racing Begins…And Abruptly Ends The Phoenix Trotting Park opened to great fanfare on January 12, 1965. More than 12,000 guests marveled at the luxurious new facility, which featured a basement, four floors, a mezzanine, and a two-level press box. There were two restaurants with a view of the track and a 240-foot-long betting counter for placing pari-mutuel bets.

The facility was equipped with a set of “mechanical stairs” or escalators to bring patrons from the ground level up to the mezzanine. Guests going up to the Clubhouse level and the Press Box could ride in the comfort of the 3,500-pound capacity elevator with extra-wide doors.

The gleaming facility, which had been estimated to cost two million, cost more than $9.5 million to complete.

The first season at Phoenix Trotting Park went well, but before long, the park’s

The Phoenix Trotting Park, 2015.

luck changed. After 2 ½ seasons, attendance was down dramatically, probably from a combination of its newness wearing off, it was far outside of

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Phoenix, and harness racing was never as popular with Americans as thoroughbred racing. The track closed on December 7, 1966. A developer later purchased the property, and built an RV resort on a portion of the land in the early 2000s.

An Uncertain Future Goodyear, a bedroom community of Phoenix, has continued to grow and has even become a tourist destination as a result of a Spring Training baseball stadium. As a result, the land around the Phoenix Trotting Park has become increasingly valuable.

The property was listed for $16.5 million on the commercial real estate market in early 2016. At the time of this writing, a sale is pending. The new owners and their intentions are not yet known.

It would seem the Phoenix Trotting Park’s days as a horse racing track are gone forever. And yet, the building has been remarkably well preserved in the desert air. It's not impossible to imagine new uses for this great facility. I can only hope that this magnificent building will be kept around for future generations.

Trevor Freeman is a writer and photographer who lives and works in Phoenix. He loves Arizona history and car shows, http://www.trevorfreeman.me

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Images courtesy of Victor Gruen & Associates

L'Hippodrome de Phoenix: Envisioning the Future of the Phoenix Trotting Park Sharon Girulat Rule # 1: To change the perception, change the conversation.

A Beacon to the Valley Every mile across the desert weighs on me. Then, a sigh of relief, there it is in the distance, the former Phoenix Trotting Park.

Not today, but maybe someday, that beacon will be welcoming.

With its preservation in my heart, I set out to determine whether or not this is a beacon worthy of saving. It is. Facts and experts attest that this is a world-class landmark left sadly abandoned but not diminished.

Always More than a Racetrack The prominence of the Phoenix Trotting Park is such that it was publicized in Europe as “The Grassetto” or “The Hippodrome of Phoenix.” This “Gem in the Desert” was designed to welcome the wealthy and elite for the Sport of Kings.

Top: Hippodrome upper dining views, 1966.

Opposite page, top left: L'Hippodrome stair lift, 1964.

Opposite page, top right: Bell Bottom Foundation Co., of Pearland, TX, drilling to install V-Shaped concrete girders, 1964.

Opposite page, bottom left: Bentson Contracting paving near grandstand, 1965.

Opposite page, bottom right: Infield concrete molds, 1964.

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Replete with lush landscaping, parking, and lighting, its pedigree was apparent from the other side of the Atlantic, the home of its designer, Ivone Grassetto.

The facility’s 20 acres, now bundled in the middle of 192 acres, awaits a new owner's edict. Hopefully, that person will revive its prominence.

To Preserve or Not To Preserve Considering preservation and adaptive reuse requires analyzing the pedigree and potential adaptive reuse. The economics of its structural integrity, access to and cost of the materials and labor expenses are also critical. The final, longterm economics will be the owner's responsibility, but there are many reasons to be optimistic.

the time, many eyes were focused on its concrete and glass mastery. Design documents provide insight to its sustainability and integrity.

Preservation Interest In 2015, L'Hippodrome de Phoenix turned 50, the qualifying age for historic designations and accredited restoration consideration. It is already an iconic landmark.

Many individuals and groups are interested in the preservation of the former Phoenix Trotting Park. Recently the National Historic Trust unsuccessfully sought access to the site to validate its structural integrity.

Only an owner may consider specific historical designations, which each come with specific tax and restoration considerations. Moreover, each historical category provides an immediate marketing benefit of national and international attraction, and the potential for hosting world-renown events. The owner along with the city and the state obtain great visibility.

With creative and collaborative owner and community support, L'Hippodrome de Phoenix would be such a beacon to the world.

As the sixth largest construction project in North America at the time, many eyes were focused on its concrete and glass mastery.

Pedigree L'Hippodrome de Phoenix has been lauded by many international architectural publications, which praised its design, construction methods, materials, and massive expanse delivered to impress the world's elite.

As the sixth largest construction project in North America at

Structurally Speaking Despite rumors to the contrary, all data indicates a structure of impressive integrity. For decades, access has been granted only to authorized professionals Winter 2016

Image courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

performing evaluations and services. They, along with trespassers armed with video, provide a comprehensive view and status of the L'Hippodrome de Phoenix's integrity.

Chicago-based, U.S. Heritage, professionals in historic masonry restorations, and others, scoured the videos for weeks focused on structural integrity and concrete decay.

The conclusion of experts and trespassers alike is unanimous; the structure is stable with no signs of wear or decays other than the man-made destruction of the glass, mechanicals, and furnishings.

Reasons to Preserve The greenest building is the one that is already standing, like the L'Hippodrome de Phoenix. The environmental case is

Image courtesy of Contractors West

pretty intuitive in that existing building retrofits use about half as much material as new construction. The economic benefit of retrofitting existing building is jobs, as renovations use twice the labor as new construction. Reusing the L'Hippodrome de Phoenix reduces design costs, the original primary collaborators and materials are still in business, and forms are allegedly buried on site to aid any expansion or repair. www.Arizcc.com

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The building’s poured concrete wall, floor and roof panels bode well for highheat climates. Despite the sun pouring in from the south, replaced high glass walls, the concrete bleachers, floors and columns absorb the heat, thereby reducing the amount of cooling needed. Its placement in an open desert area provides solar opportunities to offset the site’s high energy costs.

Preservation is good for marketing and community visibility. A historic building or district can be a tangible symbol of a

community's interest in honoring its heritage, and valuing its character and sense of place. The L'Hippodrome de Phoenix would get the most return out of previous investments in infrastructure, and encourage growth in already-developed areas.

Ultimately, however, the new owner will decide upon preservation. To clean up the structure will take an estimated one million dollars. Replacing seating will cost about $500,000, and assessments are needed for interior walls, appliances, and

the mechanical infrastructure. All original building materials remain available.

Restoration and potential expansion of the architecture appear viable and desirable.

Adaptive Reuse All the restoration need not immediately happen. There are potential, near-term options for use, such as Cavalia's Odyssey, the world's largest equestrian show. This prestigious production is held in 16 cities in North America. The event requires 20 acres, including parking, and has the potential to bring up to $10 million in revenues during its three-month run.

Another interim use might include simple clean-up that focuses on the nonpublic access portion of the structure for business and community programs. It’s clear that preservation and re-purpose of the landmark will provide economic benefits, short and long-term, to Goodyear and Arizona because of its visibility and desirability.

Benefits of Similar Projects Santa Fe Opera's Crosby Theatre was constructed in 1968, modified in 1998, and is the country's premier outdoor performance venue.

Not unlike L'Hippodrome de Phoenix in its futuristic flare, it seats about 2,000 and is a major Santa Fe attraction, having hosted more than 1,600 performances.

The Hollywood Bowl, which was built in Los Angeles in 1926, is the largest natural outdoor amphitheater in the country. The famous amphitheater is the first performance space in California certified as an Audubon Society Cooperative Sanctuary. The Hollywood Bowl has received new band shells over the years to keep current with new technology.

In the Valley, there’s the Orpheum Theater in downtown Phoenix, which was renovated for $14 million. The historic venue helped jumpstart downtown’s revitalization and hosts many types of entertainment.

Based on these venues, envision L'Hippodrome de Phoenix as part of a Performance and Visual Arts Campus. With the building’s indoor/outdoor flexibility in design, it can be the crown-jewel for the West Valley, hosting events ranging from polo games to marching band competitions.

The wait is on….

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Architect’s Perspective: Nicholas Sakellar, FAIA: Mid-Century Modern CN Dino Sakellar, AIA dino@sakellar.com

T

married his wife, Phyllis, whom he worked with before moving to Tucson in 1947.

In 1950, Nick contributed his design talents to the newly established firm of Scholer, Sakellar and Fuller. During its six-year partnership, this well-balanced team won numerous design awards and contributed significantly to the modern expression in Tucson. Catalina High School in Tucson and Buena High School in Sierra Vista are two examples of the firm’s work.

Seeking more creative freedom, Sakellar left the firm in 1956 to open his own office, eventually called Nicholas Sakellar & Associates. He continued his bold design reputation and acquired residential, commercial, institutional, and masterplanning commissions throughout the rest of his career.

The first time his buildings were entered in a design awards program was at the AIA's Regional Convention in Phoenix in 1957. Three of Nick's buildings were submitted: Dr. Darwin Neubauer’s Office, the Tucson Clinic, and the Wilcox Elementary School. They swept the honors,

Images courtesy of author

he end of World War II was the beginning of a new era in Arizona and its architecture. The state was 33 years old, exploding with opportunity for growth and prosperity. Sunshine, dry weather, and plenty of land attracted people from around the country. Many of them wanted to escape the cold and saw opportunities to build new cities and communities. One of those individuals was my father, Nicholas Sakellar.

Nicholas Gust Sakellar was born in 1918 to a Greek immigrant family in Indiana, was raised in Ohio, and graduated with an architectural degree from the University of Michigan in 1941. After serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, he worked briefly in Cleveland and

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winning the only three awards given, an accomplishment never equaled before or since.

Beginning in the mid-1960s, Sakellar broke away from a more purist modern expression of intersecting planes. He developed a more sculptural vocabulary, where curvilinear forms and massive cantilevered planes became more prominent. Experimenting with new materials, he used technology to fuse his design aesthetic with the climatic extremes of the desert.

During the 1960s he designed many prominent projects including the high-rise Tucson House, Wilmot Branch Library, and Cholla High School in Tucson, Francisco Grande Hotel in Casa Grande, and Mayer Central Building in Phoenix.

Nick’s buildings are unmistakably marked by an intimate sense of scale, an innovative use of structure and a sensitive combination of materials appropriate to the Southwest. The distinctive character of his buildings comes from designing a unified environment, a satisfying whole.

His is an architecture of extreme expressiveness; this is the reason his buildings are fascinating.

He aggressively pursued not only structural limits but also visual limits where building elements were stretched to the point of distortion. Horizontal lines, such as canopies, were extended to the visual snapping point. Beams could not be made to appear more massive or more long. His rough wood ceilings could not be more rough. Combinations of materials, such as burned adobe and concrete, combined soft forms with hard forms in a splendidly expressive manner.

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Images courtesy of author

The result of his intensity and energy was an architecture especially appropriate to the desert where extreme measures must be taken to obtain shelter and a sense of protection. Unlike much modern architecture, which functions only as a background, Nick's buildings, especially the ones of the 1960s and early 1970s, are alive with tactile effects and poignant feeling.

Nick was always looking forward to the next building, the one on his drawing board. He held himself to the very highest personal standards of excellence, by tireless hours of work and rework and by a boundless, lifelong enthusiasm for architecture and life. He has rolled up all his drawings and walked out on an unappreciative client during a presentation, and once told the entire Flowing Wells School Board they “had no soul.”

Nick was enormously proud of his large family, all raised in Tucson, and of his Greek heritage. His family and culture were the source of his courage and strength as an architect; in this respect he was luckier than most. His love and devotion of architecture inspired several family members to become architects, including his son, grandson, son-in-law, niece, his sister's grandson and many others who were captivated by his passion.

In 1982 my father was awarded the Arizona Architect’s Medal and was invested in the AIA College of Fellows in 1986. He passed away in 1993 surrounded by his family. His legacy remains not only in the buildings he designed but in the lasting influence he had on the many young architects who worked with him over the years. These include Jim Gresham FAIA, Phil Dinsmore FAIA, Kirby Lockard

FAIA, Gerald Doyle FAIA, Andy Anderson FAIA, Bob Swaim AIA, David Grigsby AIA, Bob Smith AIA, Jim Merry AIA, and John Mascarella AIA. References: Essays and articles written by Kirby Lockard FAIA, James Gresham FAIA, Brooks Jeffery, Anne Nequette and CN Dino Sakellar AIA.

Opposite page, top right: Nick Sakellar.

Left top: A pencil rendering of Catalina High School, Tucson by Nicholas Sakellar. The gymnasium was the longest arched glue laminated beam structure of its time, 1954.

Left bottom: Gus Chonis, John Mascarella, Nicholas Sakellar, Bill Brand, Jim Merry, and Matt Thompson (l-r) meeting under a ramada along I-10 in Marana in 1960 to watch the 120-foot-long precast concrete tee beams being transported from Phoenix to Buena High School in Sierra Vista. At the time they were the longest precast concrete tees ever produced. The trucks turned onto Arizona Highway 83 where, near Sonoita, one crashed. The remains of the beam still can be found in a roadside ditch Top: Francisco Grande Resort in Casa Grande was built as the San Francisco Giants’ baseball spring training facility in 1962. Nick talked the owners into a high-rise building that would be visible from Interstate 8.

Left: The Mayer Central Building in Phoenix featured the Playboy Club on the top floor, 1958.

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Digging Through the Archives: Prescott’s Henson Construction Co. Billy Horner

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Brad’s hand. Along with the Sterling truck, there was a 1932 Studebaker dump truck and other vehicles that the city forced Edwards to clean up.

Mackin’s friend, Rich Eckert, alerted him that the Sterling truck was finally for sale. “After negotiating nearly an hour, Brad and his wife agreed that if I hauled it off and preserved it, it was mine,” Mackin says.

The next day, February 8, 1991, Pat and some friends stopped by to collect the Sterling truck. They first had to cut down the tree that had sprouted within the truck’s frame and add tires to the vehicle.

Mackin then towed it home using a 1964 Chevy one-ton pickup.

The soon-to-be-refurbished Sterling had an impressive pedigree. In 1907 the Sternberg Motor Truck Company began in Milwaukee. In 1915, the name was changed from Sternberg to Sterling to disassociate with the German connotation from the outbreak of World War I. Sterling was bought by the White Motor Company in 1951, which stopped production of the Sterling/White line in 1958.

Image courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

ogging is not typically part of an old truck overhaul. But to start the renovation of a 1944 Sterling model HC115 chain-drive truck, Pat Mackin first had to play lumberjack.

The Sterling truck had not moved in three decades and had a seized engine, no glass, bed, wheels or tires. And there was a tree growing through the truck frame!

Mackin acquired the Sterling in 1991 from Brad Edwards whose dad, Joe, had purchased it from Henson Construction in the early 1960s. “Joe Edwards owned a smaller excavating company in Prescott and took the truck in trade for some mechanical and welding work he did for Henson,” says Brad Edwards. “At that time the truck was not running.”

But obtaining the vintage Sterling truck proved a struggle for Mackin. “I tried to tempt Joe Edwards more than once to sell me the Sterling with no luck,” Mackin recalls. “Even after Joe died, his son was also reluctant to sell it to me.”

A new neighbor of Edwards eventually complained about this and other vehicle eyesores to city officials in Prescott, forcing

Fifty six

“I recall seeing the Henson construction trucks out working as a kid and throughout the mid-1960s in Prescott,” Mackin says. “There was a hell of a lot of smoke, from the batch plant when they were paving.” Henson’s colors were yellow and, to Mackin’s knowledge, the Sterling has the original paint.

In the 1950s, the Sterling was initially used by Henson as a water truck. While working on the highway through the Salt River Canyon, it rolled on the driver's side.

Mechanics patched the truck, and it returned to work on the project.

It took Mackin just two months to have the Sterling truck running. He drives it by Edward's house each year on the anniversary date of when he acquired the antique.

He also exhibits the Sterling truck at shows. In 1998, he drove it to Phoenix for the American Truck Historical Society Convention, with a 1923 Model T on the back and pulling a 1946 Thorntonconversion Chevy truck.

My wife and I saw the Sterling truck at the 43rd Watson Lake Car and Truck Show outside of Prescott, which is hosted by the Prescott Antique Auto Club during the first week in August. One of the noteworthy attractions is the “Hit & Miss” exhibit, in which the old engines are fired up.

"People come from all over Arizona and surrounding states to showcase their gas motors and to educate people on the way things used to be," explains Mackin, one of the show's founders.

We arrived just in time to watch the Sterling truck with its gargling motor, creep by us heading to the top of Watson Lake Road. Mackin has recently added a former Cold War civilian air raid siren. Mounted on the bed, a Cummins diesel engine powers the siren and also serves as a spare engine for the Sterling.

When Mackin turned on the siren, people heard it for miles around.

Left: Pat Mackin with the Sterling truck at the Watson Lake Car and Truck Show, 2016.

Opposite page, clockwise top left: Sterling interior, 2016.

Sterling exterior with original W.J. Henson logo, 2016.

The first start in decades of the Sterling truck, Prescott, 1991.

Sterling truck with trees growing inside the frame, Prescott, 1991.

Sterling engine before the rebuild, 1993.

Sterling chain drive, 2016.

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P. 22

Pacwest 480-832-0855 pacwesttrading.com

P. 29

Vermeer Sales Southwest 480-785-4800 vermeersouthwest.com

P. 26

Branco Machinery 480-892-5657 brancomachinery.com

IFC

Flaska JCB 602-761-2525 flaskajcb.com

P. 9

RDO Rents 877-90-RDOIC rdoic.com

P. BC

Woudenberg Properties 480-620-8555 woudenbergprops.com

P. 3

CED 602-437-4200 cedphx.com

P. 62

GenTech 800-625-8324 gentechusa.com

P. 41

Red Mountain 480-477-9400 redmountainrentals.com

P. IBC

WSM Auctioneers 623-936-3300 wsmauctioneers.com

P. 31

Cemex 602-416-2652 cemexusa.com

P. 3

GPS & Track 800-578-1809 gps&track.com

P. 13

Reuter Fabrication 602-415-0449 reuterequipment.com

P. 21

Christy Signs 602-242-4488 Christysigns.com

P. 61

Hagen Business 602-570-7289 hagenbusiness.com

P. 6

Ritchie Bros Auction 602-269-5631 rbauction.com/sell

P. 25

Sixty

P. 21, 25

P. 4, 61

P. 16

Winter 2016

www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Sixty two

Winter 2016

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Phoenix, AZ Permit No. 3418