Mar/Apr 2018

Arizona’s Timeless Magazine $5.99 Mar-Apr 2018

Serving Contracting Firms and the Arizona Community. . .

"School's out for summer, School's out forever"

R.I.P. Osborn School, 1879-1963

«Going Underground with Phil Berger «Cigar Sign Illuminates Whiskey Row Murder «Canyon State Electric celebrates 40 years

«Crawling Up the White Tank Mountains «A “Grand” O.S. Stapley Building Reborn «Attorneys to Fill Madison Street Jail

www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Gila River Health Care (GRHC) wants to announce the upcoming release of a request for proposals (RFP) for services including design and construction of a new Behavioral Health Services (BHS) office building on the Hu Hu Kam Memorial Hospital campus in Sacaton, AZ, and the renovation of the existing BHS office building.

The modified scope of work includes an evaluation of the existing FF&E located in BHS buildings for possible re-use in the project, along with the selection, specifications, procurement coordination, and installation of the new and reused FF&E items for both the new and existing buildings. Estimated construction cost is $8.8M.

Publisher William Horner Billy@arizcc.com

Biscuit s

+ Gravy

An additional RFP will be released for the HUD III project, a renovation and expansion of the Hu Hu Kam Memorial Hospital, including a two story addition. Total estimated cost (all inclusive) is $25M. GRHC has budgeted $13-15M per fiscal year for the next five years, including FY18.

GRHC invites the construction community to watch our web site http://grhc.org/about/how-to-do-business-with-grhc/ for upcoming announcements. Alternatively, please send a note to Contracts@grhc.org to get on our bidders mailing list and get notified about RFP releases.

Poached eggs + Bacon

Editor Douglas Towne Douglas@arizcc.com Contributing Writers Jim Bolek Rachel Getting Christia Gibbons Tom Gibbons Nichole L. Reber Luke Snell Doug Sydnor Ross Vroman Production Manager Laura Horner Laura@arizcc.com

What's your

Favorite Breakfast to cook?

Spinach-tangeloapple-berry smoothie.

French Toast prepared by others

Publisher’s Representatives Tom Hogarty Tom@arizcc.com Rick Lafond Rick@arizcc.com Chuck Runbeck Chuck@arizcc.com Barry Warner Barry@arizcc.com Advertising 602-931-0069 Arizcc.com/advertise Visit us online at arizcc.com

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

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

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

Arizona Contractor & Community Copyright © 2018 All rights reserved.

Four

Mar-Apr 2018

www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Meet the Staff

For Information Contact: Brad Cable (602) 415-0449 • Cell (602) 763-8039 Email: bradc@rec-reuter.com

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

six

Tom Gibbons

Douglas B. Sydnor

Article on page 16

Article on page 52

I have been working in the newspaper game on and off since 1973. Looks like I haven't gotten very far -- basically across the street.

My first job was taking high school scores over the phone at the old Phoenix Gazette at 120 East Van Buren St. Now I spend three or four nights a week at 200 East. Van Buren St. writing headlines and photo captions for sports sections of newspapers around the country.

I've been freelancing for about 10 years. Before that I was a columnist and business editor for the East Valley Tribune, back when it was a Pulitzer Prize-winning daily newspaper. I did a couple stints in sports there, too.

I also served a couple tours of duty in the sports department of the Arizona Republic, was assistant sports editor at the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson and found time to work for some newspapers in California.

I taught part-time at ASU's Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications for 10 years.

My family moved to the Valley in 1968, so I have had a front-row seat to watch as the Phoenix area has grown. When we arrived here, the Suns hadn’t played their first game, the world’s largest cattle feed lot was located next to Sky Harbor Airport and there were a lot of fields between all these towns.

Editor's Note: Baseball fan Tom Gibbons is shown posing with Bob Ueuker's "The Last Row" statue at Miller Park in Milwaukee.

Douglas B. Sydnor, FAIA, grew up in Phoenix as the son of a respected architect. Knowing that he would be an architect at an early age, he sold construction materials at Entz-White Lumber Company, did construction labor for Kitchell Contractors and M.M. Sundt, and was a draftsman at Varney Sexton Sydnor Architects.

He received a Bachelor of Architecture Degree at Arizona State University and a Masters in Architecture from Harvard University.

Doug has been practicing architecture exclusively in Arizona for the past 40 years and received his AIA Fellowship in 2011. He has completed approximately 225 projects and studies, and his portfolio includes health care, higher educational, cultural, commercial, religious, hospitality, and residential commissions. He’s been honored with more than 60 professional design awards. He has lectured widely, exhibited his work, and about 250 articles have featured his architecture and civic involvement.

Doug has authored three books including Scottsdale Architecture (2010), Plugger: The Architecture of Reginald Sydnor (2011), and Paradise Valley Architecture (2013). He’s written more than 35 articles for the Scottsdale Republic and as the architectural columnist for Arizona Contractor & Community magazine.

He is active with his Scottsdale-based firm Douglas Sydnor Architect and Associates, Inc., which was founded in 1993. He enjoys painting, revegetating his desert property, and traveling.

Mar-Apr 2018

Volume 7 Issue 2

CONTENTS 10.

13.

30.

32.

39.

44.

46.

50.

52.

56.

58.

ROC 233308

61.

62.

From The Editor: Crawling up the White Tank Mountains Douglas Towne Construction Around Arizona: Projects • People • Practices Back When: Acrobat Duo - Douglas Towne A “Grand” Building Reborn: O.S. Stapley Hardware Douglas Towne Brightening the Valley for 40 Years: Canyon State Electric Company Six-Way Confusion: Improving Grand Avenue’s Intersections - Douglas Towne Born Of Fire: The Bad Blood of a Cigar Sign Jim Bolek Subterranean Insights: Going Underground with Phil Berger - Douglas Towne Architect’s Perspective: Dental Offices Doug Sydnor, FAIA Building on the Past: 1963: Osborn School No. 1 Demolition Digging Through the Archives: New Machines Drive Hagen Construction - William Horner Bid Results - Bidjudge ACC Advertisers’ Index

We Rent Fences!!

Front Cover Bucyrus Erie wrecking ball crane demolishes the Osborn School, 1963.

Lyrics from "School's Out" by Alice Cooper, 1972.

Image courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community

* Construction Sites * Special Events * Crowd Control * Secure Property & Parcels from Vandals & Dumpers ** And Much More!

CALL TODAY FOR YOUR FREE QUOTE

www.allstatefenceaz.com eight

Mar-Apr 2018

Give the gift of Arizona History with a

subscription to our magazine!

F

ollowing the post-World War II housing boom, there was an increased demand for high-quality dental care in the Phoenix area. Over the years such services

arizcc.com/subscribe

www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Images courtesy of Author

Editor’s Column: Crawling Up the White Tank Mountains Douglas Towne

T

he White Tank Mountains form the western boundary of the Valley of the Sun. Oddly, the site of its namesake feature is a mystery. The natural tank that was an important water source for early settlers was filled in by the collapse of a cliff from heavy rains around 1900. The depression’s exact location is no longer known.

ten

The mountain range, however, has a unique feature that is seen by numerous motorists driving along Interstate 10.

There is a prominent scar on the range’s southeast face. The mark is a road that seems to defy gravity, going seemingly straight up the mountain, ignoring any engineer’s attempt at safety.

There’s a reason for this. The road was constructed as part of Caterpillar Tractor Company’s proving ground to test its new construction machines in the Arizona desert.

The Caterpillar Tractor Company was formed by the merger of the Holt Manufacturing Company and the C. L. Best Tractor Company in 1925. The new company was headquartered in San Leandro, California until it moved to Peoria, Illinois in 1930. The company grew Top: White Tank Mountain Regional Park.

Below: The first D9 Caterpillar and the crew that built it.

Left: Proving ground employee Jake Norton on a Caterpillar machine.

Mar-Apr 2018

Images courtesy of Empire Machinery

to become the world’s largest maker of construction equipment.

Caterpillar opened their proving ground in Arizona in 1944 during World War II. The company leased 8,800 acres of State Trust lands and later purchased the property. The proving ground was located 25 miles west of downtown Phoenix, on property that stretched roughly from McDowell Road to Northern Avenue along the east slope of the White Tank Mountains, seven miles north of downtown Buckeye.

The location was selected to test the company’s machinery against the heat, dust, and rock of the desert. The original test crew consisted of a dozen men and a few pieces of equipment. The tests produced more efficient, safe, and comfortable construction machines.

By 1957, the Caterpillar proving ground’s workforce had expanded to 67 employees, most of whom had experience operating heavy equipment on construction jobs. Pushing construction equipment to its limits would seem to be a hazardous job; some employees felt otherwise. “As far as danger is concerned, I don’t consider tractor-driving nearly as nerve-wracking as fighting city traffic in a passenger car,” Jake Norton, a veteran foreman-driver at the proving ground, told the Arizona Republic in 1957.

Still, the article noted that some maneuvers at the test site appeared to be an invitation for accidents, including a road up a mountainside that climbs a 50 percent grade. Large earth movers created the cut in the mountain that is still visible today, from miles away.

Caterpillar also maintained a testing facility in Illinois, which provided the “wet, cold and mud” to test their equipment, as opposed to the “dust, heat and rock" that was in large supply at the Arizona proving ground.

In 1990, Caterpillar moved the proving ground and its associated marketing center to 6,240 acres west of Green Valley, south of Tucson.

The property, located on the southern border of the Freeport-McMoRan Sierrita Mine, is a combination of private and leased State land. The new site, known as the Tucson proving ground, is secluded to protect development of new

equipment and to eliminate complaints from nearby residents.

The Tucson proving ground shares the property with the Tinaja Hills Demonstration and Learning Center, part of Caterpillar’s Customer Services Support Division.

The two facilities support and enhance each other, and employ about 60 workers.

Together, they host more than 12,000 visitors a year for machine demonstrations, customer/dealer programs, and equipment training courses. The facility features state of the art conference auditoriums, classrooms, and service training bays.

The facility’s year-round weather conditions, variety of slopes and grades, and soil conditions ranging from sand and clay to hard rock make this an ideal location to

The mark is a road that seems to defy gravity, going seemingly straight up the mountain

www.Arizcc.com

test and demonstrate Caterpillar machines to potential buyers from all over the world.

In 1997, Caterpillar partnered with a developer, DMB Associates, to convert its former 8,800-acre proving grounds into Verrado, an upscale residential development. Most of the terrain was pristine desert land; only about 20 percent of the land bore scars from decades of equipment testing.

But that steep, scary-looking road scar is still visible above Verrado. Today, it’s only used to access the antennae that perch atop Barry Goldwater Peak, the White Tank’s highest point at 4,082 feet.

This prominent road cut is a reminder of Caterpillar’s presence in Arizona, seven decades later.

Top: Caterpillar equipment being tested at the proving ground in the White Tank Mountains.

Right: A Caterpillar D7E bulldozer at the Tucson proving grounds.

Arizona contractor & Community

Projects Construction Around Arizona

Construction Around Arizona

Image courtesy of DLR Group

Projects ∙ People ∙ Practices

Shackled to the Office: The Adaptive Reuse of Madison Street Jail Nichole L. Reber

M

ost of us feel shackled to our workplace. But what if your office was located in a prison? Fortunately the new tenant moving into Phoenix’s old Madison Street Jail is already accustomed to detention facilities.

The former jail is being converted into the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office by the DLR Group. The project will consolidate employees who’ve been spread throughout the metropolitan area in various

www.Arizcc.com

rented spaces. The new 263,595 square feet of finished space will also grant attorney’s office employees secure access to the court facilities next door.

The Madison Street Jail was built in 1985 to house 700 inmates. The facility was decommissioned when its resident population more than doubled beyond capacity, and the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing infrastructure failed in 2005.

The building was vacant until the adaptive reuse project began in late 2017. Upon completion in late 2019 or early 2020, the office is expected to house 935 county attorneys and staff.

While some parts of the facilities at 225 West Madison were demolished in December 2017, adapting the remaining building to a new purpose is a sustainable

move. Complete demolition alone would have cost nearly $10 million. The new manifestation is estimated to cost between $60 million and $65 million.

This adaptive reuse project marks a twist for the Omaha, NE-based DLR Group, an integrated design firm which is better known for designing prisons rather than repurposing them. Their work includes the Maricopa County Lower Buckeye Jail completed in 2004.

Repurposing buildings instead of tearing them down is a sustainable move for the community and environment.

“The economic driver is the benefit of consolidating leased office space into a county-owned facility adjacent to the Maricopa County Courts Complex. Creating energy-efficient office space with inherent

Arizona contractor & Community

fourteen

Mar-Apr 2018

Projects Construction Around Arizona to give space for HVAC, telecommunication, and electrical conduits.

The old cell windows—a thin, horizontal band of glass set in from the exterior facade— will become ribbon windows that wash interior surfaces with reflected sunlight. Closer to the floor, a second continuous band of windows measuring 32 inches tall will wrap the perimeter of every level. Along the southern façade, a louver assembly made from aluminum plates will wrap around the ribbon window.

Some may joke about which is better-having a bunch of attorneys or a group of

prisoners in the neighborhood--but having a renovated building rather than blight will always be welcome.

Nichole L. Reber is passionate about writing about architecture and the built environment. She has worked in Hong Kong, mainland China, Mumbai, and elsewhere around the world. She writes and does marketing for architecture firms from Chicago, where buildings by Jeanne Gang, Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, and Mies van der Rohe surround her. Contact her at www.nicholelreber.com.

Images courtesy of DLR Group

Image courtesy of Douglas Towne

special qualities found in the 225 W. Madison structure would be cost prohibitive to recreate in a new commercial office building,” reads a marketing brochure from DLR Group.

The design firm had a unique and exciting challenge: how do you "transform a secure, closed and fortified structure designed to separate individuals from society (into) an open, welcoming workspace with daylight and views"?

The design process “required transparency...without compromising the structural integrity of the original cast-inplace concrete structure which also serves as the exterior skin. After careful consideration, our team and Maricopa County determined that repurposing 225 W. Madison is not only feasible but will enhance the civic fabric of Phoenix with an active and vibrant office facility for county employees, refreshing a lifeless and vacant segment of the Phoenix urban core,” the brochure states.

Larry Smith, principal of DLR Group, and Megan Duffy, senior interior designer, are charged with opening the husk of a building into something bright and welcoming. Renderings reveal the defunct jail will metamorphose into an underground parking lot, five levels of office space, and a rooftop terrace on the fifth floor. Their design converts the cells and mezzanines into offices with open vestibule space.

Layton Construction, based in Sandy, Utah, will expand ceilings to 16 feet, high enough

www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Projects Construction Around Arizona

The Wright Stuff: Cave Creek Development Draws on Architect’s Teachings Tom Gibbons

F

Images courtesy of Author

rank Lloyd Wright was born 150 years ago, and he died nearly 60 years ago.

Yet chances are good his influence will be felt in an upcoming development in Cave Creek.

Cahava Springs in Cave Creek is a high-end home development with 230 homes planned on a 1,000-acre site.

www.Arizcc.com

Eighty-two percent of the acreage will be left as open space, including the springs, which will serve as a central oasis for the project.

A group of investors led by Dennis Mathisen has owned the land for about 30 years, said Mark Stapp, a veteran of the Arizona real estate industry. Stapp became involved in the late 1990s. The group was ready to develop the area in 2007-08, but as the housing market cratered, it became evident there was little demand for building high-end custom homes.

The delay might be for the better.

The hilly area is chock full of saguaros with the sort of views that cause heart

palpitations in desert lovers. Stapp decided designing homes that worked in harmony with the landscape would be a great fit for the distinctive, rugged beauty of the area.

“This is a sensitive property, including a rare riparian feature,’’ Stapp said.

Stapp, who is now head of the Arizona State University W.P. Carey School’s Master of Real Estate Development, was chairman of the board of Taliesin Architects for a decade. His connection to Taliesin West, the winter headquarters in north Scottsdale for the architecture school that Wright founded, made it natural to approach the school about a group project designing homes for Cahava Springs.

One of Wright’s precepts was “organic architecture,” that buildings should exist in harmony with their surroundings.

Wright first came to the desert in 1928 to work as a consultant on the Arizona Biltmore hotel north of Phoenix for architect Albert Chase McArthur, who had been employed for Wright about 20 years before. The Biltmore uses precast concrete blocks, a Wright specialty, and shows other influences of Wright.

Wright, about 60 at the time, needed the money. He was receiving little work and had always had a taste for luxury that was beyond his means. So he accepted a mere consulting job, working on the hotel for about four months.

While consulting on the Biltmore, Wright picked up a commission from A.J. Arizona contractor & Community

BRANDON GALLIMORE Land Surveying Services Construction Staking

7777 N 70TH AVE GLENDALE, AZ 85303

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

eighteen

Mar-Apr 2018

www.Arizcc.com

Molding impressionable minds seemed like a natural extension of Wright’s personality. Educated as a civil engineer (ironic – since his buildings are notorious for leaky roofs), Wright was never a guy who just drew lines on paper that tradesmen could follow to build a structure.

Architecture was always something deeper than that to Wright, the expression of a philosophical system.

He decided to construct Taliesin West and spend six months a year with students there. Or rather to have his apprentices build it to his design. Wright believed in learning by doing.

Between 1937 and 1941 all of Taliesin West was built. While spending six months of the year in the Sonoran Desert, Wright became an institution and landed some commissions in Arizona, some of which are still standing. Probably the best known is Gammage Memorial Auditorium on the Tempe campus of Arizona State University, completed in 1964, five years after Wright’s death.

But Wright’s influence on architecture in Arizona is greater than his commissioned works still standing. “You can see his influence in some developments, such as Desert Highlands and Desert Mountain,” said Victor Sidy, dean at Taliesin from 2005 to 2015.

When Stapp pitched the idea in 2014 of having Wright fellows and faculty design homes, Sidy was all for the opportunity.

The project involved eight to 10 fellows and up to four faculty at any one time on the project from 2014-15, Sidy said.

The architects spent time hiking on the property. Some even camped out on the site. That’s hardly foreign to the fellows, some of whom live in primitive desert dwellings on the Taliesin West property.

“Wright’s idea was that they learn about the essence of shelter,’’ Sidy explained.

By becoming more familiar with the property, Sidy said, those who worked on the project learned about how the wind blows up the hills in the morning and downgradient in the evening. Sidy believes the architects were able to incorporate the feel of the land into the designs. “I don’t want to sound too far out,’’ Sidy said.

These are luxury homes, after all, starting at around $800,000.

“They have the amenities you’d expect,’’ Sidy said. “But so much building in Scottsdale and the Valley is pretentious and fussy. This is clean, honest design.”

And, hopefully, it will be available.

Right now, Markham Contracting is putting in the basic infrastructure for the development. The basic siting on the master-planned community is done. But the builders have not been selected. They will have the Taliesin plans as an option, Stapp said.

“There is no guarantee they will offer them,” Stapp said, though he hopes they do.

Arizona contractor & Community

Construction Around Arizona

Projects Images courtesy of Author

Chandler, founder of the nearby town of Chandler and one of the partners in that city’s elegant San Marcos Hotel. Chandler wanted to build a second resort in the desert near South Mountain.

When the Great Depression hit, Wright’s San Marcos in the Desert project joined the ranks of those that exist only as architectural drawings. Wright designed more than 1,000 buildings and about half, including an ambitious mile-high skyscraper for Chicago, were never built. The area behind South Mountain where the resort was planned was developed decades later as part of the section of Phoenix known as Ahwatukee.

Wright took a liking to Arizona and the Sonoran Desert. A decade later, his doctor decided the architect should like it more, recommending that Wright spend winters in the warmth of the desert. By this time Wright was taking on students to drink from the fount of his wisdom at Taliesin, his home and studio in Wisconsin.

BRANTLEY GALLIMORE TRAFFIC CONTROL SERVICES

7777 N 70TH AVE GLENDALE, AZ 85303

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

CONSOLIDATED ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTORS, INC. 4200 EAST UNIVERSITY DRIVE

PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85034

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

twenty

Mar-Apr 2018

Ross Vroman

F

Images courtesy of Skanska

rom the standpoint of a construction executive, it’s hard to say goodbye to 2017. Nationally and locally, it was a banner year for the industry, with cranes dotting the skylines of cities on both coasts and through the Sun Belt, including our region. In 2017, people were bold enough to take their dreams off the drawing board and make them a reality.

That led to a robust construction market. Strong market stability has put us on a good foundation for moving forward.

There was a diversity of market sectors beginning new projects, a real sign of a healthy market. Commercial projects made a strong comeback, but we saw growth in construction for manufacturing and distribution centers, too.

With that trend, construction employment was up to market levels. In fact, on the people side, we were even challenged to make sure enough skilled labor and talented people were on the project management side to build all the work. Longer term, this is something we must address.

Our market also watched as developers secured land for build-to-suits for tenants that were preparing for a new business cycle and a competitive advantage. Additionally, the urban infill redevelopment came to fruition, setting up what looks to be a strong next couple of years for both commercial and residential construction.

Skanska got to ride this wave on several projects. Among the most visible

Road construction along State Route 87 by Skanska.

www.Arizcc.com

Projects

were the completion of Dexcom’s new manufacturing facility and the beginning of the revitalization of the Arizona Center.

Dexcom, a medical device manufacturer, has expanded its manufacturing to Arizona, illustrating how our region continues to attract businesses. Our weather may be hot, but our infrastructure and location continue to drive business. I’m proud that we were able to help deliver this facility, which ultimately supports life-changing treatments for the patients using Dexcom products.

Similarly, I’m happy that the work we’re doing at the Arizona Center will create a better experience for the students, residents, and other downtown stakeholders.

As we ramp up into 2018, we’re fortunate to have a market that is stable and good. While questions are being asked about the stock market, it appears that we are in an economy without banking woes.

Equity and capital seem sufficient to move projects forward. Even if there turns out to be stock market volatility, the foundation our economy is on – according to both federal and local observers – is strong.

We expect to see significant activity from market sectors like commercial, healthcare, hospitality, and mission critical in 2018. With the more extensive adoption of smart home and digital assistant tools, more reliance on the Cloud will require additional data center infrastructure. Businesses that rely on the Cloud are looking for scalable solutions that make the best use of today’s capital while allowing for future expansion. Through early contractor involvement that involves BIM (building information modeling), we’ll address those

Construction Around Arizona

Wrapping up 2017 and Looking Forward to 2018

needs in a way that protects a customer’s bottom line.

More adoption of virtual design and construction is another trend we see in 2018, as tech tools change the way building is planned and executed. Skanska will also look for design-build opportunities and IPD (integrated project delivery) opportunities and implement Lean processes and procedures in any delivery method.

The major challenge will be competition for talent and retention. The cost of materials and labor will most likely increase, but not above market restrictions. A labor shortage, however, is a longer-term area of exposure. As an industry, we must do more to recruit talented people – both white and blue collar – into construction, by showing them the potential for successful careers. If we do not, we risk losing momentum in a 3-to-5-year time frame, when there is a real risk of not having the people to build the demand for projects in the market. The time to act is now.

A key way we can do that, besides traditional outreach, is to commit ourselves to safety. Eliminating incidents and making sure every worker goes home without harm can reverse the stigma of our industry being dangerous.

We’re coming off a great year and 2018 looks to bring more of the same. By addressing the few challenges, we can create a healthy construction market beyond 2018, as well.

Ross Vroman is Executive Vice President and General Manager of Skanska Phoenix.

Arizona contractor & Community

Twenty two

Mar-Apr 2018

Projects Construction Around Arizona Image courtesy of Author

New Phoenix “Harbor” for Seniors Rachel Getting

P

hoenix-based Emerald Bay Senior Living LLC is set to begin construction of a 30,000-square-foot, two-story assisted living development on 3 acres in Paradise Valley Village in northeast Phoenix in early 2018.

The 60-unit assisted living development, on the northeast corner of North 41st Street and East Greenway Road, will accommodate 80 residents. Those residents will occupy 36 memory care rooms and 24 assisted living rooms, said Aaron Freeman, a partner in the ownership group.

“We noticed a major demand for memory care in our area. With assisted living, you typically see a ratio of around two assisted living to one memory-care resident,” said Freeman.

Through developing Emerald Bay Senior Living, Freeman said he is tackling his first project with a newly founded www.Arizcc.com

ownership group. Freeman and his brother combined their personal experience from the Bradley Company, which initially acted as the general contractor, with the expertise of outside partners. The group, composed of Freeman, his younger brother, Kyle, and three partners from Canada, was formed through mutual friends and ideas, Freeman said.

Kitchell Corporation serves as the general contractor for this project. Kitchell has participated in major development projects, such as the Phoenix Children’s Hospital, for more than 50 years.

RKAA Architects Inc., with offices in Phoenix and Costa Mesa, California, designed the facility.

Freeman said the project is a few months from receiving the permit to begin building, but once permitting is granted, it should take 10 to 11 months to complete construction.

According to city of Phoenix documents, the new assisted living center is “meeting an unmet demand for senior living options.” There are 549 assisted

living beds within a 7.5-mile radius of the project site.

“We had our eye on this location for a while; it’s rare to find a project like this located in the city,” Freeman said. The property is surrounded by a highly populated area including shopping malls, parks, and marketplaces.

The complex will include amenities such as a barber, snack bar, gift shop, restaurants, and offices. Desert landscaping will be showcased by a fully enclosed center courtyard intended to center the complex and allow guests to enjoy the outdoors without having to step outside, according to city documents.

Such assisted living centers “are vital to supporting population centers such as the Paradise Valley Village,” according to the city.

The average age of residents is anticipated to be between 80 and 85.

Rachel Getting is a student reporter at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Arizona contractor & Community

DBE/SBE Certified Contractor

Twenty four

Jeff Martinez

(602) 622-6789

Jeff.martinez@rtunderground.com

AZROC 306671

Mar-Apr 2018

D

ennis Tsonis is a many-faceted guy.

Outside of work, he's a husband and father, Boy Scout leader, member of the Fighter Country Partnership's Blue Blazer Squadron — which supports military personnel at Luke Air Force Base — an awardwinning homebrewer, and nationally recognized beer judge.

Job-related, he currently is serving as director of the American Subcontractors Association — Arizona Chapter and is chairman of the scholarship committee of the Valley of the Sun Chapter of the Construction Financial Management Association.

On the job, Dennis is an expert on construction risk management and insurance issues as senior vice president with Lovitt & Touché. As Construction Practice Leader, he shared his insight with the readers of Arizona Contractor & Community magazine on protecting contractors, architects and engineers, developers, and suppliers.

Please tell us a little about yourself.

I’ve been working in insurance for more than 30 years, with the last 16-plus at Lovitt & Touché. As the construction practice leader, my goal is to make sure we understand the needs of our construction clients and bring them a consistently high level of expertise and service.

What does “best practices” mean when it comes to construction site safety?

“Best practices” in construction safety include creating and maintaining a construction workplace environment that gives the worker the best chance of completing the day without injury. This entails the right mixture of training, equipment, tools, planning, awareness, and attitude.

What are the most common accidents/ risk factors on a job site from structural to equipment to personal?

According to OSHA, struck-by as well as caught in/in between rank very high among common accidents. That’s why they

www.Arizcc.com

People Construction Around Arizona

Christia Gibbons

are part of the OSHA “Focus Four Hazards” in OSHA 10 training.

Who all needs insurance for the site?

Property owner? Contractor? Subcontractor?

Everyone involved in the construction project is subject to liability for independent negligence as well as vicarious liability and needs insurance. Many try to transfer the risk to a downstream party via a contract, but everyone needs insurance as a financial backstop, should the downstream party be unable to meet the requirements of the contract, as well as for defense and coverage from independent acts.

How does workers compensation come into play?

Workers Compensation protects the employee from medical expenses and lost wages due to work-related injuries, and it protects the employer from employee lawsuits for a workplace injury. It is required by law to provide this insurance to your employees in all states except Texas. You accept the employee as they come, so if they have a predisposition to an injury, like a bad back, and then claim they injured their back on their second day on the job, your WC policy could be responsible for the medical bills and lost time from the back injury. Workers Compensation claims will impact your policy premium for three years, so it is critical that employers try to prevent claims, manage them when they occur, and be on the lookout for fraud.

Are there legal requirements for certain kinds of construction site insurance?

Workers Compensation insurance is required by law in all states except Texas.

Automobile insurance is also required by law.

What different kinds of insurance is offered, and for what?

We offer all the insurance a typical contractor would need to protect themselves from business and project risks, and meet the requirements of the contracts they enter into. This includes Workers Compensation, General Liability, Excess Liability, Automobile, Contractor's Equipment, Builders Risk, Contractor's Pollution Liability, Contractor's Professional Liability, Property, Cyber Insurance, Aviation Insur-

Image courtesy of Author

Risky Business: Insurance VP Seeks to Safeguard Your Construction Site

ance, Employment Practices Liability, Directors & Officers Liability, Fiduciary Liability, Crime Insurance, Cargo Insurance, and more.

What pitfalls should a contractor be aware of when buying insurance?

Not all policies are the same, and you often get only what you pay for. Contractors should be careful to choose an agent and an insurance company that specializes in construction risk so that they get the best advice, coverage, and value. Without the right guidance, contractors could be in breach of contract and exposure to financial loss from uncovered claims.

What is a risk mitigation program?

A risk mitigation program is a proactive plan to identify risks and choose the best combination of risk transfer, risk avoidance, risk assumption, and risk control to minimize the impact of these risks on a company’s bottom line. It is critical to the financial health of a construction company to effectively manage their risks through purchasing adequate insurance, effective contractual risk transfer and appropriate safety policies and procedures. An experienced construction insurance agent can be a valuable resource in achieving an effective risk mitigation program.

Arizona contractor & Community

DCSCONTRACTING.COM • P:480-732-9238 11525 E Germann Rd, Chandler, AZ 85286 Twenty six

Mar-Apr 2018

A

Image courtesy of Author

picture of irises sent by his grandmother planted the seed for Trevor Pan’s future career.

He did not know that landscape design was in his future, much less architecture.

The curious 12-year-old then read a book about hot-house design and persuaded his father to help him build an 80-square-foot underground greenhouse. Living on a rural acre in Yerington, Nevada and owning a backhoe expedited the project.

As a high school senior, his grandmother suggested he study landscape design at Vermont Technical College, which was near her residence in Craftsbury, Vermont. As a high school graduation present, he visited Europe and North Africa with his mother and experienced rich, city design.

The trip led him to accept his grandmother’s suggestion. As a freshman, he visited East Coast gardens including his

www.Arizcc.com

People

favorite, Dumbarton Oaks in Washington D.C. designed by Beatrix Jones Farrand.

Pan’s professor, Pamelia Smith, remarked, “If you want to do larger projects like this you’ll need to be a landscape architect.”

Inspired, Pan enrolled in a five-year professional landscape architecture degree program at Colorado State University. “The program’s highlight was when I went to New York City to share my concept for the World Trade Center in 2002 and met a senior editor at Architectural Record magazine,” Pan says.

Pan then continued his transition from landscape architecture to architecture. On a school trip, students visited projects in the Southwest, most notably Taliesin West.

“I knew by the end of the 90-minute tour I would build a desert shelter,” he says. It coincided with his thinking at the time about landscape and architecture being “one” idea as opposed to the typical architect, interior designer, and landscape architect project team.

“Do you hire three tailors to design your suit? I don’t,” Pan says. The ability for architecture students to design, build, and live in a desert shelter is unique to Taliesin.

It prepares the architect with a broad base of knowledge. He spent more than two years building his shelter called, 3 Desert Way project.

His shelter attracted attention, including a visit by Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, and was featured in the September 2006 issue of Architectural Record.

After graduating from Taliesin in 2006, Pan worked for two small architectural

3 Desert Way

firms, Vertical Design Studios and Charles Schiffner & Associates, in Phoenix and began earning internship hours necessary for architecture licensure. Then came the Great Recession and Pan was laid off several months short of the required hours to sit for the architecture exams in 2009.

Like many architects during this period, Pan’s look for work in his field was unsuccessful; his separation from architecture lasted nearly five years.

Pan used the time to complete a twoyear music composition degree at Scottsdale Community College. Among his many odd jobs was the creation of “FATSTICK”— an “Architect Designed Home and Garden Products” brand. The garden trellis he designed was a modest success that Harper's Nursery in Scottsdale featured for a few years.

A challenging day in the separation from architecture occurred while Pan worked for a parking company in Tempe, and assigned a lot across the street from ASU’s architecture building. He sat reading Homer’s The Odyssey when an early morning customer arrived in a fancy car— the architecture dean. “Five bucks, please,” was the extent of their communication.

The parking lot attendant job did have some benefits. When two high-rise condominium projects off Mill Avenue were being built, Pan met the construction superintendent. He later asked him for a construction job at a different project after deciding to work as a concrete laborer for CECO Concrete. Pan started on the second floor of the building and stayed until the roof of a 12-story Marriott was complete.

Arizona contractor & Community

Construction Around Arizona

Profile: Architect Trevor Pan

He subsequently stopped by another job site that led to an architecture position at HSB Architects & Engineers, which fulfilled the remaining hours for licensure.

However, he was shortly laid off from his third architecture firm.

Pan then changed gears and aided engineers with their structural detailing.

The engineering firm TLCP Structural was a perfect capstone to his other experiences: school, internships, and construction. The most notable project he worked on is the Portland on the Park tower near Central Avenue and West Portland Street in Phoenix.

Pan then passed his architecture exams. Shortly afterward, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards reduced the hours required to sit for the exams. This lesser prerequisite would have benefited Pan had it been in place in 2009.

But then good fortune came his way.

“In the span of a few years, I went from selling parking tickets to an architecture dean to being commissioned to design a $200-million museum of natural history in Phoenix,” he says. After two years of draft-

ing for the engineers, he quit and focused on creating this educational building.

Although the plans for constructing the museum at Papago Park are on an indefinite hiatus, Pan still hopes the exciting project will become a reality.

“All this project needs is a credible benefactor interested in the natural

world,” Pan says. ”The excitement for a design based on the geometric pattern of columnar basalt and the need to fill this cultural gap in the nation’s fifth largest city would put it in good standing with economic development. The proximity to the zoo and botanical garden is outstanding— an educational triptych.”

Finding unique Solutions to Solve your Changing Needs!

Certified Cranes Certified Operators Machinery Moving Site Surveys - Storage

480-967-0026

Twenty eight

Mar-Apr 2018

Luke M. Snell, P.E. This article is the first of a three-part series of articles about certification programs developed by the American Concrete Institute (ACI) to improve concrete construction.

B

Images courtesy of Jed Bullard

efore 1983, the person testing your concrete and making your cylinders, now called a concrete technician, was someone off the street that answered a testing company’s employment ad. Some companies took pride in training their technicians, while others hoped their technicians would learn good testing procedures over time.

A president of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) commented that barbers who cut our hair must be licensed, but the technician testing the concrete has no required certification. While a poor haircut will last a couple of weeks, bad concrete testing can result in an unsafe structure.

ACI thus began developing a certification program to make sure that the technician knows how to correctly perform standard tests as concrete is delivered to the job site.

This task turned out to be much more difficult than originally envisioned, as the committee wrestled with many questions.

After 2 years of debate, the committee developed their first certification program

Technician runs an air test. www.Arizcc.com

Practices

called the Field Grade I Certification that included: 1. The required testing would be based only on ASTM Standards.

2. Technicians, once certified, may move to different states. Thus all technicians will be required to know all of the test procedures.

3. The technician would be expected only to know the ASTM standards, specifically what the procedures are and how to perform each test correctly. For example, they must know how to do the slump test correctly and report the results, but would not be expected to know how to modify the concrete mixture using the slump test results.

4. ASTM Standards are regularly revised; the technician is supposed to verify the concrete to the current approved standards. Technicians must recertify every 5 years.

5. Technicians must know and be able to perform the following standard tests for concrete: (a) Temperature - ASTM C1064; (b) Sampling - ASTM C172; (c) Slump ASTM C143; (d) Density - ASTM C138; (e) Air Content, Pressure Method - ASTM C231; (f) Air Content, Volumetric A - STM C173; and (g) Making and Curing Cylinders - ASTM C31.

6. The certification is conducted locally and administered by a professional engineer. In Arizona, the certifications are administered by the Arizona ACI Chapter.

7. Several organizations, such as the Department of Transportation, testing laboratories, and state ready-mixed concrete organizations had already developed educational programs for their technicians.

Rather than compete with these programs, the certification committee decided that the ACI program would only do certification. They published an annual study book that has all of the current ASTM test standards with sample questions and a checklist to assess their ability to perform each test. This information allows a technician to study at their convenience, using websites including YouTube videos or take a certification class. Arizona and many certification-sponsoring groups conduct classes that help prepare technicians for the certification exam.

The first certification program began in several locations across the U.S. in 1983.

Initially, the success of the program was in doubt. Some testing laboratories threat-

Technician runs an air test.

ened to sue for restraint of trade, while others regarded the program as unnecessary. Fortunately, many testing laboratories welcomed certification, knowing that their technicians were well trained and passed an approved certification program.

In 1985, ASTM C94 (Standard Specification for Ready-Mixed Concrete) required that only certified technicians test concrete. ACI Building Code and Specifications of Structural Concrete soon put the same requirement on their documents. Since ACI developed the certification, the committees for the building codes and the specifications for structural concrete felt it would be self-serving to require certification in their documents. After ASTM C94 required the concrete technician to be certified, they understood that the industry was embracing certification and they could now demand it in their documents.

Field Grade I certification is the standard requirement, and design engineers now expect that certified technicians are testing their concrete. This does not guarantee that the certified technician does every test correctly, but it does assure that they know how to run the test properly.

Hopefully, certified technicians realize the importance of each test and will have pride in their accreditation resulting in accurate testing.

The Field Grade I certification is now used by many universities, including Arizona State University, as part of their education program. This course work allows students to learn the current standards for testing concrete, provides opportunities for summer internships on construction projects, and recognizes the importance of proper testing throughout their careers.

For more information on the Field Grade I certification, contact the author at l.snell@wt-us.com or visit the ACI website at www.azaci.org

Arizona contractor & Community

Construction Around Arizona

Testing Concrete in the Field - Getting the Right Concrete

Back When T

he Hotel Westward Ho became Phoenix’s tallest building when it was completed in 1928, a title it would hold for 32 years. The largest hostelry between Kansas City and the Pacific Coast, the elegant hotel charged $2 per night at a time when most Phoenix hotel rooms went for a quarter. The hotel was a glamorous hotspot for the famous, powerful, wealthy and those celebrating special occasions.

The hotel spawned many intriguing stories, about a secret tunnel leading to the underground Gold Spot bowling alley, Marilyn Monroe’s late-night skinny-dipping in the swimming pool,

Acrobat duo Douglas Towne sightings of mischievous ghosts, and Al Capone’s auto hidden in its underground parking garage.

Adding to the hotel’s lore is this fearless acrobat performing on the 11th floor on November 11, 1954. She’s perched on one leg above Central Avenue, a street lined by the Apache Hotel featuring Milton’s Skylark Dining Room, the First National Bank of Arizona under construction, and the Professional Building.

The inset photo reveals the precariousness of her perch, held in place by sandbags and a second assistant. Nothing more is known about this event; can a reader add some details?

Images courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community magazine

“PRODUCTS YOU KNOW, PEOPLE YOU TRUST” -Locally owned and operated -Ultra Premium Diesel -Valvoline Lubricants -Loaned Equipment -Lube and Fuel Equipment service

602-759-5559

www.Arizcc.com

-Used Oil, filter and coolant Collection -Burner Fuel -Oil Analysis Program

newwestoil.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Image courtesy of Author

O.S. Stapley Company, 1948.

Thirty two

Mar-Apr 2018

A “Grand” Building Reborn: O.S. Stapley Hardware Douglas Towne

“T

Images courtesy of Author

he buildings spoke to me, saying renovate and they will come,” Mark Abromovitz says about the former O.S. Stapley hardware store at 723-747 NW Grand Avenue, just north of Van Buren Street. "It was my type of project.”

Many thought Abromovitz crazy in 2011 for listening to rundown buildings in a challenging neighborhood and purchasing them. "People said that they loved the buildings, but they weren't so sure about the area,” he recalls. Abromovitz proved the skeptics wrong, but not before a tricky renovation.

The Grand Avenue buildings that housed the O.S. Stapley hardware store were built in 1917, but the company’s history stretches back to the date on the faint sign on the façade uncovered during renovation: “Serving Arizona since 1895.”

The grand story of the Phoenix O.S. Stapley Hardware buildings began when Orley Seymour (O.S.) Stapley moved from Utah to Mesa in a covered wagon at age 10. As a young adult, he worked as a stagecoach driver before being hired at the hardware store of the Henry E. Kent Company. He married Polly Hunsaker in 1894, and the couple went on to have nine children.

After the Kent store closed, Stapley founded his own hardware store in Mesa with help from his father-in-law, Alexander Hunsaker in 1895. Stapley sold his share of the company in 1897 to go on a Mormon mission but repurchased the firm three years later.

This business deal turned out to be a bonanza for Stapley. He owned the only

www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Image courtesy of Author

“I saw the buildings as diamonds in the rough.�

Image courtesy of Author

Images courtesy of Heckler Design

Top left: O.S. Stapley Company, Phoenix, 1930.

Top right: O.S.Stapley building exterior after renovations.

Right: O.S. Stapley building interior after renovations.

Bottom: O.S. Stapley Company, Phoenix, 1950s.

Opposite page, top: O.S. Stapley building in 2010.

Thirty four

Mar-Apr 2018

hardware store in the East Valley and became wealthy because his store provided supplies for the construction of Theodore Roosevelt Dam. Contractors purchased much of their supplies store at his store, which was freighted by stagecoach to the dam site.

With his wealth and prominence, Stapley became a leader in the community.

He was part of the Territorial convention that drafted Arizona’s constitution to gain statehood in 1910 and served as a state senator from 1916 to 1918.

Stapley received his second major business break when he secured the International Harvester franchise for Maricopa and Pinal counties in 1916. The tractor business influenced Stapley to move his headquarters to Phoenix in 1917, where he opened the 36,000 square-foot store on Grand Avenue. Other stores opened in Glendale, Buckeye, and Chandler, which Stapley’s children managed.

Besides International Harvester tractors and equipment, O.S. Stapley Hardware sold Goodyear tires, Sherwin-Williams paint, and carried a wide variety of sporting goods, welding supplies, housewares, and appliances.

After many decades of successful operation, the O.S. Stapley Company store in Phoenix closed in 1962 due to changing shopping trends and the transformation of farmland to housing subdivisions. An appliance store, car repair shop, and, most recently, industrial machinery repair shop subsequently operated in the buildings.

The buildings were rundown, with the windows either Plexiglas or boarded up by the time Abromovitz toured them. But the developer was enamored by the building’s red brick and pitched trusses. “I saw the buildings as diamonds in the rough,” he says.

Abromovitz eventually brought the buildings back to their 1917 appearance while providing for modern uses. “What shines most about the buildings is their authenticity, and that’s what you’re trying to recreate,” he says.

The path forward wasn't easy or pretty, though, and took a lot out of Abromovitz. “I was naïve, but you have to be to pursue these types of projects,” he says.

“If you knew what would go on, you’d shy away from it with all the financial resources and work to get the building up

www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Images courtesy of Author

to code. You want to be excited, but you have to be realistic.”

Still, Abromovitz wondered what types of monsters were hiding in the buildings, including structural concerns and asbestos. “Once you get into the building, then reality sets in. You can’t ferret out all these issues initially,” he says.

The renovation included sandblasting the trusses to bring out the original wood grain, asbestos remediation, the installation of new windows, skylights, and a roof.

“There was a lot of blood, sweat, and tears but there was a lot of fun doing it too," he says. “The building takes on the feeling of a family member; you eat, sleep, and breathe it all the time. Maybe it’s just me, though; I’m not sure others put that much emotion into it.”

SimonCRE purchased the building for $3.16 million in 2015. “It was tough to sell, but you have to pass the torch and let the next people build upon it,” reflects Abromovitz. Tuft & Needle now occupies the space with a mattress showroom and offices, much to the delight of their employees.

"I find it incredibly refreshing to walk into a beautiful workspace with natural light, brick walls, and beautiful wooden trusses day after day,” associate Michael Jasper says. “It's always fun to see our guests come in and just be in awe of the classic look and feel of the building. As a Phoenix native, I have a lot of pride working in a historic downtown building.”

His Tuft & Needle associate, Tori Racanelli, concurs about the vibe of working in a unique space. "Growing up in Phoenix, you get used to walking into homes, shopping centers, and office buildings that all look the same. Working in our Grand Avenue building is so exciting because it is like walking into a piece of Arizona's history. It is so great to have Thirty Six

Mar-Apr 2018

SBE Certified City of Phx "Dump Trucking"

locals come in and say ‘My dad used to work here!' or ‘I used to walk by this place every day when I was a kid!' You get a sense of community, and that everyone wanted to see this old building brought back to its former glory.”

Other business owners on Grand Avenue are also enthusiastic about the adaptive re-use of the hardware store.

"These beautiful red brick buildings are the crowning gems of the south end of Grand Avenue, providing a gateway to one of Phoenix's oldest, and quirkiest, remaining downtown commercial districts," says Beatrice Moore, an artist and property owner who has been instrumental in the street’s revitalization. “This restoration reflects an optimal blueprint for adaptive re-use, and sustainability, of historic commercial buildings in Phoenix."

Others who have witnessed the decline of Grand Avenue are amazed at the street's new atmosphere. “Having driven past the Tuft & Needle showroom building for 25 years, imagine my surprise at seeing the redevelopment of this historical building,” Sheri Fletcher says. “With the new big windows and inviting entrance, I was equally surprised with the welcoming feel of the showroom."

Updating its past as a major transportation corridor, Grand Avenue has an exciting array of businesses in adaptively reused buildings. These include mid-century motels where artists now live and work; mechanics' shops that house chopper and hot rod fabricators; a tire warehouse that hosts a guitar making school; and a store fixture business converted to event spaces.

Perhaps most impressive is a former bakery that is home to galleries, a cafe, puppet-making, letterpress, and tattoo shops.

A mattress showroom, ensconced in the former O.S. Stapley Hardware building, fits in well with these remarkable Grand Avenue businesses.

Super 16s and Super 18s Demo and Material Beds We estimate Import, Export, ABC, Pipe Bedding and Sand deliveries to your project

Newer Fleet Please contact matt@mattbrowntrucking.com or 602-361-2174

www.Arizcc.com

Opposite page, top: O.S. Stapley building during renovations.

Top: The original facade of the Bimbo Bakery building along Van Buren Street was revealed by stucco removal in 2014.

Arizona contractor & Community

Specialty Companies Group, LLC (623) 582-2385 • (623) 581-7454 fax specialtycompaniesgroup.com God Bless You

GABIONS

Thirty eight

CUSTOM IRONWORKS

CUSTOM SIGNS

UTILITY ADJUSTMENTS

Mar-Apr 2018

Brightening the Valley for 40 Years - Canyon State Electric Co. Inc.

Brightening the Valley for 40 Years:

Canyon State Electric Co. Inc.

F

amily-owned Canyon State Electric Co. Inc. has served Arizona and the Southwest since 1978. Steve Maderazzo founded the company as a one-man operation and has grown it into a multimillion dollar firm with more than 200 employees over the last 40 years. He has been assisted in this endeavor by his son and daughter, Christopher and Stephanie, who serve as co-Chief Executive Officers, and are the Chief Business Development Officer and Chief Operations Officer, respectively.

www.Arizcc.com

Canyon State Electric has accomplished this stunning growth by hiring the best electricians and offering incentives that encourage employees to pursue further training and education. The company uses this expertise combined with a flair for problem-solving in the design and installation of electrical systems for commercial and institutional facilities.

The company demonstrated their proficiency at one of their first design-build projects, the Surprise Spring Training Sports Complex, which is the exhibition home for the Kansas City Royals and Texas

Rangers. Canyon State Electric provided both design and construction services for the training complex, which was their largest project to date. The job included 13 baseball fields, a 10,500-seat stadium, aquatic center, and artificial lake.

Doing the electrical work on a massive project always requires some innovative thinking, and this stadium was no exception, according to Christopher Maderazzo, who started with the company as an entrylevel technician 22 years ago. �At one point our team laid paper plates out on the field

Arizona contractor & Community

Brightening the Valley for 40 Years - Canyon State Electric Co. Inc. to help aim the lights positioned from 100 to 150 feet high on poles,” he says.

The workers, although used to working with dangerous electrical circuits, weren’t so enthusiastic about ascending the tall poles to set the lights correctly. This work was a rare instance when employees didn’t want to take Canyon State Electric to new heights. “And that’s putting it lightly!” Christopher Maderazzo adds.

To expedite the project and set his team at ease, Steve Maderazzo hired professionals for the high-wire acrobatics.

“Our crew rested as the climbers had fun racing each other up and down the poles to see who was a better climber,” Christopher Maderazzo says. The decision turned a stressful task into a memorable and enjoyable afternoon that employees love to talk about.

The hiring of professional climbers is illustrative of how Canyon State Electric has their employees’ best interests at heart. Another example is the yoga sessions the company sponsors at work, which shows the company’s terrific culture.

Canyon State Electric’s expertise, creativity, and esprit de corps produced a unique company that works well with customers and contractors. “We have become the premier electrical contractor in the Valley by remaining an experienced partner dedicated to building relationships through quality, efficiency, and trust,” Stephanie Maderazzo declares. ”We value the partnerships we have created over the years and the industry-wide impact we have made as result of those relationships.”

Independent entities support that bold statement. Canyon State Electric is consistently ranked among the state’s Top 5 electrical contractors by The Business Journal. The company is a member of the Arizona Builders Alliance, maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and is at the forefront of green, sustainable, energy-efficient electric solutions, and LEED technology.

Getting to the pinnacle of an industry requires lots of work; remaining at the apex is just as tricky. But Canyon State Electric is just as upbeat about the company’s future. “As our 40th-anniversary approaches, we are looking forward to remaining a valued asset for many industry professionals,” Christopher Maderazzo says. “We’re excited to see what the next 40 years have in store for us!”

Forty

Mar-Apr 2018

Brightening the Valley for 40 Years - Canyon State Electric Co. Inc.

Our Services Canyon State Electric specializes in the following services: Energy saving programs, Commercial electric services, Industrial electric services, Design-Build/Design-Assist custom electrical projects, and ● Tenant improvement. ● ● ● ●

Energy Savings Audits and Cost Reduction We can audit your commercial electric usage and review in-place lighting and sensor controls to determine efficient solutions to conserve power and save money. For Arizona businesses, Canyon State Electric is a certified APS Trade Ally and Approved SRP Alliance Contractor and can facilitate your business getting the best energy rebates to save money.

Commercial Electrical Contracting We provide electrical wiring, indoor and outdoor lighting control and sensor placement, facility upgrades, retrofitting new equipment, remodeling, tenant improvements, and control wiring contracting services within a specific budget for your commercial business. As a fullservice electrical contractor, we can upgrade a commercial building for lighting control including preventive maintenance on panels and 24/7 emergency electrical service. Whether the customer is moving

into a new building or remodeling an existing corporate space, we make sure the facility is equipped to meet the specific business requirements by adhering to the local municipalities’ standards.

Industrial Electrical Contracting Our industrial electrical contractors have detailed knowledge of infrastructure design and engineering, along with the experience and resources to meet your sophisticated industrial installation needs.

Our talented industrial electrical contractors strive to complete your project on schedule without interfering with your daily workflow. Our clients include Marshalls Distribution Center, Southwest Industrial Center, Old Dominion, Del Monte Foods, Dolphin Manufacturing, Snapple Corp., Poore Brothers, and Intel.

Design-Build/Design Assist Our electrical contractors use an integrated approach on design-build and

www.Arizcc.com

design-assist projects to provide our customers with the most efficient electrical systems for their needs. Our expertise and reliability are combined with cost-effective design and high-quality workmanship to provide the customer control over critical decisions by reviewing all the options available; including offering highly innovative building information modeling for our customers to experience the services we provide, virtual, first-hand before we begin work.

Tenant Improvements Tenant improvement projects require a special touch to affordably and efficiently meet the needs of both the landlord and the tenant. Our professional electrical contractors will work with both parties from concept and design to completion to meet these requirements. Industries that can benefit from tenant improvement services include healthcare, retail, education, and industrial facilities.

Arizona contractor & Community

Brightening the Valley for 40 Years - Canyon State Electric Co. Inc.

Our Clients Canyon State Electric is licensed and bonded in Arizona and enjoys many long and loyal area relationships. Our commitment to quality and teamwork begin the moment we introduce our services to a client and continue long after the project is completed.

We have handled electrical contracting projects for several general contractors, including, Layton Construction Company, Ryan Companies, CHASSE Building Team, Adolfson & Peterson, Avenir Construction, Sundt Construction, DPR Construction, W.E. Oneil Construction, and many more.

Canyon State Electric specializes in meeting the needs of several types of facilities including education, healthcare, hospitality, multi-family, retail & office buildings, mixed-use, hotels, resorts & spas, special facilities and tenant improvements.

Public Spaces and Educational Facilities As public spaces and educational facilities integrate with additional advanced technology, it is essential to assure their electrical systems meet the requirements.

Canyon State Electric contractors are among the most qualified electricians in Arizona and have completed electrical work for numerous public facilities, including the Performing Arts Facilities at Maricopa Community College and ViaSat at the ASU Research Park. We tailor our electrical services for a variety of buildings, including

Forty two

research parks, business campuses, government buildings, performance auditoriums, classrooms, halls, dormitories, parking lots, and recreational facilities.

Hospitality Facilities The hospitality industry, including hotels, resorts, spas, and casinos require sophisticated electrical wiring systems, as well as consistent, uninterrupted performance. Canyon State Electric is a proud provider of dependable electrical construction services to the hospitality industry.

Our electrical contractors provide a full range of services specifically tailored to the hospitality industry. Whether you need a turnkey solution or a custom design-build project, we can help.

Our Pledge Canyon State Electric has been serving Arizona since 1978, and we can handle any electrical project, no matter the size.

Contact us to see how we can improve your commercial or industrial building.

Canyon State Electric Co., Inc. 4640 E. McDowell Road Phoenix, AZ 85008

602-437-3088 Doing Great Work with a Great Work Culture “When you hire the best, you not only get hard working people but the makings of one of the greatest work environments around,” Christopher Maderazzo says.

“We share accomplishments and challenges as a team.”

The co-CEO and Chief Business Development Officer goes on to recall one of the funniest experiences at the company, which occurred at Halloween in 2017. “Our Director of Construction, Robert, and Procurement Manager, Craig, came to work dressed as Wayne and Garth from the movie, Wayne’s World,” he says.” Nobody was expecting this to be their costume of choice and it was most fitting!”

Mar-Apr 2018

Our Distribution & Circulation ?

Certainly… Here it is… We’re proud of it Where can you find magazine ?

Find a copy anytime at

Books - 9201 N 7th Ave Phoenix, AZ 85021

Circulation Breakdown ?

Circulation- 5,200 magazines per issue (six per year) receives an average three time pass-along rate, with a total readership of 15,600 per issue, with over

93,600 readers per year!

Distribution breakdown

General Building/ Engineering contractors Sub Contractors Manufacturers/Suppliers Insurance/pr/consultants/agencies Developers/lenders/architects Equipment sales & Rentals Subscribers/other

www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Six-Way Confusion:

Improving Grand Avenue’s Intersections Douglas Towne

T

To make driving on Grand Avenue more synonymous with its regal name, in 1992 the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) awarded a $3.4 million contract to Contractors West to improve the signals at five of the road’s intersections.

The project consisted of installing tubular signal bridges at the intersections to simplify traffic instruction. The signal bridges were designed to display most of the traffic signals, which would significantly reduce the sight distances to the signals for the motorists. The improvements allowed for the removal of many of the signal poles around the intersection.

The contract also required Contractors West to provide software for the traffic signal controllers. When a train was approaching the intersection, the controller would shut down all vehicle movement

Images courtesy of Contractors West

he Phoenix metropolitan area is laid out in a rigid grid pattern oriented along the four cardinal points, with major east-west arteries uniformly one mile apart. Except for Grand Avenue, which stands out as the lone diagonal street that cuts across Phoenix. Being unique, however, has its drawbacks.

Grand Avenue bisects the right angle formed by major roads, creating challenging six-point intersections. These junctures were confusing for motorists, who suffered lengthy delays waiting for their green light.

Compounding the problem were the railroad tracks of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe that run parallel to Grand Avenue on the west. Because the intersections were so large, motorists were sometimes confused which traffic signal was controlling their lane.

except on Grand Avenue, the only street that did not conflict with the railroad crossing.

The biggest challenge of the project was the limited time that Grand Avenue, a major artery in the Valley, could be closed for the improvements.

Contractors West project manager Dave Stubbs contacted Tempe Crane and Rigging to strategize how to best proceed with the project. Their idea was to build the signal bridges off-site, truck them to the intersection, and lift them into place.

The signal heads were to be installed and prewired, ready for connection to the traffic signal controller.

Tempe Crane and Rigging agreed to provide the truck and trailer, with a custom mount, to haul the signal bridges to the intersections from the yard where they were assembled. The company would then provide a crane for each end to lift the structures into place.

The challenging part was lifting the structure into location, and then pulling the wires for each signal head through the elbow that made up the end of the tube.

The Tempe Crane operators and Contractors West employees collaborated to make

forty four

Mar-Apr 2018

sure the multiple signal heads and their wires were properly connected.

After the signal bridge had been installed, several other steps were required to complete the project. Workers connected the signal wires to the traffic signal controller. Each signal head was positioned to ensure it was facing in the correct direction. The existing signals and poles that were no longer needed were removed so as not to confuse motorists.

All signing had to be changed or removed as required.

The signal bridge installation was remarkable because there was no need to do proceed in phases: it was accomplished during a single weekend. Two days were needed to complete the installation at the first intersection. By the fifth traffic crossing, crews had improved their installation technique so that there was time to spare.

Since the installation of the signal bridges 25 years ago, motorists can more easily negotiate the 53 miles of Grand Avenue, which originates at the five-point intersection of Seventh Avenue and Van Buren Street in downtown Phoenix and ends in Wickenburg.

www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Born Of Fire:

The Bad Blood of a Cigar Sign Jim Bolek

R

Images courtesy of Author

ich and Jenny Schulte wanted a more authentic look for the interior of their Western boutique, “Jenny Longhorn,” on Montezuma Street in Prescott. They stripped off the pegboard and plaster on the north wall to get to the original brick in 2011. Rich noticed some black bricks and thought it was soot from a fire.

But as Rich kept chipping he discovered the painting of a man, along with the

letters “UR.” Eventually, he revealed the phrase “TRY A GEN. ARTHUR.” After removing the plaster, he uncovered a second wall sign, this time for Owl Cigars.

Their building had been built in 1903 on an empty lot as the result of a fire, which three years previously destroyed most of Whiskey Row. The hotel that provided their north wall was built shortly after the fire, and it proved to be a convenient location for a wall sign.

The sign painter had considerable talent, as the man portrayed shows particular intensity along with sharply-formed letters. The lively text, located near the sidewalk, would draw the attention of the passing public. But the General Arthur and Owl ads would be up for less than a year before being plastered over to become the interior wall of a new saloon. People soon forgot both the artist and the signs.

The Murder of J.R. Ward J.R. Ward called himself “the homeless sign writer: survivor of the war with Spain.”

Before arriving in Prescott he spent time in Kingman, painting numerous signs for

the local businesses and investing his paychecks in liquor.

Ward came to Prescott in February 1902. He had been hired to paint signs throughout Arizona for General Arthur Cigars, a high-quality cigar named for thenPresident Chester A. Arthur. While in Prescott, Ward painted the sign on Montezuma Street. The ad showed "a man pointing his finger at you as you passed,” similar to those he painted in Globe and on the Babbitt Brothers Store in Flagstaff.

And as in Kingman, Ward drank, and tragically, crossed paths with Simon Alderete on April 2, 1902.

Alderete was a sheepherder, who worked on the Perrin Ranch north of Williams. His visit to Prescott also involved drinking, and a chance encounter with a drunken sign painter led to a vicious street fight.

They quarreled on Goodwin Street, and Alderete called Ward a liar and struck him. During that scuffle, Alderete lost his hat. Ward grabbed it and went into the Germania Saloon. Alderete entered the Bottom: Photo composite of the two signs found on the north wall of the Jenny Longhorn shop on Whiskey Row in Prescott. The painter of the Owl Cigar sign is unknown.

Left: J.R. Ward’s headstone in the Citizen’s Cemetery in Prescott. The date of death is incorrectly listed as April 1.

Top right: Detail of the accusing face painted

by J.R. Ward. The scars were created by plasterers to add “tooth” when they covered over the sign.

Territorial Supreme Court in January 1903, he had another date with the gallows on June 19, 1903, “between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.”

"The piercing eyes and almost accusing pointing finger dare you to try one."

saloon and demanded the hat’s return.

Ward threw it at him, and Alderete departed for a different tavern.

Ward “was a quiet, inoffensive man, who would not harm a human being,” but was now too riled and drunk. He followed Alderete into the next saloon. Standing at the bar, Alderete pulled out and emptied his short-barreled bulldog revolver into Ward and then beat his head with the empty gun. Saloonkeeper Ramon Cordova finally pulled Alderete off the body and held him until police arrived.

Ward’s tombstone in Citizen's Cemetery in Prescott lists his death as April 1, 1902, and his age as 38.

Arraigned for murder on June 4, 1902, Alderete was convicted and sentenced to death. After a failed appeal to the

But the day before the execution, Secretary of the Territory Isaac Stoddard, acting territorial governor while Governor Alexander Brodie was out of Arizona, commuted Alderete’s sentence to life in prison.

Stoddard sent him to the Yuma Territorial Prison.

Predictably, this did not sit well with much of the public. Prescott’s Arizona Journal Miner called it a “miscarriage of justice” and warned of more killing when he was released. Only Alderete would never be released and died within three months of his prison arrival.

Forty eight

Mar-Apr 2018

The Killing of Alderete Martin Ubillos (aka Francisco Garcia) was a tough character. In 1899, he killed his mining partner with a club and then dragged the body so that the head was left to burn in the campfire in Yavapai County.

For that, he was supposed to hang.

Instead, in 1901 the Territorial governor (not Stoddard this time) reduced his sentence to life in prison in the Yuma Territorial Prison. There he was known as a troublemaker and led an inmate revolt during which he stabbed a guard.

Alderete became Ubillos’s cellmate, sharing a room with four others in June 1903. On August 24th, Ubillos called to Alderete and said, "You have been saying some dirty things about me. Come in here; I want to settle with you.” With a sharpened chisel borrowed from a fellow convict, Ubillos stabbed Alderete, who died on the cell floor.

Convicted of murder on April 5, 1904, Ubillos was later sentenced to hang on June 3. A subsequent appeal that took almost a year was denied, and he again was sentenced to death on June 16, 1905.

“His hanging calls to memory the murder of Geo. White, a tramp painter, which occurred in Prescott several years ago, and for which Alderete was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Yuma penitentiary,” Prescott’s Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner wrote.

Despite the “much excitement” just three years earlier, the article didn’t correctly identify Ward, the original victim.

A crowd gathered in the jail court and surrounding buildings to watch the event on a hot summer day in Yuma. A cart carried Ubillos from the prison to the Yuma courthouse. At 10:55 in the morning, a sheriff and priest escorted him up the stairs of the scaffold.

Earlier, when read the death warrant, Ubillos was visibly affected, but now he muttered silent prayers and seemed absorbed in each step. The Yuma Arizona Sentinel wrote, “With his lips murmuring, but with a look of horror on his sensual, brutish face, Martin Ubillos was swung into eternity at the end of a rope in the Jail yard here last Friday, June 16, 1905."

He was the last person to be executed in Yuma.

100 Years Later The Schulte's had quite a find on their hands. The sign painted by J.R. Ward is in excellent shape, the colors still bright and vibrant. Gouges in the brick, created by the original plasterers as a way to provide tooth so the plaster would stick, scar the signs a bit.

On May 8, 2012, fire came again to Whiskey Row. The Bird Cage Saloon and Pearl's Place Cafe were damaged. The Jenny Longhorn shop avoided the fire, but smoke damaged their inventory.

During the cleanup the Schultes removed the drop ceiling and uncovered two more words to the first sign. Now fully exposed, a beautiful sign painted so long ago by a long forgotten sign painter reads, “SAY! U TRY A GEN. ARTHUR.” The piercing eyes and almost accusing pointing finger dare you to try one. Too bad the makers of the General Arthur brand went out of business in 1917. And, alas, by 2015 the Jenny Longhorn shop was also closed.

Opposite page: The General Arthur Cigar sign painted by J.R. Ward.

www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Subterranean Insights: Going Underground with Phil Berger Douglas Towne

O

60 years. Berger has thrived in the profession and says, for him, it sure beats working on the farm.

The Indiana native grew up on a dairy farm near Mishawaka, a small town located close to South Bend, but knew

Top left: Berger working for N.S. Shumway, 1966.

Bottom: Berger in his office at Markham Contracting, 2018.

Images courtesy of Phil Berger

ne might say Phil Berger first went underground in Sierra Vista only to emerge later in the Valley. The long-time underground utility estimator found his calling in the construction field and has worked in the industry for almost

early on that the land of milk and honey wasn’t for him. “I’d milked a herd of 30 dairy cows since the eighth grade,” Berger recalls. “When my father was contemplating buying a neighbor’s farm and adding 100 more head to the dairy, I knew I had to get away.”

He graduated from high school, and after harvest was over, Berger and a friend drove cross-country to Sierra Vista. Berger had grown up a Jehovah’s Witness and knew the congregation overseers who had relocated there, and was anxious to reconnect with their daughter. Berger went to work for Sierra General Contractors, which did mostly underground utilities along with some house pads in Sierra Vista.

Berger next had a job with M.S. Shumway Contracting in Phoenix doing joint improvement districts. One of his most memorable projects was in Maryvale where John F. Long had used septic systems for wastewater disposal. "There were gas and water lines on each side of the alleys, so we ran sewer lines up and down the middle," he says.

Another neighborhood Berger provided underground utilities for was between Northern and Dunlap avenues and between the Black Canyon Highway and 35�� Avenue.

Berger was then offered a position with ESKCO Contracting, where he bid on underground utility jobs from 1965-80. He took a similar job for Swengel-Robbins in 1980, where he started the underground division and was the chief estimator.

When the company went non-union in 1989, Berger took a similar job with

fifty

Mar-Apr 2018

Images courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community magazine

Pulice Construction.

Among the major projects he worked on was the U.S. 60 Freeway, where they did the grading and underground work from Power to Idaho roads. "It was a fun challenge to do the heavy highway work where before, I'd been doing mainly subdivisions with the other companies,” he says.

Berger started the underground division at CMX, an engineering firm, working there from 1989-95. When the company sold its construction division to Markham Contracting, Berger went along with the transfer. He’s still the senior underground estimator at age 78 and shows no signs of slowing down.

"Underground is fun because there's always a challenge," he says. "I love jobs that are unusual, that need special trench shoring and other features. Few companies want to do these difficult projects, so there's less competition, and the markup is better.”

When asked how construction has changed over his career, Berger is quick to mention the equipment. "When I started out, I was running cable backhoes, draglines, and clamshells.”

Another difference is that young people don’t want to work construction, as they’d rather be an engineer or work at a computer. “The best workers on the job are 50-plus years old,” he says.

Berger adds that there are a lot more regulations, but admits the construction workplace is probably safer. “I was on a couple of jobs where there were fatalities due to carelessness,” he recalls.

The longtime underground utility estimator now lives in Payson with his wife but spends weeknights in his fifth-wheel that sits in a trailer park near the Markham Contracting offices. "I have a real easy commute," he says, with a laugh.

Top right: Water main installation with Arizona Concrete Pipe Company, along 20�� Street near Camelback Road, 1966.

Left: Arizona Concrete Pipe Co. display, 1949.

www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Architect’s Perspective: Dental Offices Doug Sydnor, FAIA Doug_sydnor@outlook.com

F

Images courtesy of Author

ollowing the post-World War II housing boom, there was an increased demand for high-quality dental care in the Phoenix area. Over the years such services evolved to include pediatric, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry along with endodontics, periodontal, preventative care, prosthetic dental, dental implants, and oral surgery. For patients undergoing such procedures, architects strived to deliver dental office environments that were friendly, comfortable, relaxing, and even fun.

The mid-century dental offices were relatively small one-story buildings of less than 6,000 square feet that were located on major arterial streets for maximizing exposure. Offices were often adjacent to single-family residential subdivisions with parking on the side or rear of the property.

Most offices had multiple ownership and, at times, within the same family. Office functions typically included waiting, reception, operatories, laboratories, offices, staff lounge, and restroom. Over time

FIFTY two

Mar-Apr 2018

there were interior renovations with wall reconfigurations, finishes and equipment, and new additions.

Some remarkable and distinguished dental offices were designed by architects and constructed in the Phoenix area. Architect Blaine Drake was responsible for three of the dental offices featured in this column. Other reputable architects include Eugene L. Pierson, Weaver and Drover, and George Domaz. The following dental offices provide a glimpse of this creative body of work and range of architectural expressions.

In 1959 architect Blaine Drake, a successful disciple of Frank Lloyd Wright, designed the dental office for Dr. Cyril D. Foutz at 3132 North Seventh Street in Phoenix. The office was part of the Fey Place Subdivision and consisted of a 1,288 square-foot structure. Original uses included four operatories with x-ray, and also featured a slide and aquarium for the young patients. The architecture is defined by the stacked bond concrete block units, which is very similar to the Usonian system developed by Wright. The entry area wall units were slightly staggered in plan, which created a vertical shadow pattern. Thin cantilevered canopies protected the glazing and were angled at the corner, Opposite page: 3132 North Seventh Street, Phoenix.

777 West Bethany Home Road, Phoenix.

Top to Bottom: 2601 North Hayden Road, Scottsdale.

1215 East Missouri Avenue, Phoenix.

721 West Glendale Avenue, Phoenix.

www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Fifty four

Images courtesy of Author

thereby acknowledging the street corner context. Such canopy soffits are held to the door and window frames, which sets the interior ceiling rather low and intimate.

The dental office has integrity about using a stacked block system throughout the main structure and integral site walls, and yet manipulates the system with special crafted details. The result delivers a delightful and comfortable environment for the patients.

In 1960, the dentistry offices designed by architect Eugene L. Pierson, AIA at 777 West Bethany Home Road opened in Phoenix. The office is part of the Sun View Estates Subdivision, which includes adjacent homes. The office is a 1,538 squarefoot structure with parking in the rear. The architecture used stacked brick walls, a slightly pitched roof with perimeter cantilevers, and north/south glass including the recessed entry. The structure is wood post and beam and fully expressed, thereby modulating the tall interior spaces as one moves through them. The floor plan and building form does shift components, which reduces its overall scale. The office conveys an inviting and casual setting for dental services and is an appropriate fit within the residential context.

In 1962 the dental office of Dr. Zimmerman was constructed at 2601 North Hayden Road in Scottsdale. The property includes a 1,106 square-foot building and parking. This small artifact is masterful in providing an architectural character that is animated, composed, and sophisticated.

The building form has a stepped profile

that visually lands lightly on the site. Exterior walls are 4 inch courses of concrete masonry units with raked horizontal joints, and low walls of stacked 8 x 8 x 16 inch concrete masonry units. Cantilevered thin canopies shelter the entry and waiting area Top: 320 West Indian School Road, Phoenix.

Bottom: 4210 North 32nd Street, Phoenix.

Mar-Apr 2018

glazing. A southern arcade with masonry columns provides a filtered shade as one enters from the parking areas. The waiting and operatories view patios to the north with screen fencing. This dental office has always had a quiet demeanor and demonstrates the means to create a welldesigned and elegant architecture.

Weaver and Drover Architects designed the 1215 East Missouri Avenue offices in Phoenix, which opened in 1963.

The original complex is on a larger property and is composed of four office structures that surround an exterior courtyard, which can be entered by open breezeways. The courtyard has mature trees, seating and introduces day-lighting to the office suites.

The structures range from 1,871 to 2,658 square-feet and are set below street level.

This provided a much lower profile and elegance as it faced the street. Each structure on the courtyard side had a shaded overhang with walks for pedestrians to access the suites. The dental suites were provided linear patios for viewing from the operatories and visually screened with contemporary fencing. Structures have beige brick walls in a running bond pattern, cantilevered metal fascia, full height glazing, and wall panels. The result is offices with very fine proportions articulated with crafted detailing.

The original De Graza Dental Clinic at 721 West Glendale Avenue in Phoenix was designed by architect George Domaz in 1967. The office is a 2,210 square-foot building with parking to the rear. The structure is composed of stacked slump block unit walls with wall ends angled. It is unusual to see slump block stacked in this manner, as they are typically in a running bond pattern. This detail speaks to the design ingenuity and creative use of a material by Domaz. The roof includes exposed concrete beams over wall or window openings, and precast concrete double T’s with cantilevered beam drops.

Windows are on the north and south exposures below shade canopies. The building is well maintained and has always served the dentistry practice. The office is composed of natural materials and makes for a very durable, appropriate architecture for the Sonoran Desert.

One dentist states on his website “From the moment you walk through the door, you will notice the difference.” I believe that all featured dentist offices

www.Arizcc.com

could make the same claim, as they have succeeded in delivering a comfortable, inviting, and intimate environment for their guests.

A Sampling of other Dental Offices in Phoenix: 1951 - Dr. John F. Glass Dental Office and Residence, 3852 North 15th Avenue, Architect Blaine Drake 1956 - 320 West Indian School Road, Architect Blaine Drake

1976 - 4210 North 32nd Street, Architect George Domaz Thanks to Donna Reiner for helping confirm the architectural credits on these projects.

Douglas B. Sydnor, FAIA, is a Principal at Douglas Sydnor Architect + Associates, Inc. and author of three architectural books.

Arizona contractor & Community

Building on the Past 1963: Osborn School No. 1 Demolition

O

ut with old, and in with…a midcentury masterpiece.

Phoenix lost and gained two beloved buildings in 1963. Construction started on perhaps the Valley’s most recognized building, the International-style Phoenix Financial Center, known colloquially as the “Punch-Card Building." To make way for this striking edifice, however, one of Phoenix’s oldest schools had to be razed.

Osborn School No. 1 was initially constructed at Seventh Street and Osborn Road in 1879. The modest wood-frame building was relocated down Osborn Road to the northeast corner of Central Avenue on 6.5 acres of land donated by John Preston Osborn in 1887. Ten years later, a two-story red brick schoolhouse was built at the site.

In the late 1930s, the schoolhouse received its last major renovation, which included an exterior facelift. Over the years, the campus infrastructure grew. By 1963, eight buildings on the site featured

30 classrooms, five general education rooms, and a cafeteria.

Generations of Phoenix kids attended Osborn, including Dean Issac during the first and second grade in 1957. He recalls the most memorable day at the school was when the police showed up. “Officer Jack Ashley was known as the “magic cop” because he performed magic tricks while explaining traffic safety to school kids,” he says.

Declining enrollment at the school, however, contributed to its demise. From a peak of 1,000 students in 1949, less than half that number attended during its last school year in 1963.

The Osborn School campus was sold for almost $1.5 million at public auction to the Financial Corporation of Arizona in August 1962. The sale helped pay off the district’s school bonds.

The transaction specified that the campus would be turned over to the firm after the close of the 1962-63 school year, on June 1, 1963. At a ceremony during the

ownership change, David Murdock, president of Financial Corporation, was presented with a board on which were hung more than 50 keys to the school’s buildings and rooms. Murdock, in return, gave District Superintendent J.J. Clark and Osborn School Principal Lance Durham, plaques each commemorating 34 years of service.

The Henry C. Beck Company, which built the Phoenix Financial Center, had Benston Contracting prepare the site for construction. A-1 Wreckers, Inc did demolition of the school buildings. Workers collected some building materials to salvage between swings of the wrecking ball. Movers lifted several smaller buildings built after 1939 and relocated them.

The new mid-century building, designed by Wenceslaus Sarmiento, opened in September 1964.

Top right: Students pose by Osborn School, 1905.

Bottom, left to right: A Bucyrus Erie wrecking ball crane demolishes Osborn School, 1963.

Osborn School after closure, 1963.

A Caterpillar 955 Traxcavator removes debris at the Osborn School, 1963.

Arizona contractor & Community

Images courtesy of Arizona Contractor & Community magazine

Digging Through the Archives: New Machines Drove Hagen Construction William Horner

C

Images courtesy of Elaine McBride

ontractor Harry Hagen, who made his home in Globe, Arizona for much of his life, achieved many milestones during his long career.

Hagen became the Arizona State Highway Department’s youngest chief of party at age 20 in 1917. He was assigned to lead a 10-person crew to survey the Maricopa-Yuma county boundary line for 100 miles, a path that went through the rugged Harquahala Mountains.

The following year, Hagen became the youngest resident engineer in the Arizona State Highway Department, a job he held until 1922.

After moving to the Northwest to work for the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads, Hagen returned to Globe in 1930. He then started Hagen Construction Company, which left an impressive infrastructure legacy in Arizona.

The company worked on many projects, including the Turkey Flat Road on Mount Graham, the Pinto Creek Bridge, U.S. Highway 93 leading to Hoover Dam, portions of Arizona State Highway 260 near Strawberry, Arizona State Highway 77 near Winkelman, and portions of U.S. Highway 60 between Globe and Show Low. Hagen completed many of these projects with the assistance of two machines he was the first to own in Arizona: a Caterpillar D9 bulldozer purchased in 1955 and a Caterpillar 988 wheel loader bought in 1964.

The Caterpillar D9 was the world’s most powerful earthmoving bulldozer.

Caterpillar had been perfecting the machine at their proving grounds near Phoenix since 1949. They manufactured ten pilot bulldozers to send to customers across the nation for testing in different applications. These tasks included logging, road building, dam construction, and for use at a quarry and a cement plant, according to the company’s website.

The first production Caterpillar D9 was finished after improvements as a result of input from customers in the test program in 1955. The machine weighed more than Fifty Eight

56,000 pounds and was powered by a turbocharged 286 horsepower engine.

Additional features included a standard or torque converter transmission, oil-type clutch, in-seat starting, improved operator visibility and many servicing conveniences.

The D9 was the first new track-type tractor produced by Caterpillar since 1938.

“The 988B was, in my opinion, Cat’s first real good materials machine."

“The D9H was a very reliable workhorse machine with a low rpm engine that was much slower than the D9L high track,” Joe Lilly, a long-time operator, says. “The main item I remember with low tracks was that steering clutches were time-consuming and difficult to replace.”

The first Caterpillar 988 wheel loader was produced in 1963. The 988 was the fourth model in Caterpillar’s line of wheeltype loaders. The 5-cubic-yard loader was powered by a six-cylinder D343 diesel engine that was rated at 300 flywheelhorsepower but increased to 325 flywheelhorsepower in 1968. At this time, rock bucket capacity also grew to 6 cubic yards.

Lilly believes the 988A and 988B were vastly different. “The 988A was reliable, strong, and had an excellent 343 engine but was slow and had much less break-out force than the 988B,“ he says. “The 988B was, in my opinion, Cats first real good materials machine. It came equipped with the new Z bar leakage design, which provided excellent break-out force, fewer moving parts, and the more powerful 3408 engine.”

Hagen quickly recognized the power, dependability, and efficiency of these two machines and was the first in the state to put them to use.

Opposite page: Hagen working in the Northwest, 1928.

Top right: Hagen with the first Caterpillar D9 in Arizona, 1953.

Right: Hagen's first Caterpillar 988 loader in use near Flagstaff, 1964.

www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Coming next issue ●Phoenix's Reynolds Aluminum Plant ●Canion Construction and Excavation ●Saguaro Elementary School

Tucson

(520) 682-4063

Sierra Vista

(520) 378-2321

Globe

(928) 425-5775

Phoenix

(602) 416-2652

Flagstaff

(928) 526-5250

Prescott

(928) 443-9207

Camp Verde

(928) 567-0893

Yuma

(928) 343-4150

Bullhead

(928) 763-1022

SIXTY

A Global Ready-mix, Aggregate, Asphalt & Cement Supplier

WWW.CEMEXUSA.COM

Mar-Apr 2018

1/4/2018 Strawberry View Tank Modifications

1/24/2018 Sacramento Wash Offsite Improvements

$237,696

$614,891

1/4/2018 Cadence Parkway Phase 1 2 Concrete

1/24/2018 Pavement Preservation Surface

$1,094,628

$1,368,000

1/4/2018 Zone 56 76 Pump Station

1/26/2018 Globe Safford Hwy

$2,368,000

$2,094,307

1/7/2018 Locals Collectors Rehab

1/26/2018 Yuma County

$3,775,000

$618,987

1/10/2018 Santa Cruz Well Field Water Production

1/26/2018 Ash Fork

$1,327,399

$35,347,806

1/16/2018 Water Main Replacement Mountain View

2/1/2018 Parkway Neighborhood Street Improvements

$3,328,837 $482,672 1/17/2018 WWTP In Plant Water Reuse System

2/1/2018 Overlay Western

$242,939 $912,463 1/17/2018 Heroes Regional Park 83rd Avenue

2/1/2018 Concrete Repair Services 1

Past Project Awards Mar/Apr 1958

H&J Const. Co., Phoenix (above) $84,500 Fire Stations, No. 12 and 13, Phoenix Edward L. Varney, Assocs. Architects C.S. Leech, Phoenix $38,000 Chinese Restaurant, Phoenix 2708 E. Indian School Rd. John Sing Tang, Architect Wm. S. Porter, Mesa $295,650 Flora Thew Elementary, Tempe Kemper Goodwin, Architect John E. Herrscher, Phoenix $200,000 Desert Greyhound Park Race Track Apache Junction James E. Wright, Owner

$475,068 $518,630 1/18/2018 Wastewater Collection System Phase 3 5

2/1/2018 Concrete Repair Services 2

$10,447,648

Anderson Building Enterprises, Phoenix $70,000 Residence, 6806 N. Desert Fairways, Phoenix Plan by Al Beadle

$678,040 1/23/2018 2017 18 Water Main Replacement $1,106,104

www.Arizcc.com

Arizona contractor & Community

Advertisers’ index PLEASE Patronize our advertisers, they make this publication possible!

480-926-5203 a-zequipment.com

866-809-7065 courtesyfleet.com

602-469-0863 mundalltrucking.com

623-582-2385 specialtycompaniesgroup.com

480-753-1719 albpiping.com

480-732-9238 dcscontracting.com

602-759-5559 newwestoil.com

602-323-2800 sunlandasphalt.com

602-233-1433 allstatefenceaz.com

623-925-8966 diamonondbackmaterials.com

623-847-3594 newwesternrentals.com

888-456-4560 sunstateequip.com

602-272-7368 apacherentals.com

602-437-0351 ditchwitchaz.com

602-278-8926 obrienpumping.com

800-829-4520 teamfishel.com

602-278-4444 arizonamaterials.com

602-276-2040 eccoequipment.com

480-832-0855 pacwesttrading.com

480-967-0026 tempecrane.com

801-972-4000 arnoldmachinery.com

602-899-9200 elitesportsbuilders.com

800-966-7774 pavementrecycling.com

602-431-0911 trafficade.com

623-780-0200 allstatefenceaz.com.com

520-582-2050 empirecat.com/eloy

602-944-4594 preachbuildingsupply.com

602-253-3311 tsraz.com

602-456-BIDZ bidjudge.com

800-625-8324 gentechusa.com

602-374-3173 drillrdd.com

480-785-4800 vermeersouthwest.com

480-892-5657 brancomachinery.com

520-562-3321 grhc.org

877-90-RDOIC rdoic.com

800-782-1500 willscot.com

602-817-6929 calportland.com

602-570-7289 hagenbusiness.com

480-477-9400 redmountainrentals.com

480-620-8555 woudenbergprops.com

602-437-3088 canyonstateelectric.com

602-269-5931 hercrentals.com

602-415-0449 reuterequipment.com

602-437-4200 cedphx.com

602-361-2174 mattbrowntrucking.com

602-662-6789

602-416-2652 cemexusa.com

602-569-8722 mdirock.com

602-992-2201 shanespaving.com

602-242-4488 christysigns.com

623-466-6640 metroaz.net

480-730-1033

480-969-6300 contractorswest.com

623-879-0610 metrotrafficcontrol.net

602-678-0496 southwestsweepersales.com

SIXTY TWO

Mar-Apr 2018

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