Volume. 1 Issue. 1
Valley Contracting Phoenix's Most Interesting Building Post Gender Architecture L.R. Contreras Concrete
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Spring 2012
Arizona Contractor & Community
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Arizona Contractor & Community
Volume. 1 Issue. 1 Spring 2012
CONTENTS Established 1978
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Editor’s Column - Douglas Towne
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Valley Contracting
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John Drexler Profile
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Westward Ho - Douglas Towne
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Architect’s Column - Taz Loomans
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Sustainability - First Solar
DDI Equipment sells, rents and services high quality new and used forestry, recycling & aggregate crushing and screening equipment. We offer exceptional product support as well as product safety training.
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Make Ready the Sales - Paul Beaulieu
WOODGRINDERS
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MULCHING EQUIPMENT
Engineers Section - Michael Bryce
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From the Archives - William Horner
FORESTRY
SCREENING & CRUSHING
DDI EQUIPMENT, INC 3615 S. 7ᵀᴴ Ave Tel: 602-243-5243 Phoenix, AZ, 35041 Fax: 602-276-8819
Publisher William Horner azcc.publisher@hotmail.com
Managing Editor Douglas Towne azcc.editor@hotmail.com
Marketing & Sales Consultant Chuck Runbeck
Production Manager Laura Harley
Advertising Barry Warner azcc.advertiser@hotmail.com
Contributors Taz Loomans Paul Beaulieu
Advertising 602-920-7325 View our online magazine at: www.arizcc.com Printed at Lithotech
Cover Story P.�
WWW.DDIEQUIP.COM
Arizona Contractor & Community (ACC) magazine is published quarterly (Spring, Summer, Fall, & Winter). ACC is a professional publication designed for the contracting industry, engineers, architects, and others interested in Arizona 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 assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. Arizona Contractor & Community Copyright © 2012 All rights reserved.
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Arizona Contractor & Community
Editor’s Column Douglas Towne
Welcome to the debut Issue of Arizona Contractor & Community! Our new publication seeks to become a vital forum for the state’s building industry by providing exposure and information to companies in the field. We also want to include those on the industry’s fringe and tap into individuals who have fresh ideas on adaptive reuse of historic buildings or how to make new construction more community-friendly and sustainable. The magazine will also look in the rearview mirror and honor the many remarkable construction accomplishments in Arizona by running historical features on selected projects and people. It may have been just a “day’s work” back then but these construction pioneers created the framework that still holds Arizona together. The catalyst behind this re-launch is William “Billy” Horner, whose family is well known in Arizona construction. His grandfather, Bill Ray Horner, was a blade operator and general contractor for over 30 years. Bill Ray’s three sons also worked in the industry including Billy’s father, Billy Joe. Billy spent his youth working alongside his dad and fondly recalls the carefree days when riding on construction equipment to learn a new skill was not against regulations. Billy worked at Achen Gardner Construction and other firms before becoming a blade operator for Ace Asphalt. An accomplished drummer since his high school marching band
days, Billy currently pounds the drums for a Valley band yet, despite his day job and musical hobby, he saw an opportunity to create a publication to improve communication in the construction industry. An icon in construction publishing, Chuck Runbeck has been brought aboard as senior magazine consultant. In 1953, he started in the advertising business and later founded Runbeck Publishing & Graphics. His magazine, Southwest Contractor, served the industry for many years until it was sold to McGraw-Hill in 1990. Moonlighting from her corporate career, Laura Harley is in charge of all staff and office duties. The English native also serves as the graphics designer for the publication and is the glue that holds the magazine together. Barry Warner is assisting with advertising. Barry started his career in the late 1970’s on the paving crews at Professional Contracting. Barry is currently a superintendent for Ace Asphalt, where he has been a dedicated employee for over 20 years. Also on board is architect Taz Loomans, known for her Blooming Rock web page that is “Her personal guide to architecture in Phoenix.” Taz tirelessly examines the city, evaluating development styles and pondering how Phoenix can develop a stronger sense of place. She’s an invaluable team member and will serve as contributing editor, writing on all sorts of cutting-edge topics.
Above: Douglas Towne, Taz Loomans, Chuck Runbeck, William Horner, Laura Harley, and Barry Warner. Four
Arizona Contractor & Community
Welcome to the debut Issue of Arizona Contractor & Community!
Whether it’s a brand name or a sense of place, marketing yourself properly is critical to a construction company or a community. Both entities pay consulting firms handsomely to put their best face out to the public. For many years, I’ve written about the tourist industry that has long been vital to the region’s economy. It’s staggering the many slogans the city and region have adapted trying to better sell themselves to the outside world. Phoenix itself is largely without a nickname, though not for lack of trying. Marketing campaigns included 1923’s “Phoenix, Where Summer Winters” where one could “winter among the palms and the roses.” Tourist publications from 1928 called Phoenix, “The Gold Spot of America.” The city was described as “the capital of the Arizona Land of Enchantment” in 1939 when New Mexico also started using that slogan. None caught on with the public. The major marketing accomplishment has been rebranding the “Salt River Valley,” albeit with a few false starts. The movement was fueled by the perception of many residents who felt that the name conveyed an image of an alkali wasteland and saline water supplies. Searching for a catchy slogan for the region, the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce and the Arizona Republican newspaper held a contest in 1921. Over 1,100 entries were submitted, each hoping to win the grand prize of $25. Although never used extensively, “Rich, Resolute, Ready, Phoenix, Salt River Valley” won, edging out other jingles such as “Where Sunshine Turns Your Efforts into Gold,” and “Harvest Prime, Health Sublime, Where Old Sol Works Overtime.” In 1925, the Chamber’s idea of renaming the region “Roosevelt Valley” after Teddy, the former president of “Roosevelt Dam” fame, met with strong opposition for political reasons.
Above: 1939 postcard promoting Phoenix.
In 1922, the iconic “Valley of the Sun,” slogan was coined by an advertising agency. The phrase couldn’t help but tempt individuals in snowy climates perusing brochures in search of a vacation destination. Interestingly, it took 12 years before the phrase was commonplace; it was not officially adopted until 1935. Similar to the search for the “Valley of the Sun” slogan, fine-tuning your construction firm’s marketing campaign takes time, creativity and, undoubtedly, a little luck but the dividends can be invaluable. We at Arizona Contracting and Community hope to not only become part of your company’s marketing campaign but to provide an eagerly anticipated magazine full of up-to-date local construction information, new thoughts on the industry, requests for proposals, and fascinating historical features. Let us know how we can best accomplish these goals!
Image courtesy of Douglas Towne
Douglas Towne
In 1922, the iconic“Valley of the Sun,” slogan was coined by an advertising agency Five
Arizona Contractor & Community
Valley Contracting Grand Opening of Mesa Developement
Is the Valley finally coming out of its
Above: Pete Noriaga started with Contreras in the 1960's. Below: Foreman for Contreras, Francisco Melena.
new housing construction doldrums? This may be true if recent events in Mesa are an accurate indication. Six years after being approved by the City of Mesa in 2006, Lehi Crossing is scheduled to have its grand opening in July 2012. Long delayed because of the housing crisis, William Lyons Homes began construction of the development’s housing pads and mass excavation in 2010. The new master-plan subdivision is located at 3009 East Lehi Road located between Thomas and Gilbert Roads just south of the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway. When completed, Lehi Crossing will consist of approximately 800 new homes on a 285 acre site. The homes will vary in size from 1,300 to 4,000 square feet. Interspersed throughout the development are trails, retention basins, and parks. L.R. Contreras, Mesa, and Temcon Concrete, Tempe, are splitting the load on sidewalks along with curb and gutter work. M.R. Tanner has the contract for all subgrade, ABC, and paving.
Graef Digs Sun City West
Sun City West, which was built by the Del Webb Corporation starting in 1978, is having its last piece of undeveloped land turned into three shop pads and parking areas. Graef Construction, Phoenix, has the low bid at the site that is located near the center of Sun City West on the northwest corner of Beardsley Road and West Stardust Boulevard. Graef has completed over excavation for the pad footings and rough dirt work for all parking areas. They started the first phase in the second week of January and will return to complete the fine grading this spring. The general contractor is Brinkmann Constructor, Colorado and the equipment used includes a John Deere 762B water-pull, 770BH blade, Caterpillar 613C scraper, loader, and excavator.
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Above: Allister Dueker and Jacob Richter of Brinkmann. Below: left to right: Jose Beltran, Joe Figueroa, & Christian Velasquez. Left: Graef job site
Arizona Contractor & Community
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Arizona Contractor & Community