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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS www.ahwatukee.com
WHO WILL LEAD?
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
@AhwatukeeFN |
@AhwatukeeFN
With T-square and cross, architect readies his latest work
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
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FIRST OF A TWO-PART REPORT
teve Barduson describes the trajectory of his education as going from the T-square to the cross. In reality, both mark the career of the Ahwatukee man called “The Pastors’ Architect.” Barduson has designed and overseen the construction of 80 churches in the Valley, including Mountain Park Community Church’s soon-to-open new home on 48th Street and Frye Road in Ahwatukee. That church will replace Mountain Park’s 20-year-old building on Pecos Road and 24th Street – which Barduson also designed – as it falls to the South Mountain Freeway. The last service in the old building is slated for Sept. 10, with a grand opening of the new (Kimberly Carrillo/AFN Photographer) church scheduled Oct. 1. Ahwatukee architect Steve Barduson stands in front of his latest creation, the new Mountain Park Community “It’s the culmination of the 80 churches Church. It’s the 80th church that Barduson, who holds both architecture and divinity degrees, has designed I’ve built and all the work that I’ve been part in the Valley. of,” said Barduson, who holds degrees in both architecture and theology. “Yes, it’s the up with a group, Campus Crusade for Christ. at the top of his class. He was tempted to drop architecture and After an internship at an architectural firm, most ambitious.” go to the seminary until a mentor advised, he got his license – then promptly enrolled in The Minnesota native’s dual devotion “If God has given you the gift of architecture Dallas Theological Seminary. to God and structure dates back to his and design, why don’t you at least pursue it.” “I have more theological training than underclassman days at Arizona State It took several more years before he decided University, where his childhood religious See ARCHITECT on page 16 inclination was revitalized when he hooked to answer God’s call, graduating from ASU
AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS HOME MAKERS
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A NEW MISSION
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READY TO RUMBLE
A race is on between freeway opponents, pace of work
BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
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he fight between highway planners and opponents of the South Mountain Freeway has become a race with the state contending taxpayers’ dollars and progress are at stake and those against it arguing Ahwatukee’s environment will be permanently damaged. That race became clear last week as opponents pressed an appeals court to halt
blasting and bridgework along Pecos Road, and work crews started pouring concrete for the highway’s first deck in Ahwatukee. Crews closed part 40th Street overnight Monday and were expected to finish that job overnight tonight, Aug. 30. Then, between Sept. 5-7, ADOT will close 17th Avenue between Liberty Lane and Pecos overnight to pour concrete for another span. Meanwhile, the attorney for Ahwatukeebased Protect Arizona’s Resources and Children last week took advantage of an
invitation from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to file an additional brief supporting the group’s request for an order halting bridge work and blasting until their case is resolved. Oral arguments are scheduled Oct. 19 on appeal by PARC and the Gila River Indian Community from a federal judge’s July 2016 ruling that allowed the Arizona Department of Transportation and freeway developer See
FREEWAY on page 12