Indoor art displays titled “Then and Now” have been installed at City Hall, the Aquaplex, Pulliam Airport and the Adult Center depicting historic photographs contrasted with current photographs from the same spot. On display at City Hall and the Pulliam Airport, Dr. Ronald S. Gooding donated two Clyde Ross Morgan bronze sculptures depicting John Wesley Powell traversing the Sockdolager Rapids in the Grand Canyon. And, Mural Mice is installing a new mural on the Phoenix Avenue side of the Lumberyard Brewing Company that celebrates Flagstaff’s Route 66 heritage.
Efforts to enhance the beauty of Flagstaff are funded by the BBB Tax and are overseen by the Beautification and Public Art Commission. The program is well known for the purchase and removal of billboards and the installation of landscaping along Route 66. More recent work has included the installation of stone, timber and steel “Flagstaff” signs at three of the city’s gateways and the landscaping of various medians throughout the city. Currently, we are working to create a gateway facility at the corner of Fourth Street and Route 66 that would include public space, landscaping, district signage and possibly public art.
The city architect assists public and private development interests to meet their needs as well as the development goals of the community. Unique to Flagstaff, as a part of the Development Review process, applicants can meet with staff and develop site and building designs collaboratively, dramatically reducing the time and frustration that results from typical pass/fail design review processes. We recently developed plans for the City’s business accelerator facility, Innovation Mesa, which was quickly approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council. Similarly, we have worked with the owners of several historic properties to design and demonstrate how the resources can be preserved and incorporated into new and economically feasible uses for the property.
An important part of the environment of Flagstaff are seven districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places, more than 40 individually listed properties and three local historic districts. To help preserve these properties, the newly adopted Zoning Code includes provisions for the consideration of heritage and cultural resources in association with property development. Flagstaff’s Heritage Preservation Commission is actively working with the City Council to identify and recognize landmarks in Flagstaff, having already recognized the Ashurst Residence, the Museum of Northern Arizona and the Train Station.
Support for redevelopment extends beyond architectural consultations and heritage preservation efforts. Notably on the Southside, both Beaver and San Francisco Streets were redeveloped according to the community’s vision, including new sidewalks, landscaping, street furniture and public art. The CD&R program also provides support for the formation of Downtown and East Flagstaff revitalization districts. And, similar to the work on the Southside, through an extensive community visioning process, a plan was developed to enhance Fourth Street with traffic safety features, pedestrian amenities, landscaping and other features of a walkable and vibrant commercial neighborhood.
We are particularly pleased to have recently launched VisionFlagstaff.com – a website designed to solicit residents’ input on what should be done to enhance the quality of life and sense of place in Flagstaff. There are three main areas for consideration: suggesting projects to be implemented, prioritizing the ideas suggested and commenting on the ideas suggested. After a quick registration process, the site’s intuitive design makes submitting and commenting on ideas easy. Simply click on an image to learn more about the idea. There is a button that allows you to leave a comment about an idea. Or, if the idea makes sense to you, you can simply support it by “liking” it. Even better, submit your own idea by clicking the “Submit an Entry” button. The Beautification and Public Art Commission, the Heritage Preservation Commission and Community Design and Redevelopment staff all encourage and look forward to your use of this new direct participation technology to guide our efforts as we move forward. FBN
By Karl Eberhard, Community Design and Redevelopment Manager
The mission of the City of Flagstaff Community Design and Redevelopment program is to protect and enhance the quality of life and economic prosperity of Flagstaff by creating, enhancing and preserving the sense of place, local character and the cultural diversity and heritage of Flagstaff. To accomplish this, the program is divided into five service areas: Arts and Sciences, Beautification, Community Design, Heritage Preservation and Redevelopment.