The Heart of Phoenix: Three Iterations of the Hotel Adams
By Douglas Towne Great hotel nicknames are usually the result of innovative marketing campaigns or are obvious, such as San Diego's Hotel...
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- Oct 26, 2021
- 2 min
Taking Phoenix to the Next Level: Porter’s Western Wear Store
By Douglas Towne Downtown Phoenix was the city’s commercial district until the 1960s, and one unique store stood out. The business, which...
- Oct 20, 2021
- 2 min
Paul Brock: Digging Deep Into Gunnison Contractors and the Man Who Built It
Jeff Kronenfeld Paul Brock was one of the biggest names in underground contracting in the Valley during the 1960s and 1970s. His company,...
- Oct 18, 2021
- 2 min
Serious Accomplishment: The Life and Legacy of Architect Kemper Goodwin, FAIA
James Logan Abell, FAIA Jumping on rail cars to travel from Los Angeles to New Orleans in search of work, this man was no ordinary 1930’s...
- Oct 14, 2021
- 2 min
Architect’s Perspective: Melverne Coats Ensign – An Inventive Architecture
Doug Sydnor, FAIA Growing up in Phoenix, I noticed some innovative architecture created by an unknown individual. Many years later, I...
- Oct 6, 2021
- 2 min
Level and Plumb: The Masonry of Marion J. Evertsen
Tom Pickrell Marion John Evertsen was a prominent masonry contractor in Phoenix for more than 30 years, starting in the 1950s. Largely...
- Oct 5, 2021
- 2 min
Air Entrainment in Concrete
Luke M. Snell, P.E. An inspector recently contacted me regarding some concrete loads that exceeded air-content specifications. The...
- Sep 29, 2021
- 2 min
Building on the Past 1969: Chrome-Plated Expansion
Aircraft Plating Co. was flying high in 1969. The firm, founded in 1963 at 1313 South 26th Street, was having a new 20,000 square-foot...
- Sep 28, 2021
- 2 min
Old School Equipment: Caterpillar’s J621 Paddle Wheel Scraper
Buddy Escapule In 2017, I took my father and sons to Casa Grande to examine a 1971 Caterpillar J621 paddle wheel scraper for sale. The...
- Sep 22, 2021
- 2 min
Digging Through the Archives: Vance Grubb III
William Horner According to Vance Grubb III, nothing tops a great job in construction except going into business for yourself. A...
- Sep 8, 2021
- 2 min
Digging Through the Archives: Sinagua Paving
William Horner Philip Chesley has encountered some unforgettable people while working in the paving field, including a man wearing gold...
- Sep 2, 2021
- 1 min
Sep/Oct Issue Available Now!
Is the just-released 80-page Sep/Oct issue of Arizona Contractor & Community Magazine a history publication masquerading as a...
- Sep 1, 2021
- 0 min
- Aug 30, 2021
- 2 min
Concrete: King of the Valley’s Roads
Michelle Dodds Concrete denotes something solid, with great strength, and permanence. Perhaps that’s why there was such a clamor way-back...
- Aug 24, 2021
- 2 min
Old School Equipment: The Mixermobile and Scoopmobile
After two years in the concrete industry, Ed Wagner of Portland, Oregon, realized the need for a more efficient way to handle the heavy...
- Aug 20, 2021
- 1 min
Building on the Past: 1958: A “Heavy” Order of Superlite Blocks
“Do it big, do it right, and do it with style,” said actor Fred Astaire. Apparently, famed Valley developer John F. Long was listening....
- Aug 18, 2021
- 2 min
Concrete Fountain Renews Tucson’s Historic Plaza
Jennifer M. Levstik Even the most innocuous objects have stories to tell. Tucson’s El Presidio Fountain is one of them. Constructed at...
- Aug 10, 2021
- 2 min
Architect’s Perspective: Concrete Innovations in Arizona
Doug Sydnor, FAIA Concrete is not only a long-lasting material; humans have also used it for a long time. Its origins are a concrete-like...
- Aug 5, 2021
- 2 min
Mid-Century Modern Blockheads: An Ode to the Humble Concrete Block
Heather M. David I am a blockhead. A mid-century modern (MCM) blockhead. I have been one for as long as I can remember. I started...
- Jul 19, 2021
- 3 min
Paving the Way for Four Generations: The Chesley Family
Douglas Towne “I loved spending time with my dad hunting, camping, or any other activity,” Phil Chesley says about his father, Elmo...