Arizona Contractor & Community magazine v1 i3

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Fall 2012

•Poetry in Motion: Arizona’s Early Highways

• Greatest Home Buy Ever Offered in Phoenix

• Education Still Focus of Refurbished Emerson School

•Riding to the Top of Camelback Mountain

Serving Contracting Firms and the

Arizona Community…Then & Now

C O N T E N T S

4. Editor’s Column: Aerial Tramways - Douglas Towne

6. Construction Around Arizona - William Horner

16. Poetry in Motion: Arizona’s Post-Statehood Highways -

Douglas Towne

18. Education Still Focus of Emerson School

20. Surrey Heights: Built to Last - John Bueker

23. Arizona 811 Safety Summit

24. Winterizing Your Business - Paul Beaulieu

26. Building Tomorrow’s Workforce Today - Connie Corder

28. Digging Through the Archives: The Smith Booth Usher

Company - William Horner

Arizona Contractor & Community (ACC) magazine ispublished quarterly (Spring, Summer, Fall, & Winter).ACC is a professional publication designed for thecontracting industry, engineers, architects, andothers interested in Arizona and its history.

Content including text, photographs or illustrationsmay not be reproduced without the writtenpermission from the publisher. The publisher doesnot assume responsibility for unsolicitedsubmissions.ACC reserves the right to reject any editorial andadvertising material and assumes no responsibilityfor unsolicited material.

Arizona Contractor & CommunityCopyright © 2012All rights reserved.

Advertising 602-881-0907 / 602-920-7325

View our online magazine at: www.arizcc.com

Printed at LithotechFront Cover

Volume. 1 Issue. 3

Fall 2012

PublisherWilliam [email protected]

Marketing & Sales ConsultantChuck Runbeck

Production ManagerLaura [email protected]

EditorDouglas [email protected]

AdvertisingBarry [email protected]

ContributorsPaul BeaulieuJohn Bueker

3615 S. 7ᵀᴴ AvePhoenix, AZ, 85041

Tel: 602-243-5243Fax: 602-276-8819

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Arizona Contractor & Community

Queen CreekBridge on theMiami - SuperiorHighway, 1921.Photographcourtesy of ElaineHagen McBride,granddaughter ofcontractingpioneer Harry J.Hagen.

Editor’s Column

Douglas Towne

Four

Architecture, construction, and wealth; the three areirretrievably linked. Those in the business of creating big ticket,awe-inspiring structures know the current global hot spots includeShanghai, China where skyscrapers sprout like desert flowers aftera wet winter and Abu Dhabi in the United ArabEmirates where humans are pushing theboundaries of land reclamation in the PersianGulf by creating palm tree-shaped islands.

In Arizona, some of the most innovativerecent large construction projects are on NativeAmerican lands. For a $30 fee at the Hualapaitribe’s Sky Walk, trusting, non-acrophobictourists can stand above the Grand Canyon withnothing but a clear glass floor between them anda 4,000-foot plummet. Completed in 2007, the$31 million dollar project uses a cantileveredsystem to hold up a U-shaped walkway thatextends 70 feet over the canyon’s edge,seemingly without any means of support. The structure’s designersclaim the viewing platform can support the weight equivalent ofalmost six dozen 747 jetliners and withstand the seismic forcesunleashed by a nearby 8.0 magnitude earthquake.

The Navajo Nation also has dramatic plans to attract touriststo the Grand Canyon at a remote location 30 miles west-northwestof Tuba City. The tribe recently proposed a new resort hotel, shops,and cultural center called Grand Canyon Escalade at theundeveloped East Rim just northeast of the national park. An aerial

tramway would ferry visitors down to arestaurant and amphitheater along the ColoradoRiver near its confluence with the Little ColoradoRiver. Although the tribe has signed a nonbindingagreement with a Scottsdale developer,Confluence Partners, L.L.C., whether the $120million project will ever be built will depend onnegotiations among the Navajos themselves, theHopi Tribe, and the National Park Service. Atstake is an estimated $70 million a year inrevenue and 2,000 jobs to be created by thedevelopment. The economic benefits of theproject, however, will be weighed against losingthe sacred character and wilderness of the last

undeveloped portion of the Grand Canyon.The high water mark of aerial tramway popularity was during

the 1960s. Prospectors surveyed mountains not for their mineralwealth but for their potential to attract visitors who would pay a

“Prospectors surveyed mountains not for theirmineral wealth but for their potential to attract

visitors who would pay a nice fee to be comfortablyferried to high places for spectacular views and

overpriced food and gifts”

nice fee to be comfortably ferried to high places for spectacularviews and overpriced food and gifts. The Palm Springs AerialTramway that carries passengers up Mt. San Jacinto in Californiawas finished in 1963 while the Sandia Peak tramway openedoutside Albuquerque in 1966. In the tramway’s peak decade, therewere even plans to construct one within Crater Lake National Parkin Oregon that would transport visitors to Wizard Island.

Spectacular construction schemes involving cable cars to boosttourism were also proposed for the Valley. One idea was toconstruct an aerial tramway to a restaurant planned atopCamelback Mountain. However, the tramway’s embarkation pointwas to be in front of Paradise Valley businessman, Bill O’Brien’shouse. Not happy about the potential impacts to his neighborhood,O’Brien formed a partnership with his friend, Russell Jackson, andpurchased 56 acres on Camelback Mountain in 1967. They gave 26acres around the summit to the city for use as a preserve, forevereliminating the possibility of construction above 1,800 feet on themountain.

Another proposed aerial tramway would have totedpassengers to a visitor’s center atop Shaw Butte, just north ofSunnyslope in the North Phoenix Mountains. In the late 1950s,mechanical whiz Richard Barker, who had operated businessesrepairing everything from televisions to airplanes, built a structureon a small, flat area just below the summit of Shaw Butte. Thebuilding initially served as the Barker’s home and later, the CloudNine Restaurant.

Barker ferried passengers up to the restaurant by the carloadalong a steep road he had carved out of a hill with liberal amounts

of dynamite. He also constructed two towers on the butte thatwere rumored to be support structures for an aerial tramway thatwould transport customers up to the restaurant. One of thesupport structures still stands near the base of the mountain at15th Avenue. The tower’s size makes it appear more likely it wasdesigned to haul restaurant supplies rather than customers.Although the restaurant was destroyed by fire in 1964, itsfoundation remains a popular hiking destination.

Aerial tramways are not in much demand these days, althoughone opened in Portland in 2006. The tramway services mostlycommuters, not tourists, and is part of the city’s metropolitantransportation system and required municipal funding. Publictransportation focus in Phoenix has shifted from hauling visitorsup mountains to moving residents around the Valley via light rail,a project that was started before today’s tight financial budgets.

In this challenging fiscal environment, it will be interesting tosee what future big ticket construction projects the Valley willbecome renowned for-but it won’t be aerial tramways.Mountaintops within the city are havens for hikers and bikers andnow off limits to commercial development. Rather than whiskingpeople up to amazing vistas, the only cable connections in Phoenixthese days are a different variety that allow users vicarious accessto incredible worlds via the internet.

Douglas Towne

Arizona Contractor & Community

Images courtesy of Douglas Towne

Above, left to right: Aerial tramway support structure at 15th Avenue, PalmSprings Aerial Tramway, Hualapai Tribe’s Sky Walk.

Opposite page: Palm-tree shaped island, Abu Dhabi, Shanghai skyline.

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Right: 2501 Building at Continuum in Chandler that features

precast concrete columns, beams, and double T floor framing.

Schools • Freeways • Roadways • Commercial

Construction Around Arizona

Six

Construction Around Arizona

Sonoran BoulevardHaydon Building Corporation, Phoenix, continues construction on the new Sonoran Boulevard, north of Phoenix. The $42 million project includes

7 miles of new arterial roadway and a 5-mile shared-use path that weaves throughout the Sonoran Desert. Haydon “The biggest challenge has been

the rock,” says Superintendent Keith Samples. The project calls for 68,000 tons of ABC and 59,000 tons of asphalt. The completion date is May

2013.

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New Westerncelebrates 15 years!

ln the summer of 1997while paving a job, thesuperintendent asked if our fuelperson could fill his generator. Soaked withsweat, Phil and Richard Fox agreed that therehad to be a better way of life than paving in 115degree weather. After lengthy consideration, they soldtheir paving company and decided to start a businessrenting generators and offering a fueling service.

New Western L.L.C. was formed by Richard and Phil Fox,a family owned and operated business, and began withthree generators to rent. 15 years later, their fleetconsists of over 100 generators, graders, loaders, lifts,light towers, water trucks and other heavy equipment.The firm is based in Glendale but serves the greaterPhoenix area, as well as its surrounding communities.Along with being a member of the Glendale Chamberof Commerce, the National Federation of lndependentBusiness and the American Rental Association, NewWestern has a retail partnership with MQ-Power andWacker-Neuson and maintains a commercialcontractor's license with the AZ ROC.

Since the passing of Richard in May, 2011, New Westernhas continued to grow and Richard would be proudknowing his son and grandsons are continuing thelegacy.

Years15

McCarthy Construction Meets School DeadlinesTop, Clockwise: Andale Construction digs a new storm drain between classrooms at Holiday Park School; Hardrock Concrete finishes a long walkway;

Crane assists the installation of the new air conditioning units. Bottom:, Clockwise: With the “T” in the background, Ace Asphalt paves the north

parking lot. of Thunderbird High School; Brothers Rich and Joey Ramirez (Ace Asphalt Concrete Division); painting high above is Pete King Construction;

the “T” for Thunderbird High School; McCarthy Supervisors, Larry Cohen and Louis Gutierrez.

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Schoolwork by Core ConstructionTop: Michael J. Valente Contracting completing driveways and sidewalks at Buckeye High School with concrete supplied by Drake Cement.

Bottom: New multi-story buildings and landscaping at Gateway College. Workers on the site are Paul deMontigny and Rick Kempton.

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The Cushion Blade is used forpush-loading. Rubber cushions allow the dozerto absorb the impact of contacting a scraperpush block. When not push-loading, the dozercan be used for cut maintenance and othergeneral dozing jobs. The narrow width of theC-blade increases machine maneuverability incongested cuts and reduces the possibility ofcutting tires associated with SU and U-blades

Transport costs are also reduced by eliminatingblade and push arm removal requirements inmoving the tractor from job to job.

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We assume that just because there is a line on a map, it meansthat there’s a road capable of transporting vehicles no matter whatthe weather. But what if the line is on a highway map publishedby the State Engineer in 1914?

Motoring across Arizona after statehood was for theadventurous; bad weather would do more than spoil a picnic. Ofthe few highways that existed, the roads were nothing more thandirt tracks with poor grading and drainage that became impassablewith rain. On maps, these paper pathways reflected the bestintentions of civic boosters and cartographers. But in reality, theroads were primitive and hindered effective transportation. Overthe next dozen years, however roads in the state would showmarked improvement.

The roadway evolution in Arizona started slowly; by 1916there was still not a single mile of concrete or asphalt highway inthe state, according to Arizona Transportation History, a reportcommissioned by the Arizona Department of Transportation.Moreover, comprehensive highway planning was a challenge. Ofthe modest amount of funds the Arizona Legislature raised forhighway improvements, 75 percent was provided to counties,leaving the Arizona Highway Department with control over whereonly 25 percent of the budget was spent.

Potential new revenue sources, such as a $5 million bond issueproposed in 1914 by the Arizona Good Roads Association to fundhighway construction, were defeated by voters. The departmentwas forced to use creative means to stretch their thin funding,including briefly hiring prisoners as road workers. Projects like the1913 Tempe Bridge and roads linking Phoenix and Tempe andBisbee to Tombstone were constructed using convict labor.

During this early period of the state’s history, the few cross-country highways through Arizona were known by their names andmarked by private road associations. The highways were apiecemeal chain of roads constructed and maintained to differentstandards by various government entities. The road associations,in conjunction with the towns and counties along their routes,coordinated efforts to erect road signs identifying the path andmileage of the routes, publish road guides, and promote travelalong the highways. Although the roads lacked superiorconstruction quality, their names succeeded in evoking feelings ofnostalgia and heritage.

In 1914, there were five named roads across Arizona. Crossingthe state from east to west was the National Old Trails Highway,the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, the Roosevelt Dam Highway, andthe Borderland Highway. The Grand Canyon-Nogales Highway rannorth-south. The National Old Trails Highway carried the mosttraffic and would survive until the establishment of the federalhighway system in the mid-1920s. All the other named east-westroads quickly faded into obscurity before 1920, either abandonedas routes or incorporated into other private road associationsincluding the Dixie Overland Highway, the Bankhead Highway, andthe Lee Highway.

With the increasing popularity of the auto, however, a game-changing undertaking was urgently needed to improve highwaysand it arrived with the passage of the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916.The public works legislation mandated the federal government toset technical standards for highway design and provideconstruction funds to all states. In turn, the states were requiredto match any federal aid received.

Poetry in Motion: Arizona’sPost-Statehood Highways

Douglas Towne

“Motoring across Arizona after statehood was for theadventurous; bad weather would do more than spoil a picnic”

Arizona Contractor & Community

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By 1920, Arizona had constructed 335 miles of permanentroads that included the state’s first stretches of asphalt orconcrete roadways, according to Arizona TransportationHistory. These included sections of the Bisbee-Douglas road,the National Old Trails Highway through Flagstaff and Winslow,the Tucson-Florence highway and the Tucson-Nogales highway.The longest section of pavement was the highway through theSalt River Valley from Mesa to Buckeye, on which convergedthe Lee, Bankhead, Dixie Overland, and the Grand Canyon-Nogales highways.

Despite the progress initiated by the new federallegislation, the Act overlooked an important requirement; thatnew state highways be connected to each other in a systemthat efficiently served long-distance motorists. In 1921, the Actwas amended to require that each state designate sevenpercent of its highway system as part of a national network thatwould receive first priority for federal funding.

Initially, Arizona’s seven-percent system consisted of tryingto improve the named, cross-country highways to a point wheretravelers could average 30 miles per hour. Despite theaccelerated spending, in 1924 only 12 percent of the state’s1,453 miles of highways were paved (mostly in and aroundtowns), 50 percent were surfaced with gravel, and 38 percentwere unimproved.

Another major step occurred in 1925 when, according tonational guidelines, each of the state’s highways was assigneda unique number. The east-west roads received even numbersand north-south numbers were assigned odd numbers. TheNational Old Trails Highway was initially designated U.S. Route60 and later changed to U.S. Route 66. To the south, theLee-Bankhead-Dixie Overland highways became U.S. Route 80.The northern branch of the Lee Highway was to become U.S.Route 70 and the Grand Canyon-Nogales Highway wouldbecome U.S. Route 89.

The signs of reconfigured federal highways were markedwith a shield while state highways were demarcated with anoutline of Arizona. All previous signs placed by private highwayassociations and local governments were removed. The speedand efficiency of motoring in Arizona were on the upswing butlost were the homespun names and markers denoting the birthof cross country auto travel in the Southwest.

“During this early period of the state’shistory, the few cross-country

highways through Arizona were knownby their names and marked by private

road associations.”

Opposite page left to right: Ocean-to-Ocean Highway Bridge, Yuma, AZ;Camp Montezuma, Phoenix, AZ.

Top to bottom: First auto to cross the Queen Bridge between Superior andMiami; Site of Queen Creek Tunnel; Rock work near Queen Creek Tunnel; allimages 1921.

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The original Emerson Elementary School opened in the fall of 1921on the southeast corner of 7th Street and Palm Lane. Phoenix wasbooming! Street cars were being replaced by automobiles. Abrand-new band stand flourished in Library Park and Phoenix’spopulation was approximately 29,000.

Emerson School was one of the first buildings built in the “newstyle” to match its surrounding neighborhoods of single-storyhomes. As the city grew, Emerson School required more space toaccommodate increasing enrollment. In 1925, 1927, and 1936,additions to the little red brick building on 7th Street werecompleted. The school was built of red brick with a red tile roofand large encasement windows, factors which eventually led to itsnomination to the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1982, the original Emerson School was closed and a newEmerson School was built just east of the original location. Theoriginal school was subsequently leased commercially to a variety

of office users. Emerson School became EmersonCourt. Eventually, Phoenix Elementary School

District No. 1, the owners of Emerson Court,took the building back and converted it tothe main District Office which still houses

a variety of administrative and support functions.

With the passing of the 2010 Bond, administrators at PhoenixElementary School District No. 1 planned for major renovationsincluding re-roofing, major HVAC replacement, sitemodifications,installation of energy controls, and interiormodifications to keep up with the District’s growing demands.

In 2011, the District hired a local architectural firm, ADMGroup, Inc., and McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. to implementthe necessary upgrades. The ADM Group worked diligently withthe City’s Historic Preservation Department to ensure that eventhough the entire roof structure, including original wooden trusses,had to be replaced, all would be done in accordance with HistoricPreservation requirements.

Construction began in Phases with the south wing being PhaseOne, north wing Phase Two, and two-story center building PhaseThree. The District’s new Governing Board will be located in theexact location of the original auditorium of Emerson School.Several of the interior historic features have been preserved and/orreplicated.

Education Still Focus of RefurbishedEmerson School

Images courtesy of ADM Group Inc

From top- left to right:

Original Emerson School photo viewed from 7th Street.

Original Emerson School after 1925 and 1927 additions.

Phase one demolition.

Phase two demolition.

Right: Completed phase one interior courtyard.

Bottom left: Phase one completion, view from 7th Street.

Images courtesy of ADM Group Inc

“The greatest home buy everoffered in Phoenix.” Such was the sales pitchserved up by Steves Brothers

home builders in the summer of 1960for their newly-minted Surrey Heights residential

subdivision. While that grandiose claim was probably a little overthe top, there was unquestionably some degree of truth to it. Thehouses of Surrey Heights were attractively designed, well made,and reasonably priced. Few other local builders of the day wereoffering homes of similar value. The Surrey Heights story began with three brothers fromBuckeye, Arizona – Jim, Leon, and George Steves. In 1955, theyformed Steves Brothers Construction Company and migrated toFlagstaff to pursue their dream of becoming home builders. Overthe next decade, Steves Brothers would build over 1,000 homes inFlagstaff, Winslow, and Phoenix, beginning with Pine Park Manorand Greenlaw Estates in east Flagstaff. Interestingly, Steves Brothers employed the same home buildingformula and materials when crafting their homes in sunny Phoenixas they did in the much cooler and more rugged climate ofFlagstaff. As a result, the houses in Surrey Heights wererigorously constructed from high quality buildingmaterials and fitted with extensive amounts ofinsulation. “The homes on Joan De Arc Avenue werebuilt to last,” observes long-time resident BarbaraBueker Stewart. “And that they have.” The builders chose an unincorporated patch of landbeyond the outskirts of northwest Phoenix for the SurreyHeights development, south of Thunderbird Road and west of 31stAvenue. Surrounded on all sides by fields, the homes of SurreyHeights were constructed beyond the edge of the metropolitan

area. The remote parcel of real estate would not be annexed bythe city of Phoenix until 1962. Surrey Heights and its sister,Westown development, were considered so far north of town atthe time that the wisdom of the developers was questioned. However, the homes in Surrey Heights were priced to sell: the3 and 4-bedroom models ran from $10,990 to $14,500, and homebuyers received an excellent value for their money. Five differentfloor plans were originally available, including The Newport, TheFairmont, The Gramercy, and The Savoy. All models featuredattractive amenities including a lifetime cedar shake roof, enclosedgarage, and built-in GE oven, range, and disposal. No fewer than20 different facades were designed for the homes, lending anexceptional richness and variety to the architectural style of thenew development. The Surrey Heights subdivision shared two important communityresources with the Westown homes to the south: SahuaroElementary School and Westown Shopping City. Given therelatively remote location of the two developments, the local gradeschool and shopping center were vital elements in conferring asense of community and identity to the emerging area. In addition,the General Electric plant east of Surrey Heights on the BlackCanyon Freeway provided an excellent source of employment for

nearby residents. Together, these institutions allowed theSurrey Heights-Westown oasis in the desert to thrive.

Construction of Surrey Heights Phase I commencedin the summer of 1960 and would approachcompletion the following year. By July of 1960, thebuilders were already hosting a series of “grand

opening” events in the cul-de-sac at 3200 WestThunderbird Road, where the subdivision’s office and model

homes were situated. The promotions emphasized familyentertainment, with clowns, food, prizes, and a hot-air passengerballoon to entice prospective home buyers. Advertisements for

Surrey Heights: Built to Last

John Bueker

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the events appeared in a series of Sunday editions of the ArizonaRepublic. The hot-air passenger balloon acquired by Jim Steves was fatedto become a legendary part of the Surrey Heights saga. KathrynWillis, daughter of Jim Steves, and herself a home builder for manyyears, tells a remarkable story about the balloon that became partof family lore. One afternoon during the Surrey Heights grand openingfestivities, the passenger balloon escaped its moorings and slippedoff into the ether, à la The Wizard of Oz. Fortunately unoccupiedat the time, the balloon drifted east across state lines, was allegedlyreported as a UFO, and was shot down over Oklahoma. Ms. Willisbelieves the story “might be a little exaggerated,” but given thecollective paranoia of the early Cold War era, the tale soundsplausible. In any event, the Surrey Heights hot-air passengerballoon was never heard from again. Inevitably, Surrey Heights was expanded upon by a series ofadditions over the ensuing decade. Steves Brothers initiated thebuilding of Surrey Heights Phase II in early 1962, shortly after thecompletion of Phase I, extending the neighborhood from Willow

Avenue south to Sweetwater Avenue and the northern terminusof the Westown neighborhood. Ultimately, a half-dozen phases ofSurrey Heights would be built around the original subdivision byvarious developers, ending with the completion of Phase VI in 1971. Today, the Surrey Heights subdivision remains a vibrantcommunity no longer perched beyond the dusty frontiers ofPhoenix suburbia. Once a lonely outpost on the fringes of the city,the neighborhood has long since become part of the sprawlingValley megalopolis. If one looks closely enough though, a few remnants of theoriginal neighborhood landscape remain. A handful of those“lifetime cedar shake roofs” still sprinkle the neighborhood, and asignificant number of those original GE ovens and stoves are stillin operation 50 years later. The Steves’ unique architectural visionremains quite vivid, despite all manner of remodeling done to thehomes throughout the years, an overlooked and underratedachievement. Their work endures. Surrey Heights stands as a tribute to a visionary home builderand a bygone era when quality and craftsmanship still matteredas much as time and profit.

Editor’s Note: Since this article was written, the last few shakerroofs in Surrey Heights have been replaced.

Opposite page: Advertisement for Surrey Heights, from The Arizona Republic,July 24, 1960;. First phase concrete stamp, Elmer Shelton 1961;

Carl Bueker’s Surrey Heights home with cedar shake roof, 1964; Carl Bueker’sSurrey Heights home, 2012.

Top: A home in Surrey Heights 2012.Left: Plot map for Surrey Heights, April 1960.

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“The greatest home buy everoffered in Phoenix”

Arizona 811 Safety Summit:

Incident Investigation

August 11th is a signature day in our industry. This year, duringthe 5th anniversary year of the implementation of 811, Arizona’s811 stakeholders celebrated with a new twist by hosting an 811Safety Summit that uncovered the ins and outs of incidentinvestigation.

The Target & Mission:Safety and Risk Managers of area construction and utilitycompanies are highly knowledgeable in the area of damageprevention. Sure they know about the need to call 811 to avoiddamaging utilities, but what happens when they unfortunately hita utility? What steps can they take to support an investigationprotecting themselves or prevent it from happening again?

The day’s events began with key note speaker and One Callsof America spokesperson, Cliff Meidl, who spoke of his injuries asa result of hitting 3 unmarked, underground electric cables andhis journey to becoming a two-time Olympian. Personalizingdamage prevention took it one step further and allowed theaudience to realize the domino effect of a single incident. Itbecame very clear that many more people in addition to the directvictim are significantly impacted by any incident that occurs. The remaining Summit was divided into three 50-minutesessions where attendees where provided demonstrations of thebefore and after of utility damage incidents.

The Before:This session was presented in two parts: Locating 101: Corporatetrainers from ELM Utility Locating demonstrated best practices inlocating as well as how a locate description provided by theexcavator on a ticket impacts how the locator responds.

Directional Bore Gone Wrong: Southwest Gas trainingpersonnel presented this demonstration in their EMRF (EmergencyResponse Facility) within the Southwest Gas campus in Tempe,Arizona. This, being the sister facility to the Southwest Gas EMRFfacility in Las Vegas as – showcased at the 2012 CGA Conference

– provided an excellent location to reenact this type of incident aswell as how a damaged natural gas facility is handled by emergencyresponders and repair crews.

The After:The Arizona Blue Stake Public Services Committee is comprised ofrepresentatives from utility companies throughout the statededicated to providing almost three dozen highly renowneddamage prevention seminars annually to more than 2,200 peoplestatewide. This pool of risk management professionals formed apanel of incident investigators to present the process of incidentinvestigation along with helpful tips for attendees. Afterward,those in attendance indicated they also appreciated theopportunity to network with the very investigators that could showup at their jobsite as a result of an incident.

The Enforcement:In addition to the utility incident investigators, the Supervisor ofArizona Corporation Commission’s Office of Pipeline Safety (theagency that enforces Arizona’s Blue Stake law) presented thedepartment’s approach to accident investigation. Attendees wereeducated on what to look for from the perspective of theenforcement officer and using industry best practices to developtheir case.

The 811 Safety Summit was designed to go beyond thepromotion safe digging within the construction community. Whilecalling 811 is a vital start to preventing damaged utilities,communication and working together is crucial when incidentshappen. With proper tools and planning in place, any companycan be ready for unexpected obstacles in the field.

The event was highlighted in an Arizona Republic article thatwas published on Sunday, August 12th (circulation of 1.1 million –print & online) as well as in the Tucson Citizen (circulation of223,000 online).

Images courtesy of Courtnie Hartwigson

Winter is almost upon us and if you have everlived in the northern United States or have a comfycabin in Northern Arizona then you know theimportance of preparing for winter. Time to clean outthe refrigerator, put the toys in the garage and drainall the water from the pipes. Planning ahead willensure an enjoyable spring and failure to do so willresult in costly and tiresome repairs. Similarly, wiseowners realize the seasonality of their businesses andplan for winterization. A well thought throughstrategy on how to handle the natural expansion andcontraction of the market profits companies andemployees alike. So what are some of the key factorsin adapting for seasonal downtime? If you want to launch with minimal effort in thespring, then you will need to retain your keypersonnel through the winter months. The twoquestions to answer here are, "Who are the key teammembers and how will they be retained? Seniority is an important factor in identifying keyteam members. But is it everything? The old dogswould like you to think so, however, ability andattitude are also important to consider. Thatgrey stud was once a youngbronco and

many people have held on to old nags well past theirprime. At one company I actually worked with a blindblademan who I had to give verbal commands towhile making sure I did not get rolled up in awindrow.) At the same time, betting the farm on anew pony may backfire if he decides to jump thefence for a handful more grain in the summer. Themost important thing is to create your own writtencriteria, plan for who to retain and do it as early aspossible. The next question to answer is "How will I retainthe talent?" Can you shift these employees to partsof your company that do not experience the winterslowdown? Do you have professional training andcertifications they can complete? Can they cross trainwith office personnel or other divisions of thecompany to gain a better understanding yourbusiness? Remember to include your key players inanswering these questions. They may have insightsinto what they can do to add value and prepare forthe next upturn. There are also equipment resources to considerin winterizing. The fighter that starts training on the

day of the fight will loose to the better preparedopponent. Consider auditing equipment andcreating a fix it, sell it or buy it list. Perform all thatmaintenance that you did not have time for duringthe peak season. Perhaps this maintenance issomething those retained team members canbusy themselves with, and when they return totheir primary job functions they will know theirtools inside and out. Each company is different so every leaderwill need to assess his own business todetermine how best to handle the seasonallull. The only certain way to fail is to not planat all. So start now, involve your keypersonnel and set your team up for success.

Paul is currently a projectmanager at Ace Asphaltof Arizona Inc. and is amember of the AmericanMensa Society where heserves as MembershipOfficer for the GreaterPhoenix Area.

Twenty four

Winterizing Your Business

Paul Beaulieu

“Similarly, wise

owners realize the

seasonality of their

businesses and plan

for winterization”

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The National Utility Contractorsof Arizona (NUCA AZ) wasformed in 1975 to represent theinterests of Utility, Contractor,Vendor and Agency memberswho are involved inunderground utilities in ourstate. We monitor issues andserve on multiple industrycommittees in an advocacycapacity. We fostercommunication between ourdifferent member types,provide safety training, adviseon regulations and keep ourmembers informed of pendingchanges that will affect them inthe field, jobsite regulation andin their bottom line profitability.Connie CorderExecutive [email protected]

Twenty six

Having identified the need for a viable wayto increase the number of skilled workers in ourindustry that would be the leaders of tomorrow,a group of four people pioneered the idea for thefirst Construction Career Day. This pilot programtook place March 2-5, 1999 in Lewisville, Texasthanks to the vision and dedication of a handfulof people that saw a need and decided to dosomething about it.

That program quickly grew through thebacking of the Federal Highway Administrationand came to Arizona in 2002 through the localchapter of the National Association of Women inConstruction (NAWIC). Since then it has growninto an independent non-profit that bringstogether many public and private entities tobenefit our community. They partnered with theArmy National Guard and have held the event attheir facility for the past ten years. The Guard hasstated that their motivation is to embrace andsupport the community that they live and workin.

The career day event provides hands oninteraction between Arizona high school studentsand a variety of trades without regard to race orgender to aid in promoting diversity in theworkforce.

One of their success stories is of a candidatethat attended with her high school. Through herexperience at the event and being the top scorerin her class in the Think Big Program, TashinaForsen was hired by Empire-Cat and is currentlya Training Instructor for them. Empire prides itselfin hiring, promoting, and investing developmentresources for women and the military.

In addition to the hands on experience, theattendees are also provided a publication with

information on trade descriptions,Arizona Trade Associations, anindustry earnings matrix,apprenticeship programs,vocational education, and highereducation programs.

“Arizona Construction Career Days is apassion of mine as President of the Associationfor Construction Career Development. Ourassociation will continue to be a facilitatorworking with our community partners in theconstruction industry, the Arizona Department ofEducation, Arizona Army National Guard, FederalHighways and the Arizona Department ofTransportation. We stand by our missionstatement: To support and promote theconstruction industry through educations andemployment!” - Rose Ann Canizales, President,AZ Construction Career Days

There have been more than 280 exhibitordisplays and 300 pieces of equipment to date andeach year has had about 1000-1500 student inattendance. They feel that public-privatepartnerships remain central to the ConstructionCareer Days concept and to the vision and missionof the Association for Construction CareerDevelopment.  Also, it is in working together andsharing information among the many industrypartners that the construction industry iseffectively promoted to America’s youth and theworkforce of the 21st Century is developed.

Their next event takes place on October 4th-5th.To get involved contact Rose Ann directly [email protected]

Building Tomorrow’sWorkforce Today

Public Auction held the 2nd Saturday of every month.

Preview Every Monday – Friday 8am – 4pm.

Consignments Welcome.

Western Sales Management, Inc

1616 S 67th Ave.

Phoenix, AZ 85043

623-936-3300

Wsmauctioneers.com

[email protected]

As a native of Arizona, I have driven by the defunct Smith Booth UsherCompany building on Grand Avenue multiple times unaware to its significance

or even of the company’s existence. Research led me to discover the company wasone of the largest equipment distributors of machinery and heavy equipment in the West.

The Smith Booth Usher Company was founded in the 1890s and was well known throughout thecountry for bringing the latest models of machinery and equipment to Arizona. The company was incorporated in 1911 after a mergerwith S.J. Smith Machine Co. and L.Booth & Sons, California.

Located south of McDowell Road at 1756 Grand Avenue, the original Smith Booth Usher Company building is still in use, though it’sfront facade is sealed as the new occupiers, the Craft Master Sign Company, use the back entrance. The Smith Booth Usher Companymoved to this location in 1939 to offer contractors mining machinery, machine tools, and woodworking equipment.

In the spring of 1939, the Smith Booth Usher Company becamea distributor for the Cleveland Trencher Company and carriedtheir line of trenchers, ditchers, back-fillers, pipe layers,tampers, and trailers, forcing the firm to introduce a 180-pagecatalog to list its vast line of products and services .

Twenty eight

The Smith Booth Usher Company:Former Machinery Giants

Left: The Craft Master Sign Corporation currently occupies the building.

Bottom: The new office and display room along Grand Avenue in 1939. Atthe right of the building is an early shovel in the equipment yard. The last

known record of the company’s Arizona operation was in the early 1950s.

Note from the Publisher If you find our magazine interestingand enjoyable, please do us a favor andtell the businesses who advertise in themagazine that you appreciate theirsupport of this quarterly publication.If it was not for our advertisers, thismagazine would not be possible.

Please let them know that you appreciate them!We at Arizona Contractor & Community magazine

strive to provide in depth coverage of current and past-built projects, firms, and people in the constructionindustry. Our limited staff works tirelessly to bring youarticles and images that document the expansion of ourstate’s infrastructure.

To keep this material flowing, we ask for your support.We invite you to contact us with current article material,old stories, information, tips, photographs, or anythingwhich could help educate readers on construction activityin Arizona and its growth through the years. We want tocontinue to make this publication a vital trade source foryou and your firm.

William “Billy” HornerPublisher

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Visit our website and guarantee your subscription today.4 issues for only $16. Please send your check or money order to:

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Ace Asphalt………………………………………………. p.19American Rental Association……………………. p. 14Arizona Desert Brooms………………..…………… p.9Arizona Hi-Lift…………………………………………… p.15Arizona Materials……………………..…..…………. p.30Atlas Copco…………………………………..………….. p.19Bidadoo Auctions……………………………..………. p.9Branco Machinery…………………………………….. p.31CRSI Inc.………………………………………….………… p.14DDI Equip Inc…………………………………..……….. p.3Direct Sales LLC………………………………..………. p.15Doosan……………………………………………..………. p.22ECCO Heavy Equip Rentals……………….……….. p.15Empire Machinery…………………………………….. p.2Heavy Equip Machinery Inc…………….…………. p.25New Western Rentals………………………………… p.25O’brien Concrete Pumping..………………………. p.22PacWest Rentals ……………………………..………… p.7Red Mountain Machinery.…………………………. p.13,32Sunstate Equip Co……………………………………… p.11Tempe Crane & Rigging……………………………… p.25WSM Auctioneers……………………………………… p. 27

Two vintage ads displaying the Austin-Western “99” and the many attachmentsavailable for the operator including “hydraulics” - and that was 75 years ago!

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