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Redevelopment plans turn Hayden Mill into city ‘gateway’

GETTING A MAKEOVER: The Rio Salado Foundation will begin renovations on the Hayden Flour Mill this fall. The Mill Project will be a “gateway” into the Tempe and the Mill Avenue District. (Photo by Shawn Raymundo)
GETTING A MAKEOVER: The Rio Salado Foundation will begin renovations on the Hayden Flour Mill this fall. The Mill Project will be a “gateway” into the Tempe and the Mill Avenue District. (Photo by Shawn Raymundo)

The Rio Salado Foundation and Tempe are pushing forward with plans to redevelop the Hayden Flour Mill, a historic structure that stands at the end of the Mill Avenue District.

Since the mill closed down in 1998, Tempe has been looking for ways to bring the structure back to life. Nancy Stern, co-executive director for the Rio Salado Foundation, said the group wants to present the iconic Tempe structure as a gateway into the city.

“It hasn’t been occupied for many years and it’s not particularly an inviting way to come from Rio Salado Parkway down Mill Avenue,” Stern said. “So the motivation was … to help build the vision of Tempe around Tempe Town Lake and Papago Park.”

Stern said the foundation hasn’t broken ground yet, and it is still raising money for the project through individual developers and donors, but the plans and artwork have already been completed.

The Mill Project has a budget of $600,000.

President of the Tempe Historic Preservation Foundation Woody Wilson said the area surrounding the structure would include a park in front of the mill’s silos that will also be used for events and concerts.

“The mill is really the iconic gateway to Mill Avenue and the city. It is our identity. The whole site there is a massive historic site,” Wilson said. “More importantly it requires some really great creative insight on what to do with silos.”

In bringing the mill back to life, the Rio Salado Foundation asked landscape architect and contractor Bill Tonnesen and his company Tonnesen Inc. to head up the design and artwork for the project.

Tonnessen said Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman and president of the Rio Salado Foundation were the driving force behind the renovation project.

“The only reason that this project saw the light of day is because of the vision and determination of one person — Hugh Hallman,” Tonnesen said.

Tonnesen said the park and event area is just one aspect of the entire project. An exhibit developed by the Tempe Historical Museum will be featured on the mill’s ground floor and will tell the story of the Hayden Floor Mill with lighting and graphic displays.

“We are going to position some of the internal equipment for better visibility by the public and we’re working with the history museum to tell the story of how the facility ran,” Tonnesen said.

The two entrances into the park will present artful structures to catch viewers’ eyes, Tonnessen said. In addition the mill will also be repainted and trees and lighting will be placed around the structure.

The patio area at Monti’s La Casa Vieja restaurant across the street from the mill will also be getting a makeover to add to the “gateway” effect.

Stern said the project and renovation would hopefully help the businesses of Tempe and the Mill Avenue District. The development of Tempe Beach Park, Papago Park and the West 6th Tempe apartments are all connected with the Hayden Flour Mill in raising the city’s popularity, she said.

Tonnesen said it was an honor being chosen to renovate the highly popular project.

“Everybody wants to do something like this,” he said.

 

Reach the reporter at sraymund@asu.edu

 

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