In a town that is descendant of the Wild West, Tempe residents value history. There is something distinctively pleasing both architecturally and sentimentally to see a building stand the test of time. After months of renovations and development controversy, the City of Tempe plans to reopen the Hayden Flour Mill on April 25.
The mill’s current structure has stood for nearly a century, though unused since it closed in 1998. This project is a representation of a city preserving historical architecture by bringing it into the modern age.
The economic impact of the recession on Mill Avenue has been accented by the challenge businesses near universities face every summer: no more students.
Owners have relocated, downsized or left the area completely. Borders closed its Mill Avenue location last year, and the storefront on the corner of University Drive and Mill Avenue has been occupied by three different businesses since Ruby Tuesday’s left to expand to Tempe Marketplace in 2009.
Incorporating the mill into the public space by turning it into an event venue or place of commerce would contribute to the revitalization of the entertainment district that gets its namesake from the mill. It is an iconic part of Tempe, why should it remain a skeleton of the past?
Tempe draws much of its character and unique vibe from the collision of the past and present that is so prevalent in the architecture and style of much of Tempe’s buildings. For example, this newspaper is produced daily inside one of the oldest buildings on campus — on Apple computers.
Hayden Flour Mill can serve as a bridge between the Mill Avenue District and Tempe Town Lake. The new retail space in the remodeled mill will appeal to business owners looking to bring in pedestrians attracted by events like Oktoberfest and the Ironman race. It’s prime real estate.
“The goal is not to make the place look crappier, it’s to make it look as good as we can,” Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman said at the March 22 City Council meeting.
He is right. The 14-year vacancy is too long for a district that prides itself on combining history with modern renovations.
The Hayden Flour Mill should be as remarkable as the memories the University community and the surrounding neighborhood have been creating there for decades.
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