Main Street Program

Historic hotel in Florence Arizona to get overhaul

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[Source: Lynh Bui, The Arizona Republic] — What was once one of the most important rest stops for miners and travelers in the Southwest sits empty today, with scraps of faded floral wallpaper and crumbling mortar as a few reminders of life at the Silver King Hotel.  Since the late 1800s, the social and economic heart of Florence has pulsed through this brick, Victorian building.  The bar was a prominent stagecoach stop and operated “the finest dining room in town,” according to state archives.  When the once-bustling hotel closed in 1977, the two-story building fell into disrepair, sitting abandoned on the corner of Main Street and Ruggles Avenue for three decades and damaged by a fire in the mid-1990s.

Over the years, there have been several rumors of overhauling the structure but nothing came to life until now.  The historic building will get a complete makeover by the end of the year, say officials with the town of Florence, which owns the building and is paying for most of the renovations with more than $500,000 in grants.  The building won’t turn into another hotel but will instead be revamped into retail and office space, Florence Public Information Officer Jess Knudson said during a recent tour of the structure.  [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Arizona Heritage Fund grants possible to revitalize downtown Buckeye

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[Source: Cynthia Benin, Arizona Republic] — Business owners in Buckeye can receive up to $25,000 to renovate buildings for commercial use in the downtown area.  The Core Area Revitalization Effort (CARE) presented by the Buckeye Main Street Coalition was approved by the Town Council last week, providing for some major changes to the current revitalization program.  The new guidelines more than double the cap on funding previously set at $10,000, which could provide only for changes to a building’s facade but couldn’t fix more fundamental failings.  “The problem with downtown is that many of the buildings aren’t up to town code,” said Main Street Coalition Interim Director John Bowers.  “That’s why they’re empty.”  He hopes the new program, which will require some legal work before the first grants are awarded, will launch projects to bring many of these buildings up to code and make downtown “a vibrant and viable business community.”

The proposal also narrows the boundaries that determine which buildings are eligible for funding.  Only buildings east of Miller Road, north of Centre Avenue, west of 239th Avenue and south of the railroad tracks can receive financing, though businesses on lots fronting either side of these border streets also qualify.  For grants more than $10,000, business owners are required to match 25 percent of the grant from their own pockets, and all funding recipients are required to occupy the building for at least one year, a stipulation designed to promote commitment to the area.  [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Main Street Award nominations due Aug. 8

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The Arizona Department of Commerce is now accepting nominations for the 2008 Arizona Main Street Awards presented at the Governor’s Rural and Regional Development Conference.  It will be held September 24-26 at the Carefree Resort.  The communities of Carefree and Cave Creek are our hosts. 

The purpose of the Awards is to recognize outstanding projects, activities, and individuals in Arizona’s Main Street communities (often funded with support from the Arizona Heritage Fund).  Nominations are for activities/projects that have been completed between July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2008.  The deadline for nominations is August 8.  Click here for award categories and the nomination form.