CAMP VERDE - Camp Verde's $34,000 contribution to keep the doors open at Fort Verde for the next eight months needn't be without a little quid pro quo (something for something).
During discussions with Arizona State Parks, Town Manger Mike Scannell discovered a service provided by the State Historic Preservation Office, a division of Arizona State Parks, which could assist the town in defining its future.
Facing devastating shortfalls in revenues, Scannell believes it is time the Town of Camp Verde took a long hard look at what it wants to be when it grows up.
And what it may consider being when it grows up, Scannell believes, could be intricately connected to what it was when it was very young-specifically a community centered around an 1800s military fort.
"It is my considered opinion that Camp Verde's downtown area, as well as the community's entire economic base, is in need of revitalization," Scannell said. "And part of that revitalization should focus on Fort Verde."
To date, SHPO has helped the towns of Douglas, Bisbee, Winslow and Nogales to redefine their historic districts and use them as a focal point in revitalizing their economies.
Scannell said he will be meeting with SHPO next Monday to further discuss the agency's assistance providing what are known in the redevelopment business as" design charrettes."
"Charrette is a term used mostly by architects and urban planners and refers to doing a project in a short period of time, with a limited scope and a lot of people involved," said SHPO architect Bob Frankeberger.
The term originated in Paris in the 19th century, when Paris was the epicenter of western architectural design. It literally translates to "little cart."
"At the time architects offices were the laboratories for architectural students. The students did their projects in individual studios throughout the town. A cart would come by to pick up the project when it was due. If it wasn't completed by the time the cart came by, the student received no credit.
"Working on charrette means you are working right up to that moment when that cart appears. Typically, those students who had already finished their projects helped out students who weren't finished. Today the term refers to participatory planning among a broad based group," Frankeberger said.
The charrettes conducted by SHPO are an opportunity for the entire community to come together and decide what they want their town to look like.
Unlike many planning processes, where the results are a document that lists conceptual ideas, the SHPO charrettes result in a definitive design for a historic district, including architectural drawings.
"We bring the community together with experts in urban design and architects to come up with physical plan," Frankeberger said. "It's not a plan of action, it's a plan showing specifically what you are building.
"Many of the cities and towns we have worked with are like Camp Verde. They have a downtown that has escaped being completely abandoned and is in need of reviving."
The only cost for the service offered by SHPO is the travel and ancillary expenses of the experts. Their design work is pro bono (free).
Posted: Saturday, November 21, 2009
Article comment by:
Ria Rhodes
Seems several people in Camp Verde are wielding their respect/positions to say what is best for all. Not to say these people don't have the communities interests at heart, but the towns future direction (and different views) need to be carefully thought through, and consensus reached by vote of all the towns voting citizens. Note to all communities: always be wary of governmental ulterior motives and conflicts of interest. They may not be apparent without a little digging.
Posted: Friday, November 20, 2009
Article comment by:
Down Town Business Owner
As a downtown business owner and property owner the very last thing that I will be favor of is for the town management to be involved with either my business or property. They would be better served by getting their own house in order. If I ran my business the way the town runs their's I too would be in the same financial situation as the town! It is apparent that these people are experts in every business but their own.
