Getting on the Stick

New Calendar Stick Development Takes Shape

Indian communities across the Southwest are branching out from casinos to other revenue-producing ventures.

 

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One such venture is taking shape on land owned by the Salt River Pima and Maricopa Indian Community east of Phoenix, where crews from Opus West and their subcontractors are working on an upscale, four-building office development.

Crews have already completed a 45,000-sq.-ft., one-story office building for Rural Metro Fire Department; a two-story, 66,000-sq.-ft. corporate office for Cold Stone Creamery; and another two-story 66,000-sq.-ft. speculative building. Footings are being poured for a new, 76,000-sq.-ft., two-story office building for Hacienda Homes on S.R. 101 near Princess Drive.

Work on the development started in June 2004, with the Rural Metro office coming online in January, the Cold Stone office in July and the speculative building in August.

While the construction went quickly, setting up the lease was complicated and time- consuming. Developers had to negotiate with multiple landowners called "allottees."

The deal provides a 65-year ground lease with yearly payments to the land owning families.

"It was a five- year process, so when the land agreement came in, we started right away," said Opus West project manager Curt Kremer. "Here you have multiple land owners you have to negotiate with, so it's not like building in Phoenix or Scottsdale where you generally have just one owner." The project takes its name, Calendar Stick from the Salt River Pima and Maricopa culture. A calendar stick, which was maintained by a custodian, was used to mark significant events in tribal history. One of the landowners, the Joe family, was related to the tribe's last calendar stick custodian, Tco Kut Nuk, or Owl Ear. Different types of marks identified tribal events such as wars, celebrations and other events.

"It was a built-in theme," said architect Jeff Cutberth of Phoenix-based Butler Design Group. "Some of the basic principles on all of the projects out there are a general respect for the land itself, because the tribe values the land more than any structure."

A pathway running on an east-west access mimics a calendar stick when viewed from above, with designers creating broad, open spaces and maintaining views of the Red Mountain, a long-time land mark for the tribe.

To mimic the land, designers used earth tones and colors such as deep reds on the steel-framed brick-clad offices. The project also employed elements familiar to the tribes' history and culture.

"One of the key things we tried was not to literally recreate a piece of their environment, but to create something that allowed those familiar with the tribal culture to use their own imagination," Cutberth said. "It's more of a presentation of culture, versus trying to interpret a culture. They can reflect on their culture in their own way."

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