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TOMBSTONE — Fremont Street is preparing to go back in time.
Through a grant from the Arizona Department of Transportation, the city of Tombstone has partnered with several organizations to restore Fremont Street to what it looked like historically.
The project aims to place boardwalks, porches, canopies and sidewalks where they are historically appropriate along Fremont between Third Street and Sixth Street. This stretch coincides with Highway 80.
“Our mission here is to restore Fremont Street to its original grandeur,” said Tombstone Historic District Commissioner Steve Troncale.
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Tombstone has three historians who have looked through many documents such as photographs, newspapers, real estate titles and maps to determine what the city looked like in days past.
The finished product will not look like Allen Street in Tombstone, where the boardwalk is continuous along the street. On Fremont, the type of material a pedestrian is walking on will change along both sides of the street. Project officials said that boardwalks or porches will not be placed where they did not exist previously. However, buildings that were erected later in time pose different issues that will have to be addressed by the team since they have no historical record or status.
The grant was awarded to Tombstone last November by the Transportation Enhancement Review Committee, said ADOT Project Manager Natalie Clark. The grant was for a half-a-million dollars, but had matching funds. The total amount allocated for the project is $963,000, all of which is state funds. The city of Tombstone will not pay for any part of this project.
Because of the state funds, the project contains several stages. The first stage is a project assessment. The assessment is being done by Logan Simpson Design Inc. A kickoff meeting was held Tuesday morning to begin discussing the projects goals and concerns associated with the project.
“We’re very pleased to have the opportunity to work with Tombstone. It’s a very exciting and interesting project,” said Wayne Colebank of Logan Simpson Design.
Because Fremont is part of Highway 80, certain issues, such as signs in the area that must remain, should be taken into account with historical accuracy.
All requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act also must be met. It’s part of Logan Simpson Design’s job to come up with a plan that meets all these criteria.
Another concern involves the landscaping that will accompany the restoration. The project calls for 18 trees, which will be similar to those in the area. With the trees, lines of sight at intersections along Fremont may be compromised. However, some of the sight obstructions come from parked cars. This led to the suggestion that parking along that stretch of Fremont be eliminated.
Supporters of this idea said there are many other parking lots in Tombstone where people can park. However, this idea may not be within the budget of the funding allocated for the project. All parties involved will continue to look into the possibility of removing parking.
Paul David, ADOT representative for the Safford District, also suggested that the trees chosen do not have lateral roots as those can damage the foundations of historical buildings. Logan Simpson Design said they would take that into account and perhaps install root barriers to prevent damage.
A project goal is to have all structures placed on public rights of way, not private property. This led to a discussion of how porches would be attached to private buildings. In total, the project has four buildings that previously had porches that would be restored: Bella Union, the Aztec House, the San Jose House and Schieffelin Hall.
Don Ryden with Ryden Architectures, which specializes in historic projects, explained the three main structures found in Tombstone and the types of porch they might have. He then explained how the porch would be free standing from the structure as to not damage it. The porch would have four legs to support it. The gap between the porch and the structure could be filled in with concrete or some other substance. The same idea would apply to a canopy.
“Projects like this will greatly enhance Tombstone’s appeal and better our chances for survival,” Troncale said.
The project also will require working with the State Historic Preservation Office because of the area’s landmark status.
Kae Neustadt, who is with ADOT’s Historical Preservation Team, suggested an agreement with the office to help with compliance with the National Preservation Act. She said it would be used to develop an efficient review for the project.
Most likely, the section of Highway 80 will be narrowed to accommodate the project.
The project also will make the area more pedestrian friendly since walkways will be on both sides.
The project assessment is scheduled to completed by next August. Residents will see surveys in the area gathering information for the assessment that also includes a study of the impact the project will have on the environment.
HERALD/REVIEW reporter Julie Ann Marra can be reached at 515-4680 or by e-mail at julieann.marra@svherald.com.
OMG wrote on Aug 6, 2008 7:19 PM: