Flagstaff unanimously rejects historic study for West Birch hotel, demands deeper research into former city hall
FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA — May 22, 2025

Flagstaff unanimously rejects historic study for West Birch hotel, demands deeper research into former city hall

Heritage Preservation Commission meeting featuring approval of 418 East Birch residential rehabilitation and contentious rejection of 19 West Birch Avenue cultural resource study with commission demanding extensive revisions to significance findings and additional research on local architectural and historical criteria.

Commission Rejects 19 West Birch Cultural Resource Study, Demands Reckoning with Flagstaff's Civic Legacy

The Flagstaff Heritage Preservation Commission voted unanimously on May 21 to reject Cornerstone Environmental's Phase 1 cultural resource study for 19 West Birch Avenue—the former city hall, police department, and fire department building slated for demolition as part of a Hilton Graduate hotel and parking garage project. After a 90-minute debate, commissioners demanded substantial revisions to the study's significance findings, insisting that consultants failed to account for the building's local importance despite treating it as historically insignificant under both National Register and Flagstaff criteria.

The vote was not on approval of demolition but on acceptance of the study's conclusion that the building is not significant. By rejecting the study, the commission effectively blocked issuance of a Certificate of No Effect for demolition and sent Cornerstone Environmental back to conduct deeper research into the courts, social movements, construction methods, and the building's role during Flagstaff's post-World War II boom.

The meeting also featured unanimous approval with minor conditions of a separate Phase 1 study for 418 East Birch Avenue, a residential rehabilitation project that included half-story addition with dormers.

418 East Birch Avenue — Approved with Revisions

The first project moved swiftly. Historic Preservation Consultant Lyn Neil and architect Paul Moore presented a cultural resource study for a downtown residential building that had never been formally evaluated. The property owner intends to add a half-story addition (not a full second story, commissioners clarified) with dormers and restore original clapboard siding to mitigate the impact of the expansion.

Staff attorney Lauren recommended approving the significance findings but reframing the impact language: instead of "no impact with salvaging siding," she proposed calling it a "major impact with restoration of clapboard siding as mitigation." Commissioners largely agreed and welcomed the owner's thoughtful effort to minimize visual change while meeting modern building codes.

Commissioner Duffy Westimer praised the distinction between a half-story (using existing attic space) and a full second story, noting the owner was already surrounded by two- and three-story buildings. He also flagged terminology: the report used the term "town site" without clarifying whether it referred to the original Congressional land grant or the modern downtown.

"The owner who wants to stay in his house should be applauded. It's actually a narrow house and so without changing the footprint of the house, it can only go up." — Commissioner Duffy Westimer

Paul Moore and architect Sarah, a city staff member, walked commissioners through the elevations, using a mouse pointer to show the dormer placement and the modest 4–5 foot height increase. Commissioner Abby Buckham praised the "really thoughtful addition and expansion instead of just big massive remodels that are really changing the character."

The motion, offered by Commissioner Westimer and seconded by Commissioner Jesse Dominguez, incorporated a requirement that the report be revised to:

  1. Reframe "second story" as "one-and-a-half story"
  2. Identify the source of the term "town site" for clarity
  3. Recharacterize the addition as a major impact with restoration as mitigation

Staff (Lauren) would approve these revisions administratively. The vote was 7–0 with one abstention (Westimer).

19 West Birch Avenue — Explosive Rejection

The second item consumed the remainder of the meeting and revealed sharp disagreement about what constitutes historical significance at the local level.

Applicant Presentation

Samuel Hemsley and Jack from Cornerstone Environmental presented their Phase 1 cultural resource study via Zoom for the 1951 building at 19 West Birch Avenue. The building had housed the city hall (west central section), police department (eastern wing), and fire department (southern wing), plus miscellaneous civic services, from 1951 until departments began relocating in the 1980s and 2000s. The building is now used for commercial tenants: a church office, barber shop, and insurance office.

Cornerstone evaluated the property under National Register Criteria A, B, C, and D, as well as all Flagstaff criteria (A–E). The consultants concluded the building was not significant under any of them.

Their reasoning:

Criterion A (events of historical significance): The city council actions examined were found to be routine municipal business, not rising to significant events. Hemsley noted:

"While the city council and the actions taken by the council during the use of the building periods were examined individually, they were relatively insignificant to the wider development of Flagstaff in the country." — Samuel Hemsley, Cornerstone Environmental

The study cited an anti-searchlight ordinance as an example of legislation during the period but argued it was "very limited" and "better represented by properties that were directly affected by the legislation like the observatory." Cornerstone also searched for court cases, desegregation efforts, and protests but found "hardly any mention of city hall being involved whatsoever" in larger civil rights events.

Criterion B (significant persons): Consultants examined all 11 mayors and city managers who served during the building's tenure as city hall (1951–1983). While Mayor Roland Wheeler served eight years (the longest any Flagstaff mayor had served), Hemsley stated:

"Roland Wheeler despite serving for eight years, which is the longest a Flagstaff mayor has ever served, didn't really do anything significant or noteworthy enough to meet this criteria." — Samuel Hemsley

Criterion C (distinctive characteristics/master work/artistic value): The building exhibits some international style features (ribbon windows, flat roofs, geometric shapes) but is not unique. Cornerstone cited the downtown post office and county fiduciary building as comparable examples. Interior and exterior remodeling have "detracted from the building's original appearance." Robert Blakeley, the Phoenix-based architect, "was not significant, notable or otherwise known to be generally great or recognized."

Criterion D (information potential): Archival research and site visits have "exhausted much of the damage potential." The building is unlikely to yield information that would justify preservation.

Integrity assessment: Cornerstone rated integrity as follows:

Public and Staff Comments — Sharp Dissent

Commissioner Jesse Dominguez opened fire immediately, noting the report omitted key details he knew from personal experience:

"Being a long lifelong resident that used to be a city jail also used to be the city courts. There was significance with that. I had to take my brother out of jail. So, I know that was significant, but you never mentioned the jail. You never mentioned the courts upstairs that were upstairs... Judge Otto, that was his court. Judge Brady, that was his court. There was some um civil unrest in those buildings in that building during the 1960s, which maybe is not written down, but I see that there's still a little bit more details that probably need to be written in your report." — Commissioner Jesse Dominguez

He also noted the fire horn atop the building that signaled noon to the city, marking lunchtime for generations of Flagstaff residents. "I still have papers that tells you what the how many blasts of the horns were," he said.

Staff counsel Lauren cautioned the commission against leaning too heavily on personal opinion but then clarified the commission's options: approve as-is, request specific revisions, or disagree with the significance findings and ask for additional research.

Commissioner Alicia Hayes directly challenged the findings:

"I don't agree with your findings of the building not being significant particularly at the local level for Flag Staff in the Flagstaff criteria. It calls out political community buildings, social buildings also for design. I don't agree with some of your findings that it doesn't have any integrity for design or materials or feelings or association. I think it does have integrity of design. I think if I had lived here in 1951 and I walked by that building today, I would clearly recognize it. I would see where the fire trucks had come out of the building. The fact that it is has been infilled with some doors does not change the fact that you can see that those were fire truck bays. I think that it should be looked at more on a local level... Flagstaff has its own characteristic vernacular. It has its own style and the Malipai basalt facade is characteristic of Flagstaff. So I think that makes it even more unique to me. I look at that building and I see something that is influenced by mid-century modern and has a Flagstaff characteristic to it and I think it's unique and I think it's a special building." — Commissioner Alicia Hayes

Commissioner Westimer delivered an extended critique, noting that the report needed to clarify its use of the term "town site" (same issue raised in the first project) and that Cornerstone had cited only superficially comparable buildings:

"You referenced two other buildings, the post office and the fiduciary county fiduciary building. Yes, they're horizontal, but otherwise there's no connection in design. So, we are quickly losing our history here... if you're going to compare to other buildings, they need to be comparable... when we do adaptive reuse, like with the bays for the fire trucks, you have to do something. So, I'll bring that up later about adaptive reuse and integrity, but um they had to do something. You couldn't use those bays any if you didn't close them in... And I would also like to know if the stone is veneer or if it's structural masonry. I would like to know that too because that's not being done anymore." — Commissioner Duffy Westimer highlighted the post-WWII building boom as a critical context missing from the study:

"It was the city hall and it they rebuilt a new building because there was a Flagstaff building boom at the end of World War II. So they needed a larger city hall and that's a really important point to be made. The Malpai and the design are significant... It's very Flagstaff. Um, and I don't agree with saying that a lot of the findings are weak. I just don't agree with it. Um, that's a subjective determination." — Commissioner Duffy Westimer

Commissioner Amy Horn asked whether Cornerstone had found any historic photographs comparing the building's past and present appearance—a critical gap if the study is arguing the facade has been "heavily diminished" by remodeling. Cornerstone acknowledged finding limited archival photos.

Chair Emily Dale eventually distilled the commission's concerns into two categories:

  1. Areas for additional research: court records, oral histories, city and county government records, NAU newspapers, construction methods, post-WWII boom context, local mason identification.
  2. Disagreement with significance findings: Commissioners believe the building is locally significant under Flagstaff Criteria B (persons and events) and D (local architectural style and construction methods), which the study underweighted.

Cornerstone's Partial Acknowledgment

Jack and Samuel acknowledged the gaps. Samuel admitted:

"I so you know the city hall was functioning during a very important time in the United States history. So I did do some research into whether or not there was anything any court cases any protests uh with civil rights with desegregation with um protests and I did you know I understand we did find some stuff for Flagstaff. Uh, one of the bigger things I saw was for the desegregation of the school districts. Uh, but a lot of the conversations I saw around that kind of put the emphasis more on the schools themselves and the personnel involved with the school districts... Uh, and there's hardly any mention of city hall being involved whatsoever. Um, so but we can definitely look more into that." — Samuel Hemsley

He committed to exploring newspaper archives more thoroughly for fire department strikes and other civic events, and to reviewing construction records and local mason involvement if available.

However, Jack pushed back gently on the larger premise:

"I guess yeah, the what it comes down to is that for our research, we were really looking for whether important things happened that rose to a level that building was associated with important things in town to a level that building must be preserved and found significant because of that particular event that happened there. And I think that's just not quite what we were seeing." — Jack, Cornerstone Environmental

Commissioners Cite Local Precedent and Passion

Commissioner Dominguez then provided specific leads Cornerstone had missed:

"I will just note though that talking about it as being heavily prevalent does devalue the significance as everyone has mentioned that maybe not part of it but maybe then if this is you know the very unique for this style to have incorporated the stone you know that's where it's locally significant not just that it is the stone as many others are significant because of that." — Commissioner Dominguez

He mentioned the American Indian Movement occupation involving sharpshooters on buildings during protests, and a fire department strike when the police had to take over firefighting duties and were called "police fire specialists," sparking public outcry.

Commissioner Hayes added context about the Malpai stone as a distinctive local marker:

"If it is also international design compared with the 22 North Laroo which is uh completely different mid-century modern or international style or whatever term you want to use totally different design totally different materials post office totally different that this is so unique because the city chose in 1950s to continue using the local stone and to incorporate more modern elements with the local stone which has been used here from the very beginning... I remember is that most of them aren't designed really some of them look like they may have been just built by whoever owned the property right some of the ones on the south side or the one that's a lingerie store it doesn't have any particular design style to it this building is designed it has a design feel to it and that sort of stands out amongst the others." — Commissioner Alicia Hayes

Commissioner Buckham suggested consulting Klein Library's oral history collections and the NAU newspapers (searchable online), which might capture student protest movements the city newspaper missed.

The Motion and Vote

After extensive discussion, Chair Dale synthesized the concerns into a formal motion:

To not accept the report and request revisions including:

Commissioner Dale offered the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Westimer. The vote was unanimous: 7–0.

Cornerstone agreed to return in July (deadline June 25) with the expanded research. Jack asked if in-person presentation would be feasible; Chair Dale strongly encouraged it:

"Could we Okay. So, well, it sounds like we would like to reject this or ask for revisions on this that the commission would approve it would come back to us. I assume that yes, that it sounds like that's what you want. I guess I was the question was is that okay?... Probably get in trouble for this, but when you come back, would you please come into the building so we can actually hear you and um I think it would help a lot for us to understand what you're saying because you were cutting in and out and garbled." — Chair Emily Dale

Other Items

418 East Birch Avenue Outcome

Final vote: 7–0, with Commissioner Westimer abstaining (not opposed, merely abstaining per her preference on terminology clarifications).

Conditions: Report to be revised with corrected terminology (one-and-a-half story vs. second story) and source identification for "town site." Staff (Lauren) to approve revisions administratively.

Historic Signs and Facades Grant Program Discussion

The commission deferred substantive changes to grant guidelines. Staff clarified that despite the discussion of restricting awards to only eligible/listed properties, current guidelines remain flexible. The commission voted to maintain the current approach while implementing administrative clarifications regarding W9 requirements and tax implications (applicants will receive a 1099-G). The "level one" and "level two" tier system for projects (introduced 18 months prior) is working well and will be tracked more explicitly going forward.

May Hicks Curtis House

The historic house, listed on the National Trust's Most Endangered Historic Places, was successfully relocated the previous week to the city's materials recycling facility on Butler Avenue. A project website (flagstaff.az.gov/black-back-hicks-house) features drone footage and move-day documentation. Stabilization and condition assessment are underway with funding from the Arizona Community Foundation and Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona. Contractor Garrett Denny performed the move. Commissioner Buckham gave a "team's hand club" (applause).

State Historic Preservation Office Funding Crisis

Staff reported that the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office (SHIPO), which administers the Certified Local Government program, has received no state or federal funding since 2012. The office is expected to run out of funds by end of July 2025, potentially disrupting the CLG program, Section 106 consultation processes, and staff training and grants for Flagstaff. This was not widely known; at the state preservation conference, presenters revealed the governor's office was unaware of SHIPO's unfunded status.

Youth Summit Planning

The Arizona Heritage Preservation Month Youth Summit is planned for June 4 (Wednesday) with mostly unconfirmed details. Tentatively, participants will attend an informal lunch at Reuben Mansion (unconfirmed). The commission previously expressed interest in participating; Chair Dale will finalize details.

Project Details

418 East Birch Avenue

19 West Birch Avenue

Vote Breakdown

418 East Birch Avenue

(Note: Individual votes not explicitly named in transcript for each councilmember; roll call at meeting start named: Emily Gam, Alicia Hayes, Abby Buckham, Bernardet Burch, Jesse Dominguez, Amy Horn, Duffy Westimer — 7 members. Minutes approval earlier in the meeting noted one abstention by Westimer.)

19 West Birch Avenue

Outcome & Next Steps

418 East Birch Avenue: Approved with conditions. Staff (Lauren) will verify revisions to the report (terminology changes and "town site" source) and approve administratively. Project may proceed with rehabilitation.

19 West Birch Avenue: Study rejected. Cornerstone Environmental must return in July 2025 (deadline June 25 for submission) with expanded research addressing:

Until the revised study is accepted by the commission, no Certificate of No Effect for demolition will be issued. The consultants were strongly encouraged to present in person at the July meeting.

Controversies & Context

The 19 West Birch debate revealed a fundamental tension between consultant-led significance evaluation using national criteria and commissioners' and residents' lived experience of local historical importance.

Commissioners argued that Cornerstone's focus on whether "significant" events rose to national or even state prominence missed the point of local preservation. As Commissioner Westimer said, just because the post office also uses Malpai basalt does not make this building's use of it less significant—it makes it distinctively Flagstaff. That the building served as city hall, police station, fire station, and courthouse simultaneously during a critical period of municipal reorganization (shift from mayor-council to council-manager system in 1958) and explosive population growth is, to commissioners, self-evidently locally important, even if no single legislative act or famous person made national headlines there.

The commissioners also flagged a potential conflict of interest: the consultants were hired by Capri, Inc., the developer seeking to demolish the building. Even if unintentional, the study's conclusion that the building is not significant works in the applicant's favor. Several commissioners framed their request for additional research not as obstruction but as quality control—ensuring the document is robust and not simply a paid-for conclusion.

Adaptive reuse integrity: A secondary but important disagreement emerged over whether interior changes required for adaptive reuse should count against a building's integrity. Commissioners argued that when a historic building's garage bays must be infilled to create office space, that is not a loss of integrity but a practical necessity. Cornerstone's emphasis on interior "weakness" seemed to commissioners to conflate preservation standards (which require retention of exterior character) with standards that may not apply to interior commercial tenancy.

Archival gaps: Cornerstone relied heavily on newspaper archives and county records but appears not to have pursued oral histories, NAU student newspapers (which might have covered 1960s civil rights and protest movements), or government records held by the city clerk. Commissioners provided specific leads—American Indian Movement occupation, fire department strike, court cases—that should be researchable but were not mentioned in the study.

Duration

Other Notable Items (Brief)

Historic Signs and Facades Grant Program: Commission decided to maintain flexible guidelines allowing grants to unevaluated and non-contributor properties (within districts) while adding clarifying language about tax implications (1099-G). Level 1 and Level 2 project tiers are working well and will be tracked explicitly going forward.

May Hicks Curtis Khara House: Historic house successfully moved; now at city facility. Stabilization and condition assessment phase underway with Arizona Community Foundation and Historic Route 66 Association funding. Khara House is listed on National Trust's Most Endangered Historic Places. Media tour completed; project website live with drone footage.

SHIPO Funding Crisis: Arizona State Historic Preservation Office unfunded since 2012; expected to be insolvent by end of July 2025, potentially disrupting CLG program, Section 106 consultation, and grant administration for Flagstaff.