New life, purpose coming to Hayden Flour Mill in Tempe
Independent Newsmedia/Caroline Yu
Tempe is in the process of redeveloping Hayden Flour Mill, with goals to transform the site into a project that benefits the community while acknowledging its historical significance.
Recent years have brought about new life to downtown Tempe with a variety of refresh initiatives. In the coming months, plans will be developed to bring about a new purpose for the historic Hayden Flour Mill.
Since the 1990s, attempts have been made to redevelop the iconic landmark, with the latest challengers to take on the project identified in 2022.
The development team, consisting of local developers Venue Projects and Sunbelt Holdings, has been engaged with the city and other stakeholders to ensure that the final design is sensitive to its historical and cultural importance to the community.
Nearly two years later, the team handling this project is preparing to take the next steps to redevelop an important landmark in Tempe’s history with plans for environmental studies in the first quarter of 2024.
Agricultural beginnings
Hayden Flour Mill was first built in 1874 and has been a longstanding icon for Tempe, representing its agricultural industry that once flourished along with the many cultures that reside in the city.
Constructed in 1918, what remains today is a reinforced concrete mill as well as a grain elevator and towering silos that were constructed in 1951, after the first mill burned and was replaced by a second mill that again burned down in 1917.
The mill takes its name from Tempe’s founder Charles Trumbull Hayden, who came to Tempe looking for an opportunity, resulting in not only a town with plenty of potential but a series of business interests for Hayden all centered around the mill, explained Tempe Historic Preservation Officer Zachary Lechner.
“It has stood for now over a century, and it was — for central Arizona throughout much of the 20th century — it was an iconic part of the business and industrial community,” Lechner said.
Situated on Mill Avenue next to Hayden Butte, the mill has essentially sat vacant since 1998, with the city doing its part to maintain the property when it came into ownership of the mill in the 2010s.
As it prepares to be turned into an “activated” center for Tempe and Valley residents, the improved Hayden Flour Mill would also serve not only as a pillar of the city’s history but also its cultural influences.
Tempe and the development team have been careful to take in the Indigenous community’s advice in redeveloping, maintaining constant communication with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian community along with members from the four southern tribes of Arizona.
Hayden Butte is considered a sacred site by the SRP-MIC, serving as a connection point to its ancestors. The butte also contains around 500 prehistoric petroglyphs made by the Hohokam, whose La Plaza settlement was at the base of Hayden Butte.
“It’s full of beautiful and kind of breathtaking petroglyphs that reflect the native history of that site, which extends far back beyond Charles Hayden or any other Euro American,” Lechner said.
In its outreach for the project, the development team is considering improvements to the butte’s trailhead as a way to maintain respect to the site as well as not encroaching on the butte with the construction.
And beyond the Indigenous ties to the site, Lechner says that the mill tells a rich, multicultural story, pointing to the number of Mexican American workers under Charles Hayden who worked at Hayden Flour Mill.
“I think we can take a lot of pride in, as Tempeans, and also just take a lot of pride in because I think it tells us a lot about the importance of collaboration that was central to our multicultural past and continues to be in our multicultural present,” he said.
Hayden Flour Mill’s future
Moving forward in the redevelopment of the Hayden Flour Mill, Tempe approved its agreement with Sunbelt Holdings and Venue Projects in October to restore and develop the site. No official design concepts have been made yet.
Venue Projects Co-Founder Lorenzo Perez said that with his company’s expertise in restoring historic and iconic buildings locally along with Sunbelt Holdings’ resume of projects in the city, the team feels like they’ll be able to turn the mill into an activated community space.
Perez said that people have often asked how they plan on getting this project done, given that attempts have been made in the past with little success.
“It starts with a sincere passion to want to do something special and you figure it out, and we’re figuring it out,” Perez said.
Although the development team is still working through the details, he assured that there is a pretty clear path forward on accomplishing this project, with more concrete design concepts expected sometime this year.
Ideas for the property’s redevelopment could include retail space and more, with the ultimate goal being a space that could serve as a town square of sorts, Perez explained. He feels that Hayden Flour Mill could be Tempe’s version of Chicago’s Millennium Park.
Vacant since 1998, the mill and silos will hopefully serve a new purpose with the potential redevelopment.
Independent Newsmedia/Caroline Yu
(Independent Newsmedia/Caroline Yu)
“It’s kind of in the epicenter of metro Phoenix, so I just think it not only would be sort of a center of attraction for the city of Tempe, but I actually think regionally in metro Phoenix,” Perez said.
Tempe is increasingly becoming an important hub for the Valley, housing Arizona State University, making strides in public transit with the light rail and streetcar, and also a number of retail, entertainment, office and arts opportunities.
Addressing concerns for how they’ll be able to complete the project given previous attempts, Perez says that it might finally be the right time for the mill’s redevelopment as the city has been making investments to revitalize the downtown area.
“It’s just timing. Look at Downtown Tempe today versus when it was when a lot of those plans were pitched,” he said.
Going into 2024, environmental studies will take place before the development team releases official design concepts for residents to see hopefully later in the year. Perez emphasized that they plan on continuing to take their time with this project, given the historical and cultural significance of the mill.
“We’re being sensitive and mindful to the preservation piece, but I think this year, we should have more realistic site plans,” Perez said.
Reporter Caroline Yu can be reached at cyu@iniusa.org. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Caroline Caroline Yu joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2020 as a summer intern covering Scottsdale. As an intern, she continued her coverage of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Tempe. After graduating in 2022, Caroline became a full-time reporter for Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. She is currently reporting for the Tempe market.
Community: She is a supporter of the environment and tries to get involved with related community events.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications, with a minor in French.
Random Fact: She used to be a ballet dancer for 10 years.
By 
As it prepares to be turned into an “activated” center for Tempe and Valley residents, the improved Hayden Flour Mill would also serve not only as a pillar of the city’s history but also its cultural influences.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here