Update: Aztec Contractors estimates over $2.6 million in updates needed for this project.
The Double Butte Cemetery, on the west side of Tempe, was built in 1897 is the final resting place to many historic leaders.
Now, after more than 129 years of beloveds being lay to rest, the city estimates more than $2.6 million in need of renovations for accessibility, irrigation and historical restoration.
During a virtual meeting on Sept. 16, city Parks and Recreation Director Alex Jovanovic explained how the property's current conditions need to be restored and how the design plans to preserve the historical elements of the property.
The property is on the National Register of Historic Places and is the final resting place for former Govs. Benjamin Mouer and Howard Pyle and former Tempe Mayor Mary J. Cosner, who owned the property before selling it various buyers. The city gained management rights in 1958.
The more than 40-acre property is home to nearly 12,000 people interred or memorialized over 8,000 burial plots. The city estimates more than 1,000 in need of repair. This includes cleaning, releveling or placing temporary markers.
“Improving the stormwater drainage infrastructure at Double Butte Cemetery is critical to preserving site integrity, protecting gravesites, and enhancing visitor accessibility. By implementing the preferred mitigation plan with cost-effective, sustainable strategies, the city of Tempe can address both immediate concerns and long-term resilience goals,” the site plan says.
Most of the restoration is planned for the Pioneer Section, which sits in the middle of the property. Site evaluation by city officials found erosion, failed irrigation systems and damaged infrastructure that also impacted accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act, also called ADA.
The city is seeking feedback to help curate a plan and understand the priorities of the public. A community survey will be open until Sept. 30 for feedback from the public.
“Your input is going to help inform the city and design future phases and grant applications potentially,” Jovanovic said.
Madeline Bates joined Independent Newsmedia in 2025 as a Phoenix/Tempe reporter. Before graduating college, she spent a semester in Washington as a Congressional reporter in the first 100 days of the second Trump administration. But local news is where her heart is. She is excited to be in Phoenix full time and exploring new parts of the city (as long as they have AC).
Community: After living in East Phoenix for two years, she fell in love with Paradise Valley, Mesa, Tempe, and everywhere in between. She recently discovered the beauty of the South Mountain Reserve and hopes to continue exploring should the weather comply.
Education: Madeline has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and a certificate in Political History and Leadership.
Random Fact: She is a self-taught nail tech. No, she cannot do your nails.
Hobbies: Hiking (when its not 100 degrees), fiction writing, cooking, baking and trying new coffee shops.
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