Cindy Ornstein’s Love Letter to Mesa

Cindy Ornstein Arts and Cultural Director for the City of Mesa
 and the Executive Director of the Mesa Arts Center

In 2010, Cindy Ornstein arrived in Mesa for her first job interview for the position of the Arts and Cultural Director for the City of Mesa and the Executive Director of the Mesa Arts Center.

Never having been to Mesa, or even Arizona, she arrived early and was captivated with the beauty of the area. Even from her first glimpses of the metro area she was impressed by the attention to including art in public spaces, such as on freeway bridges and walls. Coming from Michigan, with much older infrastructure, there was nothing like that.

Arriving downtown at the Mesa Arts Center, she was excited because of the potential that exists here. She was excited to see the beautiful facility with all its assets: studios, theaters, the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum and the stunning surrounds. She was also struck by the charming downtown Mesa. She immediately thought it had “good bones” on which to build. Lucky for Mesa, Cindy got the job. She oversees the Arizona Museum of Natural History, the I.D.E.A. Museum, the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, cultural events in the City of Mesa and, of course, the Mesa Arts Center. Cindy now makes her home in Mesa.

Since her arrival she has worked hard, not only to develop Mesa’s museums and the Arts Center to be nationally recognized destinations for arts and culture, but to connect them at the ground level with the community. Her desire is that the community understands that the Arts Center is theirs, and that together, we are all invested in making Mesa's Downtown an amazing place.

Interviewing Cindy was enlightening.  She says her “mission, at heart, has always been that the arts are for everyone and that they are critical to a healthy, just, and successful society. I believe deeply that arts are important to community development, social fabric, economic development; all of it. I also believe that the assets of the arts, whether they be public buildings or non-profits, work in the public trust. When I was head of non-profits for many years I always said almost every opportunity ‘I get that this organization, this venue, does not belong to me, or the staff or even the Board; it belongs to you, the community.’ Our responsibility is to manage it and keep it healthy, in the public trust because it is your place. That is what the arts should be all about.

“So, in this case where we manage facilities that are literally owned by the public. My mission is for every citizen to feel pride, ownership and engagement with these assets and resources. That they are there, for their enrichment, to make their communities better, to make their children inspired to learn. Our job is to make an impact on the community in a positive way, in all the ways we can. It is really about finding the things that are going to be most effective, what the community is going to find delight in, those things that are going to make them come check it out and make them get involved more.”

When asked about her favorite things in Mesa’s downtown she said “It feels like community, it feels so good because we have independent mom and pop stores, it feels very accessible. I love its feel. I love that it is walkable. We already have potential to have a constant activation over time, I think. But it is charming. The trees, the size, the feel of it: it feels like a charming downtown.”

Cindy has a vision for Downtown Mesa that builds on its “good bones” of community, a committed group of downtown activists, an arts community that is here, the influx of visitors for the museums, cultural events, performances, and classes at the Mesa Arts Center.

She is excited that Mesa will become even more of a destination with the opening of the light rail extension into Downtown Mesa. She sees Downtown as an increasingly welcoming place where fun and unusual activities are going on. A place that is vibrant and inviting, with public art where community members of all ages can gather together in public spaces, cultural venues and enjoy places to eat and drink. Cindy envisions a packed events calendar in a beautiful, active, art-infused environment that is a place where strong partnerships create involvement in the city for its citizens, visitors, arts organizations, the city itself, and those in the region connected by the Light Rail.

Cindy has chosen for her Love Letter to Mesa “’Mesa’s Charming Downtown-Good Bones’, because, though we all know we have more work to do to make Mesa what we envision, it is all about the foundation we already have here to build on for an exciting, welcoming, involving, and charming Downtown Mesa, Arizona.”

Find out more about all the arts and cultural opportunities in the City of Mesa at http://www.mesaaz.gov/things-to-do/arts-culture

Information on upcoming festivals, performances and studios classes at http://www.mesaartscenter.org

Downtown Mesa: If you knew it, you’d do it.

Impromptu Restaurant Crawl is Successful in Downtown Mesa

Recently, a group of passionate friends formed Project Downtown Mesa and DTMesa.org, with the goal of bringing another restaurant to downtown Mesa. Excited by new people interested in downtown, NEDCO decided to host a restaurant crawl to show off a few of the great restaurants open for dinner downtown. Many of the group had no idea that downtown Mesa had such a variety of restaurants open for dinner including 26 restaurants within a half mile of the arts center, 14 of which are full-service.

Beginning at Republica Empanada, we enjoyed a delightful spread of empanadas and their fabulous Arroz con Pollo. Marco Meraz, the manager, introduced the food and told us the history of the restaurant, and about his family’s commitment to Downtown Mesa. From there, we transitioned to Nunthaporn’s Thai Cuisine, where we were overwhelmed by three featured dishes and spring rolls - Pad Thai with Shrimp, Cashew Chicken, and Massaman Curry with Chicken. Nunthaporn shared her family’s story and history in downtown, moving from Country Club and the US60 to downtown in 2009.

As it began to lightly rain, the group made it’s way over to Queen’s Pizzeria where they were delighted with bruschetta and margarita pizza. Emilie and Gannon Nikolich shared their family’s history in downtown and were delighted to show off their recently renovated new location with a full bar & craft beer on tap. Il Vinaio (the Wine Merchant) greeted the group with a full dining set up and individual portions of their goat cheese linguine with grilled chicken. Cameron and Cindy Selogie talked passionately about their decision to open their business on Main Street and their hopes for the continued growth and local support in downtown. Feeling a little fuller, the group then transitioned to Mango’s Cafe, who generously offered to stay open a little later to accommodate the group. We enjoyed street tacos made with carne asada and al pastor, and were offered chips and salsa and horchata to accompany our tasting. Long-time Mango’s employee, David Jimenez, welcomed the group with enthusiasm and warmth providing an atmosphere tailored for our enjoyment. Our final stop was Margarita’s Grille, where we were greeted with a full table set up and individual sample platters of chimichangas, tacos, taquitos, and fried shrimp. Ryan Caldwell, shared the family’s 30 year history in the restaurant business and in the valley, with Margarita’s being the newest addition to the restaurant family.

The final stop also allowed for easy conversations between the DTMesa group and the NEDCO staff. Discussion was passionate and curious, and everyone spoke with an open mind and excitement about the possibilities in downtown. The downtown vision was mentioned, noting that the initiative to bring 1500 new housing units to downtown would not only support the existing businesses but would also provide evidence and support for new businesses to join our downtown family. There was general consensus that the local restaurants in our downtown need help spreading the word and getting attention from new patrons, as it was clear how easily they were overlooked even by interested local residents. Everyone involved walked away feeling the excitement of a collaborative effort to support and improve downtown.

MESA: If you knew it, you’d do it proved true once again - inviting people to experience our downtown challenges the common misperception that there is not much to offer. In reality, downtown Mesa is made up of locally-owned shops and restaurants and filled with passionate and involved business owners, organizations, and neighbors. If you knew it, you’d do it.

If you are interested in participating in a future downtown restaurant event, please contact us at nedco@nedco-mesa.org. For more information about NEDCO, go to: nedco-mesa.org.

Click here for more photos from the crawl.

ASU State Press and Downtown Mesa

The student newspaper at ASU mentions Downtown Mesa as a potential hub for music after light rail!
"There could be three hubs: downtown Phoenix, downtown Tempe/ASU, and downtown Mesa. Each hub could have different events in the various cultural centers within walking distance of the light rail."
Check it out
http://www.statepress.com/2010/11/03/make-music-phoenix-aural-evolution/

01-01-10

No I have not turned all linux on you! This is the day of the next Motorcycles On Main AND Randy and Maria's wedding on MacDonald and Main - center stage. Our M.O.M. newlyweds are probably the oposite side of the spectrum when it comes to computer geeks who are looking forward to this rare date. Come join the fun 7:pm is the ceremony.

Az Republic Editorial Board and Downtown Mesa feasibility study

Mesa has learned a valuable economic lesson.

The city used federal grant money to commission two studies on downtown: one on the viability of health-care-related industry, the other on higher education. City Council members had hoped the studies would recommend specific developments for Site 17, the notoriously empty swath of land near Mesa and University drives.


But that's not what happened.

Consultants had a difficult time studying the viability of either industry on the site because most of Mesa's assets in those fields exist outside downtown.

Both studies concluded there were significant health-care and higher-education opportunities to be had in Mesa. That's good news, considering those industries are the "H" and "E" of the city's "HEAT" economic strategy.

Mesa Mayor Scott Smith unveiled the strategy just after taking office in hopes of attracting more high-wage jobs by strengthening the city's existing health-care, education, aerospace and tourism industries. It's good to know the city is on the right track.

But neither study broke much new ground. The conclusions mirrored what Smith and others within the city have been saying for more than a year.

Neither included detailed recommendations for Site 17, a point that visibly disgusted several council members last week when the studies were presented during a study session.

But that's where the lesson comes in.

Smith recognized after the meeting that Mesa had fallen into a common trap, hoping the studies would offer grand ideas to fill a vacant piece of land. It was focusing on a real-estate opportunity, rather than on the most effective strategies to woo high-wage jobs Mesa's way.

Site 17 needs to be filled. But engineering the market to build something there is not the way to do it.

Smith says Mesa should focus its energy on selling the city to health-care companies and colleges and letting them choose the best site for their needs.

He's right.

Though much work remains to finalize that strategy, Mesa now has a much sounder foundation on which to build it - one filled with third-party data about Mesa's assets, not just city intuition and a desire to fill empty real estate.

An important lesson, indeed.



Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/2010/09/09/20100909mr-edit0910.html#ixzz0z5tVakYu

Downtown feasibility studies complete

The Az Republic revealed some detail regarding the idea of bringing more of the HEAT initiative to Downtown Mesa. HEAT is the acronym for the area of emphasis for business attraction in all of Mesa. (Healthcare, Education, Aerospace and Tourism).


A "healthplex" was suggested in the study; it would include doctors' offices, diagnostic centers and healthy restaurants and spas. Seems logical (although a big ole bummer) since our health-care assets- Cardon Children's Medical Center, A.T. Still University and Banner Health's medical simulation center are close by.


The Higher Education study confirmed that Arizona is under-served by colleges, especially private schools. A suggestion was made to have a delegation head out to Notre Dame to see what it would take to get them thinking about a western campus in Downtown Mesa. Councilman Kavanaugh said such efforts go back more than a decade when in 1997 Mesa went to Lewis University with the same concept.

Councilman Finter hit the nail on the head about both of the studies- "Everything I'm reading so far, I knew".

So the ideas were confirmed and maybe the dream whittled down a bit. But we still don't have tens of millions of dollars in the bank to plant the seeds like the Mayor said. What about the 84 million potentially on the table for Wrigleyville west. Would concentrating on the "T" in HEAT for Downtown be a bad idea?

Councilman Elect Glover

Yesterday District four elected a new councilman to represent Downtown Mesa. I have taken an excerpt from an article in the Az Republic in July about Christopher.
"My name is Christopher Glover, and I am a candidate for the Mesa City Council District 4 seat. Born and raised in Mesa, my lifelong ties to the area make me an ideal candidate to stand up for the issues that are most important to Mesa citizens.

Recently, I graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University with a bachelor of arts in political science and minors in Spanish and Latin American history.

I have worked for the law firm of Udall, Shumway and Lyons, as well as the office manager for our family business.

I have seen firsthand the importance small businesses have on the economy and the community, and I am eager to bring this knowledge to the Mesa City Council."

Changes are coming to Downtown Mesa as I've mentioned in a previous blog and this is the beginning!

Get out and vote for the next cheerleader

I mean City Councilman for Downtown Mesa. Tuesday is the day that our next leader will be determined. It is what I think is the most important election in Downtown's history. The four year term that either Vic or Chris will hold will bring changes like we have not seen before. Light Rail will be constructed. There is the possibly of a Cubs Spring Training Stadium and Wrigleyville West being built Downtown. Feasibility studies for a university, college or some higher education entity and a medical campus have been completed and are ready to go to City Council.

District four voter turn out in Mesa is typically weak at best. With the significant changes happening to Downtown it is vital that we get out and vote for the best Cheerleader on Tuesday. Pass the word along to any registered voter in District four it will make a difference in how the changes upon us will play out.

Your choices:

christopherjglover.com

electviclinoff.com

Happy 100th Birthday Arizona (2012) Recalling the past...Mesa Style

Early Mesa pictured about 1883 shows the A. F. Macdonald home and gardens at lower left and at right the “relief society hall” (bishops storehouse? with flat roof), a hotel and store (on corner) and new city hall and jail (pitched roof). Macdonald, Mormon Stake President and first mayor, was sent to Mesa from Utah to iron out difficulties. He left in January 1885 to establish a colony in Mexico.


Bringing the abundant supply of Salt River irrigation water to the top of the mesa transformed the desert into an oasis, providing a source of agricultural wealth. Within a few years, Salt River Valley farms could feed all of Arizona and export a surplus to the rest of the nation. This unidentified canal is pictured about 1908.


Commercial life centered around the intersection of Main and Macdonald, seen here about 1908, looking west. On the SW corner (at left) is the Mesa City Bank, which later became Mesa Drug Company. The next building west is LeSueur, Gibbons & Co. mercantile, established in 1905. It later became LeSueur-Botkin Co. and finally sold to Bayless mercantile of Phoenix in 1926. The building was then replaced by the Nile Theater.


To provide narrow store fronts with the most customer parking automobiles parked head-in at both curbs and in the center of Main Street when this postcard was issued about 1927 (the autos at left are in the middle of the street). The view is looking east toward the intersection with Macdonald. The green sign marks Everybody’s Drugs on the corner with the lamppost. At right is the Nile Theater. Built in 1928, it closed as a theater in 1951. Recently it has been a church and is now called Mesa Underground, a venue for rock music.

This is the intersection of Main & Macdonald about 1939, looking northwest toward Everybody’s Drugs in a rebuilt remnant of Chandler Court (1908). Dr. A. J. Chandler designed and had constructed a horseshoe-shaped, single-story office complex with the first big evaporative cooling system in the Valley. The remaining half seen here was restored in 1984, though nothing like the original building. Established in 1906, Everybody’s Drugs closed in the late 1990s. Parking in the middle of the street was eliminated about 1935. Carrying highways 60, 70, 80, 89 and 93 until the 1970s, Main Street funneled all transcontinental highway traffic from the east into the Valley, giving Mesa the nickname “The Gateway City.”


The same block on Main pictured above is seen here about 1953. Stapley’s Hardware (at right) opened in 1895, profited by providing supplies for Roosevelt Dam construction and eventually added 11 locations across the Valley. Owner, O. S. Stapley was a member of the Arizona constitutional convention in 1910 and then served as state senator. Great grandson Don is a county supervisor.

Looking south on Macdonald in the first block below Main about 1956, the Pioneer Hotel began in 1894 as the Alhambra, finest in Mesa. It burned in 1921, was reconstructed the following year and received a large addition in 1951. It survives as a public hotel operated by Transitional Living Communities. Pat’s Bicycle Shop was next door from 1947 to 1957, when it moved to 929 East Main. The still family owned business moved to Gilbert Gateway Towne Center near the airport at the end of 2009.

Looking northwest above downtown Mesa about 1969, the 5-story Valley National Bank (1959), on the NE corner of Main and McDonald, is the tallest building. In the next block north on McDonald is City Hall (now the Arizona Museum of Natural History), with Queen of Peace Catholic Church (red roof) across the street to the north. At lower right, on Main, the El Portal Hotel (1928) was demolished in 1972 and Mesa City Plaza occupies the site. Valley Bank sold to Bank One in 1993, which was then acquired by Chase. A $6 million renovation completed in 2005 turned the bank building into One Macdonald Center offices, with a US Bank on the ground floor. This part of Mesa used to be the commercial center of the original square-mile city limit bounded by University and Broadway, Country Club and Mesa Drive.

Comparing Salt Lake City and Mesa?

Took this post from a livability blog that talks about similarities of our Downtown and Salt Lake. Interesting and a little off with some of the facts but hey at least people are talking about us- which IMHO is a step in the right direction.

"The City of Mesa has undertaken an ambitious plan to revitalize its downtown along Main Street, which is anchored by the Mesa Arizona Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka Mormon church) on its eastern end and by the Mesa Performing Art Center on its western end. The City’s plans include the adoption of the Central Main Street Plan and a form based code which will foment a comprehensive approach to planning, designing and regulating mixed use transit oriented development in downtown Mesa for decades to come.

Drawing similarities to the Mesa’s historic roots and those of Salt Lake City is not difficult. Moreover, current bold efforts by Mesa’s leaders to seek federal funding to extend light rail along Main Street through downtown Mesa and to adopt such cutting-edge planning and development tools begs the questions…if Salt Lake City can do it, why not in Mesa? Granted there are distinctions to be made…but the mere fact that Salt Lake City, with its conservative roots was able to look so progressively into the future and that the residents saw the wisdom of investing in their downtown speaks volumes about the opportunities for Mesa.

When the light rail reaches Mesa Drive on its eastern terminus, it will be a short block from the Mesa Mormon Temple and will likewise serve the powerhouse campuses of Arizona State University in Tempe and downtown Phoenix, Mesa Community College students, and connect Mesa to thousands of square feet of retail, residential and other mixed use sports and entertainment sites along the Tempe and Phoenix corridor. The light rail has the ability to serve as a tremendous catalyst for redevelopment and growth in downtown Mesa.

Noone expects the Mormon church to invest so heavily in Mesa’s downtown but what if Mesa was Salt Lake City…to the many East Valley residents of Mesa who trace there roots back to their Mormon pioneers ancestors…“this is the place.” "


Link to the full blog http://livabilitylaw.com/2010/08/17/salt-lake-city-sustainability-model-for-mesa/

Change is good, is happening, and about time.

So there is this concept of an Urban Triangle floating around the Valley. I have taken some excerpts from a Blog by Matthew Petro that defines the idea. Downtown Mesa is included in the idea seemingly as an after thought due to the decision to bring light rail into our core. The Urban Triangle is of course Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale because they are the usual players. If you read the blog you will see that a commenter replaces Scottsdale with Mesa. I know, that is an outrageous thought - after all look at what Downtown Scottsdale has to offer versus what Downtown Mesa has to offer. But... you have to admit the potential for Downtown Mesa is right at our feet.
I agree with the commenter that we have one of the most underrated Downtowns in the Phoenix Metro area. Let's not miss the memo this time on TOD (Transit oriented development). I say get on Board this train, own it and change with the times.

Thanks Matthew for sparking the conversations!
Here's the link to the blog:
http://matthewpetro.name/2010/07/29/urban-triangle/

Mesa partied like a rock star this past weekend... really!

I've been checking out blogs about our great Downtown and the party we had on Friday and Saturday night in celebration of this great country we live in. Here is one of the comments....
From iheartmesa.blogspot.com
"Did you make it downtown? If you didn't, you missed out. I took my older girls on Friday night for a mommy daughter date. It was the best. Playing in water, holding exotic birds, dancing in the street to live music. Then on Saturday night we enjoyed the downtown fireworks from a nearby empty lot. In my opinion, it really couldn't be much better. I thought Mesa did a wonderful job on this event. We will be looking forward to it again next year. Great job Mesa, you made me proud."

Mesa restaurant to serve real lion burgers

At Il Vinaio Restaurant in downtown Mesa, they like to experiment.
"We're stepping outside the box, trying something new," chef Jason Bacon said.

This Wednesday and Thursday, the kitchen will put something on the menu.
For $21 a plate, the restaurant will serve the lion in one-third pound burgers along with special fries and corn.

Selogie said he started planning the special lion meal a few months ago and is doing it now in celebration of the World Cup in South Africa.

The lions are raised on a farm in Illinios. They are regulated by the USDA.

Breaking news

You must tune into channel 15 tonight at 10:00 to see what is happening Downtown. I will try and send a link later if I can.

Update on the Charrette... your chance of a lifetime to give your two cents on Downtown!

Important decisions about the character and scale of development in downtown Mesa will be made during a two-day workshop.
Here is the schedule:

· Brown-Bag Lunch. Wednesday, June 23 from noon to 1 p.m. A discussion about Form-Based Codes, appropriate building types and pedestrian-oriented street design. Bring your own lunch and come ready with questions.
· Open Studio. Wednesday, June 23 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday, June 24 from 10 a.m. to noon and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Stop by and talk with the design team members one-on-one.
· Open House. Wednesday, June 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. An informal information session and review of the in-progress drawings will be held.
· Closing Presentation. Thursday, June 24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A formal presentation and public comment session will conclude the workshop. If you have limited time, this is the meeting to attend.

Affordable and attorney in one sentence!

VISIT www.alsarizona.com now to schedule your appointment! Access Legal Services gives you access to attorneys at affordable prices and gets you the legal advocate you need and the guidance to deal with complicated legal procedures, paperwork, and court systems. Access Legal Services Providers offer •Affordable and professional legal guidance- only per hour! •No retainer fees required •Convenient pay as you go •Available consultations on YOUR schedule •No long term commitment •Spanish speakers Access Legal can help you TODAY with: •Family law •Restraining Order or Family Protections •Workplace issues •Business needs •Real Estate Disputes •Immigration •Debt Relief/Bankruptcy •Protection from Creditors •and more They are conveniently located in downtown Mesa, across from the municipal court.

Rag Doll Clothing

A perfect skirt for the Arizona Celebration of Freedom on July 2nd and 3rd in Downtown Mesa. Get your's at:
Contagious
37 W. Main St.
480-615-0110
Mon-Sat
10am-6pm

*open til 9pm every 1st and 2nd Fri of each month!

Shabby Chic Paradise: Blossom Salon & Boutique in Mesa

The uber-cute Blossom Salon in Mesa. The storefront that lines the quaint street of historic downtown Mesa, feels like Anthropologie. Open the door to a wealth of unique tops, dresses and accessories!

Have you ever participated in a "Charrette"?

I have on three occasions. One of them was a brainstorming session about the area of land we now know as "Riverview". I sat at this table with people I had never met before and we had this blank map that had the boundaries of some property off of the 202 freeway. There was a gravel pit and a golf course/park area and basically some lines that we had to stay within. We were told the history of the area from way back to present. Our group started coming up with all kinds of ideas and placing them on the paper- there was so much space we could not even fill it all. One of the ideas was a place called "Bass Pro Shop" and it was suggested because we thought the gravel pit would make a nice lake someday where people could fish or test drive boats. Ok- I don't know much about either (and those of you who know me can attest to this). I certainly didn't have any idea what the store was and was assured it was a great place that someone had seen in like Oklahoma or someplace. BUT there was so much room to fill in that we all went along with the idea. Who would have thought.....

So now YOU have the opportunity to get in on the action to craft a vision for the mile-wide urban corridor that straddles Main Street between Country Club Drive and Gilbert Road. Believe me you don't have to be an architect or a land planner by profession. In fact all you have to have is the desire to own and be a part of the community you live in. You see our opinion matters in these settings before all those professional's who have to figure it out after we decide!

The two-day "charrette" is June 23-24 at the former Mervyn's, 1240 E. Main St. You know the place called POOL. If you haven't been there this is the perfect opportunity to check it out (under the guise of being an interested resident of Mesa). Hope you all come join the fun and think it is as cool as I did. And then I hope the powers that be do this more often...

Charrette-The word charrette may refer to any collaborative session in which a group drafts a solution to a design problem. Each sub-group then presents its work to the full group as material for future dialogue. Charrettes serve as a way of quickly generating a design solution while integrating the aptitudes and interests of a diverse group of people. Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/2010/06/10/20100610mesa-council-main-street.html#ixzz0qUncvdU5

Took this from Tuesday's with Dorie

This carob tree resides in Downtown Mesa. This big guy is very very old. The "history" on this tree is odd but true. Apparently waaay back in the early 1900's 3 men were hung from my tree by some vigilantes who caught them shortly after they shot the local sheriff. It was the last hangings in Mesa.