Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the May Hicks House topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
May Hicks house moved to city property; staff to begin stabilization and condition assessment
Summary
After a high‑profile relocation on May 18–21, the May Hicks house is now on city property. Staff said stabilization and a condition assessment are next steps; initial funding sources include Arizona Community Foundation and a Route 66 association grant and staff plan to use an on‑call contractor for immediate stabilization work.
The May Hicks house — the historic structure that prompted a city‑led relocation effort — has been moved to a temporary city site and will undergo stabilization, Flagstaff heritage staff said May 21.
Staff reported the house was slid onto a city Public Works parcel (the material recycling facility) during a coordinated move earlier in the month. “The big 1 is the house has moved. So there's no longer under threat of the wrecking ball,” staff told commissioners, and the city has posted drone footage and move documentation on a project webpage (flagstaff.az.gov/hickshouse).
Staff outlined next steps: immediate stabilization to protect the building fabric while it sits on the temporary parcel, and a follow‑on condition assessment to scope rehabilitation work. The city will use an on‑call contractor (Lehi In Contracting) to perform initial stabilization and is scheduling a kickoff meeting with the contractor. Staff said they have secured funding commitments for a condition assessment and short‑term stabilization from the Arizona Community Foundation and the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, and they are working through other fundraising and budget steps.
Commissioners and staff discussed technical questions about the building fabric and what repairs might be required. Staff said much of the original siding may be missing or in poor condition and that the condition assessment will help determine if original siding elements can be retained or must be replaced. The stabilization work and condition assessment will produce a scope and cost estimate for next steps and inform any long‑term plan for reuse or relocation to a permanent site.
Why this matters: Moving the building removed it from immediate demolition risk. The stabilization and condition assessment will determine what work is required to preserve the structure and will guide funding and reuse planning; the city’s actions also have generated statewide and national attention for the house’s relocation and preservation.
