Downtown Business Alliance outlines placemaking plan for Flagstaff core

Hunter Hebert, executive director of the Downtown Business Alliance, presented a package of placemaking ideas to the Beautification, Public Arts Commission on Jan. 13, 2025, proposing permanent signage, small-sculpture scavenger-hunt installations, alley and dumpster screening, and pedestrian refuge improvements along Route 66 to make downtown Flagstaff "a more inviting and more exciting place to be."

The proposal covered a range of mostly small-to-medium scale interventions that Hebert said could be implemented incrementally: metal cutout signs on existing pole mounts, a permanent scavenger-hunt of small sculptures (examples he cited: ravens, an Abbotts squirrel tied to local ecology), decorative screens for shared dumpster areas such as Heritage Square, and activation of underused alleys with murals, lighting, and ground installations. "There's also potential to add some sort of Route 66 call-out that could coincide with the Centennial," Hebert said during the presentation.

Why it matters: the commission is charged with balancing public art, beautification and capital projects in Flagstaff's downtown. Hebert framed the ideas as ways to increase pedestrian comfort, encourage longer visits and support local businesses while reinforcing local culture rather than producing generic fixtures. Commissioners and staff repeatedly returned to feasibility questions — funding, regulatory limits such as dark‑sky compliance for lighting, and utility constraints in Aspen Alley — signaling follow-up work would be needed before design or installation.

Details and examples: Hebert showed precedents from other cities and proposed using locally available materials and makers — citing Corten steel and municipal green paint already common downtown — and recommended coordination with the city’s material palette. He suggested a small permanent public-art scavenger program (permanent “mice” or small sculptures hidden around downtown) to encourage visitor exploration, and showed a plan to place metal wayfinding signs and freestanding totems with walking-time estimates to improve navigation for tourists and residents.

Heritage Square and Aspen Alley: Hebert proposed decorative dumpster screens for Heritage Square, where business patios face shared trash areas that staff described as "unsightly and often overflowing." Commissioners flagged other downtown dumpster locations as similar candidates. Aspen Alley drew special discussion: commissioners and staff said undergrounding or removing overhead utility wires in the stretch between Aspen and the midpoint of the alley would reduce visual clutter and make canopy or lighting options more feasible, but they cautioned that undergrounding would be a larger, costly effort requiring coordination with Arizona Public Service and telecommunications providers.

Route 66 and pedestrian safety: Hebert recommended pedestrian refuges / raised medians on Route 66 to shorten crossing distances and improve safety for older residents and visitors. He and commissioners discussed how median planting and modest gateway features could both beautify the corridor and create less intimidating crossings for pedestrians. Discover Flagstaff staff later said the Route 66 Centennial plans include signage and events that could align with these placemaking changes.

Next steps: Staff told the commission any specific design or material change to street poles would return to BPAC for review. Commissioners asked staff and the Downtown Business Alliance to continue refining concepts with cost estimates and to test dark‑sky compliance for proposed lighting. Several commissioners emphasized the importance of anchoring design elements in local culture and history to avoid “anywheresville” installations.

Ending: The commission did not take formal action on the presentation. Commissioners and staff agreed to continue vetting individual concepts for feasibility, regulatory compliance and funding before bringing specific projects back for formal review.