Flagstaff commission accepts cultural‑resource study for Crown Motel, approves signage and mural mitigation

The Flagstaff Heritage Preservation Commission on April 16 accepted a Phase 1 cultural resource study for the former Crown Motel/Crown Railroad Café at 3300 E. Route 66 and approved mitigation measures after finding that exterior alterations had diminished the site's historic integrity.

The study, prepared for the city and presented by cultural‑resource consultant Josh Edwards, recommended that cumulative changes to the property — including removal of the Crown Motel neon sign, removal of the oversized porte‑cochere and later additions built after the period of significance — meant the property no longer “expresses its association with its original context and period of use,” Edwards told the commission. He said that earlier work in 2023 had led to interactions with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and that “the crown was eligible at that time for the national register.”

The recommendation and subsequent discussion centered on mitigation tied to the major impacts identified in the study. Commissioners debated two primary mitigation measures proposed by the applicant: a replacement sign that echoes the historic “restaurant” neon and an interior mural reproducing a 1967 postcard image of the property paired with a text plaque describing the site's history.

Commissioners said the removal of the neon and the porte‑cochere were the most damaging alterations. Several commissioners opposed allowing the current tenant’s business name to appear in neon on the same facade as the historic‑style “restaurant” sign; others expressed concern about unduly harming the tenant’s ability to operate. The commission settled on a compromise: the east facade will be restored to display only “RESTAURANT” in neon‑style design consistent with the mitigation plan, while the west facade may display the tenant’s business name (Los Tapatios) provided that the business lettering is separable (removable) from the restaurant sign so the historic element can remain if business signage changes.

Commissioners also approved the mural and accompanying plaque to be installed inside the restaurant entrance. The plaque is to summarize the building’s history and note the loss of the historic sign; the design and wording of the plaque and mural are subject to review and approval by the Heritage Preservation Officer before installation.

City staff and commissioners noted that the neon sign had been removed without permits; building‑safety and code compliance staff investigated and attempted to locate salvageable pieces at local recyclers. The commission heard that SHPO staff had been informally consulted: Edwards said he had communicated with SHPO staff (including Susan Lawson) about the 2023 eligibility discussions and later updated SHPO on the more recent findings.

During the meeting the commission divided its action into three votes: (1) acceptance of the Phase 1 cultural resource study, (2) approval of the sign‑replacement mitigation with the separability condition described above, and (3) approval of the interior mural and plaque. All three measures were approved by the commission; the sign measure drew at least one dissenting vote before passage.

The commission and staff emphasized limits on local authority: staff noted that, because the property is not currently listed on state or national registers, the city may accept the local study without SHPO concurrence and is required to tie mitigation closely to the impacts identified in the study. City staff also warned that some mitigation proposals that would require ongoing city involvement (for example, requiring the property owner to fund recurring education programs) would be difficult to enforce and monitor and therefore were not recommended as conditions.

The decision allows the applicant to proceed with permitting tied to the agreed mitigation; staff said final sign and mural designs will return for administrative sign‑code review and Heritage Preservation Officer approval as required. The commission also requested that staff consider a public communication about the outcome and the loss of the historic sign to explain the process and mitigation to the community.

Votes at a glance

- Accept Phase 1 cultural resource study for 3300 E. Route 66: approved. - Approve sign‑replacement mitigation with condition that the western facade business name be separable and the eastern facade read only “RESTAURANT”: approved (one recorded nay during roll call). - Approve interior mural (1967 postcard reproduction) and accompanying plaque inside the restaurant entrance, subject to Heritage Preservation Officer approval: approved.

Ending: Commissioners said the mural and plaque would make the building’s history visible to restaurant patrons and provide a public record of the loss of the neon sign, while the separability condition on the facade signage was intended to preserve the historic‑style restaurant sign in the future.