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Indigenous commission backs interpretive plan, new materials and blessing if Graduate Hotel demolition proceeds
Summary
The Flagstaff Indigenous Commission endorsed a consensus to preserve and interpret the site's Indigenous human-rights history, to support building a new hotel using new materials rather than reusing existing stone if demolition is approved, to hold blessing/cleansing ceremonies, and to remain involved as the mitigation plan is finalized.
The Flagstaff Indigenous Commission on May 14 recommended that the history of Indigenous activism associated with the old City Hall/municipal building be preserved through interpretive materials and a walking trail, and that the commission remain involved as the mitigation plan is finalized.
Lauren Cimentino, Heritage Preservation Officer for the City of Flagstaff and staff liaison to the Heritage Preservation Commission, told the commission that Cornerstone (consultant Caitlin Stewart) is still developing interpretive mitigation tied to the Graduate Hotel project and that two related items—a Phase II Cultural Resource Study and a Certificate of Appropriateness for demolition and the new hotel and parking garage design—are scheduled for review by the Heritage Preservation Commission on May 20. "This is still under development, and is not finalized," Cimentino said.
Sarah Dechter, who spoke about process and outreach, said Cornerstone has been doing community outreach including attending a local powwow and that the Heritage Preservation Commission may approve a mitigation description while leaving final content to administrative approval. "The Heritage Preservation Commission does not need all the details of the mitigation to be able to say this is the mitigation, and then it can be administratively approved at a later date," Dechter said.
Commissioners urged that the project recognize the building’s history, including events tied to the American Indian Movement in the 1970s and an ACLU investigation that the commission said documented discriminatory practices tied to the site. Several commissioners said preserving the history is the priority even if the physical structure is removed. "It can be seen as a good as long as that ground is reblessed also before those materials go up," Commissioner Cheryl Lee Francis said, urging a blessing and healing of the land.
Members discussed whether to reuse malapai stone from the existing building; Cimentino said the design as proposed at the time of the meeting was for new materials rather than salvaging the stone. Commissioners suggested alternatives such as incorporating interpretive displays in the hotel lobby, QR-code stops along a trail, or providing archival material in an online brochure.
The commission took a nonbinding hand-raise to record consensus. Co-chairs and staff recorded support on four points: include Indigenous history and the Indigenous human-rights movement in interpretation; recommend a new building using new materials if demolition is approved; hold blessing/cleansing ceremonies prior to rebuilding; and continue collaboration with staff and the project consultant as the mitigation is finalized. The co-chair recorded that seven commissioners indicated support for that consensus.
Cimentino and Dechter emphasized that demolition has not yet been approved and that the Heritage Preservation Commission will act on the Phase II study and certificate of appropriateness at its upcoming meeting. The Indigenous Commission requested that Rose (staff) package the commission’s consensus as formal comment to be shared with the Heritage Preservation Commission.
Next steps: the Heritage Preservation Commission will consider the Phase II Cultural Resource Study and the Certificate of Appropriateness; Cornerstone is expected to return with more developed interpretive plans for further review and community input.
