Paradise Valley Town Council looks to give sense of place to vacant corner
By Terrance Thornton | Digital Free Press
Paradise Valley Town Council appears to be taking concrete steps to beautify and improve an entryway into the municipal enclave along Doubletree Ranch Road just west of Scottsdale Road — a monumental task a decade in the works.
“The design aims to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the town’s entry point by installing a 5-foot high, decorative metal panel with perforated steel background screen wall at the northwest corner of Doubletree Ranch Road and Scottsdale Road,” said Sam Kayat, Paradise Valley capital improvements projects manager, in his Feb. 8 report to Town Council.
“Additionally, the conceptual design includes an option to relocate the entry monument to the proposed new median and improving the landscape on Doubletree Ranch Road immediately west of Scottsdale Road. The main challenge for this site is the presence of the city of Scottsdale water infrastructure including valves, electric cabinets, underground vault, and other appurtenances.”
Total cost of the project is anticipated to not exceed $500,000, meanwhile the latest iterations of the proposed Doubletree Ranch Road entry monument materialized from a December 2022 meeting when five conceptual plans were presented to Town Council.
Paradise Valley Town Council, during its Feb. 8 work session discussion, spoke at length regarding proposed plans for a screened wall and monument sign.
“I think we applaud this idea of screening off utilities,” said Paradise Valley Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner during the Feb. 8 work session discussion. “No question, it will be safer. I think there is good reason to have a barrier — and I agree that we don’t need to reinvent the wheel.”
Paradise Valley Town Council looks to give sense of place to vacant corner
But For Mayor Bien-Willner, a project like this is long overdue.
“This goes back to when I was on Town Council … this has been around for 10 years. This is a project that is taking too long to get done. I am very encouraged that we have cost effective options on the table,” he said. “All of these changes we make to the entrances to the town improves the quality for our residents, it improves the property values — this is one that we have been working for a while.”
Paradise Valley Vice Mayor Mark Stanton says he likes what he sees, but says the latest iterations are missing something.
“I think they’re needs to be some subtlety to this,” he said during the work sessions discussion. “It seems if a sense of arrival is the goal, the whole package needs to be there so you can feel that sense of arrival — tone down and don’t try so hard on the design.”
Paradise Valley Councilwoman Julie Pace points out the proposed site for a new entryway monument has two vacant lots on either side.
“It is impacting our ability to sell the lot,” she said regarding the 1.3-acre lot adjacent to the proposed monument sign location. “We have gotten a lot of resident feedback —- good comments —- and they want us to work together to consider these items.”
Paradise Valley Town Council is expected to see new proposals later this year.
