Hayden Flour Mill Rennovation To Begin In 2018

By Mariana Dale
Published: Wednesday, December 20, 2017 - 6:59am
Updated: Wednesday, December 20, 2017 - 9:26am
City of Tempe
Hayden Flour Mill

Tempe City Council last week approved zoning changes and a planned area development for the first phase of the Hayden Flour Mill project, paving the way for construction to begin at the historic site next year.

Developer David Baum said the renovation will preserve the site’s history while making room for a restaurant, retail and office space.

“I want it to be memorable,” said Baum, co-founder of Baum Revision who’s developing the project. “I want people to want to take their picture in front of that building.”

The Mill building will be renovated and a one story addition will be constructed. Baum said the changes to the exterior will be minimal.

There will be 8,360 square feet of restaurant space and 14,200 square feet for office use.

“We don’t want to whitewash it and make it look too pretty,” Baum said. “We want you to know it’s been there since 1912 and we want to celebrate the history of the site.”

Baum said the project hasn’t selected a specific restaurant partner yet, but the project is expected to be finished within 15 months of breaking ground in March or April.

“We are looking for local iconic brands in the market and we’re talking to some really interesting people now," he said.

The second phase of development will include a hotel. The development agreement also requires Baum Revision to develop a trail head and path leading up to Hayden Butte.

Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell said the space will become more than an economic benefit to the city.

“This will enable our residents to enjoy this space for many years to come and generations,” Mitchell said.

Early Tempeans began milling flour near what’s now Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway in 1874 and the mill was vacated in the 1980s.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to correct the year the Hayden Flour Mill opened.

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