What a difference a new front makes

You may recall Allison's, the gas station turned auto parts store, at the corner of Grove and Gurley. For the past couple of months, workmen have been busy remaking this example of nondescript architecture into...

...the very model of a respectable financial institution. It's been absolutely fascinating to watch how a simple new facade is transforming what is basically the same old box for a totally new use.

A touch of parking lot landscaping adds to the illusion. And what will occupy the made-over premises? Just mosey down Grove Street one block...

...to the Credit Union West, which is moving out of its strange quarters and into the newly refurbished building. The future of this structure, which is the last non-Prescott College premise on the block? PC is adding it to the collection of recycled buildings that comprise its campus; latest word is that it will serve as the school's visitors center.

The action at Gurley & Grove

Something's going on over at formerly-Allison's. First, a portable fence, followed by the shovel ripping up all the paved parking space.

What comes next? Probably digging up the old gasoline tanks of this former filling station and then an interminable period of mitigation, which is to say, digging up and replacing or cleaning goodness knows how much fuel-soaked dirt.

And for what? Who's bothering to build business structures these days? I thought that the smart money just made do with the old, existing buildings and left the tanks in the ground for the next guy to deal with.

A Problem with Google Image? In a fit of vanity last night, I asked The Google's image department to fetch up pictures of my current favorite moth, the painted tiger moth (arachnis pictus). I was curious to see if my image appeared. No, it didn't. I discovered pictures of several similar moths -- and many of a popular bi-plane called the Tiger Moth (primarily models). On about page four of the images, pix from Walking Prescott appeared. All from the month of August, which is the month that the moth post appeared. And not one of 60 pictures from this blog had anything to do with a moth. Mr. Google -- you've got a problem.

The changing of the prices?

Or just tidying up the sign. I couldn't figure out just what was the purpose. I was seated in the parked truck while Sson bought enough gas to get us beyond Crown King and back. There were these two guys, mucking about with the numerals on the price listing at highway side.

Here's the device used to remove and/or replace individual numerals. Look ma, no ladder!

While I watched, there was an awful lot of removing and replacing "4s".

This "4" just came down from on high.

Seems to be getting a spray job. I suppose it picks up a lot of highway dust during a day. Shortly after the cleaning, the "4" went right back up on the price sign.

Time to deal with "9s".

Tried very hard to see if prices on the front and back were the same, but the early morning light and highway conditions made it impossible. So I still am not sure whether any prices were changed as part of the process. Sorry.

Fire Note: The Arizona 2-1-1 site had this to report: "Firefighters had a successful day Wednesday. Strong winds pushed the fire to the southeast, testing the lines established during the night of July 1 around the summer homes. The lines held. The lines south and east of Crown King were also tested with the same results. Firefighters in both areas continue to patrol and reinforce the lines and mop-up hotspots close to the line." I presume that the phrase "summer homes" refers to the historic summer cabins at Horsethief Basin. It's been difficult to get much information about what's happening at the south end of the forest, BTW.

Recycled Gas Stations

Once upon a time, there were many more gasoline stations than today. Even one in Bumblebee in a back-country Arizona desert.

Yes, the old fashioned, independent stop remains down in Skull Valley and, Catalyst reports, has been upgraded some time in the past nine months since I took this picture. However, new styles of ownership have decimated the ranks of the independents, forcing the owners to find new uses for old buildings.

Periodically, a piece of property becomes so valuable that it can pay to tear down the structure, followed by years of "mitigation" of underground oil and gas leaks. Surely it was at least five or six years that the corner of Goodwin & Montezuma Streets housed a mysterious, keep-out-posted little building engaged in purifying soils from maybe 75 years worth of service stations.

Apparently if the original building is left intact, there's no call for mitigation. In Prescott, it's easy to find locations that are obviously recycled, for example this auto detailing & car wash on Sheldon Street.

Many more, such as the UPS Store, on Gurley Street which was, after all, old US-89 through the center of town.

There's also a used vehicle dealer...

...a specialist in European car maintenance (fittingly right next door to a recycled fast food operation -- IHOP, in this case)...

...and, at the corner of Gurley and Grove, Allison's, which did try offering pumps in the 90s, then gave up in the face of competition from C-stores and Fry's down the street.

A little further on is the Arizona Wildfire Academy, housed in yet another former gas station.

Thus far, recycling this location on Miller Valley next to the True Value has not proved out. Maybe it needs to be turned into something a bit more exotic -- an antiquery, for example.

I've noticed configurations which suggest a previous life serving up petrol. For instance, the obvious drive-through at Yavapai Machine & Auto Parts, above, and the launderette on Gurley, below.

The ultimate in gas station recycling, though, is certainly the nostalgia market. I have a neighbor whose old car collectibles include a gas pump. Not to mention this pair of pumps on display at the Goodwin Street Pharmacy.