by Lara Serbin | Jul 11, 2014 | Blog, Collaboration, Graphics, Uncategorized
There I was watching our final brochure getting printed out at lightening speed today. This brochure is the second try at coming up with a brochure for Buckeye Main Street Coalition. We are a group that volunteers our time to make Down Town Historic Buckeye look better. We want new and current businesses to thrive on Buckeye Main Street.
This is a big ass printer at a place called http://www.lithotechaz.com/ in downtown Phoenix. Shelly Butler, with Forms Management is a Buckeye girl who helped us find the right place to print this vertical accordian style double sided brochure. The place was on Grand Avenue and 27th Avenue which is pretty industrial place. So I found out that Grand Avenue really has an end point today. It ends at Indian School Road. Now you can all sleep.
Everything looked so sharp and the colors were really deep. I did notice the sky could have been blended a bit better because the cowboy photo was not quite tall enough. So only you and I know. Next printing I guess. No one will care except for me. Even the horse hair is so crazy sharp.
So one side has photos of fun things to do in Buckeye like go to a demolition derby, get a burger at Cafe 25:35, go to a car show, buy some jeans at Saba’s Western Store and have 99 cent tacos at La Placita Cafe. Then on the flip side is the map with location dots. We tried to squeeze everyone on there. If you are not on there just call me up and we will put you on there for the next printing.
There are so many printing options. I think as being the graphic designer it helps to go and watch how it is actually printed. By visiting a print house it is a great way to learn about new finishes, colors and formats. There were so many exciting projects going on at once at Lithotech today. There is a lot that happens behind the scenes. It is isn’t as easy as design a brochure and poof it magically appears at your doorstep as a folded brochure. There are many steps to the finished product. Right now our brochure is probably waiting to get the bleeded edges cut off and then folded.
by Lara Serbin | Jan 15, 2014 | Blog, Collaboration, Commercial Architecture, Graphics, Planning
The view from the double swinging aluminum doors of the Chase Bank in Historic Buckeye is quite spectacular. Everything inside is a typical Chase interior except when you glance out the front doors which looks onto the rustic aged super graphics painted on the brick of the historic San Linda two story building. The rustic brick cropped image beyond the glass doors is such a stark contrast to the sleek commercial interior. You know you are in the heart of Historic Buckeye.
I was dropping off a stack of the brand new maps of Historic Buckeye. I had some banking to do and after I was done I shared the map with teller Blanca Villareal. She became very friendly as she explained, “I have lived in Buckeye since I was 10 years old.” She was excited that something had been done like this for Buckeye. The Buckeye she remembers was a robust down town full of activity and buzz. The flier made her feel hopeful for the future. She thought the maps would be a great item to give to a new client opening up an account. Blanca has noticed that more people are buying homes and opening new accounts in Buckeye. Derek Stephens, a third generation Buckeye local and personal banker for this particular Chase branch was happy to see the fliers. He opened up the flier and his whole face lit up, “This is awesome! I love the photo of Hobo Joe!”.
[print_gllr id=1403]
This map was a group effort designed and printed by the Buckeye Main Street Coalition. I am very proud indeed to be a member of this group. Our group combines the unique skills and vantage points of both public and private sectors to revitalize down town historic Buckeye commercial district. Through a gradual process that begins with small steps, sustainable improvements are being achieved.
Haiku for the week:
A Reflection On:
Hellbent dilema
or lofty grace following.
Stay up dancing too.
-Lara Serbin
by Lara Serbin | Oct 9, 2013 | Architecture, Blog, Graphics, Planning
Historic Buckeye is starting to shape up in so many ways. Buckeye Main Street Coalition will be working on the Alley along Benbow Veterans Park. This alley is top of the hit list for 2013-2016 Design Initiatives because it is at the epicenter for the latest revitalization efforts. The alley is the artery for Café 25:35 and Benbow Veterans Park which both recently completed new construction efforts. Pedestrians flock to both of these attractions. BMSC wants to see more of this forward moving activity along the main street in Buckeye. The activity is already motivating shop keepers like Sharon Torres of Buckeye Valley News to transform their building facades as well. The ball is rolling and gaining speed.
Lara Serbin, photo credit: Sharon Torres, Buckeye Valley News
Torres is currently remodeling the interior of Buckeye Valley News so she can offer Wi Fi, books to read, vintage type writers to play with and a lounge for teens. The interior smelled of fresh paint from the metal shelving being painted next to turn of the century printing presses.
Painted super graphics on the outside of Buckeye Valley News could have huge potential for all pedestrians to feel they have just found a special place on their way to meet a friend for lunch. Torres mentioned how she liked band entertainment in the allies of Denver, Colorado. Sounds like a road trip. There could be outdoor seating, colorful graphics, green and mutli-purpose zones. The super art above is from Barrio Café in Phoenix, Arizona. The art community have taken over the buildings in Phoenix with murals. I have been there several time to take photos. I like how the artistas have a group signature. Torres and many other Buckeye stakeholders would like to see rodeo and historic images of Buckeye. We have to start somewhere and the alley is a good place.
This is a weeded gap entry to the skeletal remains of the old O’Malley Building. I have to say I felt fearful standing under the buckling building today and watching the pigeon find a landing place on the trusses. Boarded up squares are storefront windows facing 4th Street, which is a prominent main street perpendicular to Monroe Avenue. This lot is at the intersection of two infamous Avenues of Buckeye.
Torres has lots of ideas for this desolate lot that she sometimes visits being that it is next door to the Buckeye Valley News. Torres and I both believe in saving as much as we can of downtown Buckeye. Every piece of metal panel, rotted wood and peeled paint has value for future use. Torres would like to see the lot turned into a farmers market. Her ideas were inspirational to me today. It is good to have a friend who understands the value of history and the character it can add for future generations.
by Lara Serbin | Sep 17, 2013 | Architectural Planning, Architecture, Blog, Planning
I don’t have a signature style, but I do have a signature approach to building projects. I like to pursue projects that I have a fondness for. A few years back I asked myself what I would really like to work on as an architect and I thought of fixing up historic buildings in Buckeye, Arizona. From Serbin Studio it takes about 20 minutes for me to get to historic Buckeye. It makes sense to work in my own community. I feel at home when I am in Buckeye. The people who live in the Town still read the paper and talk to one another daily. When I say talk to each other, I mean talking face to face at the Elk’s Lodge or just in passing at Café 25:35, a local haunt for burgers with names like Palo Verde! Alice Dryer, owner of Dryer Insurance has a penguin figurine collection that would blow you clear to Tonopah. What more could you want in a Town?
Monroe Street Scape 2013-2014
The Monroe Street Scape project is a collaborative project between Serbin Studio and Buckeye Main Street Coalition. Serbin Studio provided the necessary drawings to convey what the business owners wanted in terms of the most logical placement of trees, banner poles, brick cross walks and side walk shade structures. This is an ongoing project that will be executed by WC Scoutten in collaboration with Buckeye Main Street Coalition.
Miller Jackson Gateway 2012
This project started with the Town of Buckeye tapping Buckeye Main Street Coalition to do something about the blight on the N/E corner of Jackson and Miller. Main Street and Serbin Studio provided a wall concept that would allow for partial screening of the trailer park. I mean the roof pitches of the trailers really weren’t so bad if the base was cleaned up with a residential scaled wall. The key was to get the height just right…not too tall and not too low. We didn’t want residents to hang laundry over the wall *don’t get any ideas now* but we didn’t want the wall to cover too much. BMSC is not done on this corner, we still want to add native trees and a horse trail.
Buckeye Graphics 2012
The Buckeye Women’s Club was talking about creating a cookbook of local recipes for the Arizona Centennial. A standard cover for the Buckeye Valley Heritage Cookbook was being kicked around so I offered to help them out with creating something that would be more custom made. All the photos used on the cover were carefully selected by Pat Rovey and Verlyne Meck. Serbin Studio did the watercolor sun and composed the graphics in photoshop. Rotary Club of Buckeye needed a new image for their trading banner. Lara Serbin worked with Charlene Powers *it was all Charlene’s idea* to create the four quadrants that represent Buckeye’s major industries that keeps Buckeye Open For Business.
Wayfinding Signage 2012-2013
Buckeye Main Street Coalition and Serbin Studio was involved in the design of the Wayfinding signage posts that cover Monroe Avenue and Miller Avenue in down town Buckeye. WC Scoutten was the engineer and Motivational Systems constructed the monuments for the Town of Buckeye. The signs help direct visitors to the local attractions with colorful arrows against a dark rustic metal shingle sign. The corrugated panels are a throw back to the local cotton gin construction materials.
East Buckeye Park and Ride 2012
East Buckeye Park and Ride 2011-2012
Serbin Studio was the architect of record for this Town of Buckeye public project. W.C. Scoutten was the engineer for the project and Hunter Construction was the contractor. The project includes plenty of parking structure canopies so you can leave your car in the shade while taking the bus to a far flung destination. It is a connector for transit situated along Interstate 10 and Jackrabbit Road. You can see it from the freeway if you look for the shining galvanized silo that anchors the site.
Benbow Veterans Park 2011-2012
This was the first project I worked collaboratively with Buckeye Main Street Coalition. It is a park dedicated to the fallen military and civil officers of Buckeye, Arizona. The original memorial wall was situated at the Buckeye Police Precinct on South Apache Road. The wall was in bad shape and out of the public foot traffic on Main Street. BMSC transformed the historic Sidewalk Park to Benbow Veterans Park with a new memorial wall in black polished granite and benches for public events like Veterans Day. Since the groundbreaking ceremony in 2012 many people visit the park daily to chill out under the huge mesquite shade trees and talk to Frank.
Jimmy Mack…all this time I thought it was Jimmy Back. Now I can sleep.
by Lara Serbin | Aug 16, 2013 | Architectural Planning, Architecture, Blog
Buckeye, Arizona is a fast growing Town located about 45 minutes west of down town Phoenix. Serbin Studio’s is minutes away from historic Buckeye so we spend a lot of time in Buckeye. One of Buckeye’s long standing traditions is funerals. Buckeye is a tight knit community where people recall going to kindergarten with their accountant or meeting their future husband when they were 5 years old at a garden party. I have been around long enough to know that funerals are big social events in Buckeye. Today, I showed up on the wrong Friday for a funeral but it turned out great because I took photos of the 1928 Spanish Colonial Ganley’s Buckeye Funeral Home. Could you just see me with my big camera taking photos of the building with everyone standing outside being all respectful. I got all my photos out of my system for next Friday. I was lucky to be able to chat with the owner Phil Ganley who is the second generation of Ganley’s Buckeye Funeral Home. While he was moving a casket out of his suburban at 9:00am in the morning at the corner of Baseline Road and Central Boulevard I asked him if I could take some photos of his building.
During the late 1920’s this building was part of an expansive idea to create an upscale town called Valencia just north of the train tracks and Buckeye Canal. The Miller Cattle Company was the developer who surveyed the land and commissioned this building to serve as a retail anchor. When the Ganleys moved to Buckeye in 1939 they occupied this building which was built with retail in mind originally, but the Great Depression created a change in direction. Phil explained that when he was a boy the family lived on the second floor and he would stand on the balcony in the photo above and look at the southern mountain range with down town Buckeye in the foreground. Ganley remembered nothing being around this building when he was a kid. He would ride his bike into down town Buckeye to see what was going on.
The building has been well preserved and still has charming detail. Indigo and terra cotta ceramic tile was a sustainable choice for the base of the arched storefront. The stucco is smooth and reminds me of Andalusian architecture of Spain the way it is scallops cut outs adorn openings. The white stucco contrasts with the vintage terra cotta roof tiles. The doors and window frames are original wood frame and maintained with many layers of teal paint. I did take a peek through the corner window. I was standing under a petite black metal light fixture where a bird had made a nest in the cage like housing. The white lace curtains seemed they had been drawn back for hundreds of years. Faded floral wall paper, pastel wood trim and vinyl squares made up the interior finish. I could imagine someone named Joy or Marty arranging a floral arrangement in front of the reach in cooler. Thanks to the Ganleys this classic building is still in operation and continues to creates an elegant place for local families to gather and pay their respect to ones who have died. With the help of my book Buckeye The First 100 Years 1888-1988 I can safely say that when this book was published in 1988, “Of the approximately five thousand people in the three cemeteries, he (Phil’s father, Paul Ganley) has buried at least four thousand of them during his 47 years in Buckeye.”. If you want to see some great examples of sustainable architecture take a visit to Buckeye, Arizona.
