press clippings

From PRO Neighborhoods newsletter, Winter 2002

  Ajo's Curley School Project

Written by Tracy Taft 

Some years ago Ajo received the federal "colonia" designation.  Eventually members of Ajo's Western Pima County Community Council learned that to be eligible for colonia funding, Ajo needed to have a comprehensive needs assessment in place.  They applied to the University of Arizona's Drachman Institute for assistance in completing it.  Council members, together with U of A students, invited representatives of local business, nonprofit organizations, and public agencies to form a steering committee for the process.  Public meetings were held, surveys completed, and a year later the process resulted in the Ajo Vision Comprehensive Plan.

One of the economic development strategies identified in the comprehensive plan was to build an arts and cultural center in Ajo to attract cultural tourism.  One idea was to make it self-supporting by including live/work rental units for artists in the project.  Tracy Taft of Ajo Vision took on the job of coordinating work on this strategy.  The leading nonprofit developer of live/work artist buildings, Artspace Projects Inc., from Minneapolis, was persuaded to visit Ajo for a preliminary look at several buildings in the community.  Chris Velasco from Artspace Projects gave an enthusiastic "thumbs up" on the mostly vacant historic Curley School building as a great candidate for live/work rental housing for artists.  But he explained to the group that before Artspace Projects would commit to work on the project in Ajo, it would be necessary for the group to first do two things:  1) demonstrate multicultural community support for the project; and 2) raise the first $125,000 of the "predevelopment" costs.

These dual challenges were daunting.  The challenge led Ajo Vision to apply to PRO Neighborhoods both for technical assistance and for a grant to host a community forum on the Curley School Project.  It also lead Ajo Vision to persuade the International Sonoran Desert Alliance (ISDA), Ajo's nonprofit with the strongest track record, to commit to being the lead organization for the project and to begin its fundraising effort.  Tracy Taft was invited to join the ISDA board at this time.  With the help of PRO Neighborhoods, Ajo Vision and ISDA, community volunteers planned and hosted a community forum that attracted about 400 people (more than 10% of the town)!  The focus of the event was for community residents to hear a presentation by Chris Velasco from Artspace Projects, ask questions, and give their thoughts on whether to go forward with the project.  The formal presentation in the Curley School auditorium was preceded by tours of the Curley School, cultural history presentations, and storytelling by Tohono O'odham artists, along with finger food and desserts donated by 50 volunteers and local businesses.  The Curley School auditorium was completely transformed by art exhibits including painting, drawing, sculpture, quilts, Tohono O'odham basketry-all contributed by local and regional artists, adults and children alike.  A festive touch was created by members of Ajo's Ballet Folklorico hosting the whole event, in full costume.  The outcome of the community forum was clearly positive with the community giving the go-ahead for the project idea and lots of input on what should be included in the building besides live/work artist units.  One of Artspace's challenges had been met!

It was also important that Sharon Bronson, County Supervisor for Ajo, attend the community forum and participate in the program.  Her firsthand experience of this remarkable community event and the demonstration of community support for the Curley School project became invaluable immediately in both the fundraising process and long-term as work with the County on the project proceeds.  During this same time period, ISDA prepared and submitted funding proposals to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, to Pima County's Community Development Block Grant program and to HUD's Rural Housing and Economic Development (RHED) program.  Last spring, the National Trust provided a grant that matched one from PRO Neighborhoods to host the community forum and focus group meetings with Artspace Projects.  And this fall, to the surprise and joy of all involved, commitments for a $100,000 CDBG grant and a $250,000 RHED grant were received.  Thus the second challenge issued by Artspace Projects was accomplished.

With funding in place, this month ISDA hired Terry Gonzales to coordinate the project.  Ajo Vision continues to be involved as the volunteer arm of the project.  PRO Neighborhoods has continued to help by sending Ajo Vision members to fundraising training and will be providing a technical assistance consultant to guide Ajo Vision as they and ISDA design and implement a capital campaign.