The Arizona Daily Sun is reporting about a culture (and color) clash between an Asian business owner and the Flagstaff Historic Preservation Committee.
The business owner painted her business, The Golden Triangle, red with black trim because it reflects on her Asian culture, plus it’s an attention-getter to customers.
But Flagstaff’s historic district along Route 66 has rules that supposedly allow only earth-toned colors on businesses.
The complicating factor is that Asians boast a long history in Flagstaff.
Khamsone Siriminivong, a native of Laos who migrated to the United States in the 1980s, … said she chose the color to revive the Asian culture in Flagstaff, which had a much stronger foothold here in the late 19th century — the era the design committee is trying to imitate.
“What I’m trying to bring back is awareness of Asians in Flagstaff,” she said.
Another complicating factor is that the design guidebook is vague on what colors are allowed and what are no-no’s.
I’m torn. The business owner knew the historic district’s rules when she started to give her business a makeover. But it’s also hard to follow rules that are as clear as water from the Mississippi River.
What do you think?
I think there is absolutely no historical basis for blanket color-coding of businesses. Fine if you want to say that a building that was originally brown has to remain brown, or a building that was originally white has to remain white. But it doesn’t make a lot of sense to decide, randomly, that you’re only going to allow “earth tones.” If I’m trying to put a building on the National Register, and it was originally taupe, I can’t paint it olive green and say, “Well, it’s an earth tone. Close enough.” I have to restore it to the way it actually looked during its period of relevance. I think the city’s rule is well-intentioned, but I don’t think it accomplishes what its proponents are trying to accomplish.
I also think it’s going to take about five minutes for this business owner to figure out that she can drive a couple of hours east, shoot a roll of film in the Painted Desert, and come back with indisputable proof that red and black are, in point of fact, earth tones.
I was going to make a comment about red being an earth tone, especially in that part of the world, but I see someone beat me to it!
Hello Ron, redforkhippie and Bob,
Ron, thank you for your generous news brief on my “big” controversy in a “small” town…redforkhippie and Bob – thank you much for your support.
A few comments:
Yes, I am familiar with the many naturally earth-toned reds apparent and illustrated in the Painted Desert and throughout Arizona, having promoted tourism for over three years. Yes, I was also aware of the existing ordinance concerning signs and historic buildings, but I understood it to be regarding historic structure and integrity of the building, not an issue of color.
Actually, there aren’t any adopted “rules” or “regulations” regarding the exterior/interior structure of any buildings in the Historic Review District in Flagstaff currently in effect, which includes just a small part of Route 66, where my boutique happens to be located. There is, however, a “handbook” that was updated in 1997, by consultants from Durango, Colorado, that does not specify actually what era of Flagstaff’s history the Historic Preservation Commission intends to preserve nor is it specific to historic Flagstaff as it coincidentally mirrors the regulations of that same fair city. The handbook suggests colors “should be pastels or muted earth tones”, which interestingly enough only one current member on the Commission insisted that such claim was historically accurate – the rest, including the Chairman and two State preservationists voiced disagreement. The Commissioner that originally opposed the red insisted that Flagstaff was and should be preserved as a “Victorian” town,(we only have two buildings downtown recognized as Victorian, according to the handbook itself). Then there was the fact that not one business in the same review district was actually historically accurate, according to the handbook, and that some of them even had the same primary shade of red,and/or other extremely bright colors or modern murals on their buildings….
I do not claim that my choice of an Asian theme and Asian colors (red & black) are historically accurate, but historically and culturally valid. Accuracy is difficult to prove of any color or color scheme due to historical photos in the early 19th century being black and white and rarely accompanied by physical description regarding color. Historical validity of an “assumed” color scheme and style directed towards early Asians, particularly the Chinese, can be substantiated and supported by comparing early Asian influence and architecture remaining or preserved in other parts of the Southwest in the same era. My position was that primary reds were used historically in Flagstaff and throughout the Southwest and that Asians were also historically known to have used primary or bright reds to decorate their businesses, building, properties, etc. It was documented, although minimal, that there were Chinese in Flagstaff, in the mid-late 1800’s, originally to build the railroad. Some of those families remained and still own properties and businesses today, actually on the same stretch of Route 66 that my boutique happens to be located…..therefore, one can make an educated guess that they may have historically painted their buildings the same shade of red as mine.
And just to update you alI, I had my second hearing on the red paint and the Historic Preservation Commission approved unanimously to keep the red paint. I also offered a compromise – to paint the facia, currently the big red rectangle above the awning, to match the sandstone columns on both sides of the building.
This issue has never been about winning or losing, but really about recognizing historical and cultural diversity in Flagstaff – and compromise. Plus – I did get some unbelievable million dollar press on this small town controversy…who can beat that??
I invite you all to stop by and get your kicks here at The Golden Triangle, the next time you are traveling en Route 66!
Thanks!
Khamsone Sirimanivong
The Golden Triangle
Fashion Design Studio & Boutique
104 E. Route 66
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
“Where East Meets West on Route 66!”