TEMPE, Ariz. — The City of Tempe is planning to resume work on redeveloping a section of Eighth Street after a significant archaeological discovery paused the project a couple of years ago.
The city has been working to make improvements to the section of the street that runs between Rural Road and McClintock Drive for the last few years. But the project was interrupted after excavations conducted at the project site in 2018 resulted in the discovery of archaeological remnants of a Native American community dating back over 1,000 years.
According to a report of the archaeological investigation conducted at the site, evidence collected from the site suggests that the village's inhabitants were skilled at irrigating their fields with water from the Salt River, allowing them to survive for several centuries.
"The investigation found evidence that village residents farmed maize, cotton, and squash; lived in comfortable homes with plaster floors; and enjoyed the benefits of trade in local, edible food products that could be stored," the report states.
The excavation additionally uncovered a rare multi-story building dating back to the 14th century. It's believed the structure was used as a ceremonial house.
"Only six other examples of this type of building have been identified in the Phoenix Basin, most famously the multi-story buildings preserved at Casa Grande National Monument in Coolidge," the report states.
The village's occupants appear to have continued farming in the area until about 1450 AD. In the late 1800s, a new railroad constructed in the area buried the archaeological record of the centuries-old village.
As work on the Eighth Street project continues, the city said its consulting with the Four Southern Tribes of Arizona to create a street design that preserves and celebrates the recent archaeological discovery.
Construction is scheduled to commence in the fall of 2024.
The city is hosting a public meeting about the project at the EnVision Center on Oct. 18 at 6 p.m.
More info on the site's archaeological discoveries can be found here.