[Source: Associated Press] -- A $2.5 million project will begin next month to clean up Tempe's Hayden Flour Mill, a landmark that has reached a low point in its storied history. The building is scarred from a 2002 fire set by transients. Inside the mill, asbestos, fire debris and years of pigeon droppings cover the floors.Since buying the mill from developers in 2003, Tempe has been looking to renew the property without destroying its history. The city will remove the asbestos and debris. Then, a massive archaeological exploration will begin into pioneer and Hohokam Indian settlements. The work should clear the way for the city to sell, transforming the property into a link between its downtown and growing developments near Town Lake. The city is reviewing several proposals from developers to restore the mill and add other projects to the site. [Photo source: City of Tempe.]
