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Mercado project dies a second time before Council BY J. GRABER PROGRESS STAFF WRITER
T
he controversial Mercado Courtyard apartment complex planned near the intersection of 92nd Street and Shea Boulevard is dead –
Designer helps create Old Town pub's "experiential" atmosphere.
ARTS ...............................25 Scottsdale school bands help drive Fiesta Bowl Parade.
NEIGHBORS ..........................................19 BUSINESS .............................................. 23 ARTS .........................................................25 CLASSIFIEDS ........................................27
again – while its controversial neighborwas abruptly pulled from the agenda. Scottsdale City Council voted 5-2 to reject the rezoning application and site plan for the 262 unit project on 8.52 acres on Dec. 7, scuttling the project for the second time this year. Councilwoman Linda Mil-
Iconic Scottsdale service station's owner reflects on 53 good years BY J. GRABER Progress Staff Writer
BUSINESS................ 23
Sunday, DECEMBER 11, 2022
M
ark Combs, 70, sat back in his chair, sporting a blue Combs Auto Repair polo shirt and matching pair of shorts. He grinned and reflected back to the beginning of the iconic Scottsdale vehicle repair service that his father started in Scottsdale in 1969 as an ARCO gas station and repair shop at the corner of Scottsdale and Shea roads. After 53 years in business – the last 22 on W. Adobe Drive – Mark closed the doors for good. As a kid, Combs didn’t want any part of the family business. He was a champion competitive swimmer who trained with seven-time Olympic Gold medalist Mark Spitz. Swimming took up all of his time in
Andrew Bloom REALTOR®, Senior Partner Andrew@BVOLuxury.com VOTED #1 SCOTTSDALE TEAM FOR FOR2021 2018 VOTED #1 SCOTTSDALE REAL REAL ESTATE ESTATE TEAM
haven and Vice Mayor Tom Durham cast the only “yes” votes in favor of the complex. Originally known as 92 Ironwood, the original developer pulled the Mercado from
see APARTMENTS page 10
Remembering a hero
high school but after he graduated in 1970, Combs started working at the shop part-time during the summer before heading to the University of New Mexico on a swimming scholarship. But when his father took ill, Combs finished his sophomore early and came home to help in the shop. His father never recovered enough to come back all the way so Combs stayed on fulltime. “I found out, I guess, it was in my blood,” he said. “I really enjoyed the full service of customers and talking, fixing cars and all that stuff.” But Combs said he reached a point where he decided, “It’s time.” “My wife and I need to get to know each other again,” he said.
see COMBS page 6
Jan Evans, who now lives at Westminster Village in Scottsdale, recently returned to NASA headquarters to celebrate the 50th anniversary of America’s last manned mission to the moon, the Apollo 17. She is the widow of Apollo 17 Command Module Pilot Ronald Evans and shared her memories of that exciting time. See the story on page 19. (David Minton/Progress Staff Photographer)
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