We Buzz staffers have attended more than our share of staged groundbreaking ceremonies over the years, what with all the construction going on in the Valley.
You’ve seen the photos: a bunch of executives and politicians dressed in suits and hard hats, sticking shovels in the ground as if they really were doing manual labor.
So it is nice to every now and then run across a groundbreaking that involves a little thought and creativity. One such event took place last week at Kierland Commons in northeast Phoenix, where ground was broken for the second phase of the Plaza Lofts.
After welcoming remarks from Kierland developer Daniel "Buzz" Gosnell and Phoenix City Councilwoman Peggy Neely, the crowd was treated to a little play about life at the upscale housing development.
It involved 12 actors, including a dog and a baby, performing such activities as valet parking a sports car, joining friends at a cocktail party and taking a stroll on a leisurely afternoon. Sales director Trudy Hammond provided a voice-over while background music played.
"We avoided the shovel-in-the-dirt photo op at all costs," said Lindsay Hicks, a spokeswoman for the project. "It was very successful and, aside from a diaper change and a minor puppy cleanup, went off without a hitch."
