End of Fieldwork Interim Report: Archaeological Data Recovery at AZ U:9:264 (ASM) and a Portion of La Lomita [AZ U:9:67 (ASM)], for the Centergate Distribution Park Property in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona

Under contract to Higgins Development Partners, Soil Systems, Inc. (SSI) conducted archaeological data recovery excavations between February and October 2007 at AZ U:9:264 (ASM) and a portion of La Lomita [AZ U:9:67 (ASM)] on approximately 60 acres of State Trust land in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona. This parcel of State Trust land has been leased by Higgins Development Partners (ASLD Lease No. 03-105720) to be developed as the Centergate Distribution Park. The excavations at two prehistoric archaeological sites was guided by a data recovery and monitoring plan approved by the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO; Breternitz et al. 2006) and included testing and data recovery of prehistoric features to clear the parcel for proposed building construction. The excavations recovered human remains, architecture, and other features, all of which were fully documented. All human remains and associated mortuary artifacts have been recovered and will be repatriated to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC) per the terms of Burial Agreement No. 07-02 issued to SSI by the Arizona State Museum (ASM). A 5-m buffer zone surrounding all known features and human remains at both sites has been achieved. Analyses of the human remains, artifacts, and features is on-going and will result in a final comprehensive report to be submitted to the ASLD and SHPO. This interim report provides the documentation to support SSI’s recommendation that no further archaeological fieldwork is needed in the Phase 1 project area and that construction be allowed to proceed.