Mesa chef Taylor Blackburn examined soil and watched a watering system put in place on his new garden bed early Monday evening.

After experiencing a downturn for the past few years with its historical amenities and watching its landmarks deteriorate as their futures remained uncertain, preservation officials in the city of Mesa now have the means to renovate them in the near future.

Mesa officials hope to gather ideas for buildings, parks, programs and more from residents through a new app dubbed “This is My Mesa.” Through the app, people can provide ideas of what could be part of the city’s general, transportation or transit plan.

Mesa voters have approved a $70 million bond for the city to make a myriad of improvements, according to unofficial results

If you’re looking for the Mayor of Mesa, you won’t find him inside the box of old thinking.

The first tangible improvement to result from the iMesa initiative sprouted Thursday as the city broke ground on a downtown community garden.

Mesa has proposed a $65 million bond package for voters to consider this November after residents spent the last year outlining improvements they’d like to the city’s aging park system.

Mesa school and city leaders considering bond votes in November are moving closer to those decisions.

Mesa will begin testing the waters this month on a parks and recreation improvement package that could lead to the first major upgrades in the city since voters approved a bond package in 1996.

Mesa is considering buying the historic Buckhorn Baths to preserve the place where some of baseball’s most legendary players came for decades to sooth themselves in hot mineral water.

Mesa had long been viewed as dull and stuck in the past when, four years ago, a mayoral candidate with no political experience and a generic name made the improbable claim he was the best man to change the city’s image.

Mesa Mayor Scott Smith said voters will likely be asked to approve a modest bond package in November for critical public safety needs, but not for any of the ambitious projects identified in the iMesa initiative.

Mesa doesn’t have an impressive high-speed rail line to its airport, nor does it have venues that rival New York City’s Central Park or Times Square.

The first microbrewery in all of Mesa will open this summer in downtown, following an initiative by the city and business owners to develop a more lively Main Street.

Mesa is trying to shine a brighter light on historic preservation after the recession forced the city to scale back its efforts to recognize people who've saved elements of the community's past.

Mesa Mayor Scott Smith unveiled several initiatives for 2012 to grow his city's economy while working with other East Valley communities to boost the entire region.

Mesa is looking for people with a green thumb to start the city's first community garden, a project proposed by residents through the year-long iMesa initiative.

Mesa is looking for people with a green thumb to start the city's first community garden, and a workshop is scheduled to outline the steps in establishing one.

Mesa is probably most associated with its family orientation and the Mormon Temple, but not much else.

Residents can still vote for which 'iMesa' ideas they want to see at the initiative’s website, www.mesaaz.gov/imesa. Three of the top five ideas involve revitalizing the struggling Fiesta District, perhaps with a better streetscape or entertainment complex.

I need your votes. Real fast.

The idea of bringing municipal government to the mall may sound dull, but Mesa is planning a lively introduction to the city with a free concert, fire trucks, the police helicopter, raffles and more.