SKETCH COURTESY OF RICHARD HUBAL METRO PEOPLE RICHARD HUBAL A passerby might glance at the east side of Franke's Corner Bar at Broadway Avenue and Third Street in St. Paul Park and see only a wall adorned with a few banners advertising beer specials. Artist Richard Hubal, however, sees it as a blank canvas. The 48-year-old St. Paul Park resident is working on a project that will transform the drab 58-foot-long wall into a three-dimensional mural showcasing the city's past. How the project began: In March, Cottage Grove resident Keith Franke bought Botsie's Bar, which had a reputation for sometimes drawing a "hard-core crowd," said Franke, who also owns Park Cafe across the street. In April, Franke asked Hubal if he had time to paint an outside mural to brighten things up. "I like doing things on a large scale," Hubal said, "and when I looked at that wall I thought, 'We could definitely do something interesting with this.' " A discussion with Mayor John Hunziker and other members of the South Washington Heritage Society led to the idea of a mural depicting the city's history. St. Paul Park history: Hubal hopes to include about 10 buildings from the late 1800s and up to the 1930s, including an opera house, a two-room schoolhouse, St. Paul Methodist College, Parker House (a boarding house that burned to the ground), four churches (The Presbyterian Church, Church Of God, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and The Episcopal Church) and a Masonic temple. The mural also will include the Mississippi River, a toll bridge and a railroad station. What the project entails: Hubal began work last month by gathering old photos of the buildings and sketching them anywhere from 4 to 8 feet tall on half-inch plywood. Those images then will be cut out, and Hubal will paint them and apply clay to add depth. The images will be screwed to the wall in three layers, adding more depth. "I've seen murals all my life, and wanted to take a different approach to bring it out and make it pop," he said. Community support: Hubal, who is doing the work at no charge, said donations have come in from residents and local businesses, including Marathon Refinery, Anchor Bank and Duffy's Service Center. The local Menard's and Sherwin-Williams also have given Hubal a break on the cost of materials. "It has really turned into a community event," said Hubal, adding that four local artists have offered to help paint. Why he's doing it: "I think there are a few things in regards to this piece. It's going to beautify the city and give history to those moving into the area  there's a new development coming in near Grey Cloud Township. And I hope this gives a certain amount of pride to residents, too." Who he is: Hubal grew up in Woodbury and graduated from Park High School in 1975. He was inspired by his grandfather, Victor Hubal Sr., a scene artist who created sets for Laurel and Hardy, Ben Turpin, Ice Capades and the St. Paul Opera Co. "As a grandson, I was fascinated with his work," said Hubal, who manages a Fantastic Sams hair salon in Cottage Grove. Past work: Hubal displayed a clay bas-relief and acrylic painting exhibit titled "Winter Carnival Memories" during the 1996 St. Paul Winter Carnival. In 1998, Hubal unveiled his best-known  and most controversial  exhibit. Made up of 75 clay figures, "Little Chicago" depicted the violence of life in government-subsidized housing while capturing personality, character and dysfunction, he said. Family: Hubal has been married to his wife, Robin, since 1999 and has eight children, ranging from 25 to 4 years old. Upcoming: An official unveiling of the mural will be at 4 p.m. Aug. 20 during St. Paul Park's annual Heritage Days celebration.  Nick Ferraro / St. Paul Pioneer Press