Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.
I think there are many Glendale residents who may be unaware of the impending start of the Downtown Campus Renovation Project (DCRP). Our city hall has stood proudly at the intersection of 59th Avenue and Glendale Avenue for 40 years.
The building is old. Its A/C, plumbing and electrical are at the point of constant repair. It’s possible to continue to pour money into continuing repairs or to finally bite the bullet and renovate the building. Also 40 years old are the parking garage, the Council Chambers, the Amphitheater and Murphy Park. The parking garage leaks every time it rains, Council Chambers A/C is stuck on perpetual cold, the Amphitheater no longer has the sound infrastructure to support entertainment groups and in Murphy Park the trees are dying.
I am very proud and excited to be part of this momentous project. You should be too. Our signature city hall building will reflect the spirit of today’s Glendale.
The images presented here are conceptual only and have not been finalized or approved by the City Council. Our city hall is the heart of downtown. With the announcement of its renovation, various developers have expressed an interest in renovating older buildings or taking down vacant parcels for new projects. Its renovation has sparked renewed interest in our downtown. This project will make our amphitheater a true destination location able to accommodate a wider variety of entertainment. This renovation will finally create a “One Stop Shop”, a centralized location for all our citizens to access all city services in one location. Need a building permit? You will be able to access that service at our One Stop Shop. Need to pay your water bill? The One Stop Shop will be where you go. Need a copy of a public record? Visit the One Stop Shop.
Murphy Park, while retaining its unique, historical character, will be retrofitted with lush landscaping with plenty of trees providing shade. The amphitheater will have permanent seating available as well as a shade structure.
City Hall will provide a new, updated workspace for its employees while the exterior look of the building will reflect a Glendale that has proven itself to be the epicenter of all the amazing accomplishments that have occurred over the past 40 years that it has existed.
City Council has had a series of public workshop meetings regarding this project. Citizens have had many opportunities to weigh in. Unfortunately, while many downtown shop owners have participated, not many citizens from other parts of the city have used the public meetings to get involved.
Construction is slated to begin this month and the completion of the renovation and move in is expected to occur in the Winter of 2025. To date the council has seen possible concepts for the city hall renovation and surrounding area. In an upcoming workshop we will be presented with a final, suggested concept that will be shared with the public for further comments before the final design is approved by the city council.
© Joyce Clark, 2023
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