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City of Chandler Insider Veteran employee shepherds City Hall to finish line
As an assistant to Chandler’s city manager, Marian Norris has often been assigned special projects that need a steady hand at the wheel to see them through to a successful completion.
None of those previous projects were ever as important or demanding as overseeing the site selection, architectural design, construction and furnishing of the new $73 million Chandler City Hall Complex. It is a project Norris has been involved with
STSN photo
BIG PROJECT: Marian Norris leading a tour through the new city hall.
in various capacities for more than a decade, requiring her full attention for the past several years. With the grand opening imminent, the 27-year Chandler employee is feeling slightly exhausted by the process, yet exhilarated at seeing the hard work of so many people come to fruition.
“Sometimes a big construction project’s architectural renderings look better than the final product, but in this case, the completed look of City Hall and the entire complex far exceeds the drawings,” Norris says. “Daytime or night, it is an amazingly beautiful building that will capture the imagination of our residents and
visitors for its appearance, efficiency and functionality.”
One of the most enjoyable and rewarding parts of the project was working with the City’s Visual Arts Coordinator Eric Faulhaber and members of the Chandler Arts Commission, says Norris.
“We faced a number of architectural challenges with the building design, and time and again we were able to find artistic solutions to those issues. The predominant one was how to
best mitigate the impact of the sun on the western side of the building. The solution was Turbulent Shade, a wonderful piece by artist Ned Kahn.”
Kahn’s artwork incorporates a series of 1,000 perforated stainless steel panels suspended on rods across the entire western facade of the building. The artwork moves in waves with natural wind currents, reflects light away from the building and acts as a natural light filter for the office windows. At night, the panels are bathed in cool blue light from above and warm amber from below. The eastern façade also includes the same art over a smaller area.
Fishing event offers family fun
SanTan Sun area residents are invited to Chandler’s Urban Fishing & Outdoor Safety Event from 8 a.m. to noon Sat., Nov. 13 at Veterans Oasis Park. Arizona Game and Fish Department fishing instructors will be on site to provide brief fishing lessons, with a limited number of fishing rods and a
limited supply of bait available on a first-come, first- served basis. Participants may fish without a license from 8 a.m. to noon once they have registered at the AZGFD booth.
The event, sponsored by the AZGFD and co-hosted by the Chandler Police and Community Service
departments, will also feature family-friendly activities, games and information booths. Veterans Oasis Park is located at 4050 E. Chandler Heights Rd. in Chandler. For more information, visit
www.chandleraz.gov/veterans-oasis or call 480-782-2890.
Norris is happy for the City employees who will work in the building and the residents who will visit for business or civic engagement, and the downtown merchants who will benefit from increased pedestrian traffic.
“It will be a great working environment for our staff, while giving customers easy access to many City services,” Norris says. “And while they are here they can enjoy sitting and relaxing in the City Hall courtyard or strolling through downtown along our beautiful new streetscape. I really think Chandler residents will take great pride in this project and their community.”
With her biggest project nearing completion, Norris doesn’t have to wonder what she will do next. “There are always more projects to be done, and I’m really excited about one that is tied to the City Hall project,” she says. “We are hoping to one day bring a solar energy project to downtown, and the top of the City Hall parking garage is one of our best options for where to place solar panels.”
Information provided by the City of Chandler Communications and Public Affairs Department.
Oct. 16 - Nov. 5, 2010
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