City of Glendale Unveils Reimagined Downtown Campus at Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Okland Construction celebrated the completion of the reinvestment project more than forty years after the existing facility was built.
GLENDALE, AZ — Okland Construction joined the City of Glendale, project partners, community leaders, and residents on June 18 to celebrate the completion of the City of Glendale Downtown Campus Reinvestment Project with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony, commemorating a transformative investment in the City’s civic heart as Glendale celebrates its 116th birthday.
The 114,676-square-foot renovation transformed the City’s civic campus, modernizing the six-story City Hall, Council Chambers, Murphy Park, the E. Lowell Rogers Amphitheater, and the adjacent parking garage into a vibrant public destination that will serve Glendale for generations to come.
Construction began in November 2023 and required the comprehensive renovation of facilities originally built in 1984. The project included demolition of the existing interior and exterior building envelope, replacement of major mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, construction of modern interiors and finishes, installation of a new exterior façade, and extensive site improvements throughout the campus.
New features include a reimagined E. Lowell Rogers Amphitheater with tiered seating and a shade canopy, updated Murphy Park, new elevators and interior stairs, roof-mounted air-cooled chillers and air handling units, and new steel stair towers serving the parking garage. Together, these improvements create a more welcoming, accessible, and sustainable civic campus while enhancing the functionality of the City’s public facilities.
“It’s been an honor to work alongside the Mayor, Council, city leadership, staff, design team, and all our trade partners to bring this vision to life, ” said Bill Okland, CEO of Okland Construction. “This campus didn’t come together because of any one person or organization. It came together because a lot of people cared deeply about getting it right. Their fingerprints are on every part of this project.”
Delivering the project required careful planning and coordination to maintain City operations throughout construction. As the centerpiece of Glendale’s Downtown Campus Reinvestment initiative, the completed campus reinforces the City’s commitment to sustainability, innovation, and creating welcoming public spaces that support community engagement. Okland Construction is proud to have partnered with the City of Glendale, Holly Street Studio, Lightvox Studio, and the many trade partners whose collaboration made the project possible.
