Apache Junction City Hall

By K. Robert Wendel

It's a new era in Apache Junction, with the completion of new offices and a recreation center in the rapidly growing Pinal County city east of Phoenix.

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The city, known primarily for its mobile homes and senior citizens, is rapidly being engulfed with suburban sprawl spilling over from Maricopa County. The city with 35,000 people has doubled in size since 1990.

New city offices and a multi generational recreation center are a major step forward for the city - and its image.

"With all of the development, the city is really shedding that old image," said Klindt Breckenridge, an architect and principal at Tucson's Breckenridge Group, which designed the $3.7 million multigenerational center. "These are a couple of the largest public buildings in Apache Junction."

Crews from the Phoenix office of CORE Construction started work on the two projects, with the 48,700-sq.-ft. city hall site work starting in December 2003. CanAm was the civil engineer. Construction on the 37,352-sq.-ft. multi generation center began in March 2004.

City staff began occupying the city hall in April and contractors are aiming for a June opening at the multi generation center.

Dick and Fritsche Design Group of Phoenix teamed with Salt Lake City-based MHTN Architects to design the $6.75 million city hall and magistrate's offices.

The two projects, which are separated by a natural wash and courtyards, relied on traditional Southwestern design that stretches back in history. The city hall features multiple elevations that break up the building mass and provide shaded courtyards and walkways from office to office.

"The original premise was the stacking and opening of plazas like the Anasazi did 1,000 years ago when they were designing their villages," said architect Chad Billings of Dick and Fritsche. "There are one-story sections and two-story sections that sort of stack up with continuous equal spaces."

Architects chose a steel frame structural system sitting on a 5-in. concrete slab- on- grade with footings. A three-coat stucco system in different color shades creates the final exterior finish.

"We went out and gathered up some rocks and dirt and tried to find paints >> that were basically of the earth," Billings said. "All of the colors on the building were already on the site before we were there."

At the multi generational center, programming requirements for large spaces meant a more uniform building that features a radius wall and a dry- stacked stone grand entry. The project is constructed of load- bearing masonry with steel trusses.

"It's a multi function building so you have to figure out how you are going to zone and separate space for maximum flexibility and control," Breckenridge said.

"The project has a large multipurpose room that serves as a banquet area, but you could also have a basketball game in there, so designing a building with a small footprint that meets all those needs was a challenge."

The multi generation center also features a dedicated basketball court and gymnasium with an elevated and cushioned playing floor that will make running and jumping a little easier on retirees' knees. There is a mezzanine-level jogging track around the perimeter of the gymnasium, along with an indoor rock-climbing wall.

Other amenities include rooms for arts and crafts, pottery and kitchen facilities.

Because the project was constructed under the U.S. Green Building Council' LEED. system, both contractors and designers took extra efforts to conserve resources.

"We took all the old asphalt and concrete and used that for an aggregate base course," said Merv Giles of CORE Construction. "We recycled all the old wood and even mulched the trees that were grubbed from the site." Designers went with roof top packages for heating and cooling, with the roof capped off with a "cool roof" that is lower in heat emissions. Another interesting aspect of the project involved transportation and parking. In addition to extensive parking for car pools to meet LEED standards, designers created trails for the ultimate in low emission transportation: horses.

Contractors built a stable for use by city employees and residents.

"People in Apache Junction really do ride," Breckenridge said. "It's kind of a goofy idea, but I think it's neat that people can ride their horses to city hall and save some gas."

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