TEMPE MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS CENTER
INSPIRED DESIGN:
Tempe Municipal Operations Center (TMOC) is a two-phase, 22-acre campus that consolidates and modernizes the City of Tempe’s municipal operations. The 119,847 SF five-building development houses Street/Transportation and Park Maintenance, Fleet and Solid Waste Groups, IT and support functions with offices, storage, shops and wash racks. By consolidating three dispersed and aging yards into one high-performance campus, TMOC enhances operational efficiency and service reliability while transforming a former open dump site into essential services facilities.
THOUGHTFUL STEWARDSHIP:
TMOC’s campus is grounded in passive performance and human-centered design. Buildings are oriented east-west to reduce solar exposure while optimizing daylight and views. Deep south-facing overhangs and strategic window placement temper harsh afternoon sun. More than 50% of regularly occupied spaces are daylit, creating healthier and more engaging work environments, including within the warehouse areas.
Durable, low-maintenance materials suited to Arizona’s climate define the campus. Concrete masonry block paired with metal panel accents provides thermal mass and longevity, while desert-toned finishes visually unify TMOC and its neighbor East Valley Bus Operations and Maintenance (EVBOM) facility. Protruding block patterns animate facades with shadow and rhythm, bringing human scale and architectural interest to the streetscape.
CREATIVE TEAMWORK:
Fleet bays are fully air conditioned rather than traditional evaporative cooling, addressing extreme heat conditions that previously impacted worker health and productivity. While hybrid systems combining evaporative cooling and air conditioning have been implemented in other recent municipal fleet maintenance facilities, TMOC is the first Arizona facility of this scale to implement this and reflects the City’s top priority for their employees’ welfare.
