[0:00] Hi there, Drew with the comm's

[0:01] department. If you didn't have a chance

[0:02] to see the new city hall building on the

[0:04] November 1st open house, we got a

[0:06] special treat for you, a virtual tour.

[0:08] Come on in. First up, we got the main

[0:11] lobby. Step into a bright open space

[0:13] that immediately sets the tone for your

[0:15] visit. With large glass entrances,

[0:17] modern finishes, and an intuitive

[0:19] layout, the new lobby welcomes guests

[0:21] from all three building entrances. Some

[0:24] features include public seating and

[0:25] workstations with Wi-Fi for remote work

[0:27] or waiting. A warm, professional

[0:30] atmosphere designed to make your visit

[0:31] easier.

[0:34] Up next, we have the senior center. Here

[0:36] is the main room and kitchen. This hub

[0:38] for community connection hosts parties,

[0:40] performances, speakers, game and

[0:42] interest groups for embracing 55 and

[0:44] forward living. In 2024 alone, the

[0:47] senior center in the previous building

[0:49] logged over 11,000 visits. Some features

[0:52] include no annual membership fee,

[0:55] non-residents are always welcome, a

[0:57] modern kitchen for serving small and

[0:59] large events, adventure day trips,

[1:01] lunchons, educational workshops and

[1:03] performances.

[1:05] [Music]

[1:07] There's a conference room in the senior

[1:09] center. This flexible meeting space

[1:10] supports a range of essential services.

[1:15] Over here we've got the classroom and

[1:16] maker space. From wood carving to

[1:18] musical band practice and art classes,

[1:20] this creative space is where lifelong

[1:22] learning and connection happens. Some

[1:24] features. It's the home of the Wednesday

[1:26] wood carvers, art and hobby classes,

[1:29] chan jammers, music group. In the senior

[1:31] center in the previous building, we saw

[1:33] over 8,000 game, creative arts, and

[1:35] group participants. last year alone.

[1:40] [Music]

[1:43] All right, back out to the main hallway

[1:44] and we've got the service desk, a single

[1:46] centralized service counter for

[1:48] streamlining help. Visit the service

[1:49] desk to do anything from paying utility

[1:51] bills to applying for permits or just

[1:53] getting help with general city

[1:54] questions.

[1:56] Heading south down the main hall, we get

[1:58] to the training room with space for 80.

[2:00] This is where staff trainings, public

[2:02] workshops, and open houses take place.

[2:05] City Council meets for work sessions

[2:06] before regular meetings to ask

[2:08] questions, explore issues, and

[2:10] collaborate here. Some features include

[2:12] built-in AV technology and flexible

[2:14] seating for various meeting formats.

[2:22] Across the hall, we've got law

[2:23] enforcement. Chanhassen contracts with

[2:25] the Carver County Sheriff's Office to

[2:27] provide law enforcement services. Some

[2:29] features include a secure visible office

[2:31] within city hall, on-site evidence

[2:33] storage to reduce trips to the

[2:34] government center in Chesca, and a drug

[2:36] dropbox for safe, environmentally

[2:38] friendly disposal of medications. Right

[2:41] next door is the building department.

[2:42] Although many permits are now online,

[2:44] this department remains essential for

[2:46] safety and code compliance. Primary task

[2:48] of the building inspection division is

[2:50] to provide for the city's health,

[2:52] safety, and welfare through the

[2:53] administration of building and fire

[2:55] codes.

[2:58] Down the hall, we've got the finance

[2:59] department and the city clerk's office.

[3:01] The finance and city clerk's offices

[3:03] keep Chanhassing running smoothly and

[3:05] transparently. In the same area, we've

[3:07] got the parks and wreck department. From

[3:09] summer concerts to ice rinks, parks and

[3:11] recreation is at the heart of

[3:12] Chanhasson's community life. This

[3:14] department plans and maintains city

[3:16] parks, trails, and natural areas while

[3:18] offering hundreds of recreation programs

[3:20] for all ages.

[3:25] Wrapping around back out to the main

[3:26] hallway, we've got the reception desk

[3:28] and some artwork. Across the hallway

[3:30] from the reception desk, you'll find a

[3:31] handwoven fiber artwork by artist

[3:33] Rebecca Whitaker that mirrors the city's

[3:36] map. The reception desk is where

[3:37] visitors can get directions, ask

[3:39] questions, or connect with the right

[3:41] department. Designed for accessibility

[3:43] and visibility, it serves as the

[3:45] welcoming center of city hall,

[3:46] reflecting the city's commitment to

[3:48] transparency and service.

[3:52] All right, time to head upstairs. Up the

[3:54] grand staircase. More than just a way to

[3:56] get upstairs. This architectural feature

[3:58] celebrates the natural beauty of

[3:59] Channassen. There's also an elevator

[4:01] nearby if you need one.

[4:05] Once we get upstairs, we can go right

[4:07] into the council chambers. Public

[4:09] meetings are now more comfortable and

[4:11] accessible than ever. Some features here

[4:13] include improved seating and lighting,

[4:15] integrated sound and broadcast

[4:16] technology, overflow seating area with

[4:19] live video and audio.

[4:25] It's also used by planning, park and

[4:27] recreation, and other commissions.

[4:30] [Music]

[4:34] Next up, we've got the break room.

[4:36] Believe it or not, this is a brand new

[4:37] feature. The old city hall had no

[4:39] dedicated staff break area. This is a

[4:42] meaningful step in supporting employee

[4:43] wellness.

[4:45] [Music]

[4:52] Speaking of wellness, we have the

[4:53] wellness room, a private, flexible space

[4:55] for lactation, rest, or personal care

[4:57] needs.

[5:01] Back across the hallway, we've got the

[5:02] fire and IT offices. Offices for the

[5:05] fire chief, fire marshall/ass assistant

[5:07] chief, and city IT professionals are

[5:09] coll-located to support emergency

[5:11] planning and digital operations.

[5:13] [Music]

[5:16] Heading back south, we come to community

[5:17] and economic development and water

[5:19] resources. Community development guides

[5:22] planning, zoning, and redevelopment to

[5:23] ensure thoughtful growth in strong

[5:25] neighborhoods. Economic development

[5:27] supports local businesses through

[5:29] retention, expansion, and attraction

[5:30] efforts to strengthen the city's

[5:32] economy. Water Resources manages storm

[5:34] water systems, sustainability

[5:36] initiatives, and water quality across

[5:38] the city.

[5:42] [Music]

[5:44] Up next is the engineering department.

[5:46] Engineering ensures Chanhassen's

[5:48] infrastructure is safe, efficient, and

[5:50] built to last. This team manages road

[5:52] and utility projects, reviews

[5:54] development plans, and oversees

[5:56] maintenance of the city's storm water,

[5:58] sewer, water, street, and transportation

[6:01] systems. all with a focus on long-term

[6:03] reliability and sustainability.

[6:07] Our last department is administration

[6:08] and communications. The city manager and

[6:11] other key administrative staff work here

[6:13] to lead the day-to-day operations and

[6:14] support the city council's policy

[6:16] decisions. The communications team also

[6:18] works here where they brainstorm

[6:20] creative ideas, manage public outreach,

[6:22] and shape the city's digital presence.

[6:24] Hey, that's my desk.

[6:27] [Music]

[6:32] The porch, a civic gathering place. This

[6:35] porch encourages informal conversation

[6:37] and community connection.

[6:41] All right, now for something that nobody

[6:42] got to see on the November 1st tour, the

[6:45] roof. And look, some solar panels. We'll

[6:49] be doing an in-depth feature on those

[6:51] shortly.

[6:53] [Music]

[6:58] And down here we've got the parking

[7:00] garage.

[7:02] This is where city fleet vehicles park

[7:04] as well as Carver County Sheriff's

[7:06] Office squad cars. And that's it. We

[7:09] hope you enjoyed your virtual tour and

[7:11] we hope you'll stop by in person

[7:12] sometime and say hello.