School buses no longer bring children to the former Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum and tourists keep finding the doors locked. But the building is now green. Will the value of the electricity generated by the solar panels offset the money the state is spending on a curator for an empty building? Reported status of the stimulus funded project is as follows.
Arizona Department of Commerce - Energy Office
Solar Photovoltaic @ the Arizona Experience
1502 W. Washington, Phoenix, AZ
Date Funded: 07/01/10 Senior Project Manager: Janet Collegio
General Manager: Roger Berna
Budget: $356,636.00
Budget Source: ARRA Index No. 21605
Architect/Engineer: Sky Engineering, Inc.
Contractor: Sky Engineering, Inc.
Notice to Proceed: 02/01/11
Completion: 01/30/12 (100 Percent Complete)
Project Description
Design and install a Photovoltaic System on the Arizona Experience (previously known as AZ Mining & Minerals Bldg)
Project Status
Installation of the solar photovoltaic system has been completed.
Waiting for an opening with APS to commission the system for conformity to plans and specifications.
Once system has been approved, APS will then schedule the change-out of the existing meter to a bi-directional meter.
Reference: Arizona Department of Administration, Project Status Report, Roger Burna, February 29, 2012
Awhile ago there was an article in the AZ Republic by someone from Sky Engineering gushing about the Arizona Experience Museum that would be in the building. It struck me as unusual unless he was prompted, as that museum had little support, was mired in controversy, and had little funding. So along with the green building there should be red flags waving to alert the legislature, the governor's office, AHS, and specially the AZ taxpayer that something is big wrong here! The governor's "birthday gift" isn't going to be a "Christmas gift" either, and it's time to fix the mess! What a way to honor Polly Rosenbaum for our Centennial! At least her plaque is still on the building.
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