This two-story, 46,000 square foot building is the new home of the 24th and
25th Police Districts and the East Division Detectives. The facility makes
use of a 2 acre brownfield site in Feltonville, a light industrial sector of
northeast Philadelphia within a ½ mile of the existing, much smaller
facility. Site preparation involved the removal of contaminated soil from
leeching underground oil storage tanks which once occupied the property. The
program includes approximately 25,000 square feet of office space for the
administration and operation of the police and detectives, locker rooms and
fitness facilities for staff, a cellblock with 25 cells linked to offender
processing areas, a two-car sallyport, and two preliminary hearing
courtrooms with a generous front lobby for public reception. The
architecture is derivative of existing institutional buildings along nearby
Allegheny Avenue . Monumental stairs ascend to three grand entrance portals
of masonry and cast stone. The massing and symmetry give outward expression
to the public function of the two centrally-located courtrooms, and the dual
occupation of the building by the 24th and 25th Districts which flank
either side. Its frontality distinguishes the public functions on the street
side from the private and highly secure spaces toward the rear.
Complex circulation and secured links between prisoners, police, court staff
and the public are achieved through careful design and sophisticated
security equipment including card readers, door monitors, security cameras,
and
closed- caption television. In addition to security concerns, the design
included space planning for 170 workstations which incorporated
telecommunications and teleconferencing equipment for the processing of
arrestees.
Thermally-efficient and durable materials such as groundface block, glazed
brick, insulated, heat reducing and bulletproof glass on the exterior, and
concrete masonry, ceramic tile, terrazzo and epoxy resin floors on the
interior, are critical to the sustainability, security and seamless
operation of this round-the-clock facility.
