Dauphin County Courthouse | Renovations Upgrades
Renovations & Upgrades
Harrisburg, PA
Owner
Dauphin County
Harrisburg, PA
Design Professional
Buchart Horn/BASCO Associates
York, PA
PROJECT
The Dauphin County Courthouse, constructed in 1942, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Considered an outstanding example of the modern style of architecture, it uses a design vocabulary that combines classical proportions with a contrast of materials that serve as the main decorative ornament. L.R. Costanzo was chosen to perform multiple adaptive renovations and upgrade the total infrastructure of the courthouse.
CHALLENGES
- Building to remain fully functional during construction
- Matching of historic finishes
- Maintenance of security for judges, prisoners and the general public
- Coordination of multiple prime contractors
- Suppression of excessive construction noise
- Structural modifications to fit two oversize elevators in the center core of the building
SOLUTIONS
- Worked closely with Court Administrator, President, Judge and Architect to schedule deliveries, abate undesirable noise and update progress and move schedules
- Coordinated and engineered safe passages to provide access to all functioning areas
- Moved court-related functions to unoccupied administrative space, which allowed required eighth courtroom to function
- Coordinated with County security staff to assure deliveries were properly scheduled, workers accounted for and loose tools and construction materials were protected
- Hand dug excavations and engineered an innovative conveyor system to remove the materials from the interior of the building to outside for disposal.
CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
L.R. Costanzo experts coordinated, scheduled and constructed:
- Ground Floor – New Jury Assembly Room; New Cafeteria Facility; New Prisoner Receiving and Holding Cells; New Court Reporter’s Suite
- First Floor – New Sheriff’s Suite; New Security Stations
- Second Floor – New Clerk of Courts Suite
- Third Floor – Renovated Judges’ Suites
- Fourth Floor – New Law Library and Jury Deliberation Rooms
- Fifth Floor – New Courtroom with the latest technology and Judges’ Suites
- General – Asbestos abatement; two new 20 passenger elevators and associated structural demolition and structural bracing and modifications; new mechanical shaft extending from the basement to penthouse; renovation and refinishing of all corridors on all floors; associated work with upgrading total building systems (HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Fire Protection and Communications)