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February 20, 2009
PA: New Bigger Prison to Proposed to Replace Graterford
New state prison planned
Thursday, February 19, 2009
By KEITH PHUCAS
Times Herald Staff
COURTHOUSE — Pennsylvania is planning to replace Graterford Prison with a new facility to reduce overcrowding, and construction could begin as early as next fall, according to the state’s Department of General Services.
Once the new facility is constructed, the prison would house up to 4,000 inmates, according to Ed Myslewicz, a spokesman for the state Department of General Services. The construction could cost between $350 million and $400 million.
The prison population in Pennsylvania has grown by 21 percent over the past six years from 37,995 in 2001 to more than 49,300 today in the state’s 27 correctional institutions, according to Department of Corrections figures. Currently, Graterford holds 3,400 prisoners.
The prison population is predicted to grow an average of 4 percent each year through 2012, according to state officials.
“We’ve been looking to expand because of the increase in inmate populations over the past few years,” said Department of Corrections spokeswoman Susan McNaughton. She said the average cost of building a prison in the state is about $200 million.
Myslewicz said money to build the new prison would come from the capital budget that was approved by the state’s General Assembly. State lawmakers authorized funding seven projects at an estimated cost of $862 million.
Employing a “design-build” concept would require approved construction contractors to design the structures as they are being built later this year. Requests for proposals are expected to go out in the spring.
“The state plans to put out design-build requests (for proposals) to get as many proposals as we can from construction companies,” Myslewicz. “We’re keeping an eye on costs to give the greatest value for taxpayers.”
The existing Graterford facility prison, which was built in 1929, will be mothballed because of the high costs and operational challenges it presents.
According to the Department of Corrections, the current facility is “difficult to manage, is very staff intensive” and would need more than $60 million to maintain operations during the next decade.
The planned prison is expected to operate using the existing 1,200 employees and is expected to pay for itself in 20 years with the operational savings.
The Graterford project is part of a broader state construction initiative that plans to add about 9,000 beds to the prison system. Other proposed building projects include prisons in Centre and Fayette counties. Prison officials also plan to add four housing units at correctional facilities in Crawford, Forest, Indiana and Northumberland counties.
County Commissioner Bruce L. Castor Jr., a former district attorney, welcomed the state’s efforts to deal with the overcrowding issue at Graterford — the facility that has been “a good neighbor.”
As well, he believes the proposed project would give a boost to the area’s lagging economy.
“Any expansion would be an opportunity to put more local residents to work in Montgomery County,” Castor said.
The Graterford facility would be built on existing state land and be completed within three years. The proposed prison will be certified according to energy-saving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ratings.
McNaughton said her agency is working to develop programs to keep nonviolent offenders out of state prison facilities to make room for violent offenders.
http://www.timesherald.com/articles/2009/02/19/news/doc499cd2a850d3c922029465.txt
Posted by lois at February 20, 2009 09:51 AM