Progress continues on new Fayette County Prison
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Construction continues to progress on the county’s new prison.
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The new Fayette County Prison is scheduled to be completed in 2023.
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Construction on Fayette County’s new prison is continuing.
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Officials said work on the new Fayette County Prison has remained within the budget.
A recently released report has offered updates on construction of the new Fayette County Prison.
The seven-section report was issued by Site LogIQ, the project construction manager for the estimated $51 million lockup at the site of the former Army Reserve Training Center in Uniontown. A ceremonial groundbreaking took place in March.
The project is being funded through the USDA’s low interest Community Facilities Direct Loan.
The report stated that asbestos abatement and demolition were completed within budget and on schedule by May 31, and the engineering and environmental consulting firm Skelly and Loy provided on-site environmental oversight and testing services throughout the abatement and demolition process.
The report noted that the building pad for foundation work was completed ahead of schedule, and soil mitigation, electrical and plumbing work, building sequence planning, layout and retaining wall construction all occurred during July and August.
Commissioner Scott Dunn said he’s pleased to see construction is progressing both on time and on budget.
“It’s great to see so many local subcontractors being utilized,” Dunn said. “While it’s never popular to build a new jail, it’s much needed given the age and condition of the existing facility; and what people forget sometimes is that our employees work inside those walls, so we are improving their work environment as well.”
Commissioner Vince Vicites said the contractors hired for the project were all the lowest responsible bidders, and most work with the trade unions in the region, which he said is important.
“The bids were nearly $5 million lower than the projected cost of the construction for the new prison, which is great,” Vicites said.
An advocate to build a new prison since before he took office in 2016, Commissioner Dave Lohr said once finished, the facility will provide innovative services and training for the inmates. County residents support that type of rehabilitation, he said.
“You don’t often hear people talking about being excited about a new prison, but that’s what I’m hearing on the street,” Lohr said.
Vicites said the prison remains on track for completion by the spring of 2023.
“Building this jail now was in the best long-term interest of Fayette County,” he said.
“It’s been a painstaking process with attention paid to every detail,” Lohr added. “It’s really teamwork at its finest and a great example of what Fayette County is capable of.”
The full report is available at www.fayettecountypa.org/797/Fayette-County-Prison-Project.