CASE STUDY:
CENTER FOR FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY
Architect: URS
Electrical Engineer: Phillips Swager Assoc.
Owner: State of Michigan
General Contractor: Walbridge Aldinger
Project Foreman: Robert Terpstra
This project combined many of the elements of hospital construction with the exacting and difficult requirements of prison construction. The 530,000-square-foot facility included everything needed for long-term care of mentally ill patients, from medical exam rooms and recreational amenities to an in-house barber shop and complete courtroom.
All that required complex, integrated wiring and power systems. Security systems, fire alarm systems, video monitoring, communications – everything a high-security environment needs to keep everyone safe.
The all-masonry construction of the building required detailed working drawings and close coordination with mechanical trades to fit everything in to tight above-ceiling spaces. Nothing could be exposed, so any desired changes necessitated significant rework.
Installation of the various systems within the facility was a very large electrical project in itself. Fire alarm, card access, and CCTV systems were all designed to the exacting standards of a prison environment. Public address, CATV for the patients, telephone, and data networks were also installed within the same time frame.
Other Government projects:
| Project | Designed By | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Western Wayne Correctional Facility | Giffels, Hoyem, Basso, Inc. | Plymouth, MI |
| Chandler Family Aquatic Water Park | McNamee Porter & Seeley | Detroit, MI |
| North Huron Valley 1A | Wade, Trim & Associates Inc. | Dearborn Heights, MI |
| Detroit Public Schools Electrical Upgrade for E-Rate BP4A-4D | BEI Associates, Inc. | Detroit, MI |
| Center For Forensic Psychiatry | URS Corporation | York, MI |
| DWSD Fiber Optic Update | Sverdrup / Wade Trim | Detroit, Michigan |
| EPA Emergency Generator and Site Lighting | Harley Ellis Devereaux | Ann Arbor, Michigan |