Century-old jail reborn as modern court. (restoration).

It was a peculiar scene in downtown Pittsburgh in late 1998. There were thousands of people braving below-freezing temperatures to wait in a blocks-long line to catch a glimpse of the Henry Hobson Richardson Allegheny County Jail's mysterious interior--a prospect most of the public always tried

The gathering was a final goodbye to the building's life as a jail that began in 1885. The 200,000-square-foot structure, with its massive granite walls and dramatic semicircular arches, was destined to undergo a $34 million transformation from a dark, damp, and inhospitable 19th century prison and was scheduled to emerge 17 months later as a bright, modern, inviting setting for the Family Division of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.

The finished product was the culmination of an exhaustive 10-year process.

Repair or close

In 1990, prompted by a successful prisoner-sponsored lawsuit, the institution was under a federal court order to repair the building or close it. Despite its handsome exterior attributes and attempts over the years to expand and modernize, the jail was woefully outdated and overcrowded. At times, as many as 900 prisoners were housed there--nearly 300 more than capacity. This condition forced inmates to double or triple up in the tiny, one-cot cells and sleep on tables or floors or in the gym and hallways.

Under pressure from the court, the county commissioners opted to build a new jail, and in 1995 the facility was vacated. Yet even before the move, questions arose about what to do with the abandoned jail. Because of its status as a historic landmark, demolition would have created a political impasse.

A variety of adaptive-reuse proposals were considered, including a shopping mall, a hotel, and a criminal court facility. During this review process, the family court system--which also suffered from cramped quarters and from ill-advised mingling of victims, witnesses, and staff--emerged as the logical future tenant.

In an effort to save the building and convince county officials of the economic benefits of preservation, IKM Inc. Architects of Pittsburgh became the project's chief protagonist. IKM prepared an extensive justification report calling for the family court to consolidate its 400 employees and operations from four different locations into the old jail.

Design and funding challenges

According to Mike Marcu, IKM president and CEO, "Our goal was to preserve this great historic landmark while making it fit into the community once again."

In 1993, IKM entered into a design contract with Allegheny County. Among the first major design tasks was creating a new floor structure to replace the five stories of cellblocks. "The old jail cells were freestanding from the building--basically a cage standing five stories tall," explained IKM's Frederick Watts, AIA, the project manager. "There was no real structure to utilize for a new function. We could either turn it into a museum or into a functional building that would have an economical benefit to the county. We also could preserve the exterior, and that became the key to the entire project."

But conceiving an adaptive-reuse design that was true to architect Henry Hobson Richardson's original concept and materials was just the first hurdle. The much larger obstacle to overcome was project financing. With a major financial commitment to an airport construction project and a plummeting bond rating, the county simply could not afford to tackle the project. A change in county leadership further complicated matters.

By 1998, with construction documents nearing completion, financing prospects looked bleak. "There were many times when I felt it wasn't going to happen," said Marcu. "This project had as many ups and downs as an elevator."

But IKM worked with several key members of the county's staff to create an innovative design-build/lease-back arrangement, which ultimately required approval from the Pennsylvania legislature. The plan enabled the county to pay renovation costs year-to-year without incurring additional long-term debt. Mascaro Construction Co. L.P. of Pittsburgh was picked as the developer in an open selection process and would complete the job as the design-build contractor.

"It didn't look like it was going to be doable, but with this method of sale and lease-back, we were actually able to complete the project," said Sam Taylor, the county's principal architect. "Mascaro Construction was extremely instrumental in getting the building financed."

A faithful restoration

Restoration of the structure's granite exterior, which required extensive research and coordination with the Historical Review Commission, remained faithful to Richardson's original design and materials.

Pre-construction inspections revealed that the existing exterior stonework had deteriorated, according to Watts. "There were a few structural cracks, all of which were repairable," he said. "There was a good amount of deterioration of mortar joints and a good deal of deterioration that abutted some of the steel bars, which were installed with a band around the perimeter of the openings as part of the 1904 addition. As a result, the area would rust and expand."

"The stone itself was 100% repointed and received a general cleaning. Because of the damage to some of the stone, we completely rebuilt some of the areas; in others, only simple patching was necessary," said Mike Cain, Mascaro's senior project manager. Needed granite was taken from other sections of the building to be reused. "We reused every single bit of stone that we had," he said. In addition to using the same granite, the original mortar was matched with portland cement lime mortar.

At the Forbes Avenue entrance, the former service courtyard and boiler house were given new life. A new courtyard was constructed along with a large, underground service area that retained its original functionality with the construction of a modern loading dock, sally port, and new main mechanical room. The courtyard also serves as an entry for juvenile offenders and a temporary holding area for court cases.

The two courtyards use an existing fan arched gate (formerly closed with granite ashlar facing) on Diamond Street. A new arch was installed, which historically matches the size and style of the original. Using stone salvaged from the exterior wall, a matching 6-foot voussoir was created in the north wall on Fifth Avenue. Existing granite also was used to make benches and pedestals. Metal gates in the larger arches, recalling the patterns of the existing Ross Street gate (likely dating from 1912), complete the perimeter.

All of the historic wood windows were replaced with custom-made arched aluminum windows. Their design was based on an original shop drawing discovered at the University of Pittsburgh's Hillman Library. The design was later validated based on a window that was uncovered behind a stone wall in the north wing.

Historical considerations on the roof involved lifting and resetting the existing tile and replacing approximately 50% of the area with exact replica tile to match the original. The original "Akron Tile" roofing was salvaged or re-laid atop new fire-retardant wood sheathing. All copper gutters and downspouts were replaced to match the originals.

A building within a building

While the exterior appears much as it did more than 100 years ago, the interior was vastly modified. "Converting the dark, austere, noisy place of incarceration into a bright, open space appropriate for family courts was a challenging and delicate task," said Marcu. "We worked closely with several historical groups to remain faithful to Richardson's original design while also being particularly sensitive to the children and families who would use the facility."

The interior design called for constructing a building within a building. Because the jail was basically a shell--with the freestanding cellblocks rising five stories--only the basement and the roof level were static. Thus, the building team had to create floors. Additionally, IKM and Mascaro faced the challenge of designing and constructing the new interior superstructure without impacting Pittsburgh's mass transit subway system running beneath the building.

IKM's designers originally planned to use a steel floor structure within the building. However, the steel would have been difficult to transport through doorways and to erect; therefore, a post-tensioned concrete floor was specified. The concrete was i poured around a series of tensioned cables. All new work is supported on new foundations, allowing the existing structure to remain separate. The design uses floor heights that coincide with the sight lines of Richardson's original exterior windows, thus eliminating the presence of obtrusive spandrel glass. No new penetrations of existing exterior stonework were necessary to accommodate the new louvers.

The great rotunda emerged as the focal point of the interior preservation process. The color palate used in Richardson's original work was used as the basis of selection for the building's interior finishes. Interior granite columns were cleaned and the plasterwork was restored.

New stone tile finishes use the original Milford Pink granite in the public areas. "We obtained the granite floor tile from the same Connecticut quarry where the building's stone had originated 100 years before," said Cain. The 16x16-inch Milford Pink granite tiles were used throughout the ground floor and elevator lobbies. Milford Pink with a flamed finish was also used for the interior walls of the entranceways.

Preserving the jail's history for public view, an exhibit area features replications of 19th century cells. Also, 1904-era cage cells were salvaged and reconstructed as a centerpiece for the exhibit.

While past use is preserved, the building today is based on the most modern models for court facilities. HVAC, lighting, telecommunications, data, and security systems are sensitively integrated and do not detract from the building's historic exterior. A secure corridor system separates walkways used by judges and prisoners from the general public. A private collegial floor for judges allows efficient scheduling of courtrooms on the levels below. Secure elevators carry judges and prisoners behind the scenes. Other modern accommodations include separate waiting areas for victims and witnesses, a children's play area, concessions, and a courtyard.

"The building still conveys a sense of the past, but hopefully it also conveys a respect for the law rather than fear of it," reflected Marcu.

Construction Costs

General conditions                $2,450,000
Demolition                         2,700,000
Concrete                           2,800,000
Masonry, repointing                2,200,000
Structural, miscellaneous          1,200,000
Carpentry                            950,000
Roofing, skylights                 1,850,000
Windows, doors, curtain wall       2,450,000
Drywall, flooring                  4,450,000
Washroom accessories                 120,000
Specialties                          110,000
Window treatments                     20,000
Elevators/lifts                    1,250,000
Fire protection                      550,000
Plumbing                           1,450,000
HVAC                               5,200,000
Electrical                         4,150,000

TOTAL                            $33,900,000