Farmington Correctional Center Tunnel and Building Repairs

Farmington Correctional Center opened in 1986, repurposing the former Farmington State Hospital mental health facility constructed in the early 1900s.  For the facility to function properly, occasional maintenance and repairs are needed to keep the prison up-to-date and secure.  Oates Associates was enlisted to design structural improvements to a deteriorating brick façade and concrete tunnel and to update the campus’s exterior lighting to create a safer night time environment.

The masonry walls at Building #14 were deteriorating and bowing severely due to water infiltration and rusted lintels that expanded, making the walls unstable.  Improvements included constructing a new masonry wall to tie into the existing brick wall.  The improvements also included replacing and removing the effected windows and replacing the shingle roof.

An underground concrete utility tunnel that runs under a roadway and connects two buildings showed signs of deterioration in the top slab.  Concerned that the tunnel could collapse, the facility staff added temporary supports to the top slab within the tunnel and a steel plate that spanned across the outside of the tunnel to distribute the vehicle loads.  After inspecting the tunnel, it was determined that the top slab should be replaced and waterproofed.  Replacement of asphalt paving on each side of the tunnel were required and minor grade adjustments to address drainage issues.