The team of JCJ Architecture, Ricci Green Associates and Turner Construction comprised the design/build team for this 94,000 square foot facility delivered for the State of Connecticut. The complex is set on a brownfield site and includes courts and detention components.  The courthouse is made up of two courtrooms, a hearing room and all technical support areas;  the detention center includes 44 resident rooms and common areas capable of accommodating up to 84 residents, an outdoor recreation area, a gymnasium, food service areas and an education wing complete with multiple classrooms and library. An important objective of design was to create an atmosphere that was more reminiscent of a high school rather than a jail.

The project’s completion has been met with resounding enthusiasm as the previous facility was substandard, overcrowded and overdue for repair. This new facility not only better serves the community but also is recognized as another step towards the revitalization of the downtown Bridgeport area. Constructed on the banks of the Housatonic River, the project was erected on the plot formerly serving the Bridgeport Electric Trolley Yard. The site is framed by a firehouse on one side, the City’s newly completed transportation center on the other, a United Illuminating substation, historic drawbridges, railways and Interstate-95.

Recognition:
Engineering Excellence Awards, American Council of Engineering Companies, 2009