The project to expand Graterford Prison (Project) which was previously canceled by the Pennsylvania Department of General Services (DGS) is now expected to move forward. According to an 10-8-10 Notice to Proposers, the proposal submission deadline was November 5, 2010, and the lowest bidder will be selected to complete the Project.
The purpose of the Project is to replace the existing facility which was built in 1929. According to Susan McNaughton, spokeswoman at the Department of Corrections (DOC), once the Project is complete, the old building will be uninhabited but “will be maintained in case [the DOC] need[s] to use it.”
Since its unveiling in January 2009, the Project has been hampered by litigation, but DGS believes that any outstanding issues have been resolved by the reissued bid. According to Troy Thompson, a spokesman for DGS, “[i]t was litigated and continues to be litigated, but we feel we have resolved those issues and our current bid package reflects that.” The Project is expected to take 3 years to complete and Thompson reported that it will generate approximately 625 construction-related jobs once ground is broken. The exact start date of the $365 million, 4,100-bed facility depends upon factors such as weather conditions and/or if the bid process is contested. Once underway, the Project will be one of the largest correctional projects in the country.