ILLINOIS STATE POLICE METRO EAST FORENSIC LABORATORY

Woolpert provided civil and structural engineering services as well as full-time construction observation for the new $26-million, 50,000-square-foot Illinois State Police Forensic Lab in Belleville, IL. The building houses multiple laboratories and features many of the latest forensic technologies. The facility is home to a receiving space, handling and cataloging areas, and evidence receipt and storage rooms. The new, state-of-the-art building also accommodates management, staff, clerical and support functions.

Designed to provide parking for approximately 50 staff on a very tight footprint, the facility boasts major site improvements encompassing storm water detention, signage and landscaping. The architecture, designed by Woolpert’s partner firm, prompted unique opportunities for creating a structural system that not only meets strict area seismic requirements, but is also integral to the design aesthetic. Woolpert also provided construction observation services to fill a very critical role for the Capital Development Board project manager and general contractor. By serving as the primary liaison to the out-of-town design firm, Woolpert maintained an open communication channel that ultimately resulted in a superior project.