Navajo Nation Justice Centers
Navajo Nation Justice Centers
Client: Dyron Murphy Architects
Location: Tuba City, Arizona and Crownpoint, New Mexico
Lopez Engineering, Inc. (LEI), subcontractor to Dyron Murphy Architects, developed LEED platinum design for the 42 million dollar Navajo Natio Justice Centers located in Tuba City, AZ and Crownpoint, NM. The Justice Centers are one of the largest construction projects ever undertaken by the Native American Navajo Nation. project includes a prototypical design to include a correctional facility, law enforcement, three courts, peacemaking and a juvenile correctional facility, for a total of 112,000 square feet. The prototype design will be the model used for each site at Tuba City and Crownpoint, which will then be modified for each site location and for subsequent projects throughout the Navajo Nation.
LEI worked closely and directly with the Contractor on this design build project to provide a design that met the needs of the owner and also the owner’s budget. With government funds appropriated to this project, the schedule to start construction was paramount and realized.
The corrections component will include separate sections for booking/intake, food service, exercise, education, rehabilitation, and housing components along with a designated outdoor space for traditional Navajo Hogan and a sweat lodge. The law enforcement component will have administration, investigation, patrol, evidence storage, armory, inmate visitation and a dispatch/communication space. The courts area will include (1) jury court room, (2) non-jury court rooms and administration. The peacemaking area will be centrally located and will resemble the shape and traditional form of a Navajo Hogan. The prototypical facility will also include a community/training room, staff wellness, and other support functions within the administration areas of the facility. The main public spaces are designed to be open and welcoming.
LEI provided services for the power generation, electrical service, lighting control, telephone/data, and fire alarm. The Justice Center Facility contains multiple buildings that will be powered from a central normal electrical distribution switchboard. Electrical power is provided from a pad mounted transformer, the switchboard sizing complied with the BIA School Standard 11040-4.6. Emergency power for the facility will be provided from a single diesel generator. The generator will operate on diesel fuel with sizing base on the sum of the required emergency power systems and stand-by systems from each building. Lighting in all areas accessible by detainees shall be provided from fluorescent fixtures rates for high abuse/tamper resistant. All lamps are T8 with high efficiency ballasts. Telephone/data system consists of two 4″ conduits providing the building exterior to the main telephone/data server room for service connection. For fire alarm, the system is indicated with full coverage of fire alarm notification and detection devices. It is located in the main building telephone/data server room, with a remote annunciator panel. LEI performed field investigation, design documents including drawings, specifications, calculations, basis of design, and will provide support through bid and construction administration phases.