The Erie Federal Courthouse serves the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.  The 135,000 square foot facility is composed of three historic buildings – the 1899 Erie Public Library, the 1937 Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, and the 1946 Isaac Baker and Son Clothing Store Building – plus a new annex and connecting lobby structure. It was completed in 2004 at a cost of $30.7M. Henry Adams designed upgrades to incorporate numerous emergency power connections that were “value engineered” out of the final construction. 

Upgrades included emergency power for elevators. This was important because the building has nine elevators. Some are for public use and others for prisoner transport. Power was also provided for radio and communications equipment, pumps, and lighting for several support spaces including the emergency generator room. Several air-handling units were transferred to emergency for heating purposes because a recent power outage showed a severe and potential damaging temperature drop in the all glass connector lobby. Means was also provided for remote indication of the emergency generator status.  Several challenges with the project included intercepting existing feeders buried beneath the concrete slab and circumventing beams low enough that they extended to the tops of doorways. All of the work needed to be completed without compromising the historical nature of the building.

Additional Information:

Location	Erie, PA
Construction Value	$30,700,000
Owner	General Services Administration
Architect	OKKS Studios / Delta

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