Hamilton County Coroner and Crime Laboratory

Project Narrative

The new Hamilton County Coroner and Crime Lab (HCCL) provides an elevated level of crime fighting and public health services to Southwest Ohio. The state-of-the-art, modern facility stands in stark contrast to their former space, a dark, cramped, outdated facility which did not accommodate the workload, was inflexible for future growth, and provided virtually no daylight as the building included a mere three windows. The County sought to construct a new, modern crime lab to consolidate operations and enhance the departments' long-term goals. This new, energy-efficient, and light-filled collection of lab, autopsy, office, meeting, and training spaces will propel the County to the forefront of forensic medicine and offer capacity for service growth over the next 30 years.

The 83,500 SF, three-story building is designed to connect visually and physically to nearby Summit Park, which extends north of the site. A large, airy entry lobby is designed to greet a variety of visitors in an open and bright environment; accommodating both grieving families and law enforcement/investigation professionals. A 150-person auditorium supports the training, investigatory, and community outreach mission of HCCL. The flat floor and retractable seating in the auditorium provide flexibility to host conferences and community events of a variety of sizes, which can also utilize the nearby exterior patio. Staff can find respite from their work at the 3rd floor breakroom and covered roof deck overlooking Summit Park.

                                           

Project Details

Submission Category

Building Architecture- Large Scale (>10,000 sf)

Date of Completion

May, 2021