Lancaster County selects contractor for new coroner facility; ARPA funds earmarked

Lancaster County staff and Coroner Deese told council that the county has selected a contractor and is advancing design for a new coroner’s office at a county-owned site on Pageland Highway.

County staff said the county initially designated $1,770,000 in ARPA funds in 2021 to renovate and expand the existing coroner’s office. Project scope and escalating costs prompted staff to identify a new site: approximately 5 acres at 1514 Pageland Highway (Old Dixie Road frontage). After an expedited bid process, the county awarded design and construction to the Fern Creek Group, a Chester County contracting firm.

Staff described a proposed facility of roughly 8,500 square feet that would include autopsy and morgue spaces, evidence and file storage, a sally port and associated site work and utilities. The county’s preliminary budget figure for the new facility is approximately $2,600,000 in ARPA funds; staff said final cost estimates are pending a survey and work to determine sewer access and that final figures will be presented in late March or early April.

Why it matters: the project reuses ARPA funds allocated in 2021 but changes scope and location to address escalating renovation costs and the operational needs of the coroner’s office, including autopsy and secure storage spaces. Coroner Deese and Deputy Coroner Collins attended the meeting and told council they are pleased with the design progress.

Next steps

Staff said Fern Creek Group is readying surveys of two parcels to determine sewer routing; the county will enter the civil design phase and return with final cost and survey information in a forthcoming meeting.

Ending

Coroner Deese thanked council for support and expressed satisfaction with the design progress; staff said they will return with finalized cost estimates once the sewer connection study and civil designs are complete.