St. Mary’s Detention Center

Located in the St. Mary’s County Governmental Complex, the Detention Center is in need of expanded building and parking space along with upgrades to the mechanical and security systems. The Detention Center is on a site sloping down to expose a basement records room access on the back side of the building. Expansion would be to the front of the building, pushing into a cut slope creating drainage obstacles at the front door. Since the Detention Center is an active facility, design improvements need to be phased to maintain access for the entrance, work force program, and all security systems.

Soltesz was chosen to provide a timely and effective design solution with an office located within a mile of the project. The Detention Center was expanded into an existing parking lot and into a courtyard behind the District Courthouse. Innovative stormwater management was used to solve the drainage at the front door, which is treated in a micro-bioretention facility with an outfall around the corner of the building to a gravity swale. Soltesz also designed the retrofit of the existing storm drain network. Additional ESDs were provided including a submerged gravel wetland, grass channel credit, the retrofit of an existing bioretention facility, and two permeable paving parking lots to address the Detention Center’s parking needs plus assist with drainage. Each ESD was chosen to maintain the visual security around the perimeter of the Detention Center, while providing stormwater management in accordance with the 2010 Maryland Stormwater Ordinance. Temporary access was provided around the work zone for the daily work release program. Also, deliveries and inmate processing were temporarily relocated to manage the construction and security of the existing facility. ADA access was maintained during the construction phasing.