Members of Allegheny County Council tour former Shuman Juvenile Detention Center
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Members of Allegheny County Council had the opportunity to walk through the former Shuman Juvenile Detention Center on Tuesday.
They had a chance to see what type of shape the facility is in and understand what will be required to put it back into operation.
Councilperson Pat Catena said he saw various parts of the building over a one-hour period. He said he is not sure about the roof, HVAC, water or physical security of the building.
"There is a lot of structural work, physical work that needs done," Catena said.
He added that he was told by the Allegheny County manager that the administration is working on a request for proposals to evaluate the needs of the building.
But a county spokesperson told KDKA-TV there is no request for proposals, adding the county manager is getting an assessment of the building by going through the county process.
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With the amount of work that needs to be done, Catena is not sure that a year-end time frame to reopen is realistic.
"There is hope to have maybe a section of this reopened by next year, within the next six months," he said. "Again, there are a lot of things that need to take place. I urge people to be patient."
Councilperson Bethany Hallam said no one could document anything Tuesday.
"They wouldn't let me take pictures," she said. "They said it was a detention center, nobody has been detained there in a year and a half."
Last month, Catena sent a letter to Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald requesting a tour, saying, "It's imperative to see what the current structure looks like today."
In 2021, Shuman closed after the state shut it down for violations. But rising teen crime has caught the attention of the county council, and Fitzgerald's office announced efforts to find solutions by the end of the year.
"Everyone realizes there is a sense of urgency, but we need to get this done," Catena said.
Last month, Allegheny County Council introduced a motion for what is being called a juvenile justice study group. The Public Safety Committee is going to take a deeper look at the future of Shuman or a place like it in the county.