This article originally appeared in the Bucks County Courier Times - Thursday, September 16, 1976.
Missile Base Eyed As Prison Site
By Carl LaVo
Courier Times Staff Writer
An abandoned U.S. Army missile base in Bristol Township may become the site of a new Bucks County minimum security prison.
County government officials including John D. Case, director of the department of corrections, were to inspect the 12-acre site today to determine if the buildings on the property could be converted into a rehabilitation center.
The property contains 10 buildings, some of which were once used as Army barracks. The acreage is located near the intersection of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I-95.
Recently, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) offered the formed NIKE missile base to the county free-of-charge -- provided it be converted into a county facility.
State and local agencies were also notified about the availability of the property, a state official administering the program said. Charitable organizations and churches may also apply, he said.
Application will be evaluated by the GSA and a ruling will be made. It is possible, the official said, the land use could be divided among two or more groups.
The anti-aircraft missile base was constructed in the 1950s when national concern peaked over the possibility of a massive enemy attack on the United States. An intricate system of NIKE bases which included underground missile silos was constructed to protect it.
The missile bases became obsolete in the 1960s with the development of missile-launching submarines. As a result, NIKE bases throughout the country, including three in Bucks county, were dismantled.
The part of the site offered for surplus was used as the communications center. The spot where the missile silos were located is being used by the U.S. Army Reserve.
The county commissioners stressed yesterday that they have not determined whether they will accept the property and for what use.
The county was notified by letter from the GSA about the availability of the site.
Today, Case, Kulp and several other county officials were to tour the property as part of the feasibility study.
Case optimistic
In an interview yesterday, Case was optimistic the site could be used as a minimum security prison to serve Lower Bucks.
When the GSA offer was made a few weeks ago, County Real Estate Director A. Warren Kulp was directed by the commissioners to contact all county department heads to determine if any could use the property.
Warden Case recommended the site for a rehabilitation center.
Currently, he said, the county has only one such facility -- in Edison in Central Bucks. Built in 1964 and expanded two years ago to accommodate a maximum of 90 prisoners, the center is overpopulated at present, Case said. Up to 120 prisoners are being housed at any one time at the center, he said.
"It's overcrowded and most of the inmates come from Lower Bucks," he said of the center.
"Very preliminary" plans for another minimum security prison in Lower Bucks have been suggested in the county's master capital improvement plan.
Case said the NIKE base site might be appropriate for that use. "Hopefully, there will be no zoning problems," he said, The warden speculated the Army base could be converted to a prison to handle 50 inmates. He said the new feneral Public Works Act could pay the cost of the renovation.
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