Franklin County has completed a new 1,560-square-foot morgue facility to support the growing service needs of the coroner’s office as the county’s population continues to expand.

The standalone structure at 1310 N. Fifth Ave. in Pasco includes three main areas: a garage bay for receiving and releasing decedents, a walk-in refrigeration unit and an examination room designed for autopsies and donor gift recovery. The facility is located in the same building as WSU Extension, diagonally across from the Franklin County Courthouse.

An adjacent observation room allows investigators to observe examinations. The garage bay features an open, industrial interior while the examination and observation rooms are fully enclosed and equipped with HVAC systems for environmental control. The exterior is finished in stucco to complement the existing office building on the property.

The building will be used for the sheltering and care of human remains, the performance of medical and forensic examinations, and collaboration with organ procurement organizations like Lions World Vision and LifeNet Health for donor recovery and procurement activities.

County officials built the new facility to accommodate increasing service demands, improve operational efficiency and reduce reliance on other agencies. 

The project cost $960,000, including construction, mechanical systems, interior components and specialized examination and refrigeration equipment. Land cost was not included, as the county already owned the site, which previously served as a parking area.

Most construction and completion costs were funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, with the county covering the remainder.

The county will enter into an agreement allowing an organ procurement organization to lease use of the building, reimbursing its share of construction costs and resulting in a net-zero taxpayer expense.

The facility was completed Sept. 1.

MH Construction of Pasco is the general contractor.

Meier Architecture | Engineering of Kennewick is the architect.