1970s
Serving the Justice System
Pease began serving the justice system with the reconstruction of the 52-acre maximum-security Central Prison, in Raleigh, for the Department of Correction. This project spurred the development of essentially a small city and construction costs that, to date, total over $250 million. Early on in the project, one engineer remembers a midnight run to Raleigh to repair a water line that cut off the prison’s entire water supply. This level of client service is why Central Prison continues to call on Pease today. Local experience began with Craven County Jail and went on to include justice projects in over 25 counties, spanning east to west throughout the state.
Urban design continued to flourish with the 32-story First Union Tower, Charlotte’s first skyscraper and North Carolina’s tallest tower, along with the Charlotte Observer Building and Duke Energy Electric Center. The design of Allstate’s Regional Data Center led to an ongoing relationship that continues today. The firm’s reach expanded to Georgia, New Jersey, Texas and Utah.
J. Norman Pease, Jr. became president of the firm in 1974, succeeding George Rawlins. He was appointed to board chairman in 1977 when Jim Stenhouse retired.
