Former U.S. Military Tunnel to House Panama Crisis Center

Minister to the Presidency Jimmy Papadimitriu says that the Quarry Heights tunnel in Ancon Hill will be converted into an Emergency and Crisis Center to respond to natural disasters.

Completed in 1942, the 302-foot by 7.5-foot tunnel was built by the U.S. Military and served as a secure intelligence, communications and joint operations command post center, “for use in case of emergency and vital to the security of important data,” through 1997.

The facility was constructed of reinforced concrete under 200 feet of native porphyry rock at a cost of $400,000 and included armored security doors, storage, a mezzanine, water-cooled air conditioning, 124 steps with landings every 31 steps, light, potable water, meeting rooms, a chapel and bathrooms.

More than $500,000 would be needed to restore the former U.S. Department of Defense tunnel which has suffered from water filtration over the years, Papadimitriu said.  This amount has been included in the 2011 budget to be presented to the National Assembly.