ST. LOUIS COUNTY — On one side of a 3-foot by 4-foot window, a furnished visiting room for a handful of bereaved to gather and pay respects.

On the other side, a chamber for placement of the departed on a gurney, sealed in a black bag, draped by a pall. It’s just a 15-minute visit, but it will have to do until quarantines are lifted and it’s safe to plan a funeral.

Out the back door from that chamber, a refrigerated warehouse with space for a worst-case scenario of 1,300 bodies. They would be tagged with bar codes and stored side-by-side on metal shelves in a warehouse chilled to between 34 and 38 degrees.

Welcome to the “Dignified Transfer Center,” also known as a “surge morgue.” It’s the St. Louis area’s temporary plan for storing dead bodies if their numbers overwhelm hospitals, morgues and funeral homes. The limited space in those facilities is already running out, as many families are postponing funerals until friends and loved ones can safely travel and come together for a final goodbye.

The purpose of the center, organizers said Friday, is to ensure that the dead are treated with dignity, and their bodies preserved, with attention to religious, cultural and family traditions. And also that people are kept safe.