Groundbreaking held for Cape Girardeau County Jail addition
JACKSON, Mo. (KBSI) – The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office held a groundbreaking for a new jail addition on Tuesday morning.
In 2013, the Cape Girardeau County Commission began reviewing all county facilities, officeholder space needs, departments, and park structures.
Some capital needs that were identified included replacing the 1854 and 1908 courthouses with good and sufficient space for court proceedings, juvenile court administration, jail addition, and establishing an Emergency Operations Center.
The county began to develop a long-range plan to address these items and others.
The Cape County citizens approved a tax in 2015 for the purpose of constructing and maintaining a courthouse.
In 2020 the citizens approved a law enforcement tax for operation and infrastructure for the sheriff’s department.
After addressing the needs of the court(s), EOC, and juvenile, county leaders began the process of planning for a jail addition/renovation.
The design-build team of Penzel/TreanorHL was selected to build an addition to the existing jail campus and renovate the 1908 courthouse.
“I am honored to be part of this historic project, the largest in the County’s history, being built in a community that my family has lived in for 170 years,” said Phil Penzel.
Ruth Ann Dickerson the Sheriff for the Cape Girardeau Sheriff’s Department says,
“Currently in our facility we are overcrowded, and have been for a good while, so this expansion will give us the room we need to not be as overcrowded as we are in our current facility and looking forward to the future.”
The jail project will include the addition of 360 beds, new kitchen and laundry, inmate property system, storage, employee locker room, and future space.
The expected completion of addition is December 2024.
The current jail space that was constructed in 2000 will be renovated to include 150 beds. It will begin after completion of the new addition.
The total expected cost will be $48,939,295 funded by certificate of participation bonds, ARPA funds and law enforcement sales tax.
The 1908 courthouse will be renovated to include electrical, HVAC, elevator replacement, and exterior repair.
The expected of the 1908 courthouse renovation is Summer 2024. At that time some county offices will be occupying the renovated space. Total expected cost will be $7,712,717 funded by the county’s capital improvement fund.
FOX23 News’ Sasha Moore was at the groundbreaking and will have more details on FOX23 News at 9 p.m.
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