Key Points (AI-assisted summary)
- Monroe County's new jail and sheriff's office is projected to cost nearly $250 million and will hold 500 beds.
- Construction on the new jail is expected to begin in July 2026 and be completed by the summer of 2029.
- The county council will further discuss the jail project at their March 11 meeting.
If all goes well and the project stays on schedule, Monroe County’s new jail and sheriff’s office off Ind. 46 just west of Bloomington will be completed in the spring of 2029. Preliminary plans call for 500 beds.
As February came to a close, the county commissioners unanimously approved moving forward with a design.
A connected building with shared common space will house the courts, prosecutor, county clerk, probation department and community corrections program. The two buildings will be constructed simultaneously and have a single, secure entryway at the 52-acre site on Hunter Valley Road.
How much is the jail and sheriff's office projected to cost?
The total construction cost for the justice complex, in the discussion stage for years, is estimated at close to $237 million.
County commissioners president Julie Thomas said the cost will have to be trimmed down. "We will continue to identify savings as the schematic design is developed," she said.
The county is paying $11.4 million, about $219,000 an acre, for the land where the jail is to be built. That brings the projected cost to nearly $250 million.
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