Lake County jail rises: steel erection begins; county aims to roof structure by December

Jason Boyd updated the Lake County Board of Commissioners on the new county jail construction, saying steel columns were being erected at the site and that the contractor has mobilized multiple loads of steel this week.

Boyd narrated a live camera view of the worksite and described the site layout: multiple elevator and stair shafts, a main facade "front porch," secured employee parking and a public lot near Route 20. He said the contractor, Gilbane, uses an on‑site camera for quality control and that steel deliveries are staged in trailers and field offices.

Boyd acknowledged schedule impacts from a May 1 encounter with an unmarked natural gas well: "We lost about 21 days. We're down to 10 days in Gilbane," he said, adding that the team is working to make up time. He said furniture selections and final design decisions are near complete, and the county is pursuing value‑engineering choices to reduce cost (for example, evaluating secure drywall with reinforced mesh instead of metal ceiling panels).

Boyd said the project team hopes to have the roof on the building by December to protect interior work from Northeast Ohio weather. He said the county expects a steel‑topping ceremony in October and a ribbon cutting in 2027.

Sheriff's office representatives and commissioners discussed site details including a secure controlled access drive, an approximately 8‑ to 9‑foot security fence, and camera monitoring. Boyd described a retained parcel the county acquired (previously the Burger King site) as necessary to provide site footprint and construction staging.

The board did not take formal action on the update; it was presented as an informational report. Commissioners thanked staff and contractors for progress and for measures to recover lost schedule days.