Salina staff present multi-decade plan: knock down old jail, relocate health department, reuse Memorial Hall as city–county campus

Salina city and county staff and their consultants on Monday presented a multi-decade space study that recommends demolishing the old jail, relocating the county health department, and repurposing Memorial Hall and the existing municipal complex to address long-term space shortages.

The study’s consultants and city/county presenters said the first recommended action is demolition of the old jail, a move the county can finance from cash on hand. Over succeeding years the report recommends finding a new site or building for the health department, moving many administrative functions to Memorial Hall if a private developer does not take it, and turning the current city–county building into a consolidated judicial center. The study includes high-level cost estimates and a proposed sequence that staff described as a 20-year strategy rather than a near-term fix.

Why it matters: the study aims to resolve long-standing space shortages on the county side of the city–county building and to preserve downtown function and pedestrian flow while clarifying ownership questions that have accumulated from decades of ad hoc leases and trades. Staff emphasized that the project is strategic and phased and that no final decisions or bond measures were requested at Monday’s session.

Key recommendations and near-term steps - Demolish the old jail: Staff told the commissions the county has cash on hand to pay for demolition and that demolition bids could be awarded by late fall if the commissions follow the proposed schedule. - Relocate the health department: The study recommends selecting either a build-to-suit on the cleared jail site or renovating an existing building in Salina; staff said Celina/Salina Family Healthcare’s building is among potential options depending on that organization’s timeline. - Reuse Memorial Hall: If a private developer does not commit to rehabilitating Memorial Hall, the study recommends using it as the primary city–county administrative building and adapting the existing city–county building for judicial functions (courts, court services, community corrections, and related offices). - Police facilities and evidence storage: City staff reported they can address roughly 70% of current police facility shortfalls through internal reconfiguration and planned work but will need additional space for detectives and certain long-term needs. A plan to move evidence storage into the municipal court basement will be presented to the city commission in about a month.

Costs and timing The consultants provided order-of-magnitude estimates. Renovating Memorial Hall to accommodate city and county administrative functions was presented as a large expense, with a studywide “ballpark” estimate in the $50 million–$60 million range for the full master-plan scope. Staff said financing options for relocating the health department would produce annual debt-service payments in the range of about $500,000 to $1,000,000 depending on the size of the project and whether it is financed for 10 or 20 years; staff characterized that range as roughly equivalent to a 1-mill impact and said the county could manage it through budget adjustments and/or a small tax change if elected leaders choose to pursue bonding.

Staff also flagged the jail bond timetable as a factor in long-range planning: the jail bonds were financed through 2043 but are on track to be paid off roughly a decade early, in the early 2030s, which could influence when large investments such as a substantial Memorial Hall rehabilitation would be feasible without overlapping major debt.

Memorial Hall condition and options Presenters described Memorial Hall as structurally sound but in need of substantial investment. The building was said to lack functional heating (the boiler has been decommissioned for regular use though electricity remains), has sections of roof that will need attention in the next 3–5 years, and has been used only lightly in recent years for storage and workshops. The consultants evaluated several reuse options for nearby facilities (turning the old jail into offices, a shelter, or a food hall) and found many were either not cost effective or not financially viable at current market levels; the study noted senior housing might be viable on some sites under specific preconditions (clear, developable land, relocation of the health department, and an interested developer).

Process and next steps Staff recommended bringing the report back separately to both the city commission and county commission and to the building authority over the coming weeks for deeper discussion and possible adoption of the study framework. Specific near-term actions mentioned included severing one electrical connection on the county agenda that could affect timing, preparing demolition bids for the old jail, and preparing a city-commission agenda item on short-term police-evidence work. Staff also said an RFP to solicit developer interest in Memorial Hall is an option that has not yet been pursued but could be issued quickly if elected leaders direct it.

What the study does not decide Presenters repeatedly described the plan as prioritized recommendations, not final decisions. The study does not commit the commissions to issuing bonds or selling any building; it also stops short of selecting a final buyer or reuse plan for Memorial Hall without further direction. Presenters said some items are strictly county decisions (for example, the location of the county health department), some are strictly city decisions (street re-openings or sidewalk treatments), and several decisions would require joint city–county coordination or involvement of the building authority.

Meeting context The study session included the project consultants and multiple commissioners and staff from both entities. Consultants Jeff Lane and Cody Parrott were present and identified as principals on the project. Staff said additional, more detailed cost and phasing work would follow if the commissions direct moving the plan forward.

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