Ellis County retains HOK to create conceptual design, cost estimate for relocated jail at county farm

Ellis County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to retain Helmuth, Obata & Kassebaum (HOK) to develop a conceptual design and rough order-of-magnitude cost estimate for a proposed relocated county jail at the Ellis County Farm. The task order (007) was approved in the amount of $177,100 plus reimbursable expenses.

County leaders said the work follows a previously commissioned master plan that recommended relocating the jail from the downtown site to land at the county farm to allow future expansion and to consolidate justice facilities. County staff and commissioners emphasized that the task order is an early-phase planning step: HOK will conduct a needs assessment, evaluate options for co-locating law enforcement and court functions, and produce conceptual designs and cost ranges to inform financing and phasing decisions.

Ryan Garrett, who led the staff presentation, told commissioners that the master plan envisioned approximately 2,000 beds in the long term and that the county currently has a maximum capacity “in the 900s.” He said HOK will examine whether to pursue a fully built 2,000-bed facility or a modular, phased approach that allows the county to scale capacity as population and demand grow. HOK was described by staff as a firm with an extensive portfolio of justice- and courthouse-related projects nationally and in Texas.

Commissioners discussed timing and the long-term nature of the project. The court recorded that the conceptual-design phase will provide the deliverables needed to meet with county finance staff and evaluate options for funding, which may include phased construction. Ryan Garrett said the conceptual study will inform the rough order-of-magnitude needed to approach financing partners.

The motion to approve the HOK task order was made by Commissioner Lane Grayson and seconded by Commissioner Ponder; the vote was unanimous.

Ending: County officials said the work will not initiate construction but will provide the cost and program information needed to structure financing and future project phases. Further scope, phasing and budget decisions will follow the conceptual design deliverables.