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County says new jail construction on track for November completion; additional savings reported
Summary
County and contractors told commissioners that construction on the jail expansion is progressing, Building A foundations are in place, interior finishes and mechanical start-up are underway, and the project remains within the original financed budget, with potential savings still being explored.
Okeechobee County officials and project contractors briefed the Board of County Commissioners on July 2025 about progress at the county jail expansion.
Contract representatives showed aerial photos and interior images and said crews have begun site work on the vehicle storage building (referred to as Building A) and are completing under-slab plumbing in preparation for a concrete slab and delivery of a pre-engineered metal building. Inside the renovated housing pod, crews are installing drywall and masonry, closing ceiling penetrations and completing mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) tie-ins to cell-backs, officials said.
"We've now begun... we've started construction on Building A," the project representative said during the update. A second contractor noted that the air-handling units are set and that finish work is underway.
County staff told the board the project remains within the original budgeted and financed amount despite the addition of the new vehicle-storage contract, and that the county expects to finish with savings. "There still is additional savings that we're still looking at," a county official said, citing close cost control and active coordination among construction management, the architect and county staff.
Commissioners asked about the anticipated completion date. Contractors and county staff told the board they expect overall project completion in November 2025, with sitework, parking and final punch-list items to follow. Sheriff’s Office representatives said the new space will reduce double-bunking pressures in the aging facility.
The board did not take a vote on new financing at the briefing; staff said they continue to track long-lead items and manage punch-list and final commissioning work. Commissioners requested another site visit before the next meeting so elected officials could review progress in person.
Why it matters: County leaders have prioritized moving detainees out of a decades-old facility and adding modernized space. A November completion timeline would allow the sheriff’s office to take operational steps to relieve current overcrowding, while the county continues to monitor contingency savings and future operating needs.
