Commissioners get construction update on new justice facility; officials say building will meet standards for housing outside inmates

Architects and contractors told the Pender County Board of Commissioners on May 19 that construction of the county’s new justice facility is proceeding and remains on the planned schedule, with a final completion target in late 2026 and a planned sequence of off‑site cell deliveries to speed installation.

The project team said multiple building areas are closed in, reinforcing work (concrete masonry unit walls and steel structure) is advancing, mechanical/electrical/plumbing rough‑ins are underway in several wings, and pre‑fabricated steel detention cells are scheduled for delivery on June 3 to be set into the detention wing over roughly five days.

Why this matters: the justice facility is a major county capital project with multi‑year budget and operational implications, including staffing, inmate capacity and possible revenue opportunities from housing outside inmates.

Schedule, scope and costs - Project representatives said roof and enclosure work is planned to be completed over the summer so interior work can proceed through fall and winter; the contractor reported the goal of having the building enclosed by the end of the summer so interior work can continue regardless of weather. - A contractor representative said the project is tracking weather days and that the team is watching unsuitable soils and potential additional undercutting costs; the team has delayed some entrance‑road work until summer to reduce earthwork risk. - One presentation slide reported the project billing and percent complete indicators; another said the project remains on schedule toward a substantial/final completion sequence with a final completion referenced in committee materials as late 2026.

Inmate capacity and revenue questions - Commissioners asked whether the building would meet standards to house federal inmates and whether doing so could generate revenue that offsets operating costs. Project staff said standards are being met and that housing unused beds for nearby counties or federal partners is common; a county official said she would check whether a detailed fiscal study had been done. - Sheriff’s office staff said the county currently houses some inmates outside the county (about 10) and receives reimbursements; the sheriff noted existing arrangements for state misdemeanor confinement and current reimbursements of roughly $40 per day for the state program and about $50 per day when housing someone outside the county.

Site features and security - The team showed progress photos and described utilities work (Old Savannah Road, Penderlea Highway connections) and the planned new extension road to improve access. - Commissioners asked about a gated, fenced parking area planned for some county departments at the new law enforcement/health complex. County staff said a fenced, electronically controlled lot in the south parking area is intended to secure Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) fleet vehicles and to provide safety for staff who come in at night; the county estimated a rough cost estimate for a more extensive secure enclosure discussed during the meeting at about $6,060,000 if applied countywide, though the contract already in place reflected the current approved scope.

Voices from the meeting - Steve Nally, architect with Daniels & Daniels: provided construction progress and schedule overview. - Brian White (project/construction representative): "Once [the detention cells are] delivered, it'll be quite the site… it sort of speeds up the whole construction process and keeps the quality as high as we can get it there." (paraphrased from presentation)

Next steps - Staff will continue to track weather days and soil conditions, proceed with planned utility and road work in summer months, and return to the board with updates. The board asked staff to follow up on whether a study of federal inmate housing revenue potential was completed and to include any staffing/service impacts in future updates.