Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Detention Facility topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Consultants propose 42,000‑sq.-ft. modular jail for Adams County; site costs remain unknown
Summary
Modcore and YCORP presented a schematic for a roughly 42,000‑square‑foot modular jail with about 116–119 beds and an all‑in estimate of $35–$40 million. Presenters said site selection and geotechnical work could add millions to the budget and recommended advancing site engineering before locking a final price.
Modcore and consultant YCORP told the Adams County Board of Supervisors on Monday that a factory‑built, modular jail could meet the county’s detention needs while shortening construction time and improving operational efficiency.
“Throughout this project, we…met extensively with the sheriff’s department,” Modcore vice president Tim Hancock said in a presentation describing the company’s prefabricated detention systems and compliance work. Modcore described modular, precast concrete and steel cells and said its facilities meet correctional and accessibility standards.
Mark Van Allen, Modcore’s director of design, outlined an architectural program that he said reduced an initial ‘‘nice‑to‑have’’ program of roughly 75,000 square feet down to an essential program of about 42,000 square feet, with housing, intake, administration, medical, kitchen and support spaces. He described factory‑built modules for housing and a pre‑engineered structure for support areas.
Budget estimates presented to the board varied slightly. "We believe that this 42,000 square foot with a 116 beds can be built for approximately 35 to $40,000,000 all in," YCORP representative Buddy Johnson said during the presentation. Van Allen referenced a similar figure while describing the layout and expansion options; the two presenters used slightly different bed counts (Van Allen said about 119 beds while Johnson's cost estimate used 116 beds).
Both presenters cautioned that the site drives final cost. Johnson noted that prior county construction required a seven‑foot undercut where native soils were soft and said site work, utility tie‑ins and other logistics could add ‘‘$2,000,000 or $20,000,000’’ to a final budget depending on conditions. He said the team needs a chosen site, geotechnical data and site engineering in parallel with schematic design to refine a fixed price.
Supervisors asked about utilities, power requirements and whether existing CoreCivic infrastructure nearby could be tied into county construction. Presenters said major lines run along the same highway but that final tying and capacity checks require engineering studies. Modcore noted that HVAC systems are a significant power load but that modern low‑voltage electronics and LED lighting reduce some power demand.
Presenters also argued newer facilities can reduce operating costs: modern design and more technology typically lower officer‑to‑detainee staffing ratios, they said, and the consultants offered to work with the sheriff and county administration to forecast staffing budgets and operating savings.
The board did not choose a site or vote on funding. Presenters asked the county to authorize next steps: select a site, fund or approve site engineering and allow Modcore/YCORP to complete design drawings and a building‑specific budget.
What’s next: The consultants recommended the board decide on a preferred site and fund site engineering and geotechnical work before returning with refined costs and a request for procurement. The board took no formal procurement action on the jail during the meeting.
