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Architect outlines two options for Gage County jail replacement; town halls scheduled
Summary
An architectural team presented two potential replacement options (about 71 and 108 beds) and estimated construction costs of $600–$650 per square foot; the county will hold town halls March 4 and 6 to gather public input before deciding whether to pursue a bond for November.
Christian Petr, an architect and principal at Davis Design, told the Gage County board on Feb. 18 that his team had developed two space‑program options for a potential jail replacement: a roughly 71‑bed facility (about 50,000 square feet) and a larger 108‑bed option (about 56,000 square feet). "We do believe a jail facility with the expected construction type would cost somewhere between $600 and $650 per square foot," Petr said.
The presentation laid out why the county is revisiting a replacement: the existing facility was originally a 1917 house with later additions, is rated for 30 beds while the county’s average daily population was 35 last year, and routinely requires outsourcing detainees to other counties. Petr cited recurring outsourcing expenses of about $110 per day per detainee — before transportation and indirect costs — as a continuing, growing cost to taxpayers. He said renovation of the current downtown site would be possible but would likely require a multistory design with operational and access compromises.
Why it matters: the board faces a choice between continued periodic outsourcing and investing in a county facility that would serve law‑enforcement operations and patrol services locally. The Davis Design team recommended a robust public‑engagement phase before asking voters for money and proposed two town halls in early March to collect input and a formal survey.
Board members noted the financial and legal constraints that shaped the options. "We don't really have a plan yet — we want to know what the public wants," the Chair said during the discussion. Members and the design team agreed that a realistic funding approach would likely be a bond but that bond sizing must reflect local tolerance and clear messaging. Petr said the team will hold town halls (March 4 and March 6 at Beatrice High School auditorium) and use survey data from those events to shape a cost‑benefit analysis and any subsequent bond proposal.
Other planning details in the presentation: candidate sites under consideration included the Dempster Industrial Site and privately owned parcels (no outreach yet to owners); reuse of the existing downtown property would require a multistory building and entail higher construction difficulty and cost; and the team recommended a series of public open‑house forums over the next 6–8 months to increase awareness and refine any bond strategy.
Next steps: the county will advertise the town halls, collect survey responses at those events, and the jail committee will use that input to recommend whether to place a bond question on the November election ballot. No final dollar figure or ballot decision was made at the Feb. 18 meeting.
