City presents schematic options and $482M estimate for possible new jail; councilers press for long-term fix

City consultants and the project team presented updated schematic designs and a 50%‑level cost estimate for a proposed replacement jail during the April 28 council meeting. The program presented would house roughly 1,600 beds in a lower two‑to‑three story configuration and add expanded mental‑health, medical and suicide‑prevention cells, plus a rebuilt records court and related support spaces.

Henry Painter, the cost lead from the construction manager, reported a 50% design construction estimate of $481,663,000, which the team summarized as roughly $836 per square foot and about $300,289 per bed at the current design level. The consultants said the final cost will depend on site selection, phasing choices, the mix of single‑occupancy versus double‑occupancy cells, cell construction type (steel/precast/CMU) and marketplace escalation for specialized components.

Consultants emphasized that mental‑health and suicide‑watch units are typically single‑story, single‑occupancy environments; adding such units increased the project's footprint and account for a meaningful portion of the square‑footage increase in the current schematic compared with earlier program sketches. The team also said that building on the existing jail site would be the most expensive and longest option due to phasing and security constraints during construction.

Councilors sought clarification about the program's assumptions, the relationship between cell counts and usable square footage, options to make single cells convertible to double occupancy if needed, escalation allowances embedded in the estimate, and potential annual maintenance costs for a new facility. Several council members urged moving the process forward so design and funding options can be finalized and the city avoids recurring emergency repairs and capacity shortfalls.

Next steps identified by staff and consultants include refining selection of a site, completing further design phases to narrow the cost range, and returning to council with updated cost, operational and funding options for a decision on whether and when to proceed.