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County detention center: site work advancing; project ~53% complete and on track for late 2026 substantial completion
Summary
County project manager reported the $90 million detention center is roughly 52–53% complete, with major structural and roofing work finished, $46 million spent to date, and substantial completion targeted for December with turnover in January 2027.
In a progress briefing to the Lancaster County Council, Mr. Chad Catlage said construction of the county’s new detention center is moving steadily and remains within the project budget.
"We're roughly 53% complete with the project," Catlage said, citing nearly $46 million in combined construction and soft costs on a $90 million budget approved in December 2025. He described recent work on interior masonry, non-loadbearing walls, completed roof decking, ongoing mechanical/electrical/plumbing rough-ins in Area A, finished site retaining walls and the start of exercise-yard foundations.
Catlage also detailed ancillary work: a 12-inch water line extension from Highway 9 to the site that is complete (a dedication agreement remains pending), and a roadway-widening project affecting Highway 9 that he said should reach completion in August. He noted the site has a temporary, trailer-size generator installed and that a permanent power plan is in progress.
On schedule and budget, Catlage said he expects the project to be "dry in" this week and reiterated the current milestone targets: substantial completion in December and final turnover in January 2027.
Council members asked about landscaping and entrance treatment to improve the facility’s frontage. Catlage said the design includes a single consolidated entrance, heavy landscaping, and a turning lane tied to the Highway 9 widening. He confirmed staff parking, curb and gutter work, and ongoing installation of modular cells manufactured in Georgia, with the first deliveries expected next week.
The council did not take formal action on the update; members requested a site walk-through for council and continued updates on the dedication agreement, roadway work, and generator/power sizing.
