Contractor: Jail project on schedule; design targets 400 beds with master plan for 600

A contractor presenting to the Cochise County Board of Supervisors work session on July 28 said the jail project remains on the schedule the team published earlier this year, with construction expected to start around September 2027 and run through June 2029.

"I'm happy to say we are, on schedule with, everything we have noted here," the Presenter said, describing completed steps including architect procurement and ongoing criteria‑document development. The team told supervisors the construction period will be followed by an extended testing and commissioning window into 2029 to support move‑in and activation.

Technical staff outlined the project's planned capacity and phasing: "our target to begin with is 400 beds with, a master planning for 600," a Presenter said, noting the design team is balancing immediate operational needs with future expansion. Presenters cautioned that some support spaces — kitchens, medical areas and other infrastructure — are being sized to serve larger future capacity even if portions open in phases.

The team said the core project group meets weekly and that the next major deliverables are additional TAC workshops and the criteria document revisions that will feed schematic design later this year. The board will review schematic concepts and, later, shortlisted design‑build proposals before final design‑build selection.