Tuesday, August 08, 2000
Butler Co.'s $35M+ jail project on track
By Steve Kemme
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HAMILTON — Bulldozers and other heavy equipment have been busy clearing the planned site of the new Butler County Jail.
The two remaining buildings on the former Deuscher foundry property on Hanover Street were knocked down last week, and workers are tearing out the razed buildings' concrete pads and footers.
With the jail project on track, Butler County officials expect construction to begin Oct. 1.
“We're elated,” said Capt. Norman Lewis, jail warden. “Everything has gone so smoothly.”
The new jail will be open 11/2 to 2 years after construction starts. It will cost $35 million to $40 million and house up to 744 inmates.
The existing jail in downtown Hamilton often has more than 200 inmates. Built in 1969, it is designed to hold 135.
For the second consecu tive summer, the sheriff's department has tried to relieve crowding by erecting a tent jail on the grounds of Resolutions, the county's minimum-security jail. The tent jail, used only on weekends, houses 20 inmates.
In recent years, the inadequate jail has forced the sheriff's department to release some inmates early to make room for more violent offenders.
Chuck Furmon, president of the county board of commissioners, said he is excited the jail project is on schedule.
“We want to keep everything on track as much as possible,” said Mr. Furmon, a former Hamilton police detective and supervisor.
“The new jail is badly needed for the safety of the entire county, he said. “It takes the teeth out of your law enforcement if you don't have a place to put a prisoner.”
At the end of this month, the county will advertise for bids for general contracting work for the new jail. The contract will be awarded at the end of September, and construction will begin Oct. 1.
The tent jail will be taken down Aug. 28. It operated for five weeks last summer.
The sheriff's department uses the tent jail only on weekends because that's when the need is greatest, Capt. Lewis said.
“Traditionally, weekends are when our population swells,” he said.
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