OREGON – Work on the new Ogle County jail in Oregon continues at a quick pace, with the brick exterior done an interior work underway.
“If anything, we’ll be on time or ahead of schedule,” said County Board Member Don Griffin, Jr., chairman of the Long-range Planning Committee for the county.
The new jail, or Judicial Center Annex, will be a 42,000-square foot, 154-bed adult jail. It will house both males and females. It will cost about $25 million to complete and is expected to open in November.
The project will also include the construction of a Sally port that will connect the new jail with the Judicial Center, allowing for the safe transportation of inmates.
At its regular meeting on Feb. 18, the County Board approved the latest payment for the jail – $1.3 million – most of that going to the construction manager on the project, Gilbane Building Company.
Griffin said Gilbane has been doing a great job keep on track and on budget getting the work on the new jail done. He said, “it’s amazing how many little things pop up,” on a project of this size.
He said most of the brick work inside the building is done, and paint is going on the walls. The roof shingles, which will match the Judicial Center, will go on this spring.
Griffin said the big thing inside will be the “technology,” including the interlocking gates and fire alarms.
“The finishing end of doing this sometimes take a little time,” Griffin said.
The street repair – part of a deal with the City of Oregon when it agreed to close a portion of Sixth Street for the new building – will start next month, along with landscaping.
Griffin said the Sheriff’s Department staff is already preparing the transition to the new building.
The county broke ground on the new jail in April 2019.
