Wayne County marks opening of new jail

Wayne County is tentatively scheduled to open its new modern jail facility in March, marking a major milestone in a multi-phase project designed to improve safety, efficiency and conditions for both staff and inmates. With the new portion coming online, the next phase of the project will shift to renovating the older section of the jail.

The project represents an investment of approximately $30.2 million, including a $15 million state grant, to replace aging, noncode-compliant housing and to bring the county’s correctional facilities into compliance with modern standards.

The new construction expands capacity and updates core infrastructure while the upcoming renovation phase will modernize the remaining portions of the existing jail.

The new facility introduces a design philosophy centered on visibility, supervision and safety — an approach that directly addresses long-standing challenges in the older building.

“This jail is a very particular response to what the conditions were in the old jail,” said principal architect Gregg Strollo, whose firm Strollo Architects designed the project. “Our design is fundamentally oriented around visibility. The idea is that corrections officers have as much visibility as conceivably possible because people act differently when they know they’re being seen. Constant, direct visual supervision is really the foundation of this design.”

The design and construction team conducted detailed sight-line analyses from control rooms and officer stations to reduce blind spots and improve overall awareness throughout the housing areas.

Strollo said there was collaboration among team members during the build-out, especially the work and cooperation of Bogner Construction and the state.

“Wayne County has received added value by having Bogner as the construction manager,” he said. “We have done major corrections projects in several states, and having a local contractor with the skill set and personal commitment to tackling a job of this scale and complexity is rare. These jobs are usually picked up by large regional or national contractors. Bogner’s work quality and budget management have been outstanding.”

Jail Capt. Earl Kelly said the new building will have an immediate impact on operations.

“This building changes how we do our job in the best way,” Kelly said. “The improved sight lines and visibility mean our staff can supervise more effectively and respond faster, which makes the jail safer for everyone — our officers and the inmates in our care.”

With the new jail opening, the county will begin the next phase of the project: renovating the older portion of the facility. Kelly said that work will focus on updating remaining housing and support areas to align with current standards and the operational approach introduced in the new construction.

“This is really about making sure the entire facility works together as one modern system,” he said. “Opening the new jail is a huge step, and the renovation phase will help us finish the job.”

Dan Starcher is the communications coordinator for Wayne County.