NewsMay 10, 2023
Groundbreaking held for Cape Girardeau County jail expansion
On a warm day filled with sunshine, ground was broken Tuesday, May 9, for the expansion of the Cape Girardeau County jail in Jackson, and for renovation of the currently vacant 1908 county courthouse nearby. "I am honored and privileged to be part of this historic project, the largest in county history, and being built in a community that my family has lived in for 170 years," Phil Penzel of Jackson's Penzel Construction said...
On a warm day filled with sunshine, ground was broken Tuesday, May 9, for the expansion of the Cape Girardeau County jail in Jackson, and for renovation of the currently vacant 1908 county courthouse nearby.
"I am honored and privileged to be part of this historic project, the largest in county history, and being built in a community that my family has lived in for 170 years," Phil Penzel of Jackson's Penzel Construction said.
Jail
Once completed in December 2024, 360 beds will be added to the county lockup at 216 N. Missouri St. Also in the plans are a new kitchen and laundry, an inmate property system, an employee locker room and storage.
Officials say the current jail space, built in 2000, will be renovated later with a 150-bed capacity, bringing total bed capacity to over 500. Total project cost is estimated at just under $49 million -- funded by participation bonds, American Rescue Plan Act funds and the law enforcement sales tax approved in June 2020 by county voters.
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"We don't take this project lightly because I know it's a concern when you invest this kind of money. We did a lot of study to put the most into this jail in order to ensure we'd have a facility to last us for several years," said Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson, who has spoken often in the past about the lockup's overcrowding problem.
"I would say this jail project is an absolute necessity (and) without the law enforcement tax, we were going down a road that was going to be perilous for law enforcement in this county, the sheriff's office in particular," Cape Girardeau County Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy said.
Old courthouse
The 1908 courthouse will be renovated to include electrical, heating/ventilation/air conditioning, elevator replacement and exterior repair. Among the exterior repairs planned is restoration of the clock tower, which is currently out of service. When finished in summer of 2024, some county offices will occupy the newly renovated space, with other offices remaining at the county administration building at No. 1 Barton Square in Jackson. Total expected cost is estimated at more than $7.7 million, and will be funded from the county's capital improvement fund.
"It was an honor several years ago to build the new county courthouse, but it's especially an honor to build the new jail and renovate the old courthouse," Penzel said.
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