Jackson's Penzel emerges as winner in design-build competition in Cape Girardeau County project

Cape Girardeau County will expand its jail and will renovate its now-vacant 1908-era courthouse and plans to use a local firm as general contractor.

The design-build team of Penzel-Trainor received a higher technical score among two final bidders for the estimated $45.5 million project, it was revealed Thursday, Nov. 17.

"We gave Penzel-Trainor and another bidder, Little Dixie of Columbia, Missouri, a list of five things we wanted and told each how much money we had to spend," said Presiding County Commissioner Clint Tracy, in an interview Friday, Nov. 18 with the Southeast Missourian.

"Penzel said it was able to do four of the five for the money, and Little Dixie said it could two," added Tracy, noting the quintet of wants included a new jail facility, new roofs on both the 1979 and 2000 versions of the lockup, new jail doors, Sheriff's office refurbishments and old courthouse renovation.

The vast majority of the money needed, approximately $43 million, will go toward the jail, which has become overcrowded in recent years, said Tracy.

The job will be partly financed by a more than $30 million loan at a fixed 3.52% interest rate with an additional $10 million coming from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.

"A protest period is open until end of business Monday, Nov. 28, during which Little Dixie could choose to challenge the decision," said Tracy.

Tracy noted county-hired Navigate Building Solutions, personnel from the Sheriff's office and the commissioners met multiple times with both design-build teams.

"There were many people involved in this process, which was transparent, and no one person put his or her thumb on the scale," he said.

Once the protest period closes, the county will start contract negotiations with Penzel-Trainor, Tracy added.

According to previous reporting, if all goes according to plan, the work should be complete by mid-2024

Penzel Construction of Jackson built the new $20 million, 82,000-square-foot courthouse in Jackson which opened in 2020 and is next door to the existing jail.