Jail demolition to clear the way for new Ingham justice complex – Lansing State Journal

MASONThe original portion of the Ingham County Jail is ready for the wrecking ball.

Built in the 1960s, the old jail will be completely torn down, the first sign of progress for the $70-million justice complex construction project. That portion of the jail was decommissioned more than a year ago as maintenance issues made it difficult to house inmates there, Chief Deputy Jason Ferguson said.

The complex is slated to open in mid-2023 and stay within cost estimates, Ferguson said.

We are currently doing very well with our budget, he said.

A rendering of the new Ingham County Justice Complex in Mason. The complex is expected to open in 2023.(Photo: Courtesy of the Ingham County Sheriff's Office)

Located adjacent to the current county complex on Cedar Street, the justice complex will house a new jail, the Sheriff's Department's administrative offices and 55th District Court facilities.

The jail, built in 1963, has outlived its useful lifeand is plagued with problems from flooding, deteriorating walls, and functional deficiencies, an evaluation found.

The new jail will have roughly 410 beds, a decline from the more than 600 the facility held decades ago, Ferguson said.

The Ingham County Jail in Mason, Michigan. Friday, Nov.13, 2020.(Photo: Robert Killips | Lansing State Journal)

The new complex will cover the parking lots and vacant land south of the jail and sheriffs administrative offices. Work on thebuildings' footings and underground utilities should start in early 2021.

Once the footings are down, it will go up pretty quickly, Ferguson said.

Precast concrete parts of the building will be installed late in 2021 and people will see the complex start moving upward in 2022.

"We're that close," Ferguson said.

The construction will not interrupt operations at the jail, courthouse or offices but will restrict some parking and roads in the area, Ferguson said.

The current courthouse, jail and sheriffs office will all be demolished once the new complex is open. The only structure that will remain is the mechanical building, which will house vehicle maintenance and a shooting range, Ferguson said.

Ingham County Sheriff Scott Wriggelsworth talks about the plan to build on to the existing facility near a recreation area no longer in use during a tour of the Ingham County Jail on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, in Mason. That portion of the jail will be demolished this year.(Photo: Nick King/Lansing State Journal)

Ferguson said a team of people at the sheriffs Department and courts have worked together to design the interior layout of the building.

In August 2018, Ingham County voters agreed to a new justice millage, which was primarily designed to fund the design and construction of a new complex for the jail, Sheriffs Department and courts.

More: Voters approve millage for new Ingham County Jail, justice complex

The 0.85 of a mill raised about $6.2 million in its first year and means anan extra $42.50 in taxes annually per $100,000 of home value, according to Ingham County.

Aside from the building's construction, the millage has funded programs for inmates within the jail, Ferguson said. Those programs will grow once the new building is operational and the jail has more space, he said.

Contact reporter Craig Lyons at 517-377-1047 orcalyons@lsj.com.Follow him on Twitter @craigalyons.

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Jail demolition to clear the way for new Ingham justice complex - Lansing State Journal