Jail committee discusses architects
After previously hearing three hour-long presentations by potential jail architects, the Gage County Jail Steering Committee met Thursday to discuss two upcoming steps in the journey toward a possible new Gage County Detention Center.
Sheriff Millard “Gus” Gustafson invited Mike Ayers of Ayers & Ayers, Inc. to discuss the process.
Ayers said he has worked with Husqvarna discussing plans for an open land space and is currently working on specifications for a possible new Beatrice Community Hospital.
“I am a strong believer in the design-build process,” Ayers said.
The design-build type of plan is a single-source for both design and construction.
It covers architectural, engineering and construction services, including labor, materials, supplies and equipment, and ultimately cuts costs and time for high-cost projects similar to the construction of a new Gage County Detention Center.
“From the beginning, everyone is working together,” he said.
Bob Sykes, chair of the jail steering committee, said he worries about the control that Gage County officials will have over the process.
With less oversight from the county in a design-build process, he worried that quality would be overlooked to just fit anything into the budget.
Ayers countered with the fact that the county, in a design-build process would have to weigh the importance of picking its favorite tile, for example, or picking to fit more beds comfortably and logically into a facility.
“You need to leave a little flexibility for us to find the right products for you. We want to have the ability to use the money properly,” Ayers said.
Sykes said the committee, to be fair, will need to also speak with a construction manager to discuss the positive side of the design-bid-build process before deciding which process to go with.
The design-bid-build process separates the different entities of designer, architect and construction manager to do what they know best.
While it may take more time, Sykes believes it could allow for Gage County to oversee the project better.
The Gage County Board of Supervisors collected bids for an 85-bed jail.
Recently, the board signed a land option contract for land just off Highway 4, adjacent to the ESU No. 5 building on West Court Street.
The biggest problem with the current jail, Gustafson has said, is the money spent sending inmates to other counties due to the lack of space.
The current jail, built in 1977, is a 30-bed facility. The jail averages 40 inmates per day, he said. The average 10 inmates per day housed in other counties cost the county $60 per day per inmate, plus any necessary medical costs.
Gustafson then turned the committee’s focus to the next order of business.
“Tonight, the board wants us to make our pick,” he said of the three final jail architects.
The finalists are Carlson West Povondra of Omaha, The Lichtman Associates of New Jersey and SFS Architecture based in Kansas City.
Gustafson said he and two or three of the Gage County Board of Supervisors preferred Lichtman.
“(Roger Lichtman) is very well-known and respected. He thinks outside of the box,” he said. “The downside is he’s on the east coast.”
Lichtman promised to visit six times during the entire process, Gustafson said.
That means he will show up only once every three months.
“It isn’t workable,” Sykes said.
The other favored firm was SFS Architecture.
“With $8 million, they built a 200-bed facility. That’s pretty good,” he said.
Sykes pointed out that the standards in Nebraska are a little different than in Kansas, so that might be the reason for such a low cost on a high-bed facility.
Lichtman advised Gustafson on getting a dormitory-style construction in most of the new jail. The highest number of arrests fall in the alcohol-related category and those arrests can inhabit this type of accommodation.
A jail visited by members of the steering committee in Cass County had more than three-fourths designed as dormitory-style.
Jail Director Amber Mulberry said the county needs to also plan for the future in planning this building.
“What is it going to look like when we fill up and have to start sending people out again? That’s not going to look good,” she said.
She said that Saline County has added onto its new jail once already, and has exceeded those new beds. They have begun sending inmates to other jails once again due to poor planning for the future.
Looking at the most important aspect at this time, cost, Sykes pointed out that Lichtman was the most expensive with a fee of $714,000, Povondra was second with $650,000 and SFS Architecture was the cheapest at $630,000.
“Anyone you pick, you’ll find a negative,” Sykes said.
Gustafson pointed out that no one particularly favored Povondra and suggested dropping them from the list.
Gustafson said there were strong positives and negatives to both sides, but both Lichtman and SFS seemed to be decent picks.
As they adjourned, the steering committee members seemed to be leaning toward SFS, largely in part of the low cost.
Sykes cautioned that this is not the final decision and that the county board will ultimately make the decision.
Sykes will convey the committee discussion to the entire county board on March 25 at 8:30 a.m.
Justice architecture experience:
The Lichtman Associates
Ocean County Industrial Jail Center, Jackson Township, N.J.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Program Management
Union County Old Jail renovation, Elizabeth, N.J.
Georgia State Prison, Reidsville, Ga.
Administrative Close Supervision Units, Bordentown, Rahway, and Yardville, N.J.
Union County Juvenile Detention Center, Elizabeth, N.J.
San Quentin State Prison master plan and concept, San Quentin, Calif.
250-Bed Correction Facility operational and architectural program, Orofino, Idaho
U.S. Federal Penitentiary, Atlanta, Ga.
City of Philadelphia ASD Prison, Philadelphia, Pa.
New Mexico State Penitentiary Close and Maximum Units, Sante Fe, N.M.
Newport News City Prison Farm, Newport News, Va.
Justice System Facility Improvement Program, Philadelphia, Pa.
Bergen County Jail additions and alterations, Hackensack, N.J.
State of Minnesota, Program Management
East Jersey State Prison addition, Rahway, N.J.
Edna Mahan Correctional Facility addition, Clinton, N.J.
MSU-New Lisbon Development Center additions and renovations, New Lisbon, N.J.
Carlson West Povondra
Platte County Detention Facility, Plattsmouth
Cass County Law Enforcement Center, Columbus
Saunders County Law Enforcement, Wahoo
Sarpy County Juvenile Justice Center, Papillion
Sarpy County Administration, Papillion
Cass County District Courtroom, Columbus
Fort McDowell Justice Center, Fort McDowell, Ariz.
Indian Bend Police and Fire Station, Indian Bend, Ariz.
SFS Architecture
Leavenworth Courthouse, Leavenworth, Kan.
Leavenworth Justice Center, Leavenworth, Kan.
Tom Thomas Law Enforcement Center, Platte City, Mo.
US Federal Courts GSA contract
City of Sedalia City Hall and police planning, Sedalia, Mo.