Work will launch this coming spring on a project that will see the long-planned building of a new jail in Pueblo, Colorado.
Designed to hold up to 650 beds, the facility will go up just to the west of Pueblo Boulevard and will include an infirmary that will provide medical care for inmates.
According to reports, officials with Pueblo County have been trying to acquire a 35-acre site that could be partly used for both the jail facility as well as some retail development.
The jail would also be built with the idea of making it a zero-emissions facility.
Work on the new jail could begin in the fall of 2022. County officials earlier said they would like to see the facility completed by late 2024.
The jail project is tied in with an effort to extend the busy Joe Martinez Boulevard, which would run adjacent to the facility.
Ultimately, the twin projects are expected to have a price tag of around $115 million, comprising the largest capital construction undertaking in Pueblo County’s history. A portion of the funding is coming through revenue generated from a cannabis sales tax approved by county voters two years ago.
The current Pueblo County jail at 909 Court Street was opened over four decades ago. Earlier reports have indicated that that facility suffers from some structural issues and is often overcrowded.
By Garry Boulard