FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - The Fulton County Board of Commissioners is set to hear a report that shows renovations at the Rice Street Jail will cost more than originally expected.
Cost of Rice Street Jail renovations
What we know:
The cost of the jail project has increased more than $135 million to an estimated $1.3 billion.
The cost increase is attributed to more complex programming for specialty cells, higher construction market rates, and the decision to co-locate support services—such as the kitchen, laundry, and booking—within the new facility to improve efficiency.
Fulton Jail renovations
By the numbers:
The breakdown of the improvements is:
- Special Purpose Facility: $734 million
- Rice Street Renovation: $489 million
- Accelerated Housing: $140 million
If approved, the special purpose facility will hold 1,800 inmates after it is built, which is more than the current jail building.
Fulton County Jail funding
Dig deeper:
The funding for the plan is expected to come from an Inducement Resolution for an amount not to exceed $1.363 billion to fund the CIP and "Accelerated Housing" projects.
Jail hearing funding
What's next:
It's unclear if the board will approve the funding at its hearing on Wednesday. If approved, immediate next steps include continuing site demolition, planning for the Special Purpose Facility project team, and finalizing bond financing structures.
Jail renovations are slated to finish in 2031.
The Source: Information in this article came from the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.