MINOT, N.D. (AP) - Contractors have hauled more than a million pounds of concrete from a North Dakota jail as part of a $37 million remodeling project expected to conclude this summer.
Construction crews will now install floors to create walkways between the older and newer portions of the Ward County Jail, the Minot Daily News reported. The floors are expected to be finished by the end of this month.
It took about 12 weeks to remove the 550 tons of concrete after the demolition of an elevator and stairwell running from a basement to four above-ground stories.
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Sheriff Bob Barnard said removing the elevator created access between the existing jail and the new jail expansion.
“We looked at many, many options, because that was very expensive,” he said.
Inmates are currently being held in the new expanded portion of the jail. The older section has been closed off for construction.
Barnard said the Ward County Detention Center is limited to 113 inmates. The jail had 80 inmates Tuesday, with none in outside facilities. The county has paid to place inmates in other facilities due to lack of space.
The facility is expected to triple its current inmate capacity with nearly 300 beds after construction.
Barnard said the county is also negotiating a contract to accept federal prisoners for when extra beds are available.
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Information from: Minot Daily News, http://www.minotdailynews.com
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