FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): A new Allen County Jail is expected to be built by June 2026.
County officials submitted a plan Monday to a federal court according to the Journal Gazette.
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This comes after a class-action lawsuit found the jail overcrowded and understaffed, leading to a deadline to address those needs. That deadline was met with the plan submission.
Allen County Commissioners are considering building an entirely new facility or new construction for some inmates while keeping some of the current jail.
Each option would allow for up to 1,500 beds, but commissioners say a “more realistic number” would be between 1,100 and 1,200 beds.
The report timeline includes design by September, design development by June 2023, construction documents by August 2023, bidding and funding of construction by December 2023 and completion by June 2026.
Commissioners are searching for 60-70 acres of land for the project, with hopes to enter into a real estate agreement within 90 days followed by a 180-day due diligence period.
To address the short-term overcrowding, the plan also includes the termination of an agreement with the United States Marshals Service to house federal inmates.
Officials reached an agreement to house up to 50 Allen County inmates in the LaGrange County Jail, with hopes for a similar setup with Noble County.
