Deborah Johnson Wood
Kent County plans to demolish and rebuild several outdated buildings on its campus at 701 Ball Ave. using $26 million in millage funds approved in November 2009.
The outdated buildings, constructed in the 1950s through 1970s, have no fire suppression sprinkling systems and contain antiquated heating systems and corroded cast iron plumbing, says Kent County Undersheriff Jon Hess.
The maximum security area, one of the areas scheduled for renovation, now consists of "linear supervision" units: cells and cell blocks aligned in a row and patrolled every hour by a guard.
"The current trend is direct or indirect supervision where inmates live in pods," Hess says. "The officer works in the pod and is right in there with the inmates, so there are no gaps in supervision."
A 1992 addition has the pod style environment. Six new pods will be added and double-bunking in the cells will increase the number of beds from 1,215 to about 1,275.
"Adding the pods will limit the movement of inmates, making the facility safer for everyone," Hess says. "Inmates eat in the pods, they have recreation activities there, they see medical personnel there and have school or church there."
The renovation includes a new audio/visual system for visitations. Visitors will no longer have to enter through a metal detector and inmates will remain in their pods. The visits will take place via computer cameras and monitors set up in the visiting area and in the pods.
"This has been successful around the country and we're encouraging attorneys, ministers, counselors, and other professionals to buy the software so they can visit the inmate without having to leave their offices," Hess says.
The project breaks ground May 20.
Tower Pinkster is the architect.
Owens-Ames-Kimball is construction manager.
Source: Jon Hess, Kent County Sheriff's Office
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Development News tips can be sent to [email protected].
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