Progress Made Toward New Michigan Jail Project

By Lisa Kopochinski

ISABELLA COUNTY, Mich.—Steps are moving forward for a new jail for Isabella County. In early January, the County’s finance and administration committee made a recommendation for Integrated Architecture of Grand Rapids to be hired to offer architectural and engineering services as part of the new jail team.

According to the Morning Sun, this move represents the biggest step forward in the project since the county hired Clark Construction Co. to oversee the project.

The county will soon begin a search for a 30-acre site for a new jail and sheriff’s office. While only 10 acres are required, the county has indicated it would like enough property in case a future county commission wants to reunite the three main buildings on the county’s downtown Mt. Pleasant campus in the same place.

The Morning Sun confirmed that the county and city of Mt. Pleasant have talked about land at the old Mt. Pleasant regional center. County Administrator Margaret McAvoy said that this is one of several options the county has.

Integrated Architecture set its pricing based on a percentage of the project’s cost and pegged an early overall new jail estimate of approximately $40 million. If the projects costs less than this future, the company will charge 6.29 percent of the final cost. If the jail costs $40 million, the firm will receive will $2.5 million. And, if the jail surpasses the $40 million cost, Integrated Architecture will get 5.95 percent. One thing that stood out in Integrated Architecture’s proposal was a belief that the jail could cost as little as $30 million.