County Jail

[shawnw]

1-2 stories, plus modern security considerations (current jail is pre-OKCB, pre-9/11, etc), means a pretty sprawling facility, not sure there's the space on pershing. Maybe by the airport or in some of the open space along the south side of 240?

Or.......... Crossroads Mall!

[G.Walker]

Seems like the old Pull-A-Part site would work:

1. Proximity & easy access to the downtown/courthouse.
2. Somewhat isolated and not visible.
3. Plenty of land and room for expansion.

[tvkokc]

Seems like the old Pull-A-Part site would work:

1. Proximity & easy access to the downtown/courthouse.
2. Somewhat isolated and not visible.
3. Plenty of land and room for expansion.

This is a pretty good idea actually for usage of the site. Out of site out of mind and still good access use.

[shawnw]

Good point on pull apart site. We'd noted previously how problematic that site was for other uses due to access restrictions, but that kinda makes it great for a prison.

[jn1780]

I don't think housing people even on a temporary basis next to a landfill is appropriate.

Crossroads Mall is next door to a landfill, which houses an elementary and high school. Its also not way out in the middle of nowhere.

Sometimes necessary things like landfills get bad stigma just like jails do. Its all about design and how you run it. Just saying.

[shawnw]

Was the landfill there before the city grew out to that area? I'm not familiar with the history. Slightly different situation if that's the case.

[BoulderSooner]

I don't think housing people even on a temporary basis next to a landfill is appropriate.

this is lol

[Laramie]

Prisoners are being required to pay for their own incarceration. The old State Health Department Building on 1000 NE 10th Street currently houses a division of the Department of Public Safety. The building could be remodeled and a new expanded wing to house incarcerated individuals.

. . . Also a mental health complex could be built adjacent to the property.

We all understand that no one wants this in their backyard. With the right design this building could be retrofitted to house the Oklahoma County Jail and save this wasted space. IIRC the building is 11 stories, you would probably need to build another structure next to it.

[TheTravellers]

...With the right design this building could be retrofitted to house the Oklahoma County Jail and save this wasted space. ...

Can it, though? I thought jails/detention centers/prisons had to be basically purpose-built that way from the beginning due to all the extra design/elements necessary to make it a jail/prison? Are there successful examples of office bldgs retrofitted to be jails/detention centers/prisons in the US?

[HangryHippo]

Prisoners are being required to pay for their own incarceration. The old State Health Department Building on 1000 NE 10th Street currently houses a division of the Department of Public Safety. The building could be remodeled and a new expanded wing to house incarcerated individuals.

. . . Also a mental health complex could be built adjacent to the property.

We all understand that no one wants this in their backyard. With the right design this building could be retrofitted to house the Oklahoma County Jail and save this wasted space. IIRC the building is 11 stories, you would probably need to build another structure next to it.

Uh, with all due respect, no.

[Dob Hooligan]

I hate to admit it, but I think the old Acme Brick pit at NW 10th & Villa would make a good spot. I think it is large enough (like 10 plus acres?), with easy access to OKC Boulevard, I-40 and I-44. It was filled from roughly 1980 to 2000, so fill technology should be more modern and solid.

[Laramie]

Can it, though? I thought jails/detention centers/prisons had to be basically purpose-built that way from the beginning due to all the extra design/elements necessary to make it a jail/prison? Are there successful examples of office bldgs retrofitted to be jails/detention centers/prisons in the US?

True. So how did we end up with the present County Jail.

You could conduct a study on the building. This is probably as close to the courthouse as you can get.

[Midtowner]

I like what they have in Dallas County. Just across the river from downtown, they've built up a large courthouse and jail complex. There's enough expansion room over there that the thing is just surrounded by surface parking. You address a lot of security concerns and transportation costs when you house the inmates adjacent to the courthouse--and it would be advisable to keep everything downtown or near enough as many of us lawyers cover both civil and criminal dockets, so move those buildings too far apart and you're going to end up with a lot more civil continuances because we're required to handle criminal matters first.

I like that some folks are trying to think outside the box and remodeling old facilities, but there's one thing we've learned from this jail, if anything, and that's that jails have unique infrastructure requirements and that the County needs to work closely with experienced architects and consultants to get this done right.

[Midtowner]

True. So how did we end up with the present County Jail.

The lowest bidder won.

[Laramie]

The lowest bidder won.

So we got what we paid for. The guy who was paid a $50,000 salary to check the quality of those materials to build the current county jail just sat on his hips and didn't inspect anything.

BTW Midtowner, I like your river proposal...

[LakeEffect]

The lowest bidder won.

No. It was a corrupt design procurement process that led to a faulty design.

[Plutonic Panda]

Not so sure a sprawling facility is the best option for a county jail. A prison maybe but county jail moves more people frequently. Better to keep a narrower footprint. Should be at least 5 stories. The pull a part yard or villa/general Pershing BLVD ideas are great.

[Dob Hooligan]

Not so sure a sprawling facility is the best option for a county jail. A prison maybe but county jail moves more people frequently. Better to keep a narrower footprint. Should be at least 5 stories. The pull a part yard or villa/general Pershing BLVD ideas are great.

I am 99% sure it will be no more than 2 stories.

[Pete]

No. It was a corrupt design procurement process that led to a faulty design.

And led to successful lawsuits against the contractor and design firms.

[Plutonic Panda]

I am 99% sure it will be no more than 2 stories.

Then to be anywhere close to downtown it would have to be on the old pull apart yard, no? IIRC, they’re aiming for 700-900 beds?

[Pete]

^

The recommendation is no more than 10 minutes from downtown.

That's up to a 10-mile radius which could be almost anywhere.

[Plutonic Panda]

^

The recommendation is no more than 10 minutes from downtown.

That's up to a 10-mile radius which could be almost anywhere.

That greatly depends on the route and location. Are they defining downtown as the CBD limits only? The center of it? Is that as the crow flies? Driving to I-240 on I-35 could take 5 minutes or 15 depending on rush hour. Hell the other day it took me almost 20 minutes just to get to I-40 from I-240. Are they just looking at locations and Google Mapping it? Then going with it if it comes under 10 minutes? Sorry I have a lot of questions about that 10 minute thing...

OKC is a low traffic city, for now. Doubt we will still be able to say that going into the next decade. I'm back in the city until January and been here for a few months. I have noticed a massive uptick in traffic and freeways definitely seem to be full more than they used to.

[Jersey Boss]

L/E vehicles can get through traffic when you can't.
Just sayin'

[Bowser214]

So we got what we paid for. The guy who was paid a $50,000 salary to check the quality of those materials to build the current county jail just sat on his hips and didn't inspect anything.

BTW Midtowner, I like your river proposal...

Ugh John Wiley Price, thought he was under investigation

[Plutonic Panda]

L/E vehicles can get through traffic when you can't.
Just sayin'

True but for transport busses I doubt they’ll be in emergency mode. Los Angeles has a secondary facility that’s located clear out near Santa Clarita.