Wayne County will open the doors next month to a long-awaited Criminal Justice Center that county leaders say is accessible with user-friendly services for the public and inmates.
The 7-building complex, located at 5301 Russell Street, is more than 1 million square feet spanning 11 acres and has been touted as one of the most ambitious construction projects in the county’s history.
BridgeDetroit was among the media outlets that took part in a tour of the new facility earlier this month with restricted access to secure areas of the site, which opens to the public on Sept. 3.
The complex includes a 7-story courthouse, 26 criminal courtrooms, and 1,400 office spaces for justice-related departments and agencies. It also features adult and juvenile detention facilities that can house up to 2,500 inmates, according to a news release.
Floor-to-ceiling windows and reflective surfaces offer plenty of natural light in the main lobby and courthouse hallways. After visitors pass through security they’ll have an opportunity to check hearing times and courtroom numbers via large display screens that will list each courtroom’s docket for the day, similar to an airport terminal.
While looking at the docket screens, residents can turn in any direction to figure out where to go next. Behind them, they’ll find the elevators. To their left, they’ll see a cafeteria and a large staircase that leads to the door for jury services. Just past the airport-like screens is a long hallway where visitors will go for court services, and plenty of cashier windows to serve them efficiently.
The 111,000-square-foot juvenile detention facility can accommodate up to 120 residents, with approximately 16 jail cells in a housing pod layout designed to maximize visibility to improve security. Other key elements are restorative justice features like a library, indoor basketball court, outdoor recreational space, and a workout room.
“This long-awaited day represents a major step forward in criminal justice, not just for Wayne County but also nationwide,” Wayne County Commission Chairwoman Alisha Bell, D-Detroit, said in a statement.
“This state-of-the-art complex brings together all branches of our criminal justice system, from the sheriff’s department to the prosecutor’s office to our courts,” Bell said. “It will also provide a major step forward in the physical care and mental health care for those who are incarcerated.”
The county received the keys to the new facility in March, which marked the start of a 180-day transition period. Wayne County has to vacate the old facilities it sold to Rock Ventures by mid-September as part of the development agreement approved in July 2018.
The county estimates that the complex will house 1,400 employees and receive 1,000 visitors each day. The new site has convenient access to free parking surrounding the facility, easing a long-time complaint of employees and visitors, including jurors, that the cost of parking and long walks from lots to the county’s existing courthouse had created barriers to the criminal justice system and employment with the county.
Wayne County notes the CJC will streamline many court-related processes, including ticket handling and fine payments. Private meeting rooms for attorneys and their clients are a new concept in the county and weren’t provided in the old facilities. The center will also offer state-of-the-art technology, including video arraignments, visitations, and remote hearings.
Third Judicial Circuit Court Chief Judge Patricia Perez Fresard said the CJC opening furthers the county’s efforts to provide a safe environment and to build trust.
“It gives us the opportunity to show those who come into this building that the justice system is working well for them,” Fresard said.
County officials, employees, and stakeholders have looked forward to new facilities since 2010 when construction of a new jail began. The original project dubbed the “Failed Jail,” was halted in 2013 after cost overruns made finishing the project unreasonable.
The county’s share of the costs is just over $500 million today, nearly $100 million more than what the county originally agreed to pay in 2018.
As of February, project costs reached $670 million, with the county picking up $502.8 million of the tab and leaving Rock with $167.9 million of the costs and any cost overruns. The original agreement pegged the county’s share at $407 million, and Rock’s contribution at $132.3 million, according to an Aug. 15 budget presentation.
County employees will be welcomed into their new workplace by greeters the county hired to add a “special touch” to the transition and reduce confusion for staff who aren’t yet familiar with the layout of the new buildings.
County officials have kept details about the move close to the vest for security reasons, including the move of inmates from the old jail to the new jail, but some of the logistics were discussed in Wayne County Commission meetings throughout this year.
The county began moving offices, equipment, and employees into the new buildings earlier this month. The complex move was coordinated by contracted consultants and transition teams, consisting of department heads from each agency that will report to the new site, with day-to-day operations moving first.
The county commission oversaw the project’s progress through a special committee organized in 2019.
Additional costs incurred over time for the project weren’t considered “change orders” because they were not contemplated in the project’s original design when the original agreement was approved. Over half of $100 million in additional construction costs were for a central utility plant and the county’s decision to purchase parking assets from Rock.
The county commission approved a separate $36 million contract with DTE Energy for the construction of a central utility plant. Although the original development agreement contemplated the construction of a power source, the cost was unknown at the time it was approved in 2018.
Heath told the special committee in March that once the construction costs are tallied up, county officials “will have a lot to be proud of for how we’ve all been good stewards of the county’s money.”
Overall, the county has approved approximately $3 million in change orders, which is less than 1% of the overall project cost. The county commission delegated its authority to review and approve change orders to a 6-member “change order panel” in 2020. The panel consisted of three high-level staff members in the administration of County Executive Warren Evans and three members appointed by the commission. Contracts and subsequent amendments are typically approved during public commission meetings; however deliberations about the changes were held in private panel meetings after the commission waived its authority to do so.
Outstanding work, issues remain
The county is responsible for post-turnover construction costs, including the addition of jury seating in two courtrooms. The county did not immediately respond to a request from BridgeDetroit about the estimated costs.
The county also has the opportunity to audit spending related to the project as long it gives a 6-month notice before final completion
Heath recommended two areas the commission could audit earlier this year. The first was the $10 million allowance for furniture, fixtures, and equipment that the county and developer were allowed to pull funds from to purchase materials for the facility. Heath recommended an audit of Rock’s expenditures related to purchases it made at the county’s request, adding he doesn’t suspect there will be an issue. The other, he said, is costs associated with the shell of the central utility plant. Rock was required to contribute approximately $2.5 million to build the “shell” of the plant and the county was responsible for the remaining costs.
The county’s former juvenile detention facility has been cleaned out. Officials are working with the procurement division on plans for a public sector auction of materials that won’t be used in the new facility. Last week, Rock Ventures disclosed its plan to demolish the old jails as soon as this year but its agreement with the county does not require disclosure of future plans.
Really safe for mental health? Is that why my 23 year old daughter had access to a phone cord in a holding cell with known mental health and withdrawal issues so she could snap and hang herself after not being checked on. Don’t let your people get there please