Geauga County Safety Center

The Geauga Board of Commissioners selected Heery International to manage the construction of a new jail to replace the countys outdated and overcrowded facility. The initial jail design was patterned after a state prototype plan. Later the commissioners decided to add administrative offices for the sheriffs department and create a safety center where all department activity and responsibilities are directed.

The Geauga County Safety Center project is a 75,000 SF two-story jail with new sheriff’s offices and support facilities for the divisions of law enforcement, investigation and dispatching services for a multitude of safety services. Parking for 110 vehicles is provided by an asphalt parking lot. The exterior is split-face block; the structure is a combination of structural steel, load bearing masonry and pre-cast concrete plank.

The new jail section of the safety center includes a dormitory of sixty 100 SF cells, each of which can house two prisoners, video visitation capability, supervisor space, and a booking and intake office off the sally-port. Jail capacity is 120 dormitory beds, 32 female beds and 80 male beds. Indoor and outdoor recreation areas are provided, as well as locker and break rooms for deputies and correctional officers. The facility has a full laundry, full kitchen and 100 percent emergency generator backup. One UPS system was installed for the entire facility.

Heery’s cost saving efforts helped to reduce the final cost of construction, including all owner requested change orders, by more than $675,000 below the county’s original budget.