The two-year construction project is part of a 20-year lease agreement between the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) and CoreCivic, Inc., for the 2,432-bed, 400,544-square-foot correctional facility. Under the proposal, the KDOC will continue to staff and operate the facility.

Encompassing a net savings of $23.6 million over the life of the lease with staff and building efficiency as the primary drivers, the new construction means replacing the deteriorating facility that is inefficient to operate and maintain while also providing much-needed programming space.

“The current facility has serious infrastructure needs and now we will be able to provide a long-term solution that will allow us to enhance program delivery and make Lansing safer for inmates and staff,” Corrections Secretary Joe Norwood said.

The current Lansing facility includes a medium unit built in the 1980s, as well as the original maximum unit that dates to the 1860s. The modern facility will be built where the medium facility is currently located. Kansas City-based JE Dunn is the general contractor for the project.

The cost-neutral project, which will reduce operational costs for the KDOC, did not require any up-front appropriation to the KDOC. Financed through a base-year lease of $14.9 million with a 1.94% escalator, the State of Kansas would own the facility at the end of the 20-year term at no additional cost.

Key features of the project include:

●       Two housing units: a 1,920-bed maximum and medium unit and a 512-bed minimum unit.

●       Medical Services (improved design for aging population) Food Service, Spiritual Life, and Staff Support areas

●       Indoor and outdoor recreation areas, ample site circulation and parking, and improved lighting and security

●       Modern utility systems that provide significant cost and energy savings

●       Capacity for future expansion

●       Local maintenance staff, locksmiths, and professional services

●       Energy saving shell design with top-of-the-line roofing system, and highly insulated walls systems

●       Security systems include triple-biased magnetic door switches, and enhanced video surveillance systems

●       Layout controls the movement of inmate population

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