Jail expansion breaks ground

Construction of one of the most expensive government building projects in the Lowcountry's history kicked off Thursday.

Charleston County Council members, representatives from area policing agencies and several elected officials converged at the county's Detention Center in North Charleston where a more than $100 million jail expansion project is under way.

Jailers have grappled with overcrowding at the facility for years, and Council Chairman Tim Scott said he is glad they will see relief in the near future.

"Our objective is really to create an environment that is as safe as possible for the individuals that have to work in this facility," Scott said. "It's often times a thankless job."

The county jail on Leeds Avenue was built in 1966 to hold about 661 inmates, but on average last year, it held more than twice that, including work release inmates. The new facility will be 323,000-square feet, adding about 20 dormitory-style housing units and 1,344 beds.

Sheriff Al Cannon thanked Council for recognizing the need for additional bed space. Council members could have picked a cheaper alternative that would have added only about 600 more beds, he said.

"They bit the bullet and stepped forward with the greater costing project," Cannon said. "I think that was a responsible act on their part in anticipating the needs of the county."

The county is paying for the new jail with recently borrowed money and future borrowing, with plans to pay off the loans over 20 years.

Columbia-based M.B. Kahn Construction is handling the designing and building of the multimillion-dollar project.

The new jail's housing unit should be completed by February 2010. The rest of the renovations would be done by that August.

Read more in tomorrow's editions of The Post and Courier.