Streamlined Services

BY LISA GIBSON

After a $66 million, multi-faceted construction and remodeling project is finished, North Dakota’s Ward County will have double the capacity in its jail, new office areas for multiple county services, centrally located county offices, streamlined courthouse operations and modern updates to its historical 1929 courthouse. Not to worry, though — the original art deco decor in the courthouse will remain.

“It is truly the most beautiful county courthouse in North Dakota,” says Scott Jordan-Denny, civic practice leader and architect with JLG Architects, which designed the new facilities. “So just being very careful with that and the historical qualities of it has always been a definite goal of the county, as well as the architects.”

The updates to the courthouse consist mostly of modernizing systems such as fire sprinklers, repurposing office space and accommodating existing departments, Jordan-Denny says. “Weaving those kinds of things into the historic character of the building is challenging, but something we’re really stepping up to do and make sure we’re preserving that history and the character of the building.” The courthouse is about 62,000 square feet and the remodel will include only about half, Scott-Denny says.

A new administrative building has recently been completed, allowing staff previously housed in the courthouse to move into new, and in many cases larger, office areas. Many departments housed in the courthouse, including social services and the county commission, have moved into the new administrative offices, leaving only court-related departments behind, for a more streamlined setup, Scott-Denny says. The new office building is a 21st Century, unique facility with a light-filled atrium and also incorporates the library, which used to be set apart at an “offbeat” location, he says. “Now it’s kind of front and center, off the atrium on the ground floor, accessible to the public.”

The courthouse remodel is underway and will be completed in eight to nine months, he says, followed by, and perhaps overlapping with, the construction of an addition to the current jail that will add about 150 cells to capacity. “We are very much looking forward to the groundbreaking on the new jail,” says Ward County Chief Deputy Robert Barnard. “We still house more prisoners than we have room for by way of transporting them to other facilities throughout the state and paying to house them there, so we’re looking forward to having our own space.” The addition will add 75,000 square feet and will house the Ward County Sheriff’s Department on one of its five floors.

About 10,000 square feet of the 38,000-square-foot existing jail will be remodeled, also, including the intake area, miscellaneous support and outdated areas. Scott-Denny says the work will not displace any inmates currently housed in the Ward County Jail. “The idea is to get the jail built and 100 percent complete and open, and then transfer the prisoners to the new jail and then go and remodel the existing jail.”

The juvenile detention facility is currently housed in the existing jail and will be moved to the courthouse basement. The majority of the detention center construction has been finished, Barnard says.

Jordan-Denny says he had never designed a jail before and the security issues and other challenges were learning opportunities. BWBR out of Minneapolis is JLG’s jail consultant on the project. “Security is definitely a concern,” Jordan-Denny says. “I think what was really interesting for me was really thinking about the safety of the sheriff’s deputies and the security staff within the jail.” He cites the goal of having no 90-degree angles where someone could hide. “You want to keep everything flowing and keep corridors wide enough that you can always have a deputy escorting a prisoner and not ever get into a compromised situation.”

Barnard says the new jail and sheriff’s department office space will help streamline operations. “We spend a lot of time, money and labor transporting inmates out of our facility, so they can be housed at other jurisdictions. That will not only save time and make things more efficient, but it’s going to save us money, as well.”

While the new cells and office space won’t mean huge changes for deputies on the road patrolling, it will for headquarters. “For the detention facility, the jail, it’s going to be a big change and a big improvement,” Barnard adds. “We’re looking forward to a large improvement.” PB

Lisa Gibson Editor, Prairie Business 701.787.6753 lgibson@prairiebusinessmagazine.com