Preparations are being made for Florida’s long-awaited Pasco County jail expansion project, which will take place a few weeks from now. This comes after Sheriff Chris Nocco’s move to hand over management to the county. Besides overcrowding, he cited several other issues associated with the prison. These include rising costs of the operation, plus fees paid to other jurisdictions for housing the overflow of inmates.
Initially the plan was for Pasco County’s jail to increase by an additional 1,000 inmate spaces. But unfortunately, the rising construction costs resulted in the county scaling back to just 540. Therefore implying that the jail complex would still be over capacity even after the new addition comes in. Despite the setback, this new addition would be a breather for the prison facility. In total, the costs for design, permitting and construction on the project were just under $208-million.
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Development plans for the Pasco County jail expansion
The new 386,477-square-foot addition to the Pasco County jail complex will include 540 bed spaces for additional inmates. Furthermore, provisions will be made for medical, mental health and administrative-segregation spaces, including support areas and a secure entry point. The construction also involves building intake and release areas, a kitchen, expanded laundry rooms, security response and staff support areas.
New amenities planned for the Pasco County jail will include a public visitation building, additional parking and a new security road. Families will be able to visit inmates at the visitation building on the corner of Asbel Road and U.S. 41. This facility enable interaction through video conferencing, and keep visitors out of the secure perimeter of the jail. Additionally, there will be new technology infrastructure provided for the jail and any future buildings on the site.
The County Commission made its decision earlier this month to use Moss & Associates LLC again as its construction manager. Previously, the company was brought on board to handle the pre-construction portions of the job, back in 2020. But now the company will oversee the construction work on the Pasco County jail expansion. The project is expected to reach completion by summer 2025.
