By Sean Copeland
BLOOMINGTON – Construction of the McLean County jail expansion has reached a milestone as County Board members signed and put in place the last construction beam.
County Board Chairman John McIntyre said this tradition has a long history.
“It’s a long-standing tradition for iron workers that they place the last beam in,” McIntyre said. “It’s kind of a symbol of integrity for the building, there’s a matter of pride and risk that goes into putting a building together.”
McIntyre said it’s representative of the change they continue to see in Bloomington, adding the project is on schedule and under budget.
“This building itself means a lot of support for the citizens of this county, helping with the mental health inmates and especially for female inmates. So, it’s a very good thing and we’re very proud we’re on schedule,” said McIntyre.
The $39 million project will be able to house an additional 225 inmates with specific floors dedicated to female inmates and inmates who suffer from mental health issues. River City Construction’s project manager Matthew Brown said it’s incredible how the building process has come along.
“Yeah, it’s a great milestone for the project and the county,” Brown said. “It symbolizes the topping out of the structural still, it sets a new landscape for East street here and it’s a proud moment for all the workers.”
Brown said the first phase of the expansion is set to be finished in September 2018. Phase two, the renovation of the existing McLean County Jail will be finished by April 2019.
Sean Copeland can be reached at [email protected].
