Rock County Jail & Law Enforcement Center

The Rock County Jail & Law Enforcement Center project replaces severely aging facilities with a modernized correction facility and state-of-the-art law enforcement center, centralizing all services in one location. The new facility, spanning 200,000 sqft, will be seamlessly integrated into the existing building by demolishing the old one after moving in, all while maintaining full operational capacity. This three-year project has transformed the law enforcement landscape for Rock County.

Designed to exceed conventional standards, the new one-stop shop offers dedicated spaces to meet the diverse needs of both employees and inmates. Building features include:

• Expanded mental health support and substance abuse rehabilitation – the facility embodies a progressive approach to inmate care, promoting holistic well-being and rehabilitation.
• Fitness and wellness center
• Wisconsin’s largest fleet garage with self-service car wash
• Command center
• Lab
• Courtyard for employees
• Jail kitchen designed to serve as a natural disaster kitchen if ever needed

A critical aspect of our approach as construction manager was value engineering (VE). By analyzing existing spaces and working closely with Venture Architects, we optimized corridor widths and support areas, resulting in significant cost savings of 7% for Rock County, demonstrating our dedication to budget stewardship.

Lesson Learned/Value Add: Surplus Project Lumber Put to Good Use in the Community

Upon completion of the Law Enforcement Center portion of the project, we had a surplus of treated lumber, valued at approximately $4,100. Rather than returning or reusing these materials, we sought out a way that would benefit both the local environment and the community.

We partnered with the Rock County Chapter of the Ice Age Trail Alliance, an organization dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the Ice Age National Scenic Trial. Members from our Young Leaders group, led by Tyler Sears, collaborated with 45 volunteers from the Alliance to transform the leftover lumber into information posts. By the end of the project, our team successfully installed around 30 new way-finding posts along the trails improving the visitor experience while also contributing to the overall maintenance and tidiness of the national park grounds.