Wednesday, May 12, 1999
Kenton narrows jail sites to four
None of them is downtown
BY CINDY SCHROEDER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
INDEPENDENCE — Kenton County officials announced four possible sites for a new jail Tuesday, all of which involve moving the detention center from downtown Covington.
While public sentiment favors building a new Kenton County Jail near the current location, Kenton Judge-executive Dick Murgatroyd said that option isn't feasible.
“We've looked and looked at (downtown Covington), and it just doesn't work,” he said.
Except for sites with economic development potential, there simply isn't a 30-acre site anywhere near the current jail where a low-rise facility could be built, Mr. Murgatroyd said. To build a jail near the present one would require at least five stories, which would mean more staffing, he said.
“You get above two floors, and your costs start doubling,” Kenton County Jailer Terry Carl said.
The four leading sites are:
• 52 acres southeast of Interstate 275 and Ky. 17. The previously announced 3L site, a former junkyard zoned for industrial use, would be accessible via a bridge to be built off Ky. 17. Total project cost: $25.4 million.
Although in Covington, the site is near Edgewood and Fort Wright. Residents of those cities have expressed concerns about their safety and property values, as well as the prospect of the jail luring undesirable developments, such as pawnshops.
• 21.28 acres within the Northern Kentucky Industrial Park, west of Foundation Road, east of the railroad and south of New Buffington Road, in Elsmere. Access would be from Foundation Road via a right of way. Total project cost: $23.7 million.
• 31.4 acres of a vacant farm northwest of the Ky. 17 and Richardson Road intersection, between Banklick Creek and the railroad tracks. Access would be from Richardson Road. The Erlanger site is zoned residential. Total project cost: $23.9 million.
• An undeveloped 30-acre parcel in the former DeCoursey Yards, bordered by the Licking River on the east and railroad right of way to the west, toward the southern end of the freight yards. Access would be off Locust Pike, via a new bridge spanning railroad right of way. The previous fiscal court had considered another part of the DeCoursey Yards site. The Taylor Mill site is zoned industrial. Total project cost: $25.8 million.
“All I can say is thank you,” said Edgewood Mayor John Link, where residents had urged the fiscal court to consider sites other than 3L, which was endorsed by the previous fiscal court in December. “I think these are four great candidates, and now you need to decide what's best for (the county) in the long run.”
On each of the four leading sites, county officials propose building a one- to two-story, 576-bed jail.
“The two things we looked at the hardest were, "What could we afford to build?' and secondly, "What could we afford to run?'” Mr. Murgatroyd said. “That's where we kept coming back to the (low-rise facility).”
Each site has room for possible expansion, if needed, County Project Manager Rob Thrun said. However, only the 3L site and the DeCoursey Yards location would allow future economic development potential, if the county decided to move its administrative offices or police there.
Annual operating costs and debt service on the four sites are comparable to the current jail's total $3.6 million budget, which includes debt service on an expansion done in the late 1980s, Deputy Judge-executive Scott Kimmich said. The costs range from a high of
$3.849 million at the DeCoursey Yards site, to a low of $3.678 million at the Foundation Road site.
“Having enough room for future expansion is very important to me,” said Kenton County Commissioner Adam Koenig. “The costs are, in essence, the same to build and operate (at the four sites).”
Mr. Koenig said travel time to and from the new jail to the courthouse in Covington also will be an important factor when he considers where to build.
“You can't put a price on taking a cop off the street,” Mr. Koenig said.
While pleased with all four sites, Kenton County Commissioner Dan Humpert said he sees the Richardson Road site as more difficult to build on, because it would require cutting into the hillside.
While the Foundation Road site is cheaper than the other three, the 3L site is centrally located for the coun ty's police departments, he said, and DeCoursey Yards is the farthest from high-density residential development.
Commissioner Barb Black and Mr. Thrun said the county reconsidered the original list of 46 sites and took another look at those that narrowly missed the cut last year. The county ultimately added another six to 12 sites to the mix.
To hear what the public thinks of the leading jail sites, Kenton Fiscal Court has scheduled two hearings. The first will be at 7:30 p.m. May 18 at Seiler Commons on the Thomas More College campus in Crestview Hills. The second will be at 7:30 p.m. May 25, and is tentatively set for the Erlanger Lions Club in Erlanger.
“I'm realistic,” Mr. Murgatroyd said. “We're never going to make everybody happy. But my hope is that out of the (public hearings) we'll begin to hit a comfort level (with one of the four sites.)”
Odyssey team world-class as kids, too
Fountain fix-up funds flowing in
'Star Wars' ticket adventure begins
Asylum or death?
Expansions, new building urged for Lakota
Findlay Market to fight crime
Coaster fans ready for 'Son of Beast'
House Senate rejects 'lemon' on title
Patton enjoys Aquarium preview
Potential Flynt jurors answer frank questions frankly
Summer bus fares will drop to 50Ä from airport to Kings Island
Ted Turner comes home to champion environment
Tornado widow feels pain, pride at son's kindergarten graduation
Cop's career jeopardized by fight with girlfriend
County cop charged with shoplifting
Kenton narrows jail sites to four
Lucas has 1st GOP opponent
CCM dean Werner to retire
Fat's a fact
GET TO IT
Alarms could link to city network
County, Cheviot reach accord on dispatch bill
Empty buildings may get fix-up
Forest Park asks for help to widen U.S. 127
GOP candidates debate
Homes and businesses expected on Monroe site
Miami won't fight hiring ruling
New ozone notch added for the 'sensitive'
Panel to explain Ohio 4 plan
Roselawn art focuses on diversity
School nurses dole out care
Sentencing postponed for former reporter
Teacher cooks up interest in science
TRISTATE DIGEST
Unions fret over health care cost
Y closes building after fire to assess
