No one knows how much the Davidson County Sheriff’s Department that is under development will cost in the end — not even the city office responsible for the construction and which now says the project may stop.
Not enough money was budgeted to finish it, WSMV said. Council appropriated $21 million in the 2016-2017 budget. But the project will cost $17 million more, said Mayor John Cooper.
A spokesperson for Metro’s Department of General Services, which is in charge of construction, said they did not think they would receive enough funding and planned to stop construction if that was the case. The project was approved during former Mayor Megan Barry’s administration.
“When the headquarters of the Sheriff’s office is built, I should know what the budget is. What the cost is. How big it’s going to be, and what do we need? I can’t answer all those questions,” Sheriff Daron Hall told News 4 Investigator Nancy Amons.
Work began on the headquarters building at 710 S. Fifth St. in January, after the old site had been razed, The Nashville Post reported.
Even then, while the price was estimated to be about $20 million, the final cost was not given. Nor did anyone in Metro government want to release a final image of the planned building.
Even as the future of the planned headquarters building is in question, the Sheriff’s Department is celebrating the completion of its new downtown jail.
On Friday, the Davidson County Sheriff’s Department tweeted, “With officers and staff in support, Sheriff @DaronHall7 receives the ceremonial key to our new Downtown Detention Center (DDC). Now we can get inside, while crews are putting on the finishing touches, to start concentrated facility training. Open house scheduled for January 16!”
With officers and staff in support, Sheriff @DaronHall7 receives the ceremonial key to our new Downtown Detention Center (DDC). Now we can get inside, while crews are putting on the finishing touches, to start concentrated facility training. Open house scheduled for January 16! pic.twitter.com/4O1x8p7Mrs
— Nashville Sheriff (@NashSheriff) November 1, 2019
NewsChannel 5 published a story in July 2018 talking about methods making the new jail secure, such as constructing cells as pre-fab units.
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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
Photos “Sheriff Darron Hall at the DDC” and “CJC Demolition” by the Nashville Sheriff’s Department.
This sounds like where Sumner County is headed with its rush to spend an outrageous amount of money for a new courthouse, jail pods, parking garage, etc., etc.. All of which is being rushed and juggle and rushed some more.