PAINESVILLE, Ohio — A design-build team led by Gilbane Building Co. has officially topped out a $205 million, 250,000-square-foot public safety complex that will combine a new correctional facility with offices for the Lake County Sheriff, marking a major milestone in the county’s long-term modernization efforts.
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The facility, known as the Lake County Public Safety Center, will include inmate supervision areas, treatment and rehabilitation programming, plus in-house medical capabilities. According to the contractor, the building is set to replace the existing jail located nearby on East Erie Street once it opens in 2027.
Gilbane confirmed that the older jail will be demolished following completion and transfer of operations, a move that aligns with broader trends in replacing aging detention infrastructure nationwide. The project is part of a surge in high-value public safety construction, with cities and states investing in modern facilities built around treatment, security, and operational efficiency.
The project team includes Cleveland-based K2M Design, working alongside local builder Lakeland, The Construction Group, which noted that construction officially began in November 2024.
Public safety facility construction has become a lucrative sector for major contractors in recent years. Across the country, firms have been awarded large contracts to build new correctional facilities with enhanced healthcare, rehabilitation, and security components.
Examples in the last year alone include:
Gilbane is no stranger to this market. According to the firm’s website, the company has completed $1.7 billion in justice and public safety projects across 29 facilities in the last five years, including courthouses, crime labs, and correctional centers such as the Franklin County Corrections Center in Ohio and the Village of Oswego police station in Illinois.
Originally reported by Matthew Thibault in Construction Dive.
