Oklahoma County commissioners choose Grand Boulevard land as jail's new home

Oklahoma County commissioners on Wednesday chose 1901 E Grand Blvd. as their preferred location to build a new jail.

The decision came after hearing from dozens of residents opposed to that location and from others who marched several miles that morning to protest against another proposed location in northeast Oklahoma City.

Commissioner Myles Davidson's proposal to build the project on about 71 acres was supported by Commissioner Brian Maughan. Commissioner Carrie Blumert, who unsuccessfully attempted earlier in the same meeting to have the site removed from consideration, voted no.

The site is less than a mile from Crooked Oak Public Schools' main campus.

Davidson said after the meeting he moved to select the location because it was the best site remaining on commissioners' list of potential locations, according to HOK, the architect selected to work with Flintco to build the new jail.

The architect evaluated 15 proposed sites based on their sizes (with larger ones allowing the construction of a single-story jail), distances from the county courthouse (both in miles and time), zonings, access to highways, the availability of utilities, soil and environmental conditions, road improvements, land costs and access to public transportation.

The current jail's downtown location wasn't an option because the amount of land the county would need involves so many different owners the county simply has run out of time to pursue that option.

More: Del City authorizes exploring legal action to prevent county from building jail next door

"That's where we are going," Davidson said of the Grand Boulevard site.

"Everyone likes to compare what we are proposing to build to what Tulsa built on about 20 acres on the west side of its downtown. But the rules that have to be followed to build a jail — requirements for cell sizes and programming space — are totally different today. You could not replicate what they did on 20 acres today. It is just not possible."

Meanwhile, commissioners also authorized having the county's engineer work with a contractor to evaluate other properties as potential jail locations. Land being evaluated included sites at Reno and Exchange Avenue, Interstate 240 and Sunnylane Road and land that used to be the Townley's Dairy farther north on Grand Boulevard, close to the Oklahoma River.

Blumert said she was disappointed by the commissioners' vote to go with 1901 E Grand, but voted to support exploring other locations as potential alternatives in case 1901 E Grand doesn't work out.

"I would love it" if Oklahoma County could find another site close to downtown that would work including one near Agnew and Reno, which is west of where Oklahoma City's farmer's market operates, Blumert said Wednesday.

She said her staff and the county's engineer were able to identify the property after looking for locations close to downtown where a new jail wouldn't impact homes or schools.

"I reached out and contacted one of the property owners of the land. Nothing is in writing, but he agreed to allow me to include it on the agenda for discussion purposes," she said.

Vote to select 1901 E Grand as jail location clears way for acquisition negotiations, other steps

Maughan said the next step for Oklahoma County is to negotiate a purchase price for the property using property acquisition specialist Smith-Roberts, which it hired earlier this year.

Initially, land owners Garrett & Co. Resources and Willowbrook Investments LLC offered to sell the 71 acres to the county for $5.41 million or give it to the county at no cost in exchange for the downtown jail's current location after that building is demolished.

While Oklahoma County negotiates for the land, the current owners must get zoning changed for the property so that a jail can be located there.

"That could potentially take a while, how long it is before Oklahoma City considers that zoning request," Maughan said.

"I think there are a lot of challenges with this and we may or may not see this succeed at City Hall, so I am supporting exploring our alternatives as we go through this as we are lacking in time."

Oklahoma County faces increasing time pressures as it tries to secure land and approval from Oklahoma City to build the jail.

Before Wednesday, Oklahoma County only had offered to buy a piece of property near SW 54 and Newcastle Road from the Oklahoma City Airport Trust for $2.5 million, hoping to build the new jail there. But the Federal Aviation Administration nixed that plan, saying a jail built on Will Rogers World Airport's north side could prevent the use of future federal funds to expand or improve the facility's operations.

Del City will fight county selection in court, mayor says

Del City Mayor Floyd Eason told The Oklahoman on Wednesday his community already has set aside $150,000 to fight against Oklahoma County's choice of 1901 E Grand as the jail's new location.

At earlier meetings of the commission and Wednesday, both residents and Del City's elected officials have complained putting the jail just outside of its community of 22,000 residents still would depress residents' property values and increase public safety demands on its police and fire departments.

"We are going to fight this," Eason said. "For years, Del City has taken whatever came down the pike, but we are not that city anymore," he said.

Residents worry concerns about where the jail will be built were not heard

Most of those addressing commissioners Wednesday argued the county should keep its jail downtown and close to the courthouse.

Others, particularly representatives of the People’s Council for Justice Reform, argued Oklahoma County shouldn't be building a new jail at all.

Earlier Wednesday morning, northeast Oklahoma City civic leaders marched from NE 23 and Coltrane to the commissioners meeting in protest of sites in that area being considered as the location for the new jail.

"We are just sick and tired of having the same conversations over and over again about jails and the east side," said Jabee Williams, an owner of several eastside businesses who grew up near Oklahoma's Capitol.

"We have to let them know this community is serious about its opposition" to putting a jail into northeast Oklahoma City, Williams said.

"Our voices aren't being heard, and people in the community feel strong about this."

Kaye Cooper, a former resident of Austin, Texas, said she remembers experiencing the issues decades ago as county authorities there looked to build a new jail. Ultimately, because of widespread opposition, its leaders decided to keep the building downtown.

"The only thing that draws the attention of money and power is unity and strength in numbers. Keep the jail where it is and build around it ..." Cooper said.

"There are far more people that live and care about Oklahoma City than a few greedy developers that want to come here and change things," Cooper said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Commissioners select Grand Boulevard site for Oklahoma County jail