Groundbreaking ceremony for Judicial and Law Enforcement Center, Public Safety Building projects scheduled for Jan. 17

photo by: Contributed

A rendering of the outside of the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center with the renovations and addition.

Construction for the largest capital improvement project in Douglas County history is set to begin next month. To mark the occasion, a groundbreaking ceremony will be held for the expansion and renovation of the Judicial Law Enforcement Center, along with the new Public Safety Building.

The ceremony will be at the south lawn of the JLEC, 111 E. 11th St., at 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 17.

The goal of the joint project, according to the county, is to improve security for all users of the JLEC building, improve operational efficiency and enhance the technological availability.

As the Journal World reported, county commissioners approved a total project budget of $81.9 million in December. The project will not require a tax increase. It will be funded with bonds paid for within existing sales tax authority and with cash on hand. The design and construction teams for the project, Treanor Architects and J.E. Dunn Construction, are expected to take about two years and six months to complete the project.

The JLEC building, which houses the District Court, District Attorney’s Office, emergency communications and management offices, Sheriff’s Office, IT department, and building maintenance staff, will be expanded on its south side. This expansion will add 158,075 square feet to the south side of the existing JLEC. It will create additional space for more courtrooms, judges’ chambers, conference rooms and other essential facilities.

photo by: Contributed

An architectural rendering of the staff entrance to the Public Safety Building.

The Public Safety Building will be located next to the Douglas County Jail, 3601 E. 25th St., and will serve as the central hub for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the 911 dispatch center and the county’s emergency management operations.

The construction of the JLEC expansion is expected to begin in January 2025, and the renovations to the existing building are expected to begin in summer 2026 and be completed in summer 2027. The first phase of construction on the Public Safety Building will begin in spring 2025 and is expected to conclude in spring 2026.