Fite Building Company has been selected to construct the new 480-bed Elmore County Jail through a contract valued at approximately $69.9 million.
The Elmore County Commission awarded the project to the Decatur-based contractor, which will partner with Birmingham-based CMH Architects on the new correctional facility.
“We are honored by the confidence the Elmore County Commission has placed in our team,” said Michael Garber, region vice president of Fite Building Company.
“As our footprint grows, so does our impact on the communities we get to serve. This project is about more than constructing a building. It is about delivering a facility that will serve Elmore County for generations.”
The project is intended to address longstanding capacity and infrastructure problems at the county’s existing jail.
The current facility was constructed approximately 30 years ago with an original capacity of 242 inmates. Elmore County officials said the population has periodically exceeded 150% of that capacity, creating overcrowding and limiting the jail’s ability to isolate inmates with serious or contagious illnesses.
A county-commissioned feasibility study determined that renovating and expanding the existing facility would cost significantly more than constructing a replacement nearby. The jail is part of the county’s broader Enhance Elmore growth-management plan, which also includes renovations to the Judicial Complex and additional administrative space for the Sheriff’s Office, Circuit Clerk and other public safety operations.
County officials have said the investments are needed to accommodate continued population growth and the addition of two circuit judges. A study released in early 2024 detailed recurring jail-capacity problems and the need for a replacement facility.
Fite recently joined county commissioners, CMH Architects and other project partners for a groundbreaking ceremony. The company said construction is now moving forward.
Sawyer Knowles is a state and political reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may contact him at [email protected]
