The Tennessee Department of Correction held a groundbreaking ceremony on April 16th for the Bledsoe County Correctional Complex, a project which was first announced in 2004. The facility, which is currently the largest state funded project in Tennessee, is expected to create approximately 500 new jobs for Bledsoe County and surrounding areas.
The facility, designed by DLR Group, has the capacity to house more than 1,444 inmates with the expansion potential to add another 512 beds. Upon completion, it will house minimum, medium and maximum-security inmates and will be located adjacent to the existing Southeastern Tennessee State Regional Correctional Facility.
“We’re excited to be a part of a project that will be so beneficial to this community. In a time when the economy is still recovering, we’re proud to have been selected to design a project that will bring so many jobs to this area,” said Tim Gibson, AIA of DLR Group.
The complex is estimated to take 30 months to complete construction. The Bledsoe County Correctional Complex’s 18 new buildings and two renovated buildings will consist of 460,000 Gross Square Feet on 33.65 acres of land. Once finished, the complex will employ an estimated 230 security staff and 195 administrative staff and professionals. The estimated cost to construct the facility is $144,000,000.