Indy Names Preferred Developer For New Justice Center

Mayor Greg Ballard today named WMB Heartland Justice Partners as the preferred company to oversee the design, construction and operation of the new Marion County Justice Complex. The near Westside project is to be built on the site of the old General Motors Stamping Plant.

"After decades of study, Marion County is finally ready to take a big step toward improving public safety through building a modern, efficient justice complex," Ballard said Friday.

WMB Heartland Justice Partners was chosen over two other vendors -- Indy Justice Partners and Plenary Edgemoor Justice Partners. The proposal will now go to the City-County Council for review and approval.

The new justice complex will feature 37 criminal court/hearing rooms, offices for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, a 3,000 bed detention facility with on-site medical and mental health units, a 960 bed community corrections facility, and surface parking facilities.

Under the proposal, Marion County would pay $46.8 million in 2019, the first full year of the new justice center’s operation. According to city/county officials, that’s $3.3 million less than what it now spends on courts and the jail.
The estimated cost of construction of the justice center is $408 million, considerably lower than previously speculated construction costs ranging from $500 - $700 million.

Marion County expects to fund the project over the 35 year term of the contract from the reallocation of budget dollars from expiring contracts and leases, including savings of $19 million per year from closing Jail II, as well as from reduced operational costs and future revenue sources such as federal arrestee contracts. The new center will significantly reduce the sheriff’s costs for transporting arrestees among multiple detention and court buildings and save taxpayers’ dollars through the use of centralized security, food preparation, medical, laundry, maintenance and other shared services. The new facility will not require an increase in taxes.

Construction could begin in June 2015.