Proposed Plans For New Cuyahoga County Jail In Garfield Heights Draw Mixed Reactions At Public Hearing!

FEATURED PHOTO: CUYAHOGA COUNTY EXECUTIVE CHRIS RONAYNE

WKYC.com, Isabel Lawrence, Dave “Dino” DeNatale , Posted August 2nd 2023

Cuyahoga County residents had their chance to weigh in on the proposed new jail facility in Garfield Heights during a public hearing in front of the county council late last month.

The public hearing came just over a month after Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne introduced legislation authorizing the purchase of 72 acres of land adjacent to Granger Road in Garfield Heights for $38 million. That money will come from the county’s general fund as well as American Rescue Plan Act dollars.

A second public hearing will be held on Tuesday, August 1 at 5 p.m.

The land, which is currently owned by Craig Realty Group, would be used for the construction of the Cuyahoga County Central Campus, including the new jail as well as the headquarters of the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, a diversion center, and more. 

Ronayne’s legislation was referred to the Cuyahoga County Council’s Committee of the Whole for consideration. Ronayne says the overall estimate for the cost of building the central campus would be $750 million, which will come from an extra quarter percent sales tax for residents. Ronayne says the county’s plan is to have the courthouse remain in downtown Cleveland while the jail and the rest of the central campus would be located in Garfield Heights. 

“I’m proposing a site that I think is befitting of a modern system that we need,” Ronayne previously told 3News’ Neil Fischer. “It spreads it out on a campus, it’s humane for those in our custody and for our workers. It’s a great site, 70-plus acres, off the highway. It’s connected, really, to the center of our region,” he explained. 

Discussions of a possible new jail come after the current location in downtown Cleveland has faced its share of problems, including inmate deaths and safety concerns from staff who work there. In a presentation Monday, county officials with the Department of Public Works called it “operationally inefficient,” and said it lacked adequate space for things like attorney and family visits, among other issues.

The presentation referenced positives to the Garfield Heights location, including its central location near 480 and 77, its connection to transit services, and being an environmentally clean site. The land is considered a greenfield, meaning the county will not have to pay any clean-up costs. \

Matt Burke, the mayor of Garfield Heights, voiced his support for the project being located in his community.

“There is definitely no secret that it is the only site that is available that is clean land that does not have a remediation cost, and that is the main reason why I support it, because that is what’s safe for everybody involved,” Burke said. “It’s safe for the people that have to work there, it’s safe for the people that have to be held there.”

Burke’s support was echoed by Garfield Heights City Council President Thomas Vaughn.

“We are the center of the county, this jail will be better accessibility for all,” he said. “As far as the issues with RTA, RTA has said they are willing to add more lines. We are right there off of 480.”

However, others voiced concerns over the possible plans, including the cost implications for community members.

“You’re proposing we spend at least an estimate of three quarters of a billion dollars, which taxpayers will have to pay for 40 years,” said Kareem Henton. “That will affect my 10 year old and his children.”

Additionally, other community members brought up what else could be done with that land in Garfield Heights, one person recommending using the property to build mixed use multi-family projects, which they believe would benefit the broader Garfield Heights community.

Ron Jackson, the council president in neighboring Maple Heights, has a different idea for a location of the jail. 

“I would like to see it on Opportunity Corridor. It’s an area that I grew up in, it’s been dubbed the forgotten triangle. This would be something that would keep it in the city, and one thing I haven’t heard too much about is the potential tax law that the city would incur if it went outside of the city,” Jackson said. 

Earlier this year, Ronayne announced that the county had chosen the path of a new jail site as opposed to renovating the existing facility at the Justice Center campus. He added that his administration began a search process to find a new site for “a modern jail campus that conforms to today’s best practices.” At the time, that process had narrowed from dozens of potential sites to a short list of locations being vetted in partnership with Cuyahoga County Council.