Contractor Engagement Meetings for Justice Center Set

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- Stearns County is holding two contractor engagement meetings next week ahead of the formal bid process for the new Justice Center.

As the county prepares to move into the next phase of the project, officials want to connect with local and regional contractors. The meetings will be held at the Stearns County Highway Department in Waite Park on Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and again on Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The massive $308-million project will be approximately 482,000 square feet and will be broken down into 75 separate work scopes to create opportunities for a wide range of contractors.

The meetings are designed to help contractors learn about the project, ask questions, and prepare to submit bid packages.

Stearns County Building Facilities Manager Kevin Korneck says they want as many central Minnesota companies participating as possible. He says the engagement meetings are a great first step for any contractor who wants to learn more.

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The new facility will include a new jail with up to 270 beds, the sheriff's office, the county attorney's office, courtrooms, and court administration spaces.

Stearns County residents approved funding the project through a sales tax, capped at $325 million. The most recent design has removed one of the levels for courtrooms, which will now create a four-story building instead of five.  The change is expected to reduce the project cost by $11-million to an estimated $308-million price tag.

A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting will then be held in January, with final bid submissions due later in January.

Property acquisition for the Justice Center is currently underway. The county board of commissioners is looking to finalize the purchase of a 78-acre site off County Road 75 and 134, of which 68 acres are buildable because of wetlands. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2026.