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Fayette celebrates near-completion of new county jail

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Mark Hofmann/For the Observer-Reporter

Fayette County Jail Warden John Lenkey speaks Friday in front of the nearly completed facility that is expected to be completed by the summer.

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Mark Hofmann/For the Observer-Reporter

Laurel Harry, acting secretary of corrections with the state Department of Corrections, congratulated officials in Fayette County on the near-completion of the county’s new jail.

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Submitted

Fayette County Commissioner Dave Lohr speaks during a Friday ceremony at the Fayette County Jail.

While the newly constructed Fayette County Jail won’t officially begin housing inmates until the summer, officials held a tour and ceremonial ribbon cutting for the facility on Friday.

“The brand-new facility represents what hard work and unity amongst Fayette County leaders and the community can accomplish,” said Warden John Lenkey.

Located at 245 McClellandtown Road in Uniontown, the $44 million jail will replace the facility next to the courthouse where county inmates have been housed for more than 130 years.

County officials began laying the groundwork for facility in 2016, and officially started construction in March 2021.

“The completion of this facility is just one of many great projects that are moving forward at a rate far faster than ever before,” said Muriel Nuttall, executive director of the Fayette Chamber of Commerce.

Lenkey said the jail, in its final phase of construction, doesn’t just represent the much-needed replacement of the aging facility. More significantly, he said, it offers a chance for inmates to improve their lives through more meaningful programs, and a safer place for employees to work.

“After the leaders have spoken and the ribbon’s cut and the tours come to a close, this moment will expand and evolve from ceremony to reality,” Lenkey said.

Laurel Harry, acting secretary with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, agreed.

“I’m certain that this 114,500 square-foot facility is a welcome sight for both the staff and incarcerated individuals at the current facility, which is over 130 years old,” Harry said. “I really envision excellent correctional work being accomplished here.”

On Friday, officials buried a time capsule at the facility that is marked with a commemorative plaque. It is to be dug up on May 5, 2053 The capsule contains corrections officer shirts and patches, jail handcuffs, a cell block key, portion of a cell bar, black-and-white photos of inmates from the 1950s and other materials.

“Personally, I’m very proud that this facility is now built,” said Commissioner Scott Dunn, adding that the word of the day was “teamwork.”

Dunn said excellent communication among all those involved in the project kept it on track. He also said starting construction when they did was key to avoiding inflated costs.

If officials hadn’t moved forward with the project when they did, “We would have fallen prey to supply-chain issues, rising interest rates, rising construction costs,” Dunn said. “We did this at the right time.”

Commissioner Vince Vicites noted the county received the land where the jail sits for free, and said the county qualified for a U.S. Department of Agriculture loan at a 2% interest rate.

“This facility behind us is the largest construction public works project in Fayette County history,” Vicites said. “All told, we saved over $40 million just in our efforts as a team to cut costs.”

Commissioner Dave Lohr called the efforts of those who participated in the project “a real blessing.”

“For our county, this is something that has been needed for a long, long, long time.”

To learn more about the new Fayette County Jail, visit www.fayettecountypa.org/797/Fayette-CountyPrison-Project.

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