Governor Jim Pillen joined Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird on Wednesday to announce a new site for the state’s new 1,500-bed state prison. The facility will be built on nearly 300 acres north of I-80 near 70th Street. In exchange, the state will relinquish property it had previously contracted at 112th and Adams in northeast Lincoln.
“This is the site we need, and this was the site initially identified by the state for building the new facility,” Pillen says. “I appreciate that my team and the team assembled by Mayor Gaylor Baird worked diligently to get the land swap accomplished in a short period of time.”
Construction on the site north of I-80 will begin in the fall of 2024 with completion scheduled in 2027. Gaylor Baird says the 112th and Adams property was a better alternative for future city planning.
“We thank the Governor and his team for their willingness to pivot and partner with us to achieve the best outcome for all involved,” says Gaylor Baird. “As we move forward, the state may count on continued collaboration with our city team. As Mayor, I will continue to advocate for the best interests of our community members throughout the planning and construction process ahead.”
Both signed an agreement that sets out the terms and conditions for exchanging the properties. Under that agreement, the city will provide water, sewer and electrical service to the site. In addition, the city will provide landscaping and will remove the wind turbine and other structures that currently exist.
Pillen says key considerations for keeping a prison close to Lincoln include an available workforce, travel distance for volunteers and visiting family members as well as access to utilities and emergency response services.
