PROJECT PRIORITIES In 2017, the Commissioners and Sheriff of Linn County, KS determined that both the County’s law enforcement facilities and 1885 Courthouse were severely outdated, in disrepair, and inadequate in size. Goldberg Group Architects was retained to work with County officials and citizens to address the County’s needs in the most cost-efficient manner.

SOLUTION  Working with a large highly-informed Citizens’ Committee, GGA tackled design of a new 96-Bed Justice Center, totaling $21,000,000, to be paid through a combination of taxable and tax-exempt bonds over 30 years.

Project bidding took place during an inflationary period in construction, compounded by a severe shortage of materials
and skilled labor. During the first round of bidding, Linn County received no bids from electrical contractors, indicative of the
difficult construction environment. GGA worked closely with the Construction Manager to rebid necessary services and keep the project on track.

This project marks the first installation of “mod-backs,” an innovative Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing framework that attaches to the rear of double-stacked modular steel cells. This labor-saving mechanism cuts costs on the job site while improving the overall quality of the project.