LOCATION
Based on the long-term needs of the Jackson County Justice System as informed by the Validation of Need and Programming Phases of the project, representatives for Jackson County were tasked to look for a parcel of land to serve the needs of the new Jackson County Detention Center.
Upon County Legislature approval, the County entered into a brokerage agreement with Newmark Zimmer to identify and ultimately assist in the acquisition of a site for the detention center. Additionally, the County’s owner’s representative, JCDC Partners, evaluated the potential sites with civil and geotechnical engineering services to assist in the analysis of alternative sites.
JCDC worked with the Steering Committee to agree on the site selection criteria, the primary drivers being an optimum size of 50 acres and a travel distance of between 20-30 minutes to the two Courthouses and to Truman Medical Center. Subsequently, JCDC began a process for identifying and vetting all viable project site options on behalf of the County, including properties that were listed for sale and those that were potentially viable but were not on the market. Over 44 sites were evaluated.
Site options were presented to the Steering Committee in December 2020 and January, February, and March of 2021 for input and evaluation, short-listing, and, ultimately, approval of the purchase by the County Legislature. Project updates were provided to the County Legislature and a designated Legislative Committee.
After determining a list of available and suitable sites, the developability and suitability of each identified site was analyzed by JCDC. The quantitative and qualitative criteria initially established by the Steering Committee were the grounds upon which each site was measured for its viability and was the first necessary step in the site procurement process.
On Monday, July 12th, the County Legislature approved the recommended site located at 7000 E US Hwy 40 in Kansas City, Missouri. The site was purchased from the owners of the Heart Mobile Village – Mobile Home & RV Park.
The following detailed site criteria was utilized:
• Land Area – Available developable land area of at least 50 acres without soil/rock issues and undermining limitations that would significantly increase costs or the need for wetland/waterway buffer areas that reduce developable land or create cumbersome approval processes, or onerous environmental concerns, etc. JCDC estimated that up to 30 acres would initially be developed into a campus setting.
• Travel Distance – A travel distance time of 20 to 30 minutes between the site and the downtown Jackson County Courthouse, East Jackson County Courthouse in Independence, Truman Medical Trauma Center, Kansas City, and other jurisdictions. This translates into a radius of between 5 to 10 miles from the downtown Courthouse.
• Transit Access – The availability of bus or other forms of public transit and the ease of highway or arterial access.
• Image – Opportunity for a positive facility image/civic presence with quality, safe surroundings, visibility, and limited adjacent residential or other sensitive issues.
• Utilities – Availability of adjacent public and private utilities, including sewer, power, gas, telephone, and data.
• Unincorporated – If possible, be in unincorporated Jackson County to simplify approvals and jurisdictional issues regarding jail operations.
• Convenient – Be a convenient commute for the public and staff.
• Effective – Be cost effective and accommodate the Facility Program in an efficient manner.