County jail to get infrastructure upgrades

The Sarasota County Commission approved the construction of a new central energy plant on the top of the Sarasota County parking garage. The new facility will supply air conditioning, chilled water and some electrical services to the jail and surrounding county buildings.

The commission considered three possible locations for the plant: it’s current location on the corner of Main Street and East Avenue; the Sarasota County Health Department at the corner of Ringling Boulevard and School Avenue; and the parking garage across the street. The project atop the parking garage will cost an estimated $14 million.

Commissioners went with the parking garage even though renovating the current location would have been the cheapest option. In a 5-0 vote, they decided the cons associated with the current location and the Health Department location outweighed the site atop the garage. 

The move will displace up to 50 parking spots, but building a new central energy plant offers the benefits of using updated technology, the option for hurricane hardening and the option for an eventual expansion of the county’s detention center. The new site also allows for the Health Department’s inclusion in the central energy system.

“We need to be thinking 30-to-50 years out, because if we plop this plant down, that’s how long it’s going to be there,” said Jeff Lowdermilk, the director of general services for the county.

With the unanimous approval of the commission, the county will contract with Trane US, Inc. to proceed to the schematic design phase.

“A project like this doesn’t get the public attention,” said Commissioner Charles Hines, “but this has been a project that has been a board priority for a number of years.”

Commissioners asked staff to cut four months from the expected timeline and return to the commission with contracts for approval before September.