South Correctional Entity (SCORE) will conduct groundbreaking ceremonies for its new jail at 2 p.m. Monday on the project site located at 1801 S. 200th St., Des Moines.

Designed by DLR Group, the $80.5 million SCORE facility will provide a cost-effective misdemeanant corrections facility.

The single-story facility is a cooperative effort by seven cities: Auburn, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Renton, Seatac and Tukwila. The cities formed SCORE as an agency through which they will fund and operate the jail with the mission to provide sufficient capacity, jail efficiencies and operational control at affordable cost for its criminal justice partners.

The jail is expected to employ around 120 workers, including corrections officers, medical staff and administrative personnel.

All cities in King County were looking for a place to house their misdemeanor inmates, people accused or convicted of crimes such as DUI, assault, domestic violence, property crimes or traffic offenses. Previously the King County Jail held these inmates. But the county alerted cities nine years ago that it would run out room for misdemeanor inmates by 2012.

SCORE anticipates the 668-bed misdemeanor jail to open in mid-2011 to replace jail space that will no longer be provided by the county. The jail will be built on a 14-acre lot at South 208th Street and 18th Avenue South, vacant property the Port of Seattle owns.

“A lot of critical thinking went into strategies that make this a very cost effective building,” said Bill Buursma, DLR Group’s principal in charge of the project. “Just as we listened to what the client wanted operationally, they were very much open to our big ideas on operational design.”

Significant design solutions include: spatial layout allowing both indirect supervision of the entire facility from only two raised control positions, as well as direct supervision by staff within dayrooms; a modular cell system using concrete-filled steel panels, which saves significant floor space; and video visiting and video arraignment systems for expanded courts activities and family visitation. These strategies and more add up to a secure, efficient corrections environment with low staffing costs, operations costs and construction costs.

About DLR Group

DLR Group is a nationally recognized, full-service design firm with 15 offices nationwide. Design is the driving force behind our architecture, engineering, planning, and interiors practice. DLR Group’s philosophy is to listen to clients, create exciting design that fulfills the client’s goals, and deliver on the promise of quality, integrity and sustainability. For more information contact DLR Group at 1-866-DLR-8600 or www.dlrgroup.com.