CoreCivic : Properties Begins Construction on Lansing Correctional Facility

On April 19, CoreCivic leaders joined Gov. Jeff Colyer and other state and local officials for the Lansing Correctional Facility groundbreaking ceremony in Lansing, Kansas. At the ceremony, company leaders and Kansas officials shared remarks. Side-by-side, they shoveled soil where the 400,544 square-foot state-of-the-art facility will stand, symbolizing the partnership between CoreCivic and Kansas.

The Lansing facility will be the company's first privately-owned, built-to-suit correctional facility, operated by the Kansas Department of Corrections and maintained by CoreCivic. Construction is on schedule for completion in 2020. The new facility will replace the original Lansing Correctional Facility, which is more than 150 years old. The new, more modern facility will provide a higher level of safety for both inmates and staff.

'This is an exciting project for CoreCivic Properties,' said Damon Hininger, CoreCivic president and chief executive officer. 'Our team brings over 35 years of real estate design and development experience. We're honored to put that experience to work on this state-of-the art facility, while providing a needed solution for our government partner.'

The early stages of construction are already underway. As part of this work, the property border has been lined with safety fencing and the outdated buildings have been demolished. Workers are currently installing the facility's underground plumbing and electrical systems. After these installations are complete, the concrete foundation system will be installed to support the buildings.

The 2,432-bed, medium-security facility will use energy-efficient LED lighting, and HVAC units with outside air economizers for maximum efficiency to heat and cool the four buildings. Also, the facility walls will be highly-insulated to retain heat and air conditioning.

'We're building an energy-sustainable facility because saving both energy and tax dollars is important to the people of Kansas,' said Steven Goraczkowski, CoreCivic managing director of Design and Construction.

But, the savings are just the beginning. This project will require more than 350,000 hours of work from Kansas-based contractors, creating more jobs within the community. The state will also benefit from lower operating expenses, and they will own the facility at the end of the 20-year lease.

'Our goal with this project is to build a facility that exceeds our government partner's expectations while also stretching their dollars,' said Goraczkowski. 'There is a lot of work to be done, but working in partnership with all stakeholders, we will deliver a successful project for Kansas.'