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Politics & Government

Plans for Las Colinas Expansion Move Forward

All signs point to a designer and builder being chosen for the project.

A San Diego firm with a track record of completing high-profile public projects may be officially named in the coming weeks as the designer and builder of the $289.2 million project to .

A San Diego public relations representative for the firm, Barnhart Balfour and Beatty, declined to comment, referring inquiries to San Diego County officials.

In March, Barhart Balfour and Beatty was officially named as the top selection by the county among four entities competing for the contract. At the time, officials said the proposal for the was good for 150 days. That period is scheduled to end in the final week of August.

A county official said negotiations could be extended if an agreement is not reached within the 150-day time frame.

On its website, Barnhart Balfour Beatty touts itself as "a full-service design-build contractor, construction management, and program management firm" specializing in "educational, federal, and healthcare markets."

Public projects by the San Diego-based company since 1983 include Terminal Two at Lindbergh Field, PETCO Park and the San Diego Convention Center Sails Pavilion.

The jail expansion is proceeding after overcoming filed by the city of Santee and a developer whose property sits near the site of the project. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department operates the existing women’s detention facility, known as , on 15.98 acres of county-owned land in the city of Santee.

The aging facility, with many temporary structures, was originally intended to house juvenile girls in 1965 and now acts as the facility for women arrested in San Diego County. County authorities have sought to upgrade the facility following numerous critical Grand Jury reports about overcrowded conditions there, most recently in 2009.

General funds from the county and $100 million from a state prison funding bill known as AB 900 will cover its costs.

Additional pressure for increased jail space comes from a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in May that ordered the state to reduce its prison population by more than 33,000. In response, counties throughout the state, including San Diego, are being ordered by state authorities to house "low-level" criminals, rather than in state prisons.

County officials say that move mandated by AB 109 will not result in an even larger project in Santee. 

Find out what's happening in Santeewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Andrew Bohnert, San Diego County director of support services, said the county already has the beds available to deal with the anticipated
increase in jail inmates under the law.

County officials plan to begin meeting with users within the and the design-build team to ensure the preliminary proposal meets current needs or whether some changes need to be made, he said.

Work on surrounding roads and utilities could begin in the spring of 2012, he said. The first phase of the project, a replacement of the existing facility is tentatively scheduled for completion in 2016.

have asked to view plans, which Bohnert said "is likely to happen as we develop a more cohesive plan."

Earlier this month, the Sheriff's Department began the process of, ranging from detention officers to medical and clerical staff.

On Aug. 13, the department hosted a at its administrative headquarters on Ridgehaven Court. Detailed information about opportunities within the department are available at joinsdsheriff.net.

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