Vernon County Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center     :: back ::

New Office & Detention Center
Viroqua, Wisconsin

Owner:	Vernon County
Selection:	Bid
Architect:	Potter Lawson, Inc.
Timeline:	July 2004 to July 2005
Size:	43,000 sq. ft.
Contract Format:	Lump Sum
Self-Performed:	25%

Project Description: A new 58,400-square-foot sheriff’s office and detention center provides Vernon County with a facility that is staff efficient and has great flexibility. The building allows for the initial housing of 86 inmates in both Huber and secure housing. Double bunking of the secure cells will increase the capacity to 124 inmates. Additionally, the design allows for the jail to double its capacity in the future. In order to increase operational efficiency, the Sheriff’s Department was relocated to the new jail site. The Sheriff’s offices and support facilities provide for modern and efficient office space. The combination of the jail and the Sheriff’s resources on one site allows the County to use the Sheriff’s staff to service the needs of the jail when required. The facility used the sloping site to provide covered parking for the Sheriff’s vehicles, which can be very critical in Wisconsin winters. The structure is concrete foundation with precast plank on masonry bearing walls and structural steel. The exterior of the building is brick veneer with block back-up. The interior consists of masonry and drywall partitions, which was performed mostly by Cullen crews. “The firm of J.P. Cullen absolutely goes the extra mile in seeking customer satisfaction. Their abilities and organizational skills are clearly superior, and in our case, significantly ahead of schedule very often.” - Gene Cary, Sheriff – Vernon County