South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden has released his administration’s full plan regarding building a new men’s state prison. The plan will be voted on by the legislature at a special session later this month. The project’s total cost has been reduced from $825 million to $650 million. The administration says its found these cost savings by decreasing the proposed prison by 160,000 square feet, a $25 million reduction in site costs and a $25 million reduction in soft costs.
According to the administration these are some of the cost saving measures:
- A $125 million reduction in building costs, including:
- A 176,000 square foot adjustment in net cell housing changes by shifting from seven smaller cell housing units to three larger ones, adding one dorm-style unit, and reducing dayroom space from 70 square feet per-inmate down to 40;
- A 5,000 square foot reduction in intake space;
- A 5,000 square foot reduction in the central utility plant; and
- There is no decrease in programming space – in fact, there is a 27,000 square foot increase in vocational space;
- A $25 million reduction in site costs; and
- A $25 million reduction in soft costs.
