COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – After falling behind due to a longer than expected abatement period, the demolition of the old Branch County Jail is continuing.
County Administrator Bud Norman told County Commissioners during their Thursday work session crews from Handy Excavating of Quincy were forced to play catch up.
Demolition began on July 12 and Norman pointed out the importance of finishing on time.
The county was successful in obtaining a nearly $145,000 grant from the State of Michigan last year to offset some of the cost.
The total project was expected to cost around $340,000. The original budget for the demolition was around a half million dollars.
The demolition is scheduled to be completed by mid to late August.
The building for many years served as the Maple Lawn Medical Care Facility before a new location for Maple Lawn was built on Sprague Street across from the Branch County Fairgrounds. The jail was then moved from its downtown Coldwater location in 1993 to the building on Marshall Road.
The new Branch County Jail officially opened in October 2021. The construction of the new jail was made possible after a 20-year, 1.25 mill proposal was approved by Branch County voters in August 2018. Two previous attempts to pass a new jail millage failed in 2006 and 2016.
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