The Houghton County Jail Committee opened requests for proposals from three contractors last week to build a new justice center on Sharon Avenue. After reviewing estimates from Bradway Enterprises, Granger Construction and Miron Construction, the committee determined the county should seek a 30-year millage at a rate of 1.26 mills to raise $28 million for construction.
Bradway Enterprises proposal
Bradway Enterprises projected the county could build a jail facility and sheriff office for $23.5 million. While the developer has limited direct jail construction experience, it has completed several large projects in the local region.
According to Bradway’s proposal, modular housing including cells, day rooms and supply areas would cost $11.5 million. Tilt-up construction, site work and furnishings would add $10.7 million. The proposal is based on a 100-bed facility and includes suggested ballot language for the November election.
Granger Construction proposal
Granger Construction proposed building a 28,000-square-foot facility for $25 million to $28 million. The company believes it has the most experience in the region constructing county jails and sheriff offices and could work with Houghton County to reduce square footage and conduct value engineering to lower costs.
Granger served as lead contractor on a project that added 900 beds to a facility in Mount Clemens, Michigan, and has completed other law enforcement and justice system projects across the Midwest.
Miron Construction proposal
Miron Construction submitted a proposal estimated at $27.8 million based on details the jail committee provided during an Industry Day event in July. The project estimates 24,166 square feet of new construction and renovations over 12,613 square feet at the Sharon Avenue site.
Miron Construction states it has experience with more than 20 jail-related projects over the past 20 years, including the Brown County Jail Expansion in Wisconsin. The company believes Houghton County could save on project costs by hiring an architect/engineering firm and construction manager with significant jail construction experience.
Committee deliberation
In 2025, Abonmarche Consultants proposed a project costing $32 million. After voters rejected that proposal in August, county leaders reconvened to determine an acceptable figure. Despite months of analysis and design modifications to cut costs, construction expenses have continued rising, and material inflation impacts current contractor estimates.
Jail Committee Co-Chair Faith Morrison cautioned members against choosing a figure too low to avoid overpromising on the project.
“Then it’s a little bit more aspirational to say 25 or 25.6 or something like that,” Morrison said. “That’s more aspirational and it puts a bigger burden on the county if we’re wrong because you picked the lower number. If you might pick the lower number out of respect for the concerns of the electorate, then maybe that’ll make a difference between a project or a non-project. I don’t think, you know, if it makes this committee more comfortable to make a recommendation of 26 or 26.5 or something like that to me that’s for me personally that’s all in the wash it’s basically all the same.”
Committee member Justin LaCosse agreed with co-chair Tom Tikkanen that $28 million feels appropriate given construction cost changes over the past year.
“On that higher side because at that point there you can get design going,” LaCosse said. “On the little bit too low we have no contingency room for cost overruns. I think that’s a conservative number we’re looking at building here.”
Todd LaReux, department manager for the Houghton County Building Department, emphasized the importance of contingency planning.
“There’s typically a percentage of cost overrun,” LaReux said. “You’re going to run into things. So we’re going to have the base bid of everything labeled out, what’s being provided on the engineer drawing. What does that leave us? A little wiggle room? Or do you have to try and shrink the building down a little bit to come in that parameter? Have some contingency.”
Next steps
The Houghton County Board of Commissioners will hold a regular work session Aug. 3 at 10 a.m. The board will call a special meeting Aug. 5 at 1 p.m. in the Board of Commissioners room on the fifth floor to consider ballot language for the $28 million jail millage for the November election.
The board must approve ballot language before a 4 p.m. Aug. 11 deadline. Absentee ballots become available Sept. 24.
