Howard County has been wrestling with its jail for years. Now the dirt is moving on a new one.
County officials held a groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 1 for a $132 million replacement jail and sheriff's office in Kokomo, Correctional News reported. Garmong Construction is the developer and construction manager, Studio View Architecture designed the project, and the facility is expected to open in 2028.
The county didn't get to choose whether to build. The project is required under a federal settlement over conditions at the existing jail, according to Howard County.
How the county got here
The county's own project page lays out the history. The current jail was built in 1992 and opened in 1993 as a direct supervision facility with 256 beds. Later expansions added 108 beds, bringing capacity to 364. The average daily population hit 466 in 2022 and was 374 in 2024.
In 2023, the county commissioned an independent feasibility study and needs assessment from DLZ. The report found the jail was, in general, in "fair to poor condition," that many of its components were outdated, in need of replacement or inadequate, and that "significantly more" beds were needed. DLZ priced several options, from expanding the current jail to 400 beds for $35 million to $40 million, up to a new 1,056-bed jail for $198 million to $210 million.
In August 2024, the county hired Garmong to put together a conceptual budget for renovating the existing jail and adding beds. That estimate came in at $86 million in construction costs alone, not counting soft costs.
Then came the lawsuits. In 2023 and 2024, two class action suits were filed in federal court alleging overcrowding and unsanitary conditions. One was voluntarily dismissed, and the other ended in a mediated settlement that requires the county to build a new jail.
Howard County went with a build-operate-transfer contract covering design, financing and construction. It released a request for proposals in January 2025, and an evaluation committee reviewed proposals from three respondents, interviewed the teams and scored them on technical expertise, project experience, team composition, approach and timeline. The committee recommended Garmong, citing its experience with build-operate-transfer delivery and similar public safety projects, and the county hired the firm in March 2025.
The new jail is going up on about 48 acres near Dixon Road and Markland Avenue, just west of the current jail. The county bought the land for $2.2 million after two independent appraisals.
The money comes from local income taxes. Under an agreement announced in October 2025, the City of Kokomo will hand over its share of revenue from a public safety local income tax increase for two years, about $6.7 million. The county said that partnership let it lower the originally anticipated public safety tax increase from 1.3% to 0.5%. Revenue from the increase will be used only to pay the annual debt service on bonds issued to build the jail.
The county has also made a point of reaching out to local builders. In May, it held a local contractor open house with construction documents on hand and Garmong representatives answering questions.
"Howard County is being proactive and intentional about ensuring this project creates opportunities for local contractors and workers," Commissioners Jack Dodd, Brad Bray and Jeff Lipinski said at the time. "This is one of the most significant projects the county has undertaken in decades, and we want to make sure local businesses are aware of how they can participate and contribute to its success."
Why it matters for Contractors
A $132 million jail and sheriff's office is a major public job for north-central Indiana, and it will run into 2028. Detention work is heavy on concrete, masonry, steel, security hardware, electronics and redundant MEP systems, so there's room for a wide range of trades, from site and utility crews to electricians, low-voltage installers, plumbers and HVAC contractors. Garmong is the name to know, since it's managing construction and the commissioners have said they want local contractors and workers involved. If you missed the May open house, ask Garmong about any remaining bid packages and watch the county's project page for updates. Jobs this size also tend to create follow-on work for suppliers, equipment rental yards and local service businesses.