Juvenile Justice Center broke ground on expansion

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- The Judge D. Connett Jr. Juvenile Justice Center hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for its expansion Friday afternoon.

The ceremony, co-hosted by Lehr Construction and Goldberg Group Architects, is scheduled from 1 to 2 p.m. at 4702 Green Acres Road. The entire project is being funded by Buchanan County.

Kevin Rost, vice president Goldberg Group Architects, there will several key modern design features.

"State of art security electronics is probably the top feature in the building. Utilitize closer TV systems access control all integrated into one commend center, also prefabricated steel jail cells or housing units," he said.

Dan Sharp, chief deputy juvenile officer, said the facility currently lacks space to detain juveniles, and the expansion will help accommodate that need.

"By increasing to 24 beds we'll have more space to hold those kids that need to be held and improve community safety," he said.

Sharp said there will be a lot of physical additions to building.

"That will be added that will make things safer for both kids and staff," he said. "We're really looking forward to that."

Sharp said the expansive will increase community public safety.

"Being able to detain kids that need to be detain for serious offenses and once they are detain by having an environment they'll be safer in and they people that are serving them will be safer in," he said.

According to the Buchanan County commission, the facility is set to open Fall of 2027.