DETROIT – Wayne County is moving ahead with construction of a new $300 million jail facility that's scheduled to open in 2014.
The 715,000-square-foot new Wayne County Jail will be located on the corner of Gratiot Avenue and St. Antoine (across the street from the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice).
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With 2,192 beds, the new facility will consolidate prisoners from the two downtown jails as well as the Hamtramck jail.
It's slated to open July 2014.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday.
One new feature will be video visitation. No longer will prisoners have to be moved from their cells to see a visitor. From their cells and with the use of cameras and television screens, prisoners will see relatives and clergy in a separate, first-floor room.
Wayne County officials estimate that about 2000 to 2,500 jobs will be created by the project's end.
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