Watertown, SD

The Codington County Jail and Law Enforcement Center continues to take shape. The new 59,900 SF facility is designed to support the county’s growing needs and will include 88 beds for male housing, 20 beds for female housing, and four beds for juvenile housing, along with all associated intake, support, processing, and administrative spaces. The site development also includes new parking areas and two detention ponds, creating a fully integrated and functional layout for long-term county operations.

Progress on the project has been steady, with footings and foundations now nearly 70% complete. Underground plumbing mains and site electrical are actively being installed, and backfilling is underway throughout the site. All underground utilities - including water, storm, and sewer - have been completed, setting the stage for vertical construction to move forward smoothly. The team continues focusing on the foundational elements to ensure a strong, well coordinated start for the phases that follow.

One particularly interesting aspect of the project is the variety of specialized rooms incorporated into the design. The new facility includes laundry and food service areas requiring recessed slab-on-grade construction, as well as elevated concrete slabs to support the future control rooms. These structural complexities demand precise coordination and sequencing among trades to maintain quality and efficiency.

A notable challenge came with a late design addition of a smoke evacuation system, which required adjustments to interior precast wall locations and added mechanical equipment and chase walls. This change introduced additional coordination needs and scheduling considerations, but the project team has worked diligently to manage these impacts while keeping progress moving. With structural steel and precast installation anticipated to begin after the New Year, the project is positioned for major visible progress as it moves into the next phase of construction.

Beckenhauer Construction remains committed to delivering a secure, efficient, and durable facility that will support Codington County for decades to come, and we look forward to sharing continued progress as the project advances.