New prison announced in Mat-Su Borough.(CONSTRUCTION)(Brief article)

Gov. Frank H. Murkowski said the Department of Corrections, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and the Alaska Housing Finance Corp. (AHFC) have entered into an agreement to construct a major prison complex in the Mat-Su Borough.

"In addition to addressing in-state overcrowding and out-of-state incarceration, this project will create well-paying construction jobs and long-term employment for jobs related to the operation of the prison," said Murkowski. "The economic impact of both types of employment will have a positive ripple throughout the borough and the state."

On August 1, AHFC issued an "Intent to Award" letter to DLR Group, an architecture and engineering company based in Seattle, in association with RISE Alaska, a project management company based in Anchorage. Contract negotiations have begun.

Under legislation enacted in 2004, the borough will provide financing, a site for the prison, and will own the facility. The Department of Corrections will lease the prison from the Borough and eventually own it when the financing costs are repaid through annual lease payments. Groundbreaking is scheduled to occur next spring and construction of the prison should be completed by 2010. (For more details, see the October 2006 issue.)

Print Get the Mag Weekly Updates