20. Blackwater River Correctional Facility
PROJECT COST: $114 million
The $114-million Blackwater River Correctional Facility in Santa Rosa County in Florida�s Panhandle broke ground in March 2009 and is expected to become operational later this year.
The Geo Group of Boca Raton, Fla., under contract with the Florida Dept. of Management Services, designed, built and will operate for $30 million annually the 400,000-sq-ft, 2,000-bed correctional facility, which will house medium- and close-custody adult male inmates.
The state has guaranteed a minimum occupancy of 90%. The prison is expected to employ 400 people.
White Construction Co. of Ridgeland, Miss., is building the eight-building prison for the GEO Group. The team seeks LEED-Silver certification for the prison and has used locally produced or recycled materials and installed energy- and water-conserving electrical and plumbing fixtures.
Key Facts:
Location: Milton, Santa Rosa Co., Fla.
Owner: Florida Dept. of Management Services, Tallahassee
Developer and Operator: The GEO Group,Boca Raton, Fla.
Contractor: White Construction Co.,Ridgeland, Miss.
Start Date: March 2009
Completion Date: Summer 2010
