Walls Rise On Marietta’s New Jail
Facility set to open in April 2004

By Wayne Towner, Staff Writer

Marietta–When Washington County’s jail is completed in the spring of 2004, it will double the capacity of the current jail and feature improvements, especially in the area of technology and security.

After months of site preparation and foundation work beginning last December, the walls of the $6.7 million jail have been sprouting on Westview Avenue, off Gilman Avenue.

Capt. Jack Brum, jail administrator, has been closely involved in the project since officials identified the need for a new jail in the mid-1990’s. The county received a $4.3 million grant from the state in 2000 to fund the project.

The construction comes at a good time for the county. The new jail can hold 124 prisoners, about 52 more than the current jail. Brum said the current jail is rated to hold 36 prisoners, but routinely has 72 to 75 prisoners at a time.

The jail will have interlocking doors, computer-controlled access and other features. The current jail was built in the 1960’s and aside from additions to the security camera system and other measures, the jail is still operated the same way it was when it opened 40 years ago.

Grae-Con Construction Co. of Steubenville OH was awarded the contract for the jail in 2002. Grae-Con project superintendent David Repella said the company has hired 30 people from the Marietta area’s trade unions and construction firms to handle construction on the jail. That number could rise to 50 at times, depending on how many different tasks are being done, he said Wednesday.

Periods of heavy snow during the winter and recent heavy rains have created problems for the construction. Repella said the company has experienced delays but has been able to work through those during periods of good weather, so the project is only a few weeks behind schedule. He expects to have the building under roof in October and then will focus on the interior work.

"The scheduled completion date is April 16, 2004, and we will hit that date," Repella said.

Courtesy of The Parkersburg News
Thursday, May 15, 2003

Contractor Plans Office In Marietta
Grae-Con is building jail

By Wayne Towner, Staff Writer

Marietta–The construction company involved in building the Washington County Jail and other area projects plans to open an office in Marietta.

Grae-Con Construction Co. of Steubenville was a step closer to that goal Wednesday after the Marietta Planning Commission approved a special use permit for the company in the M-3 manufacturing zone. The approval allows the company to renovate the property it recently purchased in the city’s industrial park at 101 Industry Road to create an office and equipment storage facility. Grae-Con has been working for six months in Marietta and Parkersburg to find a site for an office, company president Robert Gribben, Jr. said Wednesday afternoon.

The company has been working in the Parkersburg-Marietta area for eight years on construction projects, he said. In addition to the current construction project on the county jail, local projects have included Marietta Memorial Hospital, Big Bear in Parkersburg, Kroger and St. Ambrose Church in Belpre, and the Aldi grocery store in Vienna.

Gribben said the situation had reached the point where the company thought it would be a positive move to open an office in the Parkersburg-Marietta area. It will be the company’s first new office outside of its Steubenville headquarters.

"Over eight years, we’ve been able to develop a good workforce there and good contacts. We like the area and we like the people," Gribben said.

Courtesy of The Parkersburg News
Thursday, May 22, 2003