Corrections Director Eager to Build New Prison

The Legislature is going to let the state borrow $120-Million more to build a new women’s prison at Chillicothe. But it has not approved letting the Corrections Department take bids from companies that combine architectural work with engineering plans. It’s a system called design-build. Corrections Director Larry Crawford says the failure could stretch the project for another year and make it cost more. Still, Crawford is eager to get going. The new prison will hold about 1,600 inmates at first.