Cost Of Jail Soars Above Estimates

The costs to build Denver's new courthouse and jail now are $286.3 million, an increase of about $70 million over original estimates.

Still, city officials say they can absorb the new price increase.

In June, the city projected the cost of the Justice Center complex to come in at $265.6 million, up from the original $214 million contract the city has with Hensel Phelps Construction Co.

Bill Vidal, the city's public works director, said the June amount was always an estimate, and that a more detailed analysis produced the final cost projection that has risen an additional $20.7 million.

Vidal was one of several city officials who Monday briefed a Denver City Council committee on the project.

"We're very proud of the product we're going to deliver," Vidal said. "We're going to deliver a great, great product to our citizens."

The increase in cost will be absorbed through increased premiums from the sale of bonds and interest earning and other contingency funds.

The cost would have been even higher, but city officials came up with another $22 million in cost-saving measures during negotiations with the contractor.

Vidal and City Engineer Leslie Thomas assured council members that none of those revisions will substantially diminish the appearance of the project. The changes include using terrazo instead of porcelain tile in public areas in the courthouse. Also included in those changes were the streamlining of mechanical and electrical systems and a delay in the installation of a an extra freight elevator.

The Denver Post