ST. CLOUD, Minn.—Visible progress has arrived at the intersection of County Road 75 and County Road 134 as crews begin clearing timber for the new Stearns County Justice Center. The 78-acre site, recently annexed into St. Cloud from St. Joseph Township, marks the start of the largest public works project in the county’s history—a consolidated campus designed to serve as the region’s judicial anchor for the next half-century.
The project, which has evolved through design phases to reach a footprint of approximately 482,000 square feet, will house a 270-bed jail, 11 modern courtrooms, and the administrative offices for both the Sheriff and the County Attorney. While early projections placed the facility’s cost at $325 million, county officials confirmed this month that competitive bidding and clear architectural specifications have driven the total down to under $290 million.
This fiscal windfall is largely attributed to an aggressive bidding environment. Of the 225 bids submitted, roughly a quarter came from local Stearns County firms. According to facilities staff, an estimated 60% of the construction dollars are expected to stay within the local economy, a significant win for regional trades.
The Design and Construction Team
The project is being led by Klein McCarthy Architects, a firm specializing in “Justice Architecture.” Their design moves away from the cramped, linear bars of the current downtown Law Enforcement Center in favor of a “podular” jail layout. This modern approach prioritizes “Direct Supervision,” where deputies are stationed inside housing units to improve safety, and incorporates natural daylighting to reduce stress for both staff and the public.
Construction management is being spearheaded by Kraus-Anderson, working under a “Construction Manager at Risk” model. This framework allowed the county to lock in costs early, shielding taxpayers from the volatility often seen in large-scale infrastructure projects. Funding for the center is secured through a 3/8-cent countywide sales tax approved by voters in 2024, set to remain in place for up to 30 years or until the debt is retired.
Next Steps
While tree clearing and site preparation are currently underway, the project still faces final regulatory hurdles, including the City of St. Cloud’s entitlement process and a mandatory 30-day public comment period for the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW).
A target completion date is set in the spring of 2029. Once finished, the campus will eliminate the logistical inefficiencies of transporting inmates and staff between disparate downtown buildings, creating a unified, secure hub for Stearns County’s legal system.
