MONTICELLO - After decades in the making, the new Sullivan County Jail is finally complete. The 158,000-sq-ft. facility is located on Old Route 17 in Monticello.

A ribbon cutting was held yesterday afternoon and county officials and others got a tour of the state-of-the-art building, which will also house the Sheriff's Office.

“One of the oldest jails in the state has now been replaced by one of the newest jails in the state,” said Sullivan County District Attorney Jim Farrell. “The working conditions of the people that protect us, the people that are on the front lines in the jail making sure people are properly detained, the people who are out there investigating crime and making sure we're safe, now have an appropriate place to work.”

Construction for the 36.19-acre project began in 2017 by general contractor Pike Company. When all was said and done the jail cost approximately $101 million.

The Sheriff's Administration, Patrol and Civil Units will move in this November. The New York State Commission of Correction must inspect and approve the new jail before inmates can be transferred, which is anticipated in 2020.

The current jail (some of which is 110 years old) and Bushnell Building (housing the Road Patrol) will be demolished.

“I'm very pleased that this project is coming to fruition,” Sullivan County Sheriff Mike Schiff said. “Very shortly we'll have our people working in this building.”

He spoke about the poor conditions of the current jail facility, saying it was very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter, so much so that the windows would be frosted over.

The new jail has a capacity of 256 inmates, with ability to increase to 304 with double-bunking, as opposed to the old jail's capacity of 185. It will have six “pods” (labeled A through F), which are comprised of cells, a common area, and an outdoor recreation area.

In addition, the building was designed to be able to add two more “pods.” The core of the jail was constructed for 500 inmates. The “core” includes the kitchen, laundry room, medical, booking, HVAC and the utilities.

Schiff thanked the legislators for getting the project completed so the employees will have a safe and comfortable work environment.

All of the legislators were on hand for the ribbon cutting, as well as many county and local officials.

“It's a great honor for me to see that the body of legislators of Sullivan County worked together to see this happen, to accomplish it, and to do it within the parameters of the costs to get it done,” Chairman of the Legislature Luis Alvarez said.