Jacksonville public safety complex plan exceeds funding available

Officials in Jacksonville working on plans for a new public safety complex are faced with construction cost estimates that exceed the 14 million dollars earmarked for the project.  The estimate of 16.5 million dollars exceed the expected construction estimate of between 11 and 12 million dollars.  The latest figure is the second higher-than-expected cost estimate city leaders have received for the project. The first, issued in June, was from an out-of-state company hired by the architect, and it projected the cost at about $17.5 million.  After receiving the first estimate, officials cut design elements to reduce the cost of the planned complex, which will house the police department, the fire station and a courtroom that will double as a community shelter. Officials eliminated a second story of jail cells planned for the project and reduced the amount of shatter-resistant glass planned for the building. The city also cut plans to move city hall to the complex.  Jacksonville police Chief Tommy Thompson said he thought that eliminating the second story of the jail  which would have included about 10 cells — would have reduced the cost of the project by $1 million.