Hempstead County Detention Center will be getting a new pitched metal roof to replace the existing leaky roof. The roof replacement is almost finished as part of the $500,000 renovation project for the jail.
According to Hempstead County Sheriff James Singleton the 20 year old building roof has leaked since the building was opened and has had the roof repaired three times. Ceiling tiles were getting wet and falling into offices.
“We’ve had problems ever since it opened with cracks, roof leaks, seams all throughout. We tried three times, we went back over it and had it recoated, and that was costing us about $40,000 a time.” Singleton said.
Replacing the Roof and Heating/AC Units
A Texarkana Company, JDL Construction Co. got the bid to put on a pitched metal roof and a Hope Arkansas Company Greenlee Sheet Metal Co. will install the HVAC equipment.
Sheriff Singleton also said “All this is being done without cost to the taxpayers because, as part of the lawsuit that was filed several years ago by the county over the construction of the facility here, the county received a settlement. And we’re using $140,000 of that money to put the roof on. So it’s of no expense to the taxpayers.”
Once the new roof is complete, the building will also be expanded to include new offices, a conference and training room, and an interview room. Bobo and Bain Construction from Hope Arkansas is the contractor for that part of the project.
