Garfield Heights neighbors react to approval of $38.7 million purchase of new county jail site

GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio (WOIO) - It’s been a heated debate in Garfield Heights about building the new Cuyahoga County jail there.

The county council approved the $38.7 million purchase of land where it would be built, Tuesday night.

It would be located on 72 acres of land at Granger and Transportation Blvd.

Some neighbors, like Patti Bellomy, said the jail should stay in Downtown Cleveland.

“I think that’s where it belongs,” Bellomy said. “Not in a suburb, not in a community, not in a neighborhood.”

One neighbor, named Alicia, is concerned with how close the jail would be to schools.

However, she’s hopeful there will be some advantages.

“Hopefully, with the police protection,” Alicia said.

The purchase passed 8 to 3.

Council member Sunny Simon was one of the nos.

She is concerned about pulling officers off the streets to transport inmates to the courthouse.

“Cleveland, Euclid, law enforcement now will have to take at least two officers off the road to drive the detainees to Garfield through 77 and 480 everyday which will take up at least ten more minutes of their precious time,” Simon said.

Council member Jack Schron said this plan could be economically beneficial.

“When we see that the old jail site is coming down, I believe it will be also an economic benefit to the city of Cleveland to have one of the most valuable pieces of real estate overlooking the lake that will be centered right downtown,” Schron said.

The construction for this campus is estimated at costing $750 million.

The council will meet in committee to discuss using the sales tax extension to fund it.