Hall detention center design causes concern

A new detention facility planned for the heart of its Midtown district has some Gainesville officials wringing their hands.

The city, in talks with Hall County and Corrections Corp. of America, wants to ensure that the new prison, which will house up to 502 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees on Main Street, meets its idea of urban revitalization.

The city began a project 10 years ago to clean up the rundown area and invested $250,000 in a study to map out a revitalization strategy, said City Councilman Danny Dunagan.

Nashville-based CCA signed a five-year agreement to lease the old county jail from Hall County to operate the center. The 20-year lease, with two five-year renewals, will pay Hall County $2 million annually.

Since last week’s announcement of the prison opening, CCA has received about 500 applications for the approximately 120 jobs available, officials said.

Councilman George Wangemann said the city is behind the economic boost the prison could bring to the city, but he wants it to fit in with the aesthetics.