HISTORY

The Steele County Detention Center has a long history serving our community.

The current facility, located at 2500 Alexander Street, opened in October 2003 and is the fourth jail in Steele County.

Here’s a quick timeline of its predecessors:

    • First Jail (1865–1907):
      Located at 137 West Main
  •  
    • Second Jail (1907–1972):
      Located at 135 West Main
  •  
    • Third Jail (1972–2003):
      Located back at the 137 West Main

BUILDING FACTS

The Steele County Detention Center has a rated capacity of 154 beds. The facility houses both male and female pre‑sentence and sentenced detainees, as well as detainees from other counties and from state and federal agencies.

Facility Specifications
  • Total site: 18.63 acres, including the building, parking, and space reserved for future expansion.
  • Total structure: 58,575 square feet.
  • Secure jail area: 50,469 square feet.
  • Typical cell size: 70 square feet; double‑bunk cells are 90 square feet.
Security & Infrastructure
  • 52 cameras monitor the interior and exterior of the facility.
  • 367 doors throughout the building.
  • 110,000 blocks used for interior jail walls, all core‑filled with concrete.
  • 125 parking spaces available on site.
Construction & Project Details
  • 39 major subcontractors participated in the project.
  • 70% of total building costs went to subcontractors and suppliers from Steele, Mower, Freeborn, Olmsted, and Faribault counties.
  • 62,000 hours of trade labor were required to complete construction.
  • General Contractor: AJ Lysne, Owatonna, Minnesota.
  • Architect: KKE, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

PROJECT COSTS

Building Construction

$10,150,000

Site Acquisition

$361,000

Equipment/furniture

$375,000

Architect & Document Printing

$871,000

Fees, permits & testing

$130,000

Miscellaneous

$863,000

Total Project Cost

$12,750,000