(Westville, IN) - The South County Community Coalition will hold an informational meeting next week about the planned Westville Correctional Facility construction project.

 

Prison officials are in the process of planning a complete reconstruction of the prison, which is expected to cost $1.2 billion.

 

The informational meeting will be held on Monday at 6:00 p.m. at the Westville School cafeteria.   The event is free to attend and open to all members of the public.

 

The SCCC has organized this event with the Indiana Department of Corrections to help provide clarity to local officials and community members about the impact of the project. The project may begin construction as early as this summer and is expected to create over 1,500 construction jobs.

 

“We believe this project will bring a good deal of jobs and economic opportunity to the Westville community during construction, and we want locals to have the best chance to prepare for those opportunities,” explained SCCC Vice President Justin Kiel.

 

The Westville Correctional Facility has a current capacity of 3,400 inmates and employs over 900 individuals. Department of Corrections officials said that the prison, which was originally built as a mental hospital, has exceeded its useful life, and a new facility is expected to be safer for employees and more efficient.

 

“The Department of Corrections is one of the largest employers in LaPorte County,” said SCCC President Allen Stevens, “and we are thankful for their willingness to engage community stakeholders as they take on this project.”

 

Representatives from the Department of Corrections will be present on Monday to answer questions about the project at the conclusion of a presentation.