Clark County commissioners have landed on a preferred location for the county's next jail and public safety complex — a site south of Ohio 334 along Ohio 72 on the north side of Springfield, land currently owned by the City of Springfield. County officials estimate the new facility will cost about $100 million, and it's meant to replace a jail on North Fountain Avenue that is almost 50 years old and in need of extensive repairs.
The Board of Clark County Commissioners announced after weighing several years of planning, facility studies, location evaluations, and community feedback, according to Springfield News-Sun reporter Daniel Susco, who reported the board reviewed more than 30 possible locations before settling on what officials are calling the 72 North site. Sasha Rittenhouse said the site "provides the best combination of accessibility, affordability, infrastructure, security, and room for future growth."
A Nearly 50-Year-Old Jail Born From a Court Order
The current jail, along with the Clark County Sheriff's Office and Springfield Police Division headquarters, sits at 120 and 130 N. Fountain Avenue near central Springfield. Per Clark County government records, that building began construction in 1977 and opened in 1980 at a cost of $8.2 million, built only after a federal court order forced the county to replace its previous jail. An architectural study by engineering firm DLZ later concluded that renovating the aging facility is not economically feasible, pushing commissioners toward new construction instead.
A state inspection completed by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction in December 2024 found the jail's actual housing capacity is 180 inmates, though its state-recommended capacity under living-space guidelines is only 167. Beyond the crowding, the building needs more than $2 million in repairs and improvements, including a new roof, replacement jail locks, and replacement HVAC equipment, boilers and chillers, the News-Sun's report noted.
Voters Already Said No to One Funding Plan
Any new complex will need financing that has already failed once at the ballot box. Clark County voters rejected a proposed 0.5% sales tax levy meant to help fund the project in November 2025, according to WHIO TV. That failed measure would have raised the county's combined sales tax rate from 7.25% to 7.75%, and officials had projected it would generate only $82 million to $83 million toward the project, leaving the remaining balance to be covered by state grants or other revenue.
The financing framework tied to the newly chosen site follows a similar structure, pairing a 20-year bond with a 0.5% sales tax, per the newspaper's reporting on the commissioners' announcement. It's not yet clear whether commissioners plan to bring that tax back before voters or pursue a different approach to closing the gap.
Site Fights and a Long History of Crowding Concerns
The path to 72 North included a false start. An earlier proposal placed the jail on nearly 30 acres south of Interstate 70 along State Route 72, but that site drew heavy resident opposition in August 2025 over safety concerns, potential effects on property values, and a lack of municipal water and sewer service, per WHIO TV. Commissioners paused site development altogether in April 2026 to gather more community input before ultimately settling on 72 North.
Crowding worries at the jail are not new, either. In September 2017, county officials turned down an $840,000 state grant from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, wary that accepting it would force the county to house low-level felons locally and could swell the jail's population by nearly 25%, according to Associated Press reporting from that time.
What Happens if the County Waits
If the current jail fails and inmates must be housed outside the county because of facility failure or a court order, Clark County officials have estimated the cost at $90 per day per inmate — more than $6.24 million a year based on an average daily population of 190, according to the county's own accounting from July 2025.
For now, commissioners are describing the 72 North pick as a step forward rather than a finished plan. Rittenhouse called the selection an important step forward in addressing a public safety need for the county, per the News-Sun's report, even as county materials describe the existing jail as inadequate to help reduce crime in Clark County. Exactly how officials plan to close the funding gap, after voters already rejected one tax proposal, remains unresolved.
