A district court judge has ruled that Anoka County can move forward with a larger downtown jail and take over part of a city street to do it, despite years of objections from Anoka city leaders. Judge Heather Pipenhagen ordered the city to cooperate with the county and to vacate the disputed block of Van Buren Street, finding that a timely jail expansion is necessary.
The ruling marks a major step in what has become a years-long stalemate between the county and the city, according to the Star Tribune, which reported that the judge found public use of the disputed stretch of Van Buren Street does not outweigh the county's need for a safe jail. Pipenhagen wrote that connecting the new jail to the courthouse is necessary for the safety of the public, jail staff and inmates, and said the matter is time-sensitive. The decision follows a lawsuit Anoka County filed in district court seeking to acquire the Van Buren Street block between 3rd and 4th avenues by eminent domain.
A Jail Built for 140 Inmates, Now Overcrowded
County officials have long argued that the existing downtown jail, built in 1983 to house 140 inmates, is overcrowded, deteriorating and failing to meet safety and operational standards. The facility has dealt with water pipe breaks, a leaking roof, mysterious odors, and inmates sleeping in the gym or hallways because of insufficient space, and it lacks a needed mental health unit. County officials have described it as the oldest jail in the region.
The stakes extend beyond daily operations. The Minnesota Department of Corrections has warned that Anoka County is on the brink of receiving a sunset letter, which would give officials three years to open a new jail or risk having the existing facility shut down. County spokesperson Erik Thorson called the ruling a significant victory for the county and its residents.
The state’s latest inspection record gives a more qualified picture of the shutdown risk: in a March 16, 2026, letter, the Department of Corrections said the jail had corrected several cited violations, but physical-plant deficiencies remained out of compliance because construction had not begun. The department said it would consider whether to start a sunset review after the next inspection if the county had not made sufficient progress—not that closure had already been ordered. The department’s corrective-action letter makes the next inspection a key milestone.
Why Van Buren Street Became the Flashpoint
The county selected the site of its current government parking garage on Jackson Street for the proposed jail, with the project extending north across Van Buren Street. Because the county owns land on both sides of that stretch, it wants to incorporate the street into the jail footprint, which requires the city to close part of it. The city of Anoka has opposed that closure, arguing it would disrupt downtown traffic and public events.
Anoka city officials have also argued the jail is not permitted under the city's downtown zoning rules and that the proposed facility is larger than needed, encroaching on the historic downtown. City leaders have even lobbied state lawmakers for permission to move the jail outside the county seat altogether. Anoka city spokesperson Pam Bowman said city officials were reviewing the order and would discuss it with the city council.
State law also changed the options available in the dispute. In 2024, lawmakers authorized Anoka County to build a replacement jail and criminal justice center in any city in the county, notwithstanding the general requirement that a county provide a jail at its county seat. The measure gives the county permission to consider another location; it does not require a move. The law’s language helps explain why Anoka’s effort to persuade lawmakers to allow a site outside the city did not itself settle the location question.
Competing Capacity Estimates and Rising Costs
The scope of the project itself has shifted over time. A 2020 jail study found the facility needs capacity for 540 inmates based on population trends, while a later assessment received in October 2025 recommended just 418 beds. The Metropolitan Council has forecast Anoka County's population growing from 360,000 residents in 2020 to 433,000 by 2050, underpinning the county's argument that it needs more room, not less.
The revised 418-bed recommendation came after the county commissioned a new needs assessment in 2025, rather than simply carrying forward the earlier 540-bed figure. County materials say recent changes in state law and criminal-justice practices have lowered local incarceration rates, and the jail’s average daily population and average length of stay remained below pre-pandemic levels. The same assessment also cited shortages in support areas such as booking, medical services and property storage. The county’s October 2025 briefing described the 418-bed figure as a 50-year need.
The county has said other jail options were much more expensive and did not meet its needs, and it has emphasized that keeping the jail next to the courthouse makes transporting people in custody safer and easier. Thorson said years-long delays have driven up construction costs and that officials hope the ruling ends the city's opposition so all parties can focus on delivering the public safety project quickly. The county said it wants to move ahead in a way that best serves taxpayers and the community.
Parking Ramp Fight Remains Unresolved
Pipenhagen's order addressed only the jail and Van Buren Street, treating a separate dispute over a proposed parking ramp as its own matter. The county sued the city after the Anoka City Council denied its parking ramp request, arguing the city rejected the ramp because it viewed it as a precursor to the jail project itself. That lawsuit remains ongoing.
Thorson said officials are hopeful the remaining issues can be resolved and are prepared to proceed with the parking ramp lawsuit if needed. With the jail ruling now in hand, attention shifts to how the city council responds and whether the parking ramp dispute can be settled without another trip to court.
