"The approval of this transaction will pave the way for the much-needed development of a new justice center," Webb says. "A single owner willing to sell over five acres only one block from city hall offers the City the opportunity to return city hall to a civic building and enhance our civic complex. This undertaking should compliment the city's recent investments in the Civic center such as the new art museum, public library and the new Webb municipal office building."

Manager of Safety Tracy Howard noted that purchase of the land is the first step in a long and complicated planning process. "We are working closely with the Golden Triangle Neighborhood Association to develop a criminal justice center that enhances the vitality and safety of the neighborhood," says Howard.

The City notes that the current Denver city jail operates at 150% of capacity and the current Denver county jail operates at 140% capacity. A new Justice Center would permit the City to nearly double overall jail capacity (from 1508 to 2720) without adding uniformed officers. It would also eliminate prisoner transfers by bus (165 to 250 pretrial inmates daily) and the infamous "prisoner shuffle" in hallways.

The DJC would also include 24 Criminal Courts attached to the jail and another 12 Juvenile Courts nearby. This would create expansion space in the city and county building for non-criminal court, administrative and city council growth and the location facilitates ease of access by other departments such as District Attorney, City Attorney, Police, Public Defender and Probation).