Long-awaited new Grundy County jail almost ready for move-in

Handcuffs and shackles hang ready in the booking area at the new Grundy County Justice Center that will open in the next few weeks.

By Ben Benton November 6, 2016 3 min read

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Long-awaited new Grundy jail almost ready for move-in

Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum, left, and Chief Deputy Tony Bean talk in the squad room at the new Grundy County Justice Center in Altamonte, Tenn., on Nov. 3, 2016.

Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016, describes the visitation area for inmates at the new Grundy County Justice Center that will open in the next few weeks. The project is about 18 weeks behind schedule but now is ready for final inspections before prisoners move in.

Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016, looks over the counter in the booking area at the new Grundy County Justice Center that will open in the next few weeks. The project is about 18 weeks behind schedule but now is ready for final inspections before prisoners move in.

Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum, left, and Chief Deputy Tony Bean look over furnishings for the sheriff's office on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016, at the new Grundy County Justice Center.

Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016, talks about kitchen equipment that eliminates grease fryers at the new Grundy County Justice Center. Officials hope inmates can eat healthier and maintenance staff won't have as many plumbing problems with less grease use.

Grundy County Chief Deputy Tony Bean and Sheriff Clint Shrum on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016, from left, look over one of the cell pods at the new Grundy County Justice Center, as Bill Crowell, with the project's contractor Rentenbach Constructors, and Bob Roza, with the project's design firm TWH Architects, check out inmates shower stalls and equipment.

ALTAMONT, Tenn. – After almost five years of planning, designing and hand-wringing, the new $6.6 million, 98-bed jail in Grundy County is almost ready for prisoners.

The project is about 18 weeks behind, mostly because of weather and a cold start to the project in the winter of 2014, officials said.

Inmates will move in sometime within the next few weeks, Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum said Thursday. For security reasons, the move-in date won’t be publicly announced.

Counting holding, detoxification and medical cells that are not in the main cell pods, the jail will contain 114 beds. The main population areas have 68 beds for men and 20 for women. The design allows the addition of more pods to accommodate growth.

Grundy’s jail plan underwent modifications as a new county mayor and sheriff were elected during the planning stages, TWH Architects president Vance Travis said via email.