MARKETS
REGIONS
SERVICES
Toombs County Courthouse and Detention Center
Lyons, GA
In 2018, Toombs County commissioned Hussey Gay Bell to evaluate the existing courthouse, built in 1964 on a 6.56-acre site, and the detention center, constructed in the early 1990s on a 4.82-acre site adjacent to the courthouse in central Lyons, Georgia. The study aimed to provide the Toombs County Commission with the most viable solution for developing a unified Courthouse and Detention Center Complex to house all court functions, county administrative offices, and future growth, accommodating a projected population increase from 28,000 to 50,000, while maintaining a presence in downtown Lyons.
The facility evaluation culminated in a comprehensive feasibility study, which included seven conceptual design plans with associated cost estimates. Hussey Gay Bell worked closely with county stakeholders to identify the most practical and cost-effective solution. Based on the study’s findings, the firm initiated full design efforts in 2020, leading to the demolition of the existing courthouse and the expansion of the detention center.
The project included the construction of a 68,000-square-foot, four-story judicial center, seamlessly connected to the existing jail to establish a cohesive government campus. The detention center scope encompassed the addition of two new housing units, renovations to the existing inmate housing unit, and the expansion and modernization of the intake building. The courthouse site design integrated parking facilities surrounding a centralized park, intended for community use. To further enhance the civic environment, the park was extended to an adjacent parcel, creating a direct visual and pedestrian connection to downtown Lyons, fostering an inviting and walkable campus.