OLD JAIL On-site Study Former Daviess County Detention Center

Prior to the July 2003 demolition of the Old Jail complex, Preservation Alliance of Owensboro-Daviess County and Downtown Owensboro Inc. had commissioned an architectural/structural review in an effort to increase interest in preservation of the historic 1886 structure. The study, published on February 18, 2002, was funded in part by a Southern Intervention Grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

OLD JAIL REPORT-Wells-Strehl - Adobe Acrobat 169 kb
OLD JAIL REPORT-Wells-Strehl - DOC MS Word 930 kb

1st Floor Plan - TIF Image 162 kb
1st Floor Plan - DWG AutoCAD 543 kb

2nd Floor Plan - TIF Image 148 kb
2nd Floor Plan - DWG AutoCAD 1.9 Mb

Ground Floor Plan - TIF Image 140 kb
Ground Floor Plan - DWG AutoCAD 978 kb

Background on the Old Jail

FEBRUARY 21, 2002 - Daviess County Fiscal Court voted to seek sealed bids for the purchase of the Old Jail, located at 110/112 St. Elizabeth St. and the associated parking lot located at 401 W. 2nd St. A PUBLIC NOTICE: Invitation to Bidders was published in the Messenger-Inquirer newspaper on 3/24/2002.

APRIL 18, 2002 - Fiscal Court opened three sealed bids that had been submitted for the purchase of the Old Jail. John Bays, owner of the Executive Inn, bid $75,000 with no preservation required. Harrold Barrentine of Keller, Texas, bid $5,000 with preservation required and $30,000 without.

MAY 15, 2003 - More than a year after seeking bids, Daviess Fiscal Court voted 3-1 to accept John Bays's $75,000 bid with no stipulation that the building be preserved.

JULY 1, 2003 - The City of Owensboro Community Development office issued a DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR THE OLD JAIL, subject to the technicality of review by the Design Review Commission, administered by Downtown Owensboro Incorporated.

AS OF JULY 9, 2003, demolition was underway.

The original portion of the Old Jail was built in 1886 in the Second Empire style of architecture. Between the 1950s and 1980s, several additions were made to the Old Jail, which did not exhibit any significant architectural features.

The Kentucky Heritage Council (State Historic Preservation Officer) found that the Old Jail met established criteria for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, although it was never listed formally. Preservation Alliance of Owensboro-Daviess County, a local, nonprofit organization, for several years promoted preservation of the historic 1886 portion of the Old Jail.

According to Preservation Alliance, the Old Jail was a very important piece of the architectural and cultural history of Downtown Owensboro. During preparation of the City of Owensboro's Waterfront Master Plan, the public repeatedly endorsed preservation of the historic building. As a result, the Old Jail was incorporated into the waterfront plan as a key design element, with the possibility for an adjoining parking garage and new street-front commercial space next to the Old Jail.

Prior to John Bays's application for the demolition permit, Preservation Alliance was attempting to contact Bays to discuss alternative ways to preserve the historic part of the complex.

Gary Adams, AICP
Former Associate Director, Planning, OMPC
Secretary, Preservation Alliance of Owensboro-Daviess County, Inc.
www.paupdate.org

Last Revised July 11, 2003

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