Bradford County ICE Detention Campus (Douglas Building)
Facility Overview
A proposed 3,000-bed ICE detention campus on a 30-acre county-controlled site with an existing 100,000 sq ft warehouse (the “Douglas Building”) off US Highway 301 near Starke, Florida. The Sabot Consulting briefing package (December 16, 2025) describes a phased buildout from 1,000 to 3,000 beds over 38 weeks using a county-led IGSA model.
Construction Timeline
- Phase 0 (Weeks 1-6): Site prep, demolition, grading, utilities, CCTV
- Phase 1 (Weeks 7-18): Warehouse converted to 1,000-bed facility with intake, medical, segregation, admin, kitchen
- Phase 2 (Weeks 19-28): Four modular housing pods (+1,000 beds)
- Phase 3 (Weeks 29-38): Four more pods, full 3,000-bed capacity
Construction uses “hard-panel wall systems appropriate for secure detention environments, with fabric-tensioned roof systems” and “opaque fencing approach and muted external signage, reducing visual prominence and avoiding an outward presentation that ‘advertises’ the campus as a detention facility.”
Financial Model
| Phase | Beds | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost | Per-Bed-Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,000 | $8.08M | $96.9M | $269 |
| 2 | 2,000 | $14.2M | $170.2M | $236 |
| 3 | 3,000 | $19.9M | $239M | $221 |
County cost recovery: $80K-$199K/month depending on phase.
Environmental Contamination
The Douglas Building site has groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds that FDEP has monitored for nearly 15 years. Contamination has spread to ~30 surrounding properties. A September 2025 Arcadis report found migration continues. The Sabot proposal lists “vapor intrusion” as an issue requiring evaluation.
Commission Timeline
- July 2025: Sheriff Smith approached by former Osceola County Chief Deputy working with Sabot
- December 16, 2025: Sabot briefing package prepared (DRAFT)
- January 15, 2026: Commission votes 3-2 to advance proposal
- January 30, 2026: Community protest
- February 28, 2026: WUFT reports contamination levels
- March 3, 2026: Sheriff’s report to commission defending proposal
- April 7, 2026: BOCC agenda: FDEP site access agreement AND sheriff’s lease for “temporary ICE detainment facility”
Key Actors
- Sheriff Gordon Smith — project champion, framing as economic development
- Commissioners Carolyn Spooner and Danny Riddick — voted no (3-2 split)
- Sabot Consulting / Darren Chiappinelli — prepared briefing package
- WWALS Watershed Coalition — environmental advocacy, pushing for halt until FDEP studies complete
Sources
- Sabot Consulting briefing package (Dec 16, 2025) — provided by Jenn Budd
- WUFT: Contamination levels at proposed facility (Feb 28, 2026)
- News4Jax: Bradford County warehouse conversion (Jan 16, 2026)
- WWALS: Site contamination before lease discussion (Apr 6, 2026)