CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Tucker County juvenile justice facility, discontinued after the state poured $3.5 million into unfinished renovations, will become storage space for West Virginia parks division.
Stephanie Bond, director of the Division of Juvenile Services, revealed the fallback plan to lawmakers Monday and answered questions about a legislative audit that criticized the DJS for giving the state “no significant return” on the funds.
Renovations at the Davis Center—initially designed to become a 24-bed correctional facility for female juveniles—were scrapped in 2012.
Now the property will revert to the state Division of Natural Resources, becoming a storage building for Canaan Valley State Park and Blackwater Falls State Park.
Bond recounted the juvenile housing project failed to get off the ground during construction.
“You find out when you remodel sometimes it costs a little more than it does if you just start out,” she said. “They hit obstacle after obstacle during the construction.”
Senate Finance Committee chair Mike Hall questioned Bond, claiming he was “incredulous” at the thought of the state squandering so much money on the facility.
“I was just trying to get an explanation of how a decision was made,” he said. “So now we’re going to hear that all isn’t lost? The DNR is going to take it?”
Emily Fleming, assistant to the director of the DNR, told lawmakers the agency will store equipment there. The DNR remains in talks with the Tucker County Commission about other uses for the property.
“As you’re aware, we renovated the lodge at Canaan Valley,” she said. “We just constructed a sled run at Blackwater Falls State Park. We’ll be buying a groomer that will be housed there.”