The remodel of the old Madison Street jail is well underway and is approaching the final stages. The project, possibly the largest adaptive reuse project in Arizona to date, involves the conversion of the facility from a county jail to an office building for the Maricopa County Attorney. This will allow the County Attorney’s office, currently scattered across several buildings, to converge under one roof and end their lease in the Luhrs Building.
The jail, which was constructed in 1985, saw less than 20 years of use before structural and plumbing issues caused it to be closed in 2005. The jail then sat essentially derelict until the current renovation commenced in 2017. During the renovation, the interior of the building was completely gutted and the tiny jail windows were drilled out to make way for larger ones. The former recreation yards will be opened up and converted into elevated outdoor patios, and a sky bridge is being constructed to connect the building to the South Court Tower and the rest of the downtown court complex.
The $64m rehab was designed by architect Larry Smith and is being carried out by Omaha-based DLR Group. The project should be complete by early 2020.
Rendering of the Madison Jail from the South 
Cutaway concept showing the outdoor patios 
Rendering of the Madison Jail from Madison Street 
Rendering of Madison Jail from the Northwest 
Rendering of Madison Jail from the Northwest 
Madison Jail as of 31-May-2019 
Madison Jail as of 31-May-2019 
Madison Jail as of 31-May-2019
