Gov. Tony Evers toured the center Wednesday, Oct. 14. It will house 32 boys committed for serious crimes and includes classrooms, medical and dental clinics, a woodworking shop, a welding lab, a gym, a recording studio and outdoor recreation areas, including a greenhouse.

The center was built on the site of a former emissions-testing facility and is part of the state’s effort to replace Lincoln Hills, which has faced criticism over deteriorating conditions, alleged systemic abuse and violence among youth in custody.

Evers said the new center is intended to keep young people safe while helping them gain skills and prepare to return to their communities. Responding to concerns that its amenities were too generous for a correctional facility, he said residents would be living there and should be able to learn how to become productive after release.

Kashunda Brown, a counselor who is expected to work at the facility, said being closer to families could help maintain relationships and connect youth with support after they leave. Staff could check in with former residents in their communities, she said.

A similar youth facility is under construction in Dane County. Plans for another center in northern Wisconsin remain under legislative review. The state has scheduled the closure of Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake, its facility for girls, for 2029; the two sites are then slated to become adult prisons.