100 Holes To Be Drilled in Jackson, Michigan's Courthouse Lot

Don't be surprised to see the Jackson County Courthouse parking lot morphing into a giant game of whack-a-mole next year. No, gophers haven't unionized. The county has greenlit a nearly $11 million project to drill over 100 holes in the lot. But why?

The multi-million dollar project aims to usher in a new era of earth-based warmth for the parking lot. Starting this winter, contractors will install a geothermal heating system by drilling vertical ground loops into the earth, over 200 feet deep. It's like fracking, but instead of oil, they're mining for cozy temperatures.

Why Spend Millions on Geothermal Heating?

Scott Clow

This new $11 million system will leverage the earth's stable 58-degree temperature to heat the entire Wesley Street courthouse facilities at a highly energy efficient rank. The holes drilled will be connected under Wesley Street and run into the court buildings.

According to Jackson County Board Chair Steve Shotwell, the project is guaranteed to pay for itself over the next two decades. In fact, if the county doesn't save the equivalent of the construction costs over the following 20 years, the contractor in charge of the project, Venergy LLC, will cover the balance.

Who's Paying for This?

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Now, before you grumble about the price tag for the county's energy efficiency upgrades, remember this: Uncle Sam is picking up nearly half the tab, thanks to federal funding from the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act. That brings the county's out-of-pocket expenses for the $28 million project to just $14.4 million—which Venergy has already guaranteed the county will be saved over the next 20 years, or they'll pony up the difference.

So, while it might feel like navigating a lunar surface in the courthouse parking lot this spring, it's all for a good cause: safety, sustainability, and a utility bill that won't make county officials or residents weep.

Inside Jackson, Michigan's Long Vacant Gilbert's Steakhouse

Listed by Griffin Properties of Detroit, Jackson, Michigan's former Gilbert's Steakhouse has sat empty since 2006, waiting for someone to reboot this iconic restaurant. Let's look at what it looks like today, nearly two decades since the last plate of garlic bread was placed on a table.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

The 1952 Jackson, Michigan Prison Riot

Protesting harsh treatment, poor medical care, and bad food, inmates of Jackson's Michigan State Prison held 9 guards hostage for 5 days of riots in April 1952.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow