A new Juvenile Detention Center and Alternative School Facility is being built a stone’s throw away from the location of the present juvenile detention center, behind the TAOA Center at Lyons Park.
A ground breaking for the new facility was held last Friday morning.
It will be a two story building with the first floor housing classrooms, a kitchen and dining area, recreational spaces, restrooms, and offices for guidance counselors, teachers, administrators, and correctional staff.
The second floor will contain juvenile cells, restrooms, utility rooms, and storage areas. The total cost for the project is $6.8 million and construction is scheduled to be completed in one and a half years. The building was designed by Lively Architects and the contractor is Allied Enterprises, doing business as RM Construction.
The project is funded by the Department of Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs through the Capital Improvement Program. 
Bishop Kolio Etuale Tumanuvao, expressed his gratitude to Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga and the government for the many completed and ongoing projects. “The government has done so much good work for our islands, but this is one of the projects that I am so excited about, because it is for our youth,” said the Bishop. “…This facility is not just a detention center, it is a space where we can support at-risk youth and help them get back on the right path.”
Public Works Director Faleosina Voigt stated that Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga envisioned a more inviting, residential design for the facility, a safe space where young people can learn and thrive. He firmly believes in the potential of youth and views this center as an essential part of their development. By placing the center next to TAOA, it offers opportunities for young people to gain insights from senior citizens, fostering positive relationships.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Lemanu, Acting Governor La’apui Talauega Eleasalo Ale expressed his appreciation for the beginning of this initiative stating, “This building will represent new beginnings for our troubled youth. It will provide a place for them to receive education and counseling, enabling them to better serve our families, communities, and American Samoa.”
Acting Governor La’apui urged the public to view these new facilities as vital resources for helping troubled youth. He emphasized, “These buildings are important, but what matters even more is our community coming together. When this project is completed, we must work to provide new beginnings for our at-risk youth.”
