COLUMBUS, Ohio -  The Ohio Controlling Board on Thursday approved a request to release more than $4.2 million for renovations at the Ohio State Penitentiary in Youngstown.

The funds, totaling $4,254,480, will be used to contract with Murphy Contracting Company for the construction phase of an elevator replacement project at the prison on Coitsville-Hubbard Road.

The project involves replacing six elevators and their associated electrical systems, as well as the installation of new electrical controls. The Department of Rehabilitation and Correction had previously secured approval for the design phase of the project in December 2024.

 After receiving three bids, the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction recommended awarding the contract to the Youngstown-based company, which submitted the lowest bid.

The funding will be distributed among several entities. Murphy Contracting will receive $3,506,000 for construction services, with additional amounts allocated for project administration fees and an owner's contingency fund.

The Ohio State Penitentiary, which opened in 1998, houses approximately 497 inmates, 134 of whom are serving life sentences.

The Controlling Board is a seven-member panel that reviews and approves various state expenditures and contracts.