Bids Solicited for Lancaster Prison Despite Pending Suits

State corrections officials will begin accepting bids Monday for construction of the $50-million housing unit of a planned state prison in Lancaster. Construction is scheduled to begin by January, officials said Friday.

Prison opponents criticized the decision to proceed with bidding on the west Lancaster site, saying the state is risking taxpayer money because the prison still faces legal challenges.

A Los Angeles Superior Court hearing is set for Nov. 14 on lawsuits by the city and Los Angeles County challenging the constitutionality of prison-siting legislation. The city and county also plan to appeal a judge’s decision last month rejecting lawsuits that challenged the environmental review of the site.

But corrections officials said the prison has already been delayed by the legal fight and said the judge’s decision made it clear that they can move forward. Bids for the $50-million contract will be opened Dec. 6, officials said. The 2,200-bed, maximum- and medium-security prison is scheduled to open in 1992.