New Napa County Jail Aiming for Late 2024 Wrap

By CN Staff

NAPA, Calif.—Napa County broke ground earlier this year on a 304-bed facility, designed by Lionakis, to replace the antiquated Downtown Napa Jail—which was also partially damaged by a 2014 earthquake. As designed, the new jail will include a 28-bed medical and mental health unit along with an administrative building.

Project elements include programming space, kitchen, laundry, central control, in-person visitation space, intake, medical clinic, and a sallyport, with an emphasis on downplaying the institutional feel to create a normative environment with natural light and calming colors. Incorporating a robust technology backbone to provide future flexibility was also an important design driver.

Functional programming areas include housing, medical clinic, intake and release, food and laundry, central control, interview and visitation, custody administration, support services, outdoor recreation, administration, and a public lobby. An abundance of program space included in the design, all with maximum flexibility in mind, to allow for a variety of program types to promote rehabilitation and reduce recidivism. A welcoming public front door will fulfill the community’s desire that the new jail not look like a detention facility or institutional building.

Construction began in January 2023 after an initial delay due to California’s wet winter but is moving along rapidly now and utilizing modular solutions, including pre-cast concrete cells, to speed the process toward the anticipated November 2024 completion date.

The venue will be 109,300 square feet with a Design-Bid-Build project delivery; Broward Builders served as the contractor on the $96.6 million project. The owner is the Napa County Department of Public Works, and funding came via the SB864 and SB844 – State Lease Revenue Bond Program.