2025 Facility Of The Year
Thank you for helping Correctional News select the 2025 Facility of the Year!
Throughout 2025, Correctional News has featured outstanding Facility of the Month projects across the nation and the corrections and justice spectrum, including:
- Franklin County James A. Karnes Correction Center — Columbus, Ohio
- Lynnwood Community Justice Center and Lynnwood Community Crisis Center — Lynnwood, Wash.
- James A. Musick Jail Expansion — Irvine, Calif.
- Napa County Jail — Napa, Calif.
- Wayne County Criminal Justice Center — Detroit, Mich.
- Sullivan County Jail — Blountville, Tenn.
- Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women — St. Gabriel, La.
Now, we need the help of our readers to select the Facility of the Year.
HOW TO VOTE:
- Please select one project from the list below.
- Click “Vote for this Facility” to cast your vote.
MORE DETAILS
Voting will remain open through Dec. 8. The project that receives the most votes will be selected as Correctional News’ Project of the Year and will be featured in the first edition of 2026, focusing on Architecture & Interiors
Lynnwood Community Justice Center and Lynnwood Community Crisis Center
Lynnwood, Washington
Square Footage
129,825 SF
Project Cost
$72 million
Architect of Record
Mackenzie (Police Department, Parking Garage and Municipal Jail & Community Crisis Center), KMB architects (Municipal Court and Jail Administration)
Owner’s Representative
KMB architects
General Contractor:
FORMA Construction
SEC/DEC Contractor
Cornerstone, Inc
The Lynnwood Community Justice Center marks a shift in municipal governance, integrating law enforcement, rehabilitation and community engagement. This state-of-the-art complex houses the police department, a modern misdemeanor jail, a municipal court and the innovative Community Crisis Center (CCC), embodying a balance of compassion and accountability.
James. A Musick Facility Jail Expansion
Irvine, Calif.
Square Footage
325,000 SF
Project Cost
$284 million
Architect of Record
AECOM (design), HDR (construction/closeout)
Owner’s Representative
Vanir Construction Management
General Contractor:
Bernards Brothers Inc.
SEC/DEC Contractor
CML Security
The James A. Musick Facility in Orange County, Calif., marks the county’s largest single public safety construction project to date, designed to support future expansion and justice reform. Originally nicknamed “The Farm” for its agricultural roots and low-security past, the facility now stands as a 324,000-square-foot, 896-bed complex with a focus on rehabilitation, mental health and secure, humane incarceration.
Franklin County James A. Karnes Corrections Center
Columbus, Ohio
Square Footage
600,000 SF
Project Cost
$320M
Architect of Record
DLZ Architecture Inc.
Design Architect
HDR
Construction Manager
Gilbane | Smoot Joint Venture
Detention Equipment
Cornerstone, Pauly Jail Building Company
Located in Columbus, Ohio — within a region deeply affected by the opioid epidemic — the county set out to revolutionize justice operations with a state-of-the-art correctional center. Through collaboration with the National Institute of Corrections (NIC), design and construction experts, and local stakeholders, the James A. Karnes Corrections Center represents modern, humane correctional practices and efficient design.
Napa County Jail
Napa, Calif.
Square Footage
109,302 SF
Project Cost
$133 million
Architect of Record
Lionakis
Owner’s Representative
Vanir
General Contractor:
Broward Builders Inc.
SEC/DEC Contractor
CML Security
In 2014, a 6.0-magnitude earthquake shook the core of Napa County, compromising the structure of the local jail. The county received supplemental state funds following the earthquake that allowed for the full buildout of a single-level campus organized around pod housing, reentry services and dedicated mental and medical healthcare spaces. The facility was delivered through a traditional design-bid-build method.
Wayne County Criminal Justice Center
Detroit, Mich.
Square Footage
1.1 Million SF
Project Cost
$600 million
Architect of Record
HOK
General Contractor:
Barton Malow
Detention Equipment
Contractor
Contractor
CML Security, LLC and PaulyJail Building Company
Security Electronics
Contractor:
Contractor:
Accurate Controls
The Wayne County Criminal Justice Complex consolidated several key justice functions into one campus, offering modern, centralized infrastructure that supports long-term stability and public service delivery. The project brings together four distinct, but interconnected buildings, a courthouse, adult detention facility, juvenile detention facility and administrative/prosecutorial space, into a single civic campus.
Sullivan County Jail
Blountville, Tenn.
Square Footage
190,000 SF
Project Cost
$106 million
Architect of Record
MBI Companies Inc.
General Contractor:
JA Street
Detention Consultant
Treanor
Security Consultant:
Latta Tech
The new Sullivan County Jail project arose from a need to do more and a desire to do better. The newly completed 1,100-bed structure sits adjacent to the county’s previous jail, which was built in the early 1980s to house 619 inmates but regularly exceeds 800. The new, modern facility is expected to revolutionize the county’s detention practices by improving classification capacity, programming and wellness.
Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women
St Gabriel, La.
Square Footage
300,000 SF
Project Cost
$160 million
Owner:
Louisiana Department of Corrections
Architect of Record:
Grace Design
General Contractor:
Arkel Constructors
Construction Manager
at-Risk:
at-Risk:
Caddell Construction
When flooding devastated the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women (LCIW) in 2016, it left the state without any dedicated facility for women offenders. However, the natural disaster also opened the door to rethinking correctional design in Louisiana. Rebuilding from the ground up gave state officials the opportunity to create the state’s first new facility in 35 years — and to center rehabilitation, safety and reentry. While maintaining stringent security and visibility standards, the campus introduces softer, more normalized interior and exterior spaces that promote dignity, calm, and personal growth.