By Kat Balster 

Over the past decade, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office has embarked on a transformative journey to reimagine its approach to justice. Located in Columbus, Ohio — and within a region deeply affected by the opioid epidemic — the county set out to revolutionize justice operations with the construction of a state-of-the art correctional center. Through collaboration with the National Institute of Corrections (NIC), design and construction experts, and local stakeholders, the resulting James A. Karnes Corrections Center is a testament to modern, humane correctional practices and efficient design. 

Franklin County started its journey with two legacy facilities: Franklin County Correctional Facility, known as ‘the downtown jail’ and the satellite jail Franklin County Correctional Facility II, or ‘Jackson Pike’.  

“The downtown jail was in the worst shape; we were keeping it together with paper clips and rubber bands,” said Franklin County Jail Administrator, Chief Geoffrey Stobart. “To close that facility, we had to build the core of the new jail to support the full build-out.”  

Phase I of construction, therefore, established the infrastructure to support a full 2,800-bed facility that would eventually consolidate the housing and operations of both legacy facilities. The first phase entailed intake/booking, kitchen, laundry, administrative spaces and support spaces. The housing in Phase I also included special-needs housing, medical and behavioral health spaces, a 300-person orientation unit, as well as the high-custody segregation and disciplinary detention areas.  

A Foundation of Collaboration 

Information- and knowledge-gathering were critical to the project’s success. Franklin County participated in the NIC’s Planning of New Institutions (PONI) and How to Open a New Institution (HONI) programs and implemented many recommendations. The county also tapped DLZ Architecture of Columbus, Ohio, to conduct a 2009 operational assessment of the existing facilities, formally hiring the firm as architect of record in 2015. DLZ brought in global firm HDR to serve as the design architect providing programming, schematic design and electronics security system design. Additionally, Franklin County developed a “CORE Team” of sheriff’s office employees who were devoted to supporting the planning, design, construction and transition processes. Through NIC funding, county officials also toured more than 50 jails across the country to glean ideas. 

“They looked for the best solution to make a difference for the inmates and staff,” said Eric Ratts, vice president with DLZ. “They left no stone unturned to find the best answer for every problem.”  

Phased Construction for Adaptive Needs 

While Phase I of construction included the infrastructure for a 2,800-bed facility, and 867 specialty and maximum-security beds to close the downtown jail, Phase II focused on women’s housing and gender-responsive design. 

“Women have a much different path to incarceration than med,” Stobart said. “Ninety percent of the women who cycle through the jail have suffered some kind of trauma.”  

As Stobart and his team visited jails across the country, they spoke to incarcerated women and gathered ideas to implement in their new facility, such as providing a hair-washing station, reducing the size of the housing units, creating spaces for women to gather and socialize, and even providing non-detention-grade mirrors.  

Phase II ultimately included 420 beds, but the largest housing unit comprises only 43 beds rather than 64 — the average for direct supervision. “We discussed the importance of having different areas within the housing units for seating, for socializing and for the groupings of individuals,” said David Bostwick, project executive for HDR. “We started talking about the materials and the color selection and eventually one of the folks asked, ‘Why we can’t do this in the men’s housing unit as well?’”  

As a result, many of the elements initially devised for the women’s spaces were carried throughout the facility.  

The joint venture of Gilbane + Smoot served as the construction managers. Gilbane led construction while Smoot helped with phasing and estimating as well as on-site time. Cornerstone Detention installed detention equipment and Pauly Jail Building Company furnished and installed cells from SteelCell North America.  

Through the design process, the primary project team was fully engaged in collaborative workshops to create a model 2,800-bed facility within an economical 23-acre footprint, developing two operational levels and a multi-level staff parking garage.  

The exterior is comprised of precast concrete panels, which serve as the jail’s primary security wall, eliminating the need for a second concrete masonry unit (CMU) wall. This reduced construction costs and exceeded the design of reinforced CMU. Phase I opened in July 2022, and Phase II was approved for occupation in October 2024.  

The project received LEED Silver certification, making it one of the largest jail facilities in the world to earn the designation. Using energy-efficient systems and sustainable materials will also reduce long-term operational costs.  

Rehabilitation and Normalization 

County commissioners in particular challenged the design team to be smart, progressive and to create a facility that could serve as a national model.  

“We envisioned this new jail as an opportunity to approach corrections differently — to provide true and lasting benefit and value to the community by developing a building program that responds to detention rehabilitation, mental health, behavioral management and being an environmentally friendly, energy-efficient facility,” Ratts said.  

The facility design responds to that program by including direct-supervision housing pods, ample classrooms, indoor/outdoor recreation, de-escalation rooms, etc. An emphasis was placed on natural light, views, and use of textures and color to create a normalized environment. 

As most people who come through the facility leave in a few days, connecting them with resources such as Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid addictions, programming for mental and behavioral health, counseling, educational, vocational and spiritual programs was paramount, starting at intake. Additionally, each housing pod has a classroom, two counseling rooms and a recreation area. There is a centralized programming area that has additional classrooms as well as a computer room and workstations for volunteers. Interior finishes, color palettes, furniture and fixtures throughout were selected to create a normative environment. HDR also utilized trauma-informed and biophilic design principles and incorporated wood-look materials, carpet tiles and rubber flooring.  

“An important decision was to use murals and scenes of nature in all the housing units,” Bostwick said. “In the intake area, the design team took the concept a step further by creating an outdoor courtyard next to [an open waiting area].”  

Detainees with similar programming needs are also placed in the same housing units, which allows for more efficient, effective operations and programming. Locating medical triage rooms in every housing unit provides direct care without having to transfer inmates throughout the facility. Franklin County also placed on-demand Gatorade stations in the facility in addition to providing water.  

“Many people are dying in America’s jails from opioid withdrawal because they are dehydrated,” Stobart explained. “We want them to have electrolytes and drink all they want.” 

The impacts of the design and new approach are already evident. Franklin County has seen decreases in inmate-on-inmate assaults, inmate-on-staff assaults, uses of force and disciplinary actions.   

The project also included a separate Rapid Resource Center (RRC) which provides connection and resources for newly discharged inmates re-entering the community. Individuals can charge their cell phones, get a meal and receive housing resources and medication and benefits assistance upon release. A later part of the project will include a crisis care center where law enforcement officers can take people experiencing mental health or drug/alcohol crises, rather taking them directly to jail. With the potential impact that facility could have on incarceration numbers, the county is waiting to finalize its jail bed count.  

“Some folks are cycling through our doors in less than 24 hours,” Stobart said. “This helps to catch those folks that we can’t get to while they’re behind our walls.” 

Innovations for Staff

Franklin County also implemented improvements to benefit the staff members, who spend more time within the jail walls than most inmates, increasing natural light, adding an atrium within the booking area, integrating softer lighting and addressing acoustics. Staff members also have new, larger lockers that include charging outlets, and they can enjoy a dedicated wellness center and indoor/outdoor dining space.  

The unique tiered seating central control area monitors all 2,800 beds, and all seats function as dispatch stations with dedicated monitors and areas of control. A video wall can be matrixed as needed for ease of supervision. 

Strategic Operational Philosophy 

The James A. Karnes Corrections Center was the first facility in the country to implement the NIC’s Strategic Inmate Management (SIM) principles, adopting a new operational philosophy that focuses on safety for detainees, staff and visitors. SIM seeks to encourage positive behavior among inmates through continuous staff interaction, setting expectations of behavior and keeping inmates productively occupied.  

SIM and the facility design work together to reduce physical barriers that impede staff/inmate interaction, provide clear sight lines, and incorporate normalized furnishings, fixtures, colors and finishes that promote positive inmate behavior. Representatives from all 50 states have toured the facility and observed the operational changes. When visitors express awe, Stobart reminds them that success didn’t happen overnight.  

“This was a 10-year process,” Stobart said. “We not only changed our physical plant but significantly changed our operational philosophy. That was the harder part: changing a culture.”  

SIM redefines standard correctional operations, moving facilities from ‘custody and control’ to a ‘care and custody’ model proven to result in a safer and more humane environment for inmates and staff.  For Franklin County, it meant moving from indirect to direct supervision and shifting staff mindsets. 

Strategic Inmate Management Principles Include:  

• Assessing the risk and need each inmate presents to develop strategies to more effectively manage their behavior 
• Using risk and needs assessments to make informed housing decisions and to classify inmates to facilitate behavior management 
• Providing services to avoid behavior problems that can result from a perceived deficiency of basic human needs 
• Defining and conveying expectations for inmate behavior  

Expanding the Vision 

Phase III of the project will establish housing for the general men’s population and bring all corrections operations under one roof. Once completed, Franklin County will close Franklin County Correctional Facility II. At every phase, however, the County has completed an assessment to ensure the project remained aligned with its needs. County officials are awaiting final Phase III construction approval from commissioners, but even now the James A. Karnes Corrections Center stands as a national model for modern correctional facilities, blending innovative design, strategic operations and a commitment to humane treatment. Franklin County’s focus on collaboration, sustainability and rehabilitation offers a blueprint for the future of corrections and has been recognized throughout the state and the country as a cutting-edge example that transformative change is possible through thoughtful planning and a shared vision. 

This article was originally published in the January/February print edition of Correctional News. 

*Editor’s Note: As a joint venture, Gilbane and Smoot were equally responsible for construction management activities and were equally at-risk on site for the duration of the project.

Project Data

• Project Name: Franklin County James A. Karnes Corrections Center 
• Location: Columbus, Ohio 
• Square footage: Approximately 600,000 GSF 
• Total Project Cost: $320 million 
• Bed Count: 1,285 (2,800 at full build-out) 
• Project Delivery Method: Construction Manager 
• Cell Construction Type: Modular steel cell, steel wall panels, and CMU 
• Owner: Franklin County Board of Commissioners 
• Lead Firm: DLZ Architecture Inc. 
• Architect of Record: DLZ Architecture Inc. 
• Landscape Architect of Record: DLZ Architecture Inc. 
• Mechanical Engineer of Record: DLZ Architecture Inc. 
• Plumbing Engineer of Record: DLZ Architecture Inc. 
• Structural Engineer of Record: AE Group Inc. 
• Electrical Engineer of Record: AEC  
• Design Architect: HDR 
• Civil Engineer: ms consultants 
• Owner’s Representative: Pizzuti Solutions 
• Construction Manager: Gilbane | Smoot Joint Venture 
• Detention Equipment Contractor: Cornerstone, Pauly Jail Building Company 
• Electronic Security Design Consultant: HDR 
• Food Service and Laundry Design: Vorndran and Associates 
• Security Electronics Contractor: Johnson Controls 

Product Data

• Correctional Furniture: Real Time Detention, Norix, Modern Detention  
• Detention Accessories: Real Time Detention, Norix, Modern Detention  
• Security Systems: Johnson Controls 
• Security Glazing: Global Security Glazing 
• Security Windows: Hope’s Windows Inc. 
• Security Cell Doors:  Titan Steel Door 
• Security Screens: Kane Innovations   
• Security Fencing: Kane innovations   
• Security Locks: RR Brink, Airteq 
• Security Penal Plumbing: Willoughby 
• Cells: SteelCell North America 
• Exterior Finish: High Concrete  
• Doors: Titan Steel Door