Design Approved for New 454-Bed Pennsylvania Prison

Plans for a new 150,000-square-foot, 454-bed prison were approved by the Blair County Prison Board in Pennsylvania. | Photo Credit: GFT

• The Blair County Prison Board approved design plans for a one-story, 150,000-square-foot prison with 454 beds across nine housing units, including space for juveniles.
• The vote is contingent on Blair County purchasing an 83.25-acre, industrial-zoned site.
• County leaders said environmental reviews raised no concerns; water and sewer capacity evaluations are still underway.
• Officials said design changes reduced a previous $150 million cost estimate by removing a proposed magisterial district court component.

HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. — The Blair County Prison Board in Pennsylvania approved design plans for a proposed new county prison, advancing a project that remains tied to the county’s pending site purchase.

The concept developed by GFT calls for a 150,000-square-foot, single-story facility with 454 beds, expanded medical and mental health space, and dedicated areas for visitation, attorney-client meetings, religious practice and staff training, according to county officials.

In a reconvened public meeting on May 12, the board voted to approve plans for a facility in Blair Township that includes nine housing units with cells on a ground floor and a mezzanine. Two units would be reserved for as many as 22 juveniles and would be separated from the adult population.

Commissioner Dave Kessling, the board’s chair, said the drawings could still see minor adjustments as the county weighs long-term needs. “We’re looking not only at what the needs are today, but also what the needs will be 15 and 20 years down the road,” Kessling said, according to an article from the Altoona Mirror.

The county is targeting two parcels totaling 83.25 acres owned by Pennsylvania Terminals Corp. Commissioners previously offered $585,000, conditioned on multiple reviews including wetlands, geotechnical work, surveys, utility investigations and a Phase 1 environmental assessment. Kessling said completed environmental reviews generated no concerns, including for bats that can trigger federal protections.

Officials said the county is still awaiting analysis on whether local systems can support the prison’s water demand and projected wastewater flows. Those determinations will be made by the relevant water and sewer agencies.

Kessling also said the board pushed costs down to about $100 million from a previous $150 million estimate that reflected price increases identified since earlier 2025 projections. One major change was removing a proposed magisterial district court building and secure connector from the prison plan. “We just couldn’t spend that much,” Kessling said, according to an article from the Altoona Mirror.

District Attorney Pete Weeks said the design appears to address legal requirements, including private space for defense attorneys to meet with incarcerated individuals, which he said could help move cases more efficiently through court. Weeks also pointed to increased juvenile crime in recent years and the county’s lack of a juvenile detention facility.

Controller A.C. Stickel said a new build is less costly than attempting to retrofit the existing jail, which dates to the late 1860s and has been expanded over time. County officials said the jail currently houses about 300 incarcerated individuals, with additional people housed out of county at the county’s expense when beds are unavailable.

Commissioners Laura Burke and Amy Webster also voted for the design. Burke said the county has American Rescue Plan Act funding set aside for land acquisition, while officials have indicated the overall project would likely be financed through bonds repaid over several years.

County leaders previously explored an alternate site near Alto Reste Cemetery, but shifted away amid public opposition tied to proximity to planned future burial grounds. The current site is largely wooded and includes a powerline corridor; Kessling said lighting can be directed downward to reduce impacts on neighboring properties.

This article is based on reporting originally published by the Altoona Mirror on May 13, 2026.