Pueblo County Jail to Balance Efficiency and Security
By Lindsey Coulter
When the new Pueblo County Jail opens in early 2026, it will meet nearly all of the county’s correctional needs under one secure and sustainable roof. The nearly 167,000-square-foot facility, estimated at $145.8 million, will solve ongoing crowding and maintenance issues that are pervasive in the existing 509-bed downtown jail, while setting inmates and staff members up for safety and success.
Developing the Right Solution
The county aims to provide a safe, secure environment for inmates, personnel and visitors via a modern, constitutional detention facility that offers the space and flexibility to properly segregate inmates. None of that is easy to deliver at the county’s existing facility, which primarily offers dormitory-style housing designed for low-custody inmates, despite a growing need for higher-custody space.
“The physical plant within the existing jail, which was designed in the 1970s, is not in alignment with today’s correctional design concepts — leading to inefficiencies and reducing the ability of staff to manage operations at the highest levels,” said David Zupan, jail project manager for Pueblo County. “The HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems are well beyond their useful life. Collectively, these issues brought forth the need for a new, modern jail, designed to enhance safety and security.”
In collaboration with county officials and a multidisciplinary task force of citizens and stakeholders, Architect of Record HOK worked to understand the county’s needs and management philosophies, hosting numerous workshops and meetings and maintaining an open dialogue about design and operational considerations. Pueblo County officials also toured other correctional facilities to evaluate the direct supervision concept and see the model in action.
In developing the ideal design, the project team explored several iterations and site positions. Brad Clatterbuck, senior project manager with construction firm JE Dunn, focused on maximizing efficiencies while honoring the county’s budget, helping lead an extensive redesign process to right-size the building. Ultimately, the team and client landed on a two-story approach rather than a sprawling, one-story structure. Building upward allowed the county to maintain site space for future expansion without compromising visibility or security.
“The direct supervision facility allows for maximum efficiency and connectivity with support spaces and considers safety for staff and inmates by including clear sightline views,” said Curt Parde of HOK, who helped lead the design process. “The building’s position also utilizes the site’s slopes to provide a natural separation between secured and public spaces”
Additionally, the project includes secured sally port and parking areas for staff and for law enforcement and a secure perimeter to help prevent the introduction of contraband. The rear-chase cell design keeps staff out of the housing unit spaces, while the addition of recreation spaces to every housing unit and toilets/sinks in every cell will reduce inmate movement.
Among other tactics, the project’s DEC/SEC CML Security will also integrate an IP Video System that utilizes multi-image cameras.
“CML works with the best vendors and manufactures in the marketplace and places an upfront focus on the quality control of the installation,” said Jesus Flores, assistant project manager with CML. “On the technology side, components dedicated for safety need to be tried and tested. A staff member that has trust and faith in the systems engineered in facilities such as these has been proven to work better and more efficiently.”
Designing for Inmate Success
The new jail will allow for maximum security, visibility, efficiency and connectivity with support spaces. It will also incorporate normative design strategies that focus on health and wellness, such as access to natural light, introduction of natural materials and good indoor air quality — improving the environment for all users.
When complete, the facility will comprise a new 672-bed jail (across 12 housing pods) as well as a spacious yet secure intake, booking and release area; an expanded clinic and infirmary; space for detainees with significant mental health and substance abuse treatment needs; male and female general housing; administrative spaces; training facilities; records management and ample evidence storage.
Housing includes:
- 560 General Population beds
- 56 Mental Health Housing beds
- 56 Administrative Segregation beds
- 8 Infirmary beds
The design also incorporates classroom/multipurpose rooms for basic education, parenting and substance abuse classes — and potentially yoga and meditation. Additional behavioral health housing, including outdoor recreation areas, will likely be included in future expansions. These support spaces will support inmate success and help reduce recidivism.
“The design team was instructed to plan for future bedspace to be added if/when needed,” Zupan said. “The final design allows for modular expansion of additional pods on the end of the building, with existing infrastructure able to accommodate up to an additional 448 beds.”
Technology-wise, inmates will be able to access educational programs via electronic devices, and the facility will utilize a contactless, online video visitation system — vastly expanding inmate visit capabilities and capacity.
Meeting the Net-zero Emissions Goal
In line with Pueblo County’s commitment to improving sustainability through construction efficiencies and renewable energy strategies, the project team is evaluating the feasibility of including a 2.5-megawatt solar array that could help make the new Pueblo Count Jail the first net-zero energy detention facility in the nation.
Net-zero energy use has been a goal from the project’s outset, and the design team explored many options that would achieve this status. The team first minimized projected energy consumption via design and material choices, which helped determine the size of the potential onsite solar array that will feed back into the electrical grid, further offsetting energy costs.
“Targeting net-zero energy, the goal is for the facility to produce as much renewable energy as possible on site over the course of a year,” Parde added. “There was a holistic approach focusing on envelope performance and energy efficiency, and the massing and site orientation was taken into consideration through numerous site modeling studies.”
Areas were also designated for onsite photo-voltaic panels, and electric vehicle infrastructure is in place for new and future EV parking. Shading impacts were considered through envelope fenestration studies, and the behavioral health housing area incorporates tubular solar day lighting and large outdoor windows.
Design Honors Region
Pueblo County’s distinct environment and terrain were also taken into consideration during the design process. The county is located in an expansive high desert region where the Great Plains sweep up to the Rocky Mountains. As such, the design ties into the natural and cultural landscape via massing and materials.
“The project utilizes a bold and contemporary interpretation of traditional Pueblo architecture that is prominent in the region,” Parde said. “Traditional architectonic characteristics — including stepping massing stacks, terraces, large overhangs and raw exposed materials — generate a design that ties to the rich architecture of the region.”
“We also tried to prioritize using local trade partners whenever possible, which helps impact the local economy,” Clatterbuck said.
Budgetary and Design Considerations
Balancing functionality, safety, style and sustainability with market swings and Covid-19-related price escalations posed another challenge.
National construction management firm Vanir, which is serving as the owner’s representative, worked closely with other project team members to ensure that the number of beds ultimately included would accommodate the existing inmate population and future population growth as well as adequate space for staff members. The firm also helped to balance the county’s priorities of ensuring that the modern building could offer mental health facilities, training space, and all necessary support spaces while remaining economical.
“During the conceptual and programing phase of the project, numerous building designs were discussed and vetted for efficiency, aesthetics and timely construction,” said Richard Cox, senior project manager with Vanir. “We ultimately chose to do a precast double-tee structure on piers with grade beams, precast insulated walls, and high-efficiency windows and roofing system.”
“This particular building type was a good candidate to utilize a precast structure and enclosure,” Clatterbuck added. “(Opting for precast) required us to consider a lot of early coordination items from a structural standpoint and work through the engineering exercise associated with the precast design.”
To adhere to an aggressive schedule, steel-prefabricated cells by Georgia-based SteelCell were used for most of the facility, with some areas composed of masonry construction. Office and administration spaces use typical metal studs and drywall. As the building also uses a significant amount of CMU block, the team was also concerned about the area’s strained labor market.
“CMU is such a large component of a corrections facility, and there are only so many local masons available that can service that large of a project,” Clatterbuck said. “We tried to find opportunities to reduce the use of CMU as much as possible, whether that’s partial height walls or some other strategies.”
Thanks to these strategies, work on the project remains on schedule, and the first cell modules were delivered for installation in early November. The facility is scheduled for substantial completion in December 2025.
This feature originally ran in the November/December edition of Correctional News.