Correctional Facilities
Prime Architects is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned architecture firm that has delivered seven projects for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, from inmate housing environmental upgrades and food service facilities to fire detection, generators and facility assessments. Every one was designed for an institution that stayed in operation throughout construction. We also serve as architect of record for design-build contractors pursuing BOP, U.S. Marshals and state corrections work.
Certifications: Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB, SBA VetCert) · Texas VetHUB · SCTRCA Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE) · NMSDC-certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)
Correctional Project Types We Deliver
Inmate housing environmental upgrades
Adding air conditioning and improving ventilation in occupied housing units requires detention-grade equipment, secure routing of ductwork and piping, and a phasing plan the institution can staff. See our installation of A/C in inmate housing units.
Food service and warehouse facilities
Correctional kitchens run three meals a day with no interruption, so renovations must be sequenced around service. We designed a food service cafeteria and a food warehouse building for the Bureau of Prisons, and prepared a building assessment of a food service facility.
Fire detection and life safety
In 2025 the Bureau of Prisons awarded Prime Architects the modernization of fire detection systems at the Federal Correctional Complex in Beaumont, Texas, replacing legacy systems across a multi-facility campus without taking any building offline.
Power and site infrastructure
Our replacement of two generators and associated infrastructure kept emergency power available through cut-over, and our fuel management system replacement addressed compliance and security at the same time.
Assessments and as-built documentation
Institutions built decades ago rarely have accurate drawings. We produced an archive of as-built files for the Bureau of Prisons and a condition assessment of the Sunset and Sunrise housing units, giving facility managers a baseline for future capital planning. Read why as-built drawings matter for cost estimates.
Selected Federal Bureau of Prisons Projects
- Fire Detection System Modernization, FCC Beaumont (Beaumont, TX): campus-wide life safety upgrade, 2025 award.
- Install A/C in Inmate Housing Units: mechanical design for occupied housing.
- Food Service Cafeteria: kitchen and dining renovation.
- Food Warehouse Building: cold and dry storage facility.
- Replace Two Generators and Associated Infrastructure: emergency power.
- Replace Fuel Management System: site fuel infrastructure.
- Building Assessment, Sunset and Sunrise Housing Units: facility condition assessment.
- Archive of As-Built Files: institution-wide drawing archive.
Designing for Security and Continuity of Operations
A correctional project is judged on whether the institution ran normally while it was built. Our documents address the questions a facility manager and a contracting officer will ask: how contractors and tools enter and leave through the sally port each day, how work areas are separated from inmate movement, which shutdowns need Warden approval and when, and how detention-grade hardware, tamper-resistant fasteners and secure ceilings are specified so nothing installed becomes a weapon or a hiding place.
We phase the work around count times and meal service, write escort and tool-control requirements into the specifications, and design temporary systems so power, fire alarm and ventilation are never offline in an occupied unit. Coordination happens with Facilities, Safety and Custody staff, not just the project engineer.
Design-Build and Architect of Record Services
Much Bureau of Prisons work is procured design-build. General contractors need an architect of record who already understands BOP design standards, the security review process and the pace of federal submittals. We fill that role as a subcontractor on design-build teams and as the prime A/E on design-bid-build projects. Our guides on design-build versus CMAR and project delivery methods explain how each approach affects schedule and risk. For teaming, see our capabilities statement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you work as architect of record for design-build contractors on BOP projects?
Yes. We support design-build teams as the licensed architect of record and take responsibility for code compliance, security design details and construction documents.
Which NAICS codes cover this work?
Our primary NAICS code is 541310, Architectural Services. Correctional facility projects are typically solicited under 541310 or 541330, Engineering Services, with an A/E team.
Can you support state and county detention facilities?
Yes. The same phasing, security detailing and continuity-of-operations approach applies to state prisons, county jails and juvenile facilities, and our Texas offices serve those agencies directly.
How do you handle site access and background checks?
Our staff complete the institution’s background investigation and security orientation before site visits, and we plan visits around the facility’s schedule.
Ready Start On Your Project?
We can’t wait to work with you. Contact us today.