Editor’s note: This story contains mentions of assault.
Sweden-based contractor Skanska participated Oct. 15 in the groundbreaking of a $312 million correctional facility for women in Chesterfield Township, New Jersey, according to a Wednesday news release.
The builder’s program management and consulting group, Skanska Integrated Solutions, will serve as the owner’s project manager on the project, which will replace the existing Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women.
At over 112 years old, EMCF is the state’s only women’s correctional facility. Gov. Phil Murphy announced in 2021 that the facility would close and be fully replaced following a report that found correctional officers assaulted multiple inmates. Murphy said at the time he believed “the only path forward is to responsibly close the facility.”
Plans for the new, multi-building campus include 420 beds on a 33-acre site, with emphasis on trauma-informed and normative design principles. The project will focus on incorporating safety for women to better aid with rehabilitation, stakeholders emphasized in the release.
“This new, state-of-the-art facility reflects our dedication to providing a safe, secure, and healthier environment for our state’s incarcerated women as they work toward rebuilding their lives for the better,” said Murphy, in Skanska’s release.
As part of that design intent, the campus layout will seek to promote an open environment where women can receive education, vocational training and medical care. The design will seek to preserve and enhance the natural environment, the release said, to create a therapeutic setting. DRG Architects provided designs for the project, with subconsultant HOK.
“We are proud to help deliver a modern, compassionate facility that prioritizes safety, dignity and rehabilitation while supporting the unique needs of women in the correctional system,” said Gary Thomson, program executive at Skanska Integrated Solutions, in the release.
As owner’s representative, SIS will assist in the design, planning and construction of the new facility, to include overseeing the schedule, providing construction expertise and advice and assisting in the logistical operations of project planning.
The first phase of the project is expected to open in 2027, the New Jersey Monitor reported, with full construction fully completed in 2028.
