When you have a specialized project to build, you need a specialist. Modern criminal justice facilities – courthouses, jails, prisons and juvenile detention centers – require extensive experience to design and construct due to their unique security requirements and other complex building systems. Over the past three decades, Sundt has designed and constructed more than 100,000 detention beds in various custody levels, making us one of the leaders in this specialized market. We don’t just know how to construct modern correctional facilities; we understand the needs that must be met for these specialized institutions.
When beginning a project, we complete a comprehensive review of the design to determine any early or special procurement items that may be required. Early procurement of long-lead items such as precast sleeping rooms, electrical gear, security hardware, and security doors is evaluated to determine the appropriate acquisition schedule. This information is incorporated into the schedule to assure that materials are onsite when needed.
Through our use of innovative technology such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), issues can be analyzed and evaluated during the design phase. During construction, we use full-size mock-ups of sleeping rooms and plumbing chases to assure that all items will fit appropriately. Security electronics panel mock-ups are an opportunity to work through any dimensional, location, or other potential layout issues. Our BIM capabilities enable us to review operational and sightline issues. Room interior layout review prior to construction is invaluable in identifying and correcting issues that might cause problems in the future.
Courthouse projects are all unique, but what they have in common is a focus on value – it’s critical to virtually every courthouse project because of reduced budgets. Our expertise helps reduce the original budget and establish affordable life-cycle costs for our clients, the latter of which can be very challenging because of increased costs associated with the security requirements necessary for operating and maintaining a court facility.
Whether you’re building a courthouse, jail, prison or juvenile detention center, there is no learning curve when Sundt is the contractor.