Construction of a new detention center is under way in Eddy County, N.M., after an April 21, 2026, groundbreaking ceremony that marked the start of a $170 million project slated to move the county jail out of downtown Carlsbad, according to the Artesia Daily Press.

County officials, designers from Studio Southwest Architects and contractors from Bradbury Stamm Construction were present for the ceremony.

The 142,000-sq.-ft. complex is being built across from the Eddy County Sheriff's Office south of Carlsbad. It will take an expected three years to build.

Plans call for 400 beds, with the possibility of an extra 50,000 sq. ft. of housing space to increase to an 800-bed capacity, according to the Artesia Daily Press.

Studio Southwest Architects said the detention center will include prefabricated housing modules, dorm-style configurations to support visibility and interaction and shared day room spaces that help encourage daily activity and minimize isolated areas.

There also will be dedicated staff and operations spaces, such as intake, training rooms and administrative offices that support alternative sentencing unit (ASU) and driving while impaired (DWI) programs, according to the Artesia Daily Press.

The county selected Albuquerque, N.M.-based contractor Bradbury Stamm Construction earlier this year to build the new facility.

County Commissioner James Bowen told the Artesia Daily Press that the existing downtown site, which dates to 1993 and was designed for approximately 70 inmates, would be difficult to expand, with area development continuing. Officials also said the current facility is in poor shape and doesn't meet modern safety or operational standards.

"A lot has changed since 1993. We're not the same place that we were in 1993. The jail needs to be out of the center of town," Bowen told the Artesia Daily Press.

The paper reported that the project will be one of the largest construction projects in the state, with funding reportedly coming from a mixture of the county building fund and federal dollars.

Robert Maze of Studio Southwest told the Artesia Daily Press that the design process must account for community growth and changing technology.

Cynthia Schulz, CEO of Bradbury Stamm, also described the jail as "a huge investment" for the county.

"This is a milestone event that has been years in the making," said Eddy County Manager Mike Gallagher, according to an article from the Artesia Daily Press. "There is great support for this day."

Other firms involved during the design and development process include Dewberry, Chavez-Grievesd Consulting Engineers, Consensus Planning and Ricca Design Studios. ♣