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San Quentin Rehabilitation Center progress

August 27, 2024

Progress of demolition at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, making way for a new educational complex.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is providing a first look at the progress of San Quentin Rehabilitation Center’s cutting-edge educational complex. Demolition of an existing warehouse has been completed, clearing the way for the new building. On Aug. 26, 2024, demolition of an interior wall began, a project to open up the new complex to the existing institution and create a campus-like feel. Construction is slated to begin mid-September.

WHAT GOV. NEWSOM IS SAYING: “California is transforming San Quentin – our state’s most notorious prison – into the nation’s most innovative rehabilitation facility focused on building a brighter and safer future. We are literally tearing down walls to reimagine our prison system, incentivize true rehabilitation, and end cycles of violence and crime. Brick by brick, we’re building a new future that will make all of us safer,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. See Gov. Newsom’s March 17, 2023, press release.

WHAT THE CDCR SECRETARY IS SAYING: “The establishment of this new rehabilitative center marks a pivotal step toward fostering genuine transformation in our correctional system,” said CDCR Secretary Jeff Macomber. “We are not just rebuilding walls but constructing pathways to restoration and rehabilitation for those in our care.”

Video by Richard Tan, TV Specialist, Office of Public and Employee Communications

BIGGER PICTURE: The construction project is part of a systemwide change referred to as the California Model: Making Safer Communities, Inside and Out. The holistic initiative leverages international, data-backed best practices to improve the well-being of those who live and work at state prisons. The initiative’s goal is creating safer communities and a better life for all Californians, by breaking cycles of crime for the incarcerated population, while improving workplace conditions for institution staff.

BY THE NUMBERS:

Demolition of Building 38, a former warehouse, began in May 2024 and was completed in August 2024
Demolition of the south interior wall began Aug. 26, 2024
The planned complex has three new educational buildings plus a perimeter entrance building, totaling approximately 80,000 square feet
Existing classroom space will almost triple
Construction on the educational complex is expected to begin mid-September 2024
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is expected in early 2026

Through collaborative workshops and interviews with stakeholders, including CDCR staff and incarcerated people, a unified concept has emerged: an inviting, adaptable, campus-like space that encourages rehabilitation. The buildings will include high-tech and innovative classroom space, meeting areas, and staff offices.

Using the progressive design-build project delivery process, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., the Design Build Entity, and design firms DLR Group and Schmidt Hammer Lassen; will oversee the demolition, design, and construction.

A project safety plan inclusive of regulatory oversight will be followed, including working with an industrial hygienist, during the construction.

Informational presentations were presented on March 27, 2024, and August 22, 2024, to staff and incarcerated populations.

CDCR would like to thank the advisory committee for their invaluable input shaping the new rehabilitative center at San Quentin. It is through collaborative efforts like these we can make meaningful progress toward the successful return and reintegration of individuals within our justice system to the community.

All of the above assets and more can be found on the San Quentin Transformation webpage: https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/the-california-model/san-quentin-transformation/.