Construction on a new women’s correctional facility has broken ground in South New Jersey. The $312 million campus will provide 420 beds across multiple buildings on 33 acres in Chesterfield Township, Burlington County. This new project will replace the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women, located in Clinton.
Skanska Integrated Solutions (SIS), the program management and consulting group of Skanska, a global construction and development company, is serving as project manager. The team will oversee scheduling, provide construction expertise, and assist in planning and logistics. Philadelphia-based architectural firm HOK designed the new facility.
“This groundbreaking represents a new chapter of criminal justice for New Jersey – one built on safety, dignity, and rehabilitation,” commented Governor Phil Murphy. “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.”
The new correctional campus is being developed to offer a secure, but open environment that allows women to participate in multiple services and programs. These include education, job training, medical care, social services, addiction treatment, and recreational activities. A key goal is to preserve and enhance the Burlington County site’s natural environment, leveraging its rural setting to offer therapeutic benefits. The project’s focus is to provide residents with dignity, growth, and rehabilitation.
“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,” added Gary Thomson, Program Executive at Skanska Integrated Solutions. “This project adds to our extensive portfolio in New Jersey, joining a growing roster of initiatives we’ve delivered for the state, and reflects our ongoing commitment to building spaces that serve both people and communities.”
Skanska is currently overseeing several New Jersey projects, including a major expansion of the New Jersey Public Health, Environmental and Agricultural Laboratory (PHEAL), the $60 million Cooper Street Gateway Planning Project in Camden, and two juvenile rehabilitation facilities in Ewing and Winslow Townships for the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission.
