MIDLAND, Texas — Burns architecture, LLC specializes in designing jails, and has worked with counties all over West Texas, including the fairly new Andrews County Jail.
The architect, Kenny Burns, said he's using his experience to design the best jail for Midland County's needs.
"There's a lot of things that you look at, there's the growth in population and just to make sure that as things change in the county over the next 40, 50 years that you have plenty of space to make those changes," said Burns.
Burns' design for what the new jail might look like would hold more beds with room to grow.
"Ultimately a 1,200 bed jail, but the initial face would be 862 beds that would be totally capable of being expanded in the future," said Burns.
Unlike the current Midland County Jail, the presented design for the new jail will be more up to date.
"It will have all of the state-of-the-art capabilities," said Burns. "We want to bring lots of natural light into the building. That helps ease everybody who's housed there, so you can't look out a window, but you can see daylight. You know that will help with the morale in the jail, both inmates and staff, and hopefully that makes a better place to be."
The initial design concept was presented to commissioners Monday, but we're a long ways away from breaking ground.
"The commissioners court has to approve us to move forward, then we have to work with the jail commission," said Burns.
The next step is the commissioners making a decision.
"At this time, it's just a presentation, and to give them all the information they need to make a decision whether to move forward or not," said Burns.