Join us for the November AIA Luncheon on Thursday, November 7th at 11:30 a.m. at the Capitol View Event Center located at 5201 N. Lincoln Blvd. Our guest speakers will be Jeff Bradley of HOK and Steve Mason of the Oklahoma County Jail Citizens Advisory Board and the title of their presentation is The New Oklahoma County Jail & Diversion /Behavioral Center: Why It’s Needed.
Built in 1991, the current Oklahoma County Jail is outdated, overburdened, and failing to meet compliance standards set by the Department of Justice. To address these critical issues, Oklahoma County Commissioners have partnered with global design architecture firm HOK to reimagine the future of incarceration in Oklahoma County. Jeff Bradley, Senior Principal Designer and Director of Justice at HOK, emphasizes, “This is not your normal building. It’s occupied 24/7, 365 days a year, by people who don’t want to be there.”
In this presentation, Mr. Bradley will unveil the community-driven values that shaped the design of the new facility, with a focus on human dignity, safety, and rehabilitation. Key design elements include more humane housing, 24-hour mental health diversion and treatment facilities, spaces that promote family reunification, and improved safety measures for inmates, staff, and the public.
The facility will feature enhanced mental health rehabilitative design, with 368 dedicated beds for inmates experiencing a mental health crisis, as well as onsite criminal court services to streamline the justice process. These innovations are expected to not only improve mental health outcomes and reduce recidivism but also lower Oklahoma County healthcare costs and minimize operational expenses. Attendees will gain insight into how flexible facility sizing, improved acoustics, natural light, and rehabilitative program spaces are transforming this project into a model for modern justice facilities.
The deadline to register for the November AIA Luncheon is Friday, November 1st. AIA Central Oklahoma members attend free and nonmember guests are $30. A big thank you to our sponsors: Acme Brick, Bell & McCoy Lighting and Controls and Nabholz Construction.
Jeff Bradley
Jeff is a senior principal and director of HOK’s global Civic + Justice practice. Based in Houston, Jeff has worked on hundreds of domestic and international justice projects over his three-decade career. He has served as principal-in-charge for the design and master planning of courthouses, crime labs, police stations, prisons, jails and government buildings. He leads large P3, CMAR, design-build, design-bid-build and master planning efforts in the U.S. and abroad. Jeff is an American Society for Industrial Security board-certified Physical Security Professional and has served on the Physical Security Council’s board of directors.
Steve Mason
Steve Mason is a Business Owner, Developer, Engineer, Philanthropist, and Entrepreneur who is well-known in the Oklahoma City community. His name is synonymous with vision and revitalization. Steve’s passion for business, the Arts, and the OKC Community is felt as the heartbeat of every project he works on. Steve’s firm is known for its monumental work in Automobile Alley, the Plaza District, the Oklahoma State Capitol, 1200 Penn, and Capitol Hill. His unique approach to entrepreneurship has left its mark on our city in significant ways.