County of Santa Barbara – Northern Branch Jail

The Northern Branch Jail facility (NBJ) in northern Santa Barbara County, is designed to accommodate more than 57% of the County’s jail population. It is located on six acres of a larger 50-acre County-owned parcel at the corner of Betteravia and Black Roads near the City of Santa Maria, California.

Cannon was selected to assist with schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration for the facility. Cannon’s structural team provided input on constructability, expected performance, and basic plans for the general roof framing elements. We also reviewed and made recommendations regarding structural framing. Cannon’s construction administration services involved shop drawing review, structural observations, and coordinating with the contractor.

The co-ed facility is a 376-bed, Type-II jail facility, with the necessary supporting infrastructure to operate independently of the Santa Barbara Main Jail in southern Santa Barbara County. The NBJ facility includes 32 special-use beds for mental health and medical purposes, along with an outpatient medical clinic. The total project budget was estimated at $96.1 million, including site acquisition, planning, and soft costs.