Adrian Hedden
El Rito Media
achedden@currentargus.com

A new $148 million jail could be built in the next three years in Eddy County, while restoration of the courthouse in downtown Carlsbad could begin in 2026 with an almost $6 million price tag.

Albuquerque-based Studio Southwest Architects gave updates to the Eddy County Commission at Tuesday’s meeting on its work to design the new jail on the south end of town near the Cavern City Air Terminal, along with the courthouse renovations.

The detention center will replace the current jail at 201 N. Main St., where tentative plans were to demolish the building and create additional parking for the growing shopping and dining area in downtown Carlsbad.

Andy Benson, senior partner at Studio Southwest, said the detention center project designs started in October 2022 with the conceptual “programming” presented to the county in March 2023. The full design plans began in August 2024.

Benson said based on the initial designs, construction – to be completed by a future hired contractor – would total about $128 million for the building and another $20 million for the site.

The design would be ready for the county to accept bids for the project later this year, and construction was projected to begin in February 2026 and be completed in December 2028, Benson said.

The building will be about 142,341 square feet and could increase in size to 193,292 square feet with additional housing Benson said could be installed later. He said the additional housing, about 50,000 square feet, could be needed within the next 20 years based on the firm’s projections.

“It’s important that we size the building for that future growth,” he said. “With a project this size, we will likely have multiple national companies bidding on it.”

Theo Edaakie, also of Studio Southwest Architects, said the Eddy County Courthouse renovations were being designed to improve the outside of the building, which houses the Fifth Judicial District for Eddy County, including court administration and trials held in the historic building.

The four-story, 45,600 square-foot courthouse was built in the 1890s and Edaakie said it suffered deterioration to the wood and stucco façade from sun and rain over the last 130 years.

“It takes its toll,” he said. “We’re looking to increase the durability, while maintaining the look of the building.”

He said the project would repair outdoor doors and walls, while maintaining the “character” of the landmark at the corner of Mermod and Canyon streets in downtown Carlsbad. Ornamental wood and stucco, Edaakie said, would be replaced with metal or other modern materials.

“It’s a really old building. It’s really interesting given the history and importance to the community,” Edaakie said.

The renovation project was in the design phase, which Edaakie said would wrap up by July 2025, and would go out for bids in about five weeks, he said, followed by 12 months of construction. He said the renovation would likely cost about $5.8 million.

District 4 County Commissioner Bo Bowen said the preliminary designs were consistent with feedback the county received, including multiple town hall meetings last year.

“I think the overhaul looks like what was desired after going through a year of community input,” Bowen said. “I think this is going in the right direction.”

Eddy County plans to expand fair

Eddy County will spend $250,000 more on the county fair than was expected this year, after commissioners voted unanimously at Tuesday’s meeting to approve a budget increase and to add more entertainment and food options and increased promotion for the annual event.

The five-day Eddy County Fair is held at the end of July each year at the Eddy County Fairgrounds in Artesia. The event sees local students from throughout the county present livestock they’ve raised, culminating in a series of auctions and championship ribbons awarded for stock such as cattle, sheep, pigs and rabbits.

In approving the $250,000 increase the county will pay to the Eddy County Fair Association for the expanded fair in fiscal year 2025, commissioners increased the fair’s annual budget from $150,000 while also paying a previously agreed-to fee of $50,000 for management of the fairgrounds.

County Attorney Cas Tabor said the Association would need a total of $500,000 in additional dollars to “get up and running” with the expanded offerings and promotion. The county also approved a $250,000 budget increase for the 2026 fiscal year for that year’s fair.

The higher budget approved March 18 came about two weeks after the county broke ground on a $25 million series of improvements at the fairgrounds, with plans to build an enclosed livestock arena and community building.

“There’s all kinds of new services that are going to be needed out there,” Tabor said. “They do a great job on a shoestring.”

Currently, exhibitors and their animals deal with heat and humidity in outdoor barns during the fair. The new building is expected to be completed by January 2027.

The fair board is in the process of developing a long-range master plan that could bring even more improvements, officials say.