October Could See Start of Federal Prison Work in McDowell

McDowell County officials are hoping to see construction crews mobilized at the site of a planned 1,280 bed federal prison project in Welch as early as October.

“The response has been phenomenal,” Rachel Lester, county economic coordinator, said of the federal prison project. “They are looking at about a two-year construction. They are hoping to hire as many local people as possible. They are looking to start mobilization sometime in October. That is what they are hoping for.”

A $7.3 million design contract for the federal prison contract for the federal prison project was awarded earlier this year to Clark Design Build LLC of Bethesda Md. Lester said the authority is now helping to generate pre-employment interest forms for the prison construction. Lester said the county is hoping to identify local individuals and companies interested in helping with the future prison construction.

“Sometime also in October, the Bureau of Prisons also will be sending out their activation readiness coordination,” Lester said. “She'll be spending entire days in Wyoming , McDowell, and Mercer counties meeting with business groups, educational folks, chamber civic groups and others just basically explaining what opportunities are available when a federal prison comes to town and what opportunities a business may have when a prison comes to town.”

Lester said the authority also is working to complete a housing index study of the country in anticipation of a possible influx of prison construction workers, as well as the more than 300 employees who will staff the prison on a full-time basis when it is opened.

“We are doing a housing inventory of houses available in the county,” Lester said. “For the immediate need, which is perhaps the construction workers who might be coming in here, and the need for rental housing. Some of the construction workers may also be interested in buying properties or houses in the county. I think the upper management is more willing to purchase the property.”

Lester said the authority is taking a county-wide look at available property.

“We don't want to be in the real estate business,” Lester said. “We are just merely a conduit. There is still a need for new housing. There is new housing construction, and we certainly hope to start construction soon. But those projects will probably be more suited toward those federal prison employees who have a long-term goal of purchasing a home and living here.”

The federal prison is planned along 400 acres of land at the Indian Ridge Industrial Park located near the proposed interchange site of the Coalfields Expressway and the King Coal Highway .

--Charles Owens (Bluefield Telegraph)