CGL
&
NELSON
FULL TIME JOB
JULY 2021 - PRESENT
At CGL/NELSON I collaborate with teams to plan, design, and finalize drawings for courthouses, juvenile detention centers, and correctional facilities. I am actively involved in all phases of the design process, including schematic design (SD), design development (DD), construction documentation (CD), and construction site visits. This page showcases a small collection of the projects I have contributed to.
(Due to the secure nature of these projects, I am unable to share most finalized documents; however I can provide additional documentation upon request.)
HaWaii WOmen's Correctional
Center
The Hawaii Women's Community Correctional Center underwent a significant expansion, doubling its square footage to provide additional inmate and administrative space. Commissioned by the Hawaii DOC, this project enhances the capacity of the existing women's facility. The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place in September 2024, and the expanded facility has since been occupied by inmates and staff.
Over the past three years, I dedicated much of my time at CGL and NELSON to serving as the primary point of contact for the construction team on this project. Despite a three-hour time difference, I effectively managed construction administration by building strong relationships with on-site personnel and working collaboratively to resolve challenges in real time. My responsibilities included participating in weekly OAC meetings, managing hundreds of RFIs, submittals, change orders, and owner requested changes -- adapting seamlessly to the evolving needs of the project as the post of Warden changed hands three times during this process.
NEVADA COUNTY COURTHOUSE
The Nevada County Courthouse project focuses on determining the optimal future use of the courthouse following its upcoming vacancy. With the county constructing a new courthouse at a different location, the existing building will be vacated in the coming years. At NELSON, our role is to evaluate its potential and provide design recommendations for its future use, working collaboratively with a steering committee and engaging the community for valuable insights.
My responsibilities include coordinating meetings between the NELSON team and the steering committee, drafting multiple design options for community review, documenting and participating in community engagement sessions, and capturing drone photography of the courthouse and its surroundings to assist in site analysis.
Monroe Juvenile
The Monroe Juvenile Detention Center is a small facility located in Upstate New York and was one of my first projects with CGL. This project involved designing a new facility on a varied landscape, with a primary focus on the health and rehabilitation of juveniles to reduce recidivism. The project broke ground in October 2024 and is still under construction.
Working under the guidance of architect Andre Voss (based in NYC), I was responsible for developing an efficient housing unit design to be replicated across the property. Additionally, I designed the intake area, as well as medical, visitation, education, and recreation wings, all centered around a large outdoor courtyard. This is a project that I have seen evolve from inception to reality, developing everything from page layouts and creating plans from scratch to addressing the intricate details of curtain wall assembly and construction details. I actively participate in the weekly OAC meetings and manage RFIs as part of the ongoing process.
Lucas county Courts
In 2022, the Lucas County court system engaged CGL to explore the potential revitalization of one of their court services buildings and holding centers.
I was responsible for creating an artistic representation envisioning what the building could become if the county chose to proceed with the project.
Maryland Juvenile
The New Youth Detention Facility is a small corrections project in Baltimore City, Maryland. This was one of my first projects with CGL, involving the development of a schematic design set for the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS). Unfortunately, the project has experienced limited progress, as Maryland DPSCS has prioritized addressing more immediate concerns within its aging facilities across the state.
I was part of the team responsible for creating the schematic design set and producing renderings for the project, as well as part of the team that did site visits and master planning studies for Maryland DPSCS on their adult correctional centers.
