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Comal County directs HDR to price multi‑story jail options as inmate population nears capacity
Summary
After an HDR feasibility presentation showing the county jail had exceeded 500 inmates against a 583‑bed capacity, commissioners debated single‑story versus tower expansions and voted to request cost estimates for three tower options (3A, 3B, 3C) including kitchen/laundry expansion needs.
Comal County Commissioners Court voted Nov. 20 to ask HDR Inc. for updated cost estimates for multi‑story expansion options for the county jail after staff and HDR presented projections showing current and future capacity pressures.
Jennifer Bishop of HDR told the court that “as of August 2025, the county has exceeded over 500 inmates and the capacity is at 583,” and that Texas jail standards regard 90% utilization as at capacity. Bishop and HDR architect Martin Aguirre laid out three main options: duplicating the existing single‑story housing pods (Option 1), stacked or “tower” alternatives with shell spaces that can be infilled later (Options 2A/2B), and fully built tower options (Options 3A/3B/3C). HDR explained bed counts and operational implications, noting some options would require kitchen and laundry expansion and upgrades to mechanical, water and stormwater systems.
Commissioners debated tradeoffs between footprint and longevity. Commissioner Webb said he was “not interested in anything but 2B and 3C,” arguing a tower saves space; other commissioners emphasized phased approaches and operational impacts. Commissioner Hogg moved, and Commissioner Webb seconded, to have HDR provide cost estimates for options 3A, 3B and 3C, including costs for any required kitchen and laundry expansion; the motion carried. The court directed HDR to include relocation impacts for warehouse/storage and escalation estimates in the cost work.
What happens next: HDR will return with written cost estimates and timelines for the requested tower options to inform financing and design decisions. Commissioners noted escalation (HDR cited roughly 4% per year) and the need to plan operational transitions so expansions do not disrupt current jail operations.
