Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center

Location: Bon Air, VA
Owner/Client: Virginia Department of General Services
Size: 90,000 SF
Axias Role: Cost Estimating, Value Engineering


Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center (BAJCC), located in Chesterfield County, is a secure facility with an operational capacity of 272 beds. BAJCC serves residents ranging in age from 14-20 who receive mental health and rehabilitative counseling services, as well as academic and career readiness training.

A 2015 assessment of Virginia’s juvenile justice system initiated by the state’s Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) focused on the BAJCC and precipitated a shift in approach to what promotes success and reduces recidivism rates among court-involved youth. The DJJ established an ongoing transformation plan the following year that integrates a strategic framework of four guiding principles with core operational strategies.

As a result, the BAJCC campus is scheduled to undergo significant changes to accommodate new programs and methodologies. The scope of work includes demolition of several structures; 90,000 square feet of new construction on 22.75 acres related to administration, health, education, and residential facilities; and associated site redevelopment. A key project goal is for the reimagined BAJCC to be “similar in scale and attitude to a community college both in the buildings and overall campus.”

In addition to cost estimating services, Axias provided a Certified Value Specialist to lead a three-day value engineering workshop which incorporated an independent peer review by an architecture and engineering panel.