California Construction News staff writer
California’s oldest and most notorious prison is undergoing a sweeping $239 million renovation aimed at transforming it into a Scandinavian-style rehabilitation facility, with completion expected by January 2026.
The transformation of San Quentin State Prison, which once housed inmates such as Charles Manson and serial killer Richard Ramirez, is part of a broader plan to overhaul the state’s criminal justice system.
Originally estimated at $360 million in the state’s 2023 budget, the cost of the remodel was revised to $239 million in December of that year.
Newsom said the state considered other sites but determined rebuilding at the current location was a better long-term solution.
The redesigned facility will include new housing quarters and community spaces such as a library, grocery store, café, and multi-purpose gathering areas, intended to create a more normalized environment and support re-entry into society.
An 81,000-sq. ft. educational facility and a technology and media hub are also planned. The hub will feature a coding program, podcast and TV studios, a mixing room, and a media production space.
The concept is guided by the San Quentin Transformation Advisory Council, a group of criminal justice experts who released a 2024 report emphasizing that replicating real-world environments can ease the transition for inmates upon release and reduce recidivism.
