WVDCR Announces Anthony Correctional Center Is Undergoing Major Renovations

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (WVDCR) announced the Anthony Correctional Center is undergoing major renovations to improve its facility. The main building is being demolished and rebuilt, with a new Vocations building for welding and a new female housing unit also being constructed. Lynch Constructon, a sub-contractor from White Sulpher Springs, is responsible for the demolition work, while SQP is the general contractor.

In addition to the new buildings being constructed, a new energy plant is also being built for Building B, which is already in existence. The energy plant construction is currently 85 percent complete, while the demolition of the main building is 50 percent complete. A building for the kitchen and laundry is also being constructed.

The demolition work began on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, and two phases of construction are being worked on simultaneously, with phase one having already started. The new housing building has the capacity for 32 female offenders. The main building will have a medical facility, an education center, a culinary arts program, a state shop, an administrative office, a gym and an intake area.

Funding for the project consists of six Capital Outlay fund accounts, including the annual general maintenance funds WVDCR receives for construction and maintenance projects. During the Legislative Sessions in 2018, 2020 and 2021, Governor Jim Justice had requested additional funding be appropriated for this project and the Legislature approved the additional funding each time. The total amount budgeted for the Anthony Correctional Center Project is $30 million.

The West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation is committed to enhancing public safety, prompting offender accountability and successfully reintegrating offenders into society. The renovations at Anthony Correctional Center are a testament to that dedication. Anthony Correctional Center has capacity for 32 female and 80 male offenders, with a total of 112. The new facility will ensure that the inmates have access to quality programs and services that will help reduce recidivism rates by preparing them for re-entry into society.