What to Expect When Pittsylvania County's New Jail Opens (site, capacity, timeline)
Pittsylvania County is building a new jail to replace its current, overcrowded facility. If someone you know is detained there now—or you're trying to understand what's changing—here's what's been approved: the site location, planned capacity, and the timeline the County has shared.
The Board of Supervisors has kicked off construction of a new jail with two goals: reduce overcrowding and replace a facility the County calls outdated. For families, this matters. Crowding and aging infrastructure affect where someone gets housed, how smoothly things run day-to-day, and whether there's space for basic services inside.
Overcrowding isn't a recent problem. According to the County, the current Pittsylvania County Jail has been over capacity since it opened in 1981. Right now, it's operating at 222% of its intended capacity - more than double what the building was designed to handle. That's why the County is treating this as a major need, not a minor upgrade.
The push for a new facility goes beyond bed space. The County points to day-to-day limitations in the existing jail - outdated heating and cooling systems, and no room for rehabilitation or educational programs. These issues make the jail harder to operate and limit what's available to people held there.
The County has already secured a site. It purchased 32.26 acres at 11965 U.S. Highway 29, south of Chatham, for $500,000. The sale closed in August 2023.
Trying to picture the location? The property sits across U.S. 29 from The Pittsylvania Pet Center, the Pittsylvania Career and Technical Center, and Chatham Middle School. The jail will be set back several hundred feet from the highway, so it won't be highly visible from the road.
Capacity is one of the biggest changes. The new facility is designed for 146 beds, with room to expand to 202. That baseline number is what the building is planned around; the higher figure reflects potential future growth.
Why capacity matters: The County says it routinely houses 30–50 detainees at Blue Ridge Regional Jail because of overcrowding at the current jail.
The County has been specific about who the new jail will hold: people arrested for misdemeanor and felony crimes awaiting trial, plus those convicted of offenses with sentences of 12 months or less.
The County's preliminary construction schedule calls for work to begin in August 2026, with completion expected in November 2027. Timelines on projects like this can shift depending on approvals and funding, but those dates are the current target.
- Plan for state-level review - The County says the project must be reviewed by several state agencies before it can move forward.
- Go before the General Assembly - After agency review, the project must go before the General Assembly.
- Receive the Governor’s approval - The County states construction can’t begin until the Governor approves the project.
- Trigger potential state reimbursement - If the Governor approves the project, the state will reimburse 25% of the project’s cost under Virginia Code § 53.1-80.
The County describes this as a "new generation" jail, with an exterior meant to resemble a community college. The goal is a campus-like appearance rather than an older, fortress-style building.
Security features are still part of the plan - fences, razor wire, and fencing over outdoor recreation areas. But these won't be visible from U.S. Route 29. The site layout helps: the jail sits several hundred feet back from the highway.
If you have a loved one in custody, the biggest practical change to watch is where they're housed. The County routinely sends 30–50 detainees to Blue Ridge Regional Jail because of overcrowding, and the new facility is meant to relieve that pressure. The County has also noted that the current jail lacks space for rehabilitation and educational programs - so a larger building could make room for services the current one simply can't support.
Keep expectations grounded: The County says the current jail has been over capacity since it opened in 1981 and is operating at 222% of its intended capacity - so the new facility is designed to address a long-standing problem, not a short-term spike.
Want to ask a question or follow public updates? The County invites residents to submit questions through its PittCo Mailbag online form. Keep in mind that submitting a question doesn't guarantee a public or direct response - it's one way to raise an issue, not a sure path to an answer.
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