MINDEN, La. — After years of delays, construction on a women’s prison facility in Minden is moving forward following the acceptance of a construction bid on Dec. 4, 2024. Preparations for the site began in 2022, but funding concerns halted progress until now.

Initial plans considered relocating the jail to Camp Minden near the Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Facility, where the men’s prison is situated. However, logistical challenges led Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker and the police jury to select an alternative site on Penal Farm Road, where the new facility will now take shape.

The project, which went out for a $4.6 million bid last summer, initially faced setbacks when three bids submitted ranged between $7.2 million and $8.6 million—well above budget estimates. The jury explored cost-cutting measures and even considered reallocating funds to improve the courthouse’s fourth floor, which has long served as housing for the 60–65 female inmates.

For over 25 years, the courthouse’s fourth floor has housed women inmates but is now unsuitable due to aging infrastructure, plumbing problems, pests, and overcrowding. While past investments helped modernize the space, local officials have described the facility as “beyond repair.”

Momentum for the new facility returned when a revised bid request was issued in early December 2024. Contractors were asked to submit two proposals: one covering the full project scope and another focusing solely on foundational elements like cells, electrical systems, and plumbing. Testament Construction Services of Shreveport, La., submitted the lowest bid at $5.1 million, which was unanimously approved by the jury.

The approval allows Webster Parish to utilize $2.5 million in federal funds from the 2021 American Rescue Act, initially provided to aid local governments during the Covid-19 pandemic. These funds will help offset the overall cost of the project, which local leaders aim to begin promptly.