Cope Architecture provided a jail needs assessment for housing and sheriff’s functions for a 30-year period. In an effort to streamline their operations and consolidate several different, out-of-date facilities, Wilkes County contracted with Cope to create a new 120,000-SF law enforcement center. The facility was planned for future expansion to 412 inmates, and was initially designed to handle 298 inmates, 56 of which would be federal inmates.