Frank Wood was the warden of Stillwater prison offered input for the plan. He was also the first warden of the prison from 1982 until 1996 when he retired. His deputy James Bruton became the warden from 1996 until 2001. Constructed in 1981 and opened in 1982 at a cost of $31.5 million, Oak Park Heights is home to approximately 481 offenders. According to the Minnesota Department of Corrections, the prison's nine complexes are "specialized uniquely to help facilitate a safe, secure, and humane environment for the offenders incarcerated as well as the staff who work at Oak Park Heights".