Holcomb gives support for repurposing Indiana State Prison site
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Gov. Eric Holcomb is giving his support behind plans to repurpose the Indiana State Prison site in Michigan City after it is vacated when a new prison facility is completed in a few years’ time.
Our partners at The Times of Northwest Indiana report the governor and Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch signed a letter of intent this week indicating the state’s willingness to transfer the property to the city.
The prison site will be vacated when construction on the new, $1.2 billion Northwest Indiana Correctional Facility in Westville is completed in 2027. Crews broke ground on the project in September 2023.
The city is already working on plans for the 24-acre site. In August, the Economic Development Corp. of Michigan City announced the formation of a team to create a master plan for redevelopment. That team includes Farr Associates Architecture and Terra Engineering, both based in Chicago.
The Northwest Indiana Forum has also pledged $350,000 in Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative grant funding for the planning effort.
“The beauty of this is that it allows Michigan City to dictate the future development at the prison site,” Nelson Deuitch told the publication. “The READI dollars we’ve received, working with Farr & Associates and building an inclusive steering committee will allow us to dig into the possibilities while preserving the historic value of the property.”
The Indiana State Prison originally opened in 1860 as the state’s second prison. Officials with the Indiana Department of Correction have previously stated that closing the prison would save the state nearly $400 million in capital improvement spending on top of the $45 million in annual operating costs.
It is unclear at this time what redevelopment of the site would look like. However, Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority CEO Sherri Ziller told Inside INdiana Business last year that housing could be a major focus.
“It’s a large site. It can fit some much needed affordable housing, senior housing workforce housing, along with the necessary retail and office space that Michigan City is seeking it,” Ziller said. “This could serve as a major job generator for Michigan City.”
The Indiana Department of Correction says the new, 4,200-bed prison in Westville will combine and replace the existing Westville Correctional Facility and Indiana State Prison.