Redesign of the Michigan City State Prison site

(Michigan City, IN) – Planners in Michigan City are considering a repurposing of the Indiana State Penitentiary site.

Last August, the Indiana Department of Corrections announced it was closing the 164-year-old prison. This week, Michigan City's Economic Development Corporation announced that a team of planners had been assembled to develop a master plan for redeveloping the site. Those involved include specialists in architecture, urban design, transportation and housing.

“The extensive scope of the state prison redevelopment project requires a solid foundation of expertise to determine the optimal strategy for this great opportunity for our city,” said Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch. “Bringing experts to the table is the first step in establishing a solid direction for our city's post-prison future.”

Doug Farr, founder of Farr Associates Architecture & Urban Design, is part of the planning team. “The decision to relocate the Indiana State Penitentiary and redevelop the site presents a tremendous economic development opportunity for the Michigan city,” he said. “Under normal circumstances, redeveloping a large property is a complex process that can take decades. Redeveloping a 19^th At Century State Prison, it is a far more complicated process that requires coordinated leadership by the state of Indiana and the city of Michigan.”

An analysis of options will take place over the next year, including feedback from the public. “We will hold public workshops dedicated to brainstorming, designing and developing a final plan,” Farr said. “The in-person process will be supplemented by virtual meeting opportunities and supported by a project website.”

The 4,200-bed state prison will move to a new facility in Westville when that project is completed sometime in 2027. EDCMC has received READI 2.0 funding from the state to study repurposing the Michigan City site.