The Indiana State Prison site redevelopment process has kicked off with the gathering of the advisory council members and outline of initial agenda items.
“It’s a monumental moment for our city as we begin addressing what’s next for the prison site,” Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch said. “We look forward to having our community members, leaders and industry experts guide the conversation, spark ideas and lay out a foundation for the future.”
In August, a collection of industry leaders was approved to develop a master plan and design as part of the ISP Redevelopment Strategy. Farr Associates, McKenna, Zimmerman-Volk Associates and Sam Schwartz are bringing a combined level of expertise to analyze, develop, plan, design and present recommendations for the property.
At the recent meeting, the advisory council members were introduced and connected to launch the planning. Members include:
- Mayor Nelson Deuitch
- Antonio Conley, Michigan City Planning Commission, Vibrant Michigan City, Temerity Store
- Daisy Lee, Michigan City Common Council
- Tim Bietry, Michigan City Common Council
- Amandula Anderson, Community Development & Housing Expert, IFF
- Bill Taft, Economic Development Expert, LISC
- Vince Ash, State Economic Development Liaison, IEDC
- Sheila Matias, Michigan City Redevelopment Commission
- Randy Novak, LaPorte County Government
- Stephanie Oberlie, EDCMC Liaison, Harbour Trust & Investment Management
- Tina Mahone, Resident, Vibrant Michigan City, New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
- Tristan Smith, Urban Enterprise Association
- Pastor Kimberly Williams, NWI Ministerial Conference, New Disciple Love Fellowship Church
- Deshawn Gordon, Resident
- Kurtess Gillespie, Resident, Coldwell Banker Real Estate Group
- Erica Miller, Resident, Vibrant Michigan City, Coldwell Banker Real Estate Group
Beyond introductions, the discussion led to what advisory council members seek for the new site as well as what forms both community and stakeholder engagement will take to make the most of the process.
“Having everyone together allowed us to ignite passion for the project and outline what is needed and what is to be expected as we undertake and embrace this huge opportunity,” said EDCMC Executive Director Clarence L. Hulse.
Moving forward, Farr Associates and their team are putting together case studies of similar projects from around the country for comparison and insight, overviewing what are the current conditions around the site that make an impact on the final plan and creating a market analysis.
Doug Farr, FAIA, LEED AP, CNU-A, President, Farr Associates Architecture & Urban Design, said having community input is vital to developing an overall solid strategy.
“Our goal is to try to engage as many people as possible. We plan to robustly engage the public both virtually and in person. We start by interviewing a short list of stakeholders with unique and relevant insights: prison staff, city officials, the development community, neighbors, etc.,” he said. “We will hold public workshops devoted to brainstorming, design and developing a final plan. The face-to-face process will be complemented with virtual meeting options and supported by a project website.”
The Indiana Department of Correction announced in August 2023 that the prison would close after the completion of a new 4,200 bed facility on the Westville Correctional Facility campus. The new prison will replace both facilities.
The EDCMC was awarded READI 1.0 funds to study the reuse of the site during the first round of funding from the state. The Regional Acceleration and Development Initiative program is funding initiatives and projects throughout the state to impact Hoosiers’ quality of life.
Launched by Gov. Holcomb and led by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), READI encourages regional collaboration and data-driven, long-term planning that will attract and retain talent in Indiana. The $500 million READI fund was passed by legislation during the 2021 session and was divided among 17 regions.