GBH: MCI-Concord closes after nearly 150 years
GBH: “The closing of the Concord state prison will help in cost-savings and budget reallocation, Jenkins said. And he pointed out that the prison, which has been updated several times since its inception in the late 19th century, still had a hefty price tag owed by the DOC to perform needed modernizations, including temperature control.
“We’re saving up annually about $15 [million] to $16 million a year [in operations costs], by closing the facility,” Jenkins said. “And more importantly, we saved ourselves about $190 million in infrastructure costs that were going to be needed to continue to make the facility usable.”
Local lawmakers were full of praise for the closing of the prison.
“Today marks a full-circle moment for my hometown. In 1878, Concord petitioned the Legislature to locate the prison in West Concord upon the closure of the Charlestown Jail. And nearly 150 years later, that prison is ceasing operations,” said state Rep. Simon Cataldo. “MCI-Concord’s closure is a result of over two decades of landmark criminal justice reform enacted in Massachusetts. I applaud the Department of Correction for its partnership in these efforts.”
The timeline of what will happen to the decommissioned prison is not precisely known, said Jenkins.
The DOC said disposing of the property requires approval of the Massachusetts Legislature. Eventually, the property could be redeveloped, perhaps paving the way for sorely needed housing.
“Courtesy of the Department of Correction, one of the oldest and most distinguished towns in America is closer to gaining the equivalent of a whole new neighborhood,” said state Sen. Mike Barrett. “Kind of amazing, and a tribute to Massachusetts’ capacity to renew itself.”
