Prison Redevelopment Commission Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the goals of the Commission?
The Commission will be collecting, and synthesizing data made available to them about the State’s disposition process and the prison sites and will make broad policy recommendations that will improve the process going forward.  To that end, the goals of the Commission are:

• Understand the impact of closure on local economies and provide support to mitigate these issues
• Develop a resource guide to document each site’s conditions and challenges to advance future use strategies and recommendations
• Utilize the NYS budget to maximize programs, funding, and incentives to facilitate prison redevelopment, ultimately generating positive environmental, economic, and fiscal impact in communities
• Review policies related to State asset disposition to streamline future redevelopment efforts

2. Why aren’t the meetings public?

The Commission functions as an advisory body that recommends clear and credible plans of action for repurposing closed prisons to drive economic growth in a manner that serves the State’s economic needs. In this role, the Commission members may be presented with material that should remain confidential due to imminent contract or trade secret from potential developer interest. The final report will also be made public and shared on our website. 

3. Can you explain the makeup of the Commission? How were members chosen?

The Commission’s membership encompasses leading representatives from the public and private sectors – including State agencies, foundations, regional leaders and stakeholders, architects, and economic development experts from across the State and the country. They were chosen based on their experience in this space and the groups they represent.

4. I am from a community impacted by a prison closure. Can I be on the Commission?

Commission membership is determined based on experience relevant to redevelopment of the facilities and representation of stakeholder groups. At this time, new members are not being added. A State-led engagement strategy is underway, consisting of smaller meetings with the local elected officials and stakeholder representatives, specifically related to the prisons in the local area.  It is expected that individuals in affected communities will provide their input through such officials and representatives.

5. Why does the Commission not have regional representation?

While the Commission itself does not have members from every county/region with a closed prison, it has several people representing statewide groups and associations, including the Business Council of New York State, New York State Economic Development Council and New York State Association of Counties. The members are experts in various fields around criminal justice reform, architecture, philanthropy, and economic development.  The Commission is expected to reach out to local State and municipal elected officials in affected communities to seek their input and to hear the concerns of their constituents.  

Additionally, a State-led engagement strategy is underway, consisting of smaller meetings with the local elected officials and stakeholder representatives.  The information provided by these officials and representatives will be presented to the Commission for consideration. 

6. How are you going to ensure the people directly impacted by these closures will have their voices heard?

An extensive State-led engagement strategy is underway, consisting of smaller meetings with the local elected officials and stakeholder representatives. That information will be presented to the Commission for consideration.

7. Why have some prisons been left abandoned for so long? Why hasn’t the State done more up to this point?

Many of these prisons are in very remote locations, built on difficult terrain and consist of buildings that are very difficult to renovate and maintain.  Additionally, there are several constraints that potential developers face such as complicated title, outstanding bonds, environmental remediation, and lack of access to capital.  The Commission plans to examine all these issues and make recommendations for how to make these sites easier to redevelop in the future. 

8. What makes this Commission different than what has been done in the past?

The Commission is taking a comprehensive look at not only the individual prison sites, but also policies and regulations surrounding the process of redeveloping these sites and making recommendations to minimize those hurdles.

9. If there is already a plan for redevelopment for a site that is the focus of the Commission, what happens then? Does this halt the process?

No, if a prison site has previously had a redevelopment plan in place, it is expected that the plan process will continue.

10. Are there any success stories of prisons that have been redeveloped in New York State?

Yes. The former Mid-Orange Correctional facility has been redeveloped into a multiuse campus that includes a business park and recreational facilities; the former Fulton Correctional Facility has been re-invented as the Fulton Community Re-entry Center; and the Arthur Kill Correctional Facility is being redeveloped into a film studio by Broadway Stages.

11. Is there any funding available for redeveloping these prisons?

The Economic Transformation Program had made funding available to support the communities impacted prison closures during previous closure rounds.  Currently, both grants and tax credits are still available for the Butler Correctional Facility, Towns of Butler and Wolcott, Wayne County and the Mount McGregor Correctional Facility, Towns of Wilton and Moreau, Saratoga County.  Additionally, the Commission is looking to utilize the NYS budget to maximize programs, funding, and incentives to facilitate prison redevelopment, ultimately generating positive environmental, economic, and fiscal impact in communities

12. How many prisons does this impact?

The Commission will be considering 12 prisons: