Plans to keep the Indiana State Prison open are drawing frustration from Michigan City Council members.
Before leaving office, former governor Eric Holcomb signed a letter of intent to turn the site over to the city by 2029. But that letter was rescinded last month, and the Indiana Department of Correction says it now plans to keep the prison open indefinitely.
The city council passed a resolution urging the state to “honor the spirit” of the agreement.
Council member Nancy Moldenhauer noted that the city has already been working on a redevelopment plan for a year. “We were looking at putting in there attainable housing, which would be for people like firemen, policemen, teachers – you know, people like that,” Moldenhauer said Tuesday.
The resolution says the prison has been a burden on Michigan City’s west side for decades. It says the city has already put significant resources into redeveloping the site, including state READI funds.
Some worry the Michigan City prison could be used to house immigration detainees. City Council President Tracie Tillman said that hasn’t been confirmed but called the idea disheartening.
“Illegally detaining individuals is just wrong," Tillman said. "It’s just wrong.”
A new Northwest Indiana Correctional Facility in Westville was supposed to replace the current Westville Correctional Facility and the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. But while the old Westville Correctional Facility is still expected to close, a Department of Correction spokesperson told the Indiana Capital Chronicle that the Indiana State Prison is now expected to remain open “for some time after the opening of the new facility,” citing a growth in the number of people incarcerated.