On Friday, March 1, the Concord Carlisle League of Women Voters hosted a panel discussion titled “What’s Happening with MCI-Concord” in the Goodwin Forum at the Concord Free Public Library. The Massachusetts Correctional Institute at Concord (MCI-Concord) is the 145-year-old prison adjacent to the Concord Rotary, on the side of the rotary towards Warners Pond and West Concord center. Panel members included Representative Simon Cataldo, who represents the 14th House Middlesex District including part of Concord; Senator Mike Barrett, 3rd Senate Middlesex District; Lee Smith, Chair of the Concord Housing Development Corporation; and Deputy Town Manager Megan Zammuto. Among the approximately one hundred attendees was Commissioner Adam Baacke of the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance, the state agency tasked with managing the transfer of the prison land, who also offered comments from the audience.
While the Governor has proposed closing MCI Concord, both Cataldo and Barrett indicated that the lengthy, intricate process includes a number of deliberate steps to execute the legal transfer of the property, beginning with legislative approval. They encouraged communication among local and regional stakeholders, and explained that the Commonwealth has strong interest in guiding the eventual use of the 51-acre parcel. During the discussion, many potential uses were identified including housing, recreation, retail use, historic preservation, and transportation improvements.
The program was taped and is now airing on-demand on Minuteman Television (the Concord public access station) on their YouTube channel.
Pat Clifford is a volunteer writer for Acton Exchange.