Missouri State Penitentiary redevelopment talk resurfaces

Mayor: State officials willing to consider long-term lease of old prison site

Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin will introduce a resolution Monday night authorizing further discussion between the city and state for use and long-term lease of the old Missouri State Penitentiary, shown above.
Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin will introduce a resolution Monday night authorizing further discussion between the city and state for use and long-term lease of the old Missouri State Penitentiary, shown above.

Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin believes the city is closer than ever to successfully redeveloping a portion of the old Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) site as officials seek to further discussions with the state.

The City Council will vote on a resolution Monday that authorizes Tergin and City Administrator Steve Crowell to "explore opportunities to partner with public and private groups for development at MSP." Tergin said the resolution is a result of ongoing discussions with the state Office of Administration (OA) about development of a portion of the former prison site that sits on Jefferson City's east side and overlooks the Missouri River. Tergin specified any development would be on 47 acres of the 142-acre site.

"The state is very open to opportunities to work with the city on this," Tergin said. "Prison redevelopment is key."

The resolution states OA is willing to consider a long-term lease on the property and specifies "a key factor to the long-term lease is that the city and its partners commit to construction of the access road referred to in the (MSP) master plan as "MSP Parkway.'"

Tergin said no funds would be committed for anything through the resolution, but it gives her the ability to continue talking to state officials and possibly come back to the council with proposals for the property that include city funds.

Ryan Burns, OA spokesperson, confirmed the office had been contacted by city officials about long-term plans for the prison site.

"At this point, the state is open to discussions about possible opportunities at the property and its potential development," Burns said. "This could include a long-term lease for a portion of the property (similar to the existing MOU between the City of Jefferson, the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the state). Any other prospects would be dependent on the presentation and consideration of a viable development plan."

The long-term lease Burns mentioned is a 15-year contract with the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), with the option for two five-year extensions.

Tergin pointed to the CVB's successful prison tours as a reason the state is more willing to discuss the possibilities of developing the site. In 2015, the CVB reported more than 25,000 visitors toured the prison site.

Tergin said she would look to the master plan developed by the MSP Redevelopment Commission, also known as the MSP Commission, which hasn't met in at least four years, as a starting point of ideas for development to begin discussing.

Tergin said the MSP Commission has not been involved in discussions so far, and Burns said the commission "has not been active since 2012 due to lack of activity." According to the commission's website, the only state appointee listed of four slots was former chair Dan Carr, who resigned in early 2013. When asked whether the commission has served its purpose and if it's reasonable to expect the commission will not meet again, Burns said "the commission has served its purpose. We do not anticipate a need for them to reconvene at this time."

The MSP Commission's master plan, which was developed in 2003, specifies preservation of Housing Units 1, 3 and 4, as well as the upper yard wall, towers and gas chamber. It shows the MSP Parkway designed to extend from Lafayette Street through the site to Chestnut Street and includes plans for office and retail space, hotels, exhibition and multipurpose space, an auditorium, a farmers market, and an interpretive center. The plan also included 22,000 square feet of conference center space.

"It's been a while since it's been looked at, so what I'm hoping is we can enhance it," Tergin said of the master plan. "It just gives us kind of a blueprint for discussion."

When it comes to the access road, the MSP Parkway, Tergin said she wants to engage the Cole County Commission as a partner.

At the council meeting Monday, Tergin plans to start the discussion about possibilities for the site with the full council and decide the best way to proceed with talks with the state. Tergin said regardless of how the council decides to move forward, she hopes to keep meetings as open to the public as possible.

When asked about a timeline, Tergin said she didn't have anything specific but noted it's important to move quickly.

"That asset has so much potential, and we don't want to let that get away from us," Tergin said. "Our window for opportunity there is limited just by nature of the site and the area itself that needs to be revived."

The council will meet at 6 p.m. Monday at City Hall. The meeting is also broadcast on JCTV and live streamed on the city's YouTube page.

Check out the original master plan for the old Missouri State Penitentiary at newstribune.com/mspmaster.