The Missouri Legislature has breathed life into a decade-old plan to redevelop the old Missouri State Penitentiary.
Last week, lawmakers signed off on a plan to deed a nearly 32-acre tract at the 128-acre old Missouri State Penitentiary property to the city. All that's needed now is the governor's signature.
The approval, in essence, recognizes the commitment and successes that various area partners have attained in the past regarding the old prison.
Those partners include the city, Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), Cole County, Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce and historic groups.
These agencies have shown commitment to MSP redevelopment in different ways, including the building of a new interchange on Whitton Expressway that facilitates traffic to the area.
As we've previously reported, the city and Cole County governments are working together to develop a parkway through the MSP grounds, which is expected to improve access for other kinds of development.
It is intended to run from the circle at the end of Lafayette Street east and south through the property to East Capitol Avenue, with a roundabout just east of Chestnut Street, between the state's Health Lab and Department of Natural Resources buildings.
For several years now, the CVB has spearheaded tours of the old prison, and they have become more successful each year. Since 2009, the tours have increased more than tenfold. Last year, 33,000 took one of the tours, which now are offered in several different themes.
But the state, which owns the property and leases it to the CVB, hasn't been willing to relinquish MSP ownership.
In 2013, the 10-member MSP Redevelopment Commission established to oversee redevelopment was essentially useless when then-Gov. Jay Nixon didn't fill four of the vacant seats. The commission often couldn't manage a quorum at meetings.
But last week's approval of the partial MSP land conveyance is promising.
We urge Greitens to sign the bill, which brings hope that the Master Plan's original goal of a mixed public/private use for the old prison grounds still could happen.