NEWS

October 19, 2010
What should be done with old Fort Madison prison?

What will become of the main part of the Iowa State Penitentiary when the inmates are moved to the new prison? No one has a clear answer yet. The oldest parts of the prison are not going to be used for anything in the near future, according to Rebecca Bowker, executive officer at the prison.

All the parts buildings inside the sandstone walls do not have a fate. Some parts of the prison will continue to be used. The John Bennett Center, which houses 169 minimum security inmates, will continue operation as will the Critical Care Unit, which opened in 2002.

The CCU will gradually house 120 inmates and currently has 40 inmates. That building also houses offices for administration and serves as the entrance to the prison. All the maximum security prisoners and the prison industries shop will be moved up the hill to the new facility, which is being constructed where Prison Farm 1 is located.

The prison industries warehouse, which is outside the walls, will continue to operate at its current location. Bowker said there isn’t an answer to be found about the old prison. She said the Department of Correction’s priority right now is moving forward on the current project and also making sure there is a smooth transition process between the old and new facility.

Some suggestions that have been floated since the new prison was announced include making the prison available as a movie set, letting a historical group take over to give tours as a tourist destination and even moving the “enemy combatants” from Guantanamo Bay to the prison President Barack Obama has pledged to shut down that facility.

State Sen. Gene Fraise has said for years no one should fear that the old prison will be demolished, but he doesn’t know what will happen with it either. He said it may end up serving as overflow if the new facility should ever get to capacity.

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