It was an ordinary day. Remembering back 65 years to when I played baseball on the Schick Little League team. Played 1st base and one of my friends, Bill, played 2nd base. Bill lived across from the Lancaster County Prison in the 600 block of East King Street. Would stop from time to time to pick him up to go to a game or practice and wondered what it would have been like to live across from the prison. Lancaster's prison was modeled after a European castle with turrets and towers that sat high above Bill's house. Bill has moved a few times since living across from the prison, but my guess is that he still thinks of the times he spent watching the prisoners being transferred to the prison from other locations in Lancaster County. The County has recently decided to remove the prison from the neighborhood to give the neighborhood a different vibe.
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| Lancaster's current jail. |
Informal talks throughout the neighborhood have begun about what they'd like to see happen in the space now occupied by the prison. The five-acre site provides so many ideas that it will be hard to decide on one plan for the site. Some of the ideas are a neighborhood swimming pool to affordable housing to a museum. But, no matter what is placed on the site, the current residents will be glad to see it go. When it does finally close it will join close to 100 prisons nationwide that have closed or are pending closure in the near future. A study known as The Sentencing Project began in 2016 which is studying the closure of prisons nationwide and deciding what to do with the ground upon which they all sat. In Lancaster, engineering studies are now taking place on the 78-acre site in Lancaster Township where the new prison is expected to be built.
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| Location where the new jail will be placed. |
The county has a $3 million agreement to buy the land, but it has until Nov. 21 to decide if the site is the best suited for the project. Brainstorming sessions are also being held to decide what to do with the land under the old prison. The county commissioners feel that Lancaster City should be given the choice as to what should replace the jail after having to put up with the jail for so many years. Two of the ideas suggested by residents of the area are: (1) A discount grocery store or shopping center that the entire community could use and (2) A family entertainment area with a swimming pool or laser tag which would be perfect for the kids of the area. But, all aren't happy about the prison leaving the neighborhood. One couple said they have lived in the shadow of the prison for years and are now expecting a baby. Prison guards patrol the area all the time which adds a sense of security to the neighborhood. Trained dogs also patrol the area which also adds to the safety of the area. They say they are hoping something such as a halfway house is not placed on the site which would create fear in the neighborhood. One person said they would love to see the old jail transformed into a museum. It often reminds them of an elegant castle. But, for others the prison has cast a dark cloud over the city because it reminds them of painful mistakes and troubled history. Executions were carried out there until 1912 and 16 inmates have taken their own lives since 1998. Those that live in the neighborhood are pushing for affordable housing which is badly needed in the city of Lancaster. Most worry that whatever is built will make it harder to find parking in the area. The prison had plenty of parking for those who worked there as well as visitors to the jail and with new housing units it will be harder to find parking in the future. The city is excited about the jail moving and an opportunity to enhance the neighborhood. They plan to take their time and make sure they do the right thing for all who now live in the neighborhood. Emma Hamme, the City of Lancaster senior planner, has asked residents to send feedback to "Engage Lancaster" which is a platform for resident feedback on city projects. Perhaps everyone's ideas can all be used somehow so the apace where the jail no sits can be a positive addition to the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Only time will tell. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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