What's next for former Southport prison? Chemung County IDA seeks business proposals

More than two years after New York state closed the Southport Correctional Facility along with other prisons, Chemung County is looking for ways to redevelop the 408-acre site.

The county's Industrial Development Agency has issued a Request for Expressions of Interest, seeking concept proposals from interested parties for the redevelopment of the former "supermax" state prison, which was closed in March 2022 along with five other correctional institutions.

New York state still owns the property on Robert Masia Drive, and IDA officials say the state supports their efforts to better understand the potential for redevelopment and reuse of the site.

The location is ripe for redevelopment, officials say, with extensive on-site infrastructure for water, sewer, electric and gas, and mostly flat terrain. It's also within the Southern Tier Clean Tech Corridor and in close proximity to Interstate 86.

IDA Chairman Mark Margeson said his hope is the state will give the property to the agency, so there is more direct local control over how it's developed.

"It's a huge facility out there. The question is what do we do with it?" Margeson said. "We'd like to control it. We don't want the state putting something out there that doesn't make sense for the community."

The requests for proposals will hopefully give the county a starting point in the process, Margeson said.

Between 2011 and 2022, New York closed 18 prisons statewide, citing declining inmate populations.

In 2017, there were 486 inmates housed at the Southport Correctional Facility. A month before it closed, the prison had a staff of 358, with only 96 incarcerated individuals.

The remaining inmates and correction officers were transferred to other facilities around the state after Southport and the other prisons closed.

Aviation Elmira Corning Regional Airport awarded nearly $1 million in federal funds for improvements

How to express interest in redeveloping site

The Chemung County Industrial Development Agency is inviting interested developers, businesses, organizations, and other entities to review site details and submit a response to the Request for Expressions of Interest.

Responses will be used to substantiate developer interest and community support, as well as identify any obstacles hindering the realization of proposed concepts, IDA officials said.

There will also be an optional site visit at 10 a.m. Sept. 25 for interested respondents. Registration for the site visit must be received by 5 p.m. Sept. 23.

Information and supporting documents are available at chemungcountyida.com/southport . Responses are due by 5 p.m. Oct. 16 at the latest, and can be submitted to Tracy Verrier at tracy.verrier@mrbgroup.com.

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This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: What's next for former Southport prison? Chemung County IDA seeks business proposals