I would think an abandoned jail would be hard to find as the us prison system is one of the largest housnig producers in the us, if not the largest. . Keeping people locked up makes big bucks.

Aside from that I i thinks its an intresting idea, reform a building that was designed to reform people. Lots of ways you could go and commentaries you could make. Nice topic.

I would say just don't hold back people will love it or hate it but at least they'll feel something about it.

I think that in order to get possible tenants interested, there needs to be a very outwardly visible change to it. They can't look at it and think, "I'm living in the old jail." Change it enough so that they won't automatically associate certain areas with prison activities - i.e. if the exercise yard just gets replanted and is used as a soccer field, there may be too much obvious association there for residents' comfort. I know that structurally, programatically, and financially, many spaces will seem natural for simple repurposing, with little physical change needed, but I'd say to resist the direct re-use route, otherwise it might just be too creepy for people.

i didn't get to see it in person, but supposedly there is a former panopticon-style jail in stockholm, sweden that is now a hostel. other than that, nothing comes to mind.

here in western australia the old convict built Fremantle jail has just been turned in to rental offices, (a friends dads firm did the conversion). its a 19th century sandstone building, tiny cells, which are actualy used as the offices. they removed all the cell doors though and the whole thing is kinda kreepy.

i would agree with rationalist, that changes to the exterior are important, one of the issues with this project was that due to heritage requirments the facades had to be restored to their original condition, which i think has been a problem for some of the buisnesses (no exposure and its a little offputing for customers to walk across the excercise yard)

damm

Having spent a couple days of my life in jail, I can say from experience that there is really no way to "rehab" any jail/police building built in the states after 1960.

-andrew

dbroxxy, i did my thesis on the "redevelopment of an old prison space". It was at introduced as a competition project in india, a space to convert the old prison area in the heart of a city (conjested) to a public space for recreation, relaxation, social interaction etc..
link describes the project brief, but since i did my thesis on this project perhaps i could give you more info.
check it out and let me know. the jail was more than a century old built in 1887.

the project was called 'FREEDOM PARK'

I would think a historic jail building would have better potential for reuse than a newer (1950s onward). The old panopticon style prisons around Philadelphia are amazing buildings. People who are interested in inhabiting historic buildings in general might be more inclined to actually enjoy the quirkiness of a historic jail building.

But it does seem some pretty significant intervention would be required, something that very clearly destroys the "security" aspect of the building - in other words, make the building pervious, very easy and clear how to get out of it, multiple egress points - that kills the prison aspect despite relentless repetitive adjacent cell spaces.

actually there is a jail for sale in springfield, ma. it's an older brick building and would make a great re-use project. too close to the highway for housing though.