LINCOLN — Nebraska prison officials remain tight-lipped about the future of the aging State Penitentiary, but internal records reveal plans to demolish at least one building on the 155-year-old campus following the construction of a $350 million replacement facility north of Lincoln.
The Department of Correctional Services intends to tear down Housing Unit 1, which has been out of use since November 2022, when a burst pipe caused catastrophic flooding. The incident flooded the unit’s mechanical room, which housed vital systems such as door controls, heating, cooling, and security cameras. At the time, officials predicted repairs would take at least two years, but by early 2024, the damage was deemed beyond repair at a reasonable cost.
Corrections Director Rob Jeffreys requested approval to demolish the building from the state’s Vacant Building and Excess Land Committee, citing catastrophic damage. The committee approved the request in March, and the demolition will be funded by a $2.82 million insurance settlement. The teardown is expected to begin next year.
The 43-year-old unit previously housed 134 inmates and was identified in a 2022 engineering report as needing replacement. The report estimated demolition costs at $410,575 and replacement costs at $17.1 million. The flood left behind 2.5 feet of mud in the mechanical room, worsening pre-existing structural issues noted in the report.
While plans move forward for the demolition of Housing Unit 1, the state is constructing a new 1,500-bed prison, slated to open in 2027. Officials refer to the new facility as a “replacement” for the State Penitentiary but have not detailed what will happen to the existing complex. They have only indicated plans to “decommission” the site upon the new prison’s completion.
Calls for a broader plan for the facility’s future have grown. Earlier this year, Omaha Senator Terrell McKinney proposed legislation for the complete demolition of the penitentiary, questioning why the state continues to operate the deteriorating facility after committing to a $350 million replacement. The Department of Correctional Services did not testify at the bill’s hearing.
Estimates suggest it could cost at least $45 million to demolish the entire State Penitentiary. While most housing units were constructed in the 1980s and 1990s, the prison’s aging infrastructure continues to pose significant challenges. A decommissioning study will evaluate the facility’s future once the new prison is operational.
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