Montgomery Co. Seeking Proposals For Airy Street Prison Development

NORRISTOWN, PA — Montgomery County is looking for visions for the future of the historic Airy Street Prison, which local activists rallied to preserve this year.

The county issued a formal release of a Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI), which requests that real estate developers or redevelopment teams submit their plans for what the lots on the corner of DeKalb and Airy streets in Norristown could look like in the future.

"Montgomery County has committed to redevelopment efforts that are considerate of the historical significance of the prison, alongside the desire to advance economic development and public policy goals of both Norristown and Montgomery County," the county said in a statement. "The County will provide the land and maintain ownership through the development process. The developer will provide the design and construction."

Some have pointed to the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, which was the site of the Bucks County jail for decades before it was transformed into an art institution in the 1980s.

The development must fit in with the municipality's town center zoning district, which aims to promote uses "compatible with the historic character" of the area as well as uses oriented towards walkability.

The castle-like prison was designed by Napoleon LeBrun, the architect who created the Basilica of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, and it was built in 1851. It quickly became an iconic facet of the Norristown skyline.

Teams with visions for the property can submit plans online here. The deadline is April 25.