Notorious DC Prison Is Now a Classy Suburban Development

[centralsquare]

Well, this is FUCKING GROSS.

www.washingtonian.com/2020/05/22/notorious-dc-prison-lorton-classy-suburban-development-heres-what-it-looks-like

The penitentiary closed in 2001, turned back over to Fairfax County. The maximum-security wing, home to a lockdown unit nicknamed the “House of Pain,” is in the process of becoming that shopping center. Those apartments occupy the old medium-security “Central” facility, where the onetime chow hall is now a gym. Then there’s the name. The site of the notorious lockup is today a development called . . . Liberty.

I hope the ghosts of men who died there haunt the residents so damn hard.

[mandymay]

Yeah, that’s super creepy.

[rubytue]

May 26, 2020 11:59:04 GMT -5 mandymay said:

Yeah, that’s super creepy.

I use to live right next to the prison (bought just after it closed, moved right when the county announced what they were going to do with it). When they were first starting the arts center, they opened it up to walk through. And yes, it was creepy. All the beds were still there, and all the graffiti still on the walls.   

I cant even imagine living/sleeping there. I could hardly walk through. 

[pixy0stix]

I need an explanation of why it is gross?

My initial thought is that this is a creative way to create infill development while preserving history. From everything in the article, they're not glorifying the prison itself, but acknowledging that it happened, and this is it's transformation.

[rubytue]

May 26, 2020 12:21:59 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I need an explanation of why it is gross?

My initial thought is that this is a creative way to create infill development while preserving history. From everything in the article, they're not glorifying the prison itself, but acknowledging that it happened, and this is it's transformation.

And they needed to do something with it. While it might have not been true, at the time I was there (2002-2006), “they” were saying it was the largest undeveloped plot of land along the I95 corridor from DC to NY (it is basically right off I95).

Now that I think about it, it can’t be true bc there is a lot of rural land in Cecil county, right below Delaware. But... the point that it was a large tract of land along the corridor is important. 

[centralsquare]

May 26, 2020 12:21:59 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I need an explanation of why it is gross?

My initial thought is that this is a creative way to create infill development while preserving history. From everything in the article, they're not glorifying the prison itself, but acknowledging that it happened, and this is it's transformation.

I felt like they were definitely glorifying it, with the names and keeping signs up.

[aprilsails]

They probably had three options- infill development, tear down and sell for the value of the property, or set up a museum. Considering it sat empty for numerous years I am certain they looked at all their options. This makes the building and lands productive while also maintaining some of the historic character of the buildings. Does it respect those that lived and died there? Maybe not, but there’s not many communities that can pay to maintain such a large facility.

[wanderingback]

May 26, 2020 12:48:02 GMT -5 centralsquare said:

May 26, 2020 12:21:59 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I need an explanation of why it is gross?

My initial thought is that this is a creative way to create infill development while preserving history. From everything in the article, they're not glorifying the prison itself, but acknowledging that it happened, and this is it's transformation.

I felt like they were definitely glorifying it, with the names and keeping signs up.

But on the other hand if they tore everything down it's like you're forgetting history and not even recognizing what took place on that land. Also they have the museum. Are museums considered glorifying the negative things of the past?

I wish there were more places in this country that honored the people/land that came before them.

The former person that was incarcerated there seems to have good insight and he doesn't seem to have a problem with it and even considered living there, except it seemed "too dull."

[carmenere]

I'm generally in favor of adaptive reuse, but personally I'd feel weird about living in a former prison (especially this one). IMO, a good reuse project allows people to see and feel the history of the building, but I'm not sure where the line is between preserving vs. glorifying the history.

[msmerymac]

I know I've brought this up before, but this hotel: www.hotelhenry.com/

Is part of the Richardson-Olmstead complex in Buffalo, which is a really important property because of buildings were designed by Henry Hobson Richardson in the 1870s and the grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux. When it opened it was actually called the Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane. And although it was "modern," being institutionalized for mental illness in the late 19th century was far from pleasant.

But like I said, it's important in the architectural history of America and now... it's a hotel. Things get repurposed, even places that have had horrible pasts.

[cville]

They're not making light of it, it's important history, and it's putting the land to good use. I'm not sure what's gross.

[jezebel]

I think it would actually be a really cool place to live, but I am fascinated by old buildings. Especially if they have an interesting history.

[tiki]

Maybe they copied the Liberty Hotel in Boston libertyhotel.com/hotel/history/

[MixedBerryJam]

A few months ago I was new to the area and looking to buy and would just drive around areas to see what was available and stumbled onto this place. It was wild to drive through. They didn't even try to disguise it, to the point I briefly thought I must have stumbled into a prison complex. I haven't read the articles yet ... If there are photos, take the worst one and multiple by snow 80 and you'll get close to how creepy that place was.

ETA: this is Reformatory Way: sorry if it's big, I just screenshot Google Earth

[MixedBerryJam]

May 26, 2020 15:16:03 GMT -5 cville said:

They're not making light of it, it's important history, and it's putting the land to good use. I'm not sure what's gross.

At least pick some new Street names

[sent]

May 26, 2020 20:10:21 GMT -5 tiki said:

Maybe they copied the Liberty Hotel in Boston libertyhotel.com/hotel/history/

I stayed here soon after they opened. Best Bloody Mary bar in the lobby. I didn't feel slightly nervous like I did when I've stayed at other hotels that are supposedly haunted. My room looked like a modern SPG room and I thought the history of the building was really interesting. 

[sofamonkey]

May 26, 2020 20:54:16 GMT -5 MixedBerryJam said:

May 26, 2020 15:16:03 GMT -5 cville said:

They're not making light of it, it's important history, and it's putting the land to good use. I'm not sure what's gross.

At least pick some new Street names

Why?

[Michelle]

I just skimmed the article and need to come back.

I can see the initial impact of - ew, creepy - if you are building an apartment into what was the green mile.

but if they are doing a mixed-use space that acknowledges what was there with the museum and people feel ok living there, it's not really gross. It would still feel creepy to me - like living on Alcatraz island or Riker's Island. But I am also not interested in living in haunted places and some people are cool with that.

[MixedBerryJam]

May 26, 2020 20:56:28 GMT -5 sofamonkey said:

May 26, 2020 20:54:16 GMT -5 MixedBerryJam said:

At least pick some new Street names

Why?

Eh, I may have overreached. When I zoomed in on Google it brought me to Reformatory Way and I thought, ew. But I looked around more the rest of the streets are more "typical" (?) names like Bluebird and Snapdragon. Still p wouldn't want to live on Reformatory Way.

[cville]

May 26, 2020 21:07:56 GMT -5 MixedBerryJam said:

May 26, 2020 20:56:28 GMT -5 sofamonkey said:

Why?

Eh, I may have overreached. When I zoomed in on Google it brought me to Reformatory Way and I thought, ew. But I looked around more the rest of the streets are more "typical" (?) names like Bluebird and Snapdragon. Still p wouldn't want to live on Reformatory Way.

But, isn't acknowledging the history the point?

[basilosaurus]

Im glad I wasn't the only one wondering what was gross. I'd rather that than more little boxes filled with ticky tacky.

I also don't believe in haunting or spiritual malingering. I did once stay in a hostel in Italy that had previously been a hospital which was creepy only because it held hundreds and I was 1 of about 10. Three next night it was entirely full. Weird.

[shauni27]

I just look at it do not find the appeal of living there (just not the aesthetic I would like) but if it is something that you like, then I do not see what the issue is here.

[NomadicMama]

I drove through this area this afternoon, too see what it looked like. The single family homes and townhouses are all new builds, but the apartments are in the actual dormitories. It’s a lot to take in.

Here is the link to the apartment leasing info. libertycrestapartments.com/

[morecoffeeplease]

When I was teaching in dc I was in a Facebook group for the ward where I worked and people were not thrilled about this. They had personal connections to this place so I understand that. I think it would be shocking and probably sad to see a jail where your grandparents were being made into trendy apartments. I obviously don’t speak for them but there definitely is a group that felt not good about this. But obviously there are people who are for it and people who are against it.

[wildrice]

I don't think it's gross, and I think historical buildings are really cool. I think turning this into something else and keeping some of the history intact is a much better way to honor its history than tearing it down.

That said, I would not want to live in a place that looked like a prison, had signs from the prison still in the walkways, etc. I've lived in a historical building and it was one of my favorite things about the apartment. But this place just LOOKS like a prison and I don't think I'd feel peaceful coming home to that every night. The apartment interiors look nice, but the outdoor spaces are ugly and honestly kind of creepy.