Understanding the MCI Concord Vision Plan and what it proposes for the 83‑acre site

The Vision Plan for the future of MCI Concord has been published, along with its appendices. For the official materials in one place, look for the advisory-board page that announces the Vision Plan and provides access to the full plan package.

At a high level, the Vision Plan aims to reposition the former prison property as something new: a sustainable, community-connected district that acknowledges the site's history and surrounding natural context. The plan covers the entire 83‑acre site and serves as groundwork for how the town should think about possible futures for that land.

The timing matters. MCI Concord closed in June 2024, and the Vision Plan is part of the public-facing process of figuring out what a transition of that property looks like after closure.

The MCI Concord Advisory Board plays an advisory role, but it's a central piece of how the town is organizing this work. Its stated purpose is to educate and advise the Select Board on the most effective strategy to achieve a disposition of the MCI Concord property that is most favorable to the interests of the Town.

• ✓ Community Outreach Subcommittee
• ✓ Legal & Government Affairs Subcommittee
• ✓ Land Use Planning & Strategy Subcommittee

The subcommittees give you a quick sense of how the Advisory Board breaks the work into practical lanes. Community Outreach handles public input and communication. Legal & Government Affairs tracks legal and government issues. Land Use Planning & Strategy is where the bigger-picture planning questions get organized, so the Select Board receives a clearer view of options and tradeoffs.

Based on the town's project materials, the through-line is clear: this is not just a real estate decision. The Vision Plan frames the former facility's 83 acres as a chance to build something sustainable, connected to the community and its surroundings, and grounded in values and perspectives gathered through the public process.

1. Start at the MCI Concord Advisory Board page - That is where the Vision Plan and appendices are posted as published and available.
2. Read the main Vision Plan first - Treat it as the big-picture document that explains what the plan is trying to do for the former MCI Concord site.
3. Use the appendices for the details you care about - If you are focused on specific impacts, look for the supporting material that digs into the site’s opportunities and constraints and the scenarios discussed in the plan package.