Understanding the MCI Concord Vision Plan: what the town is planning for the 83‑acre site

The Town of Concord has published the Vision Plan and appendices for the future of the former MCI Concord site. The plan focuses on repurposing the 83‑acre property where the correctional facility operated until it closed in June 2024. The Vision Plan is groundwork, not a final blueprint. It lays out how Concord should think about potential futures for a complex, historic site. The town assembled it collaboratively with community input over the course of spring 2025, drawing on a wide range of perspectives and an analysis of the site's opportunities and constraints.

At a high level, the town wants what happens on the MCI Concord site to align with both local community needs and broader state priorities. The key themes: housing, sustainability, and economic development. The property's future is also tied to state-level processes. Town materials reference the Fiscal Year 2025 Governor's Budget Bill, which included the closure of MCI Concord (Section 107) and provides for the sale, lease, transfer, or other disposal of the property through the Commonwealth's Commission of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM).

The MCI Concord Advisory Board exists to help the town navigate what comes next. Its 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 Town's interests. Whether you're following this process as a neighbor, a family member, or someone trying to understand how decisions get made, that's the key role to keep in mind. The Advisory Board isn't just tracking ideas for reuse. It's focused on strategy and guidance to the Select Board as the property's disposition moves forward.

• ✓ Community Outreach Subcommittee
• ✓ Legal & Government Affairs Subcommittee
• ✓ Land Use Planning & Strategy Subcommittee
• ✓ Agendas are posted in advance of meetings
• ✓ Minutes are posted after they are approved following a meeting

Concord sits about 20 miles west of Boston. That proximity is a big part of why the reuse conversation draws attention well beyond town lines.

Want to read the source materials yourself? The town has made the full Vision Plan and its appendices available. For ongoing updates and additional information, the town also directs residents and other interested community members to the MCI‑Concord project website.