Posted on 09/28/2012 9:06:21 AM PDT by JoeProBono
EBENSBURG, Pa., -- A Pennsylvania municipality is seeking a buyer or tenant for a unique property -- the former county prison.
The Ebensburg Borough Council said the back portion of the facility, which is newer than the front, is being used to house county records, but the front portion, which was the original Cambria County Prison, has been vacant for 15 years, WJAC-TV, Johnstown, Pa., reported Thursday.
"If it wasn't the landmark that it is in town, if it wasn't on the national list of historic places, we still couldn't tear it down," Ebensburg Borough Manager Dan Penatzer said. "I think it's probably impossible to tear this building down."
He said there are many different potential uses for the building.
"A restaurant, a microbrewery, retail, offices, anything," Penatzer said. "There's so much crazy character about this building that could apply it to any business theme like that. I think there's a lot of possibilities."
Be a good server farm if there’s fiber nearby.
hmm walking dead could film inside had it been last year ;)
Forget Hawaii, let’s chip in and put the obamma clan in this historical monument instead.
Make it into a public school
Make it a mosque - “one stop shopping” as it were!
Didn’t they make a hotel of an old prison in Boston?
Zombie theme park?
“...if it wasn’t on the national list of historic places...”
That itself severely limits what can be done physically and cosmetically, to the place, to make it into anything other than a prison structure. If I were a developer or businessman, I wouldn’t touch that place if they paid me!
Looks a whole lot like a church.
The first “penitentiaries” we built in Pennsylvania by Quakers to put all prisoners in solitary—with a bible—thinking the “inner light” would make them penitent and reform them.
Most however were driven mad by the isolation.
Yes -- now a very cool, upscale, happenin' place in Boston -- the old Charles Street Jail.
Here are some photos: http://www.libertyhotel.com/photos/index.html
The Old Charles Street Jail in Boston (which has a similar architectural feel) has been made into Tres Chic Condos! LOL!
Known as the Charles Street Jail in the 1800's, this iconic prison, which was once hailed as the international standard for prison architecture, was transformed into a hotel in the 1990's. It was initially designed in the shape of a cross, with granite walls, a rotunda, large windows and 220 cells in 4 wings, but became overcrowded, dirty, and was forced to close. Now, eighteen of the Liberty Hotel's rooms are built in the original jail - with the mod-con additions of televisions and linen, of course.
It’s unique and well taken care of, and a lot bigger when you see it in person.
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You can check out, but you can never leave!
Actually, a school was my first thought based on the title alone.
I’ve done family research there. I wonder what they’ll do with their records.
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