INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The former Marion County Jail, built in 1965, has been crucial to Mayor Joe Hogsett’s reforms since 2016.

Now, the site next to downtown’s IndyGo transit station is set for demolition. The former jail’s last occupants left in September 2023.

Chris Gahl is executive vice president and chief marketing officer for the city’s tourism arm, Visit Indy. He said Thursday, “The former Marion County jail site will soon have a crane in the sky.”

Predemolition preparations for Jail 1 began in November after an approval from the Metropolitan Development Commission.

The Democrat mayor said Thursday, “We are taking yet another huge step in the right direction. We’re tearing down a relic of the past. Jail 1’s purpose was to serve the Marion County justice system for nearly six decades. In a year, this site will be ready for a new purpose: to bring continued revitalization and economic growth to our city’s urban core.”

The building has sat vacant since the Community Justice Campus opened in May 2022. People have wondered what may go in the jail’s place and when.

“No set timeline at this point,” said Megan Vukusich, director of the Department of Metropolitan Development, on Thursday. “This is a priority property just due to its proximity to the transit station and its location downtown, so it is a priority but has no timeline at this point.”

The Metropolitan Development Commission continues to work on property evaluations and has not yet finalized specific plans for construction.

“There are no plans to share at this time. Really, the property evaluations will dictate what type of redevelopment can go there. So once we get through those assessments, we will have a better idea of what type of redevelopment we will see,” Vukusich said.

In 2022, Hogsett launched the Downtown Resiliency Strategy to bring investments in housing, recreational public spaces, vibrant economic development, and connected infrastructure to downtown. Downtown development projects under construction include the Signia by Hilton Hotel and the Indiana Convention Center expansion, and Elanco Animal Health’s global headquarters. These projects and others also support infrastructure improvements, such as the construction of the Henry Street bridge and proposed pedestrian enhancements to Georgia Street.

Pedestrian and road restrictions along Alabama and Maryland streets near the former jail will remain in place.

City officials say this will not impact the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game scheduled for July.

Gahl from the city’s tourism arm also said, “At Visit Indy, it is our responsibility to market not only the Indianapolis of today, but also the Indianapolis of tomorrow. The demolition of this site and its eventual redevelopment are part of that future. Pointing out another downtown transformation to prospective meeting decision-makers is always exciting. Much like the Bottleworks expansion and the progress at the Signia by Hilton Hotel, this parcel of land will generate enthusiasm among those interested in hosting their conventions in Indianapolis.”