Federal courthouse to be built on former prison grounds

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A new federal courthouse is planned on the former grounds of the Missouri State Penitentiary.

Federal officials announced their plans this week to sign a "memorandum of understanding" with the Missouri State Penitentiary Commission on Tuesday morning during an event at the Missouri State Capitol.

The current federal court is housed in the post office building across the street from the statehouse.

"We're very excited," said Bradley Scott, the regional administrator for the U.S. General Services Administration, the agency that builds federal offices. "It's the first courthouse I get to start under my watch."

The Missouri State Penitentiary opened in 1836 on the bluffs of the Missouri River, just a few blocks east of the state Capitol. The prison grounds are being redeveloped after inmates were moved in September 2004 to a new prison on the eastern edge of Jefferson City.

Scott said the location, one of the most-sought locations on the prison grounds, is terrific.

But Missouri River Regional Library planners are upset because they already had architects workings on plans for a library to be built on the spot where the courthouse is planned.

"We are not pleased," said library director Margaret Conroy, adding she couldn't comment much on the specifics of the selection process.

She said library officials initially were told the site was available and had informed prison officials in writing of plans to purchase the property.

"Commissioners had asked us to demonstrate how the proposed library would fit into the MSP site plan before they would give us the go-ahead in writing," Conroy said.

She said efforts were underway to comply with the request when library officials learned in December of the Missouri State Penitentiary Commission's intent to sign an agreement with the federal government.

Architect Jeffrey Scherer said much of the work that already has been done will be helpful regardless of where the library is built because it involves deciding how the library will function.

"But it would've been helpful to us" to know, he said.

Scott said other locations still exist on the 146-acre site.

"I can't think of a better neighbor than the library," he said.

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Information from: Daily Capital News, http://www.newstribune.com