Redevelopment of the former MCI-Concord prison could bring roughly 100,000 square feet of retail space and up to 1,000 housing units to town, consultants told residents at a Sept. 9 public meeting.

That retail figure is at least double the 25,000 to 50,000 square feet proposed in a first draft from June, consultant Jeff Speck of Speck Dempsey said at the presentation in the Concord-Carlisle High School auditorium, The Concord Bridge reported. Consultant Phil Schaeffing estimated the project could net the town and its schools roughly $1.2 million per year from property taxes and grants.

The numbers matter. Even at 100,000 square feet, the site's commercial footprint would remain smaller than nearby developments consultants studied for comparison. The Point in Littleton has 540,000 square feet of leasable area, and Maynard Crossing has 296,000 square feet of non-residential space, according to The Concord Bridge.

Select Board Chair Wendy Rovelli, who co-chairs the MCI Concord Master Plan Committee, told The Concord Bridge the plan still meets a state benchmark of up to 1,000 housing units but carries less parking than the first version. Rovelli said there will be no big-box stores at the site. Consultants said they see little demand for office space there.

Traffic and access

Planners dropped a proposed roundabout on Commonwealth Avenue over traffic concerns. They now suggest a signalized intersection as one gateway, a second entrance near where the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail crosses Commonwealth Avenue, and a possible third access point connecting to Route 2 near the Assabet River. Consultant Erin Cameron of Speck Dempsey told attendees the team is exploring ways to ease the burden on Commonwealth Avenue.

The Select Board endorsed reserving part of the site for Concord Public Works earlier in 2026. Consultants adjusted the layout, redrawing parking and housing around the facility.

Residents weigh in

Lauren Goyette, who moved to Concord in 2025, attended her first MCI-Concord meeting on Sept. 9. She told The Concord Bridge she wants more restaurants, bars and budget-friendly stores, saying there is "nowhere to go after 6 p.m., even on a Saturday."

Resident Moira Walsh told The Concord Bridge she recalled a one-vote margin that blocked cell infrastructure rezoning at Town Meeting in spring 2026. Walsh said she is concerned voters do not understand what rejecting the prison site zoning would mean.

Retired barber Raffaele Nicoletta and his wife, Roberta, a retired longtime Concord-Carlisle High School employee, told The Concord Bridge the new housing could let them downsize from their Chelmsford home and return to the community where they worked for decades.

What's next

The zoning question could go before Town Meeting voters in May. A developer could add more commercial square footage by repurposing an existing prison gym. Any construction is still years away.

Select Board member Paul Boehm told The Concord Bridge the consultants are making progress but said much work remains before the plan is final.