Transforming a former jail into a new, revitalized space is no stranger to Finegold Alexander. Completed in 2010, the firm led the adaptive reuse of the abandoned Salem Jail into a bustling mixed-use property. Recently for Syracuse.com, Principals Christopher Lane and Tony Hsiao, who worked on the Salem Jail Residences, were interviewed about the benefits of renovating former jails into housing or hotels as the city decides what to do with their Justice Center.

Christopher noted that there’s an advantage to the exterior of the Justice Center because it already doesn’t look like a jail.

[quote format] “I think that’s an advantage as far as the people that say, ‘Oh, I don’t want to live in a jail,’” Lane said. “So you’re not undoing a lot in that realm.”

Tony added that Syracuse’s Justice Center was large enough for up to 250 apartments, likely without any of the existing jail cells remaining.

“Usually, these buildings are gutted completely because we have to put in new floors and systems,” he said.

Read the full article here: These former jails became luxury hotels and housing — could Syracuse’s Justice Center be next? - syracuse.com