ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — Governor Kathy Hochul is proposing a constitutional amendment to allow the redevelopment of three closed state prisons in the Adirondack region that are currently sitting empty and deteriorating. The proposal, outlined in the governor’s 2026 State of the State agenda, would sidestep conservation laws so the sites can be used for housing or business without losing protected land in the state’s Forest Preserve.
The facilities in question are:
- Camp Gabriels: 48 buildings on 92 acres in Franklin County
- Moriah Shock: 20 buildings on 60 acres in Essex County
- Mount McGregor: About 100 structures on 53 acres in Saratoga County
Hochul called the facilities crumbling sites, environmental hazards, and lost opportunities for local communities. Her plan for a constitutional amendment would let the state repurpose those spots for practical purposes like housing and acquire new land that would protected from development.
The state constitution protects the Adirondack Park Forest Preserve under a “Forever Wild” clause to keep the land natural and untouched. That clause creates a legal hurdle for closed prisons located within the park boundary…