WARWICK—The Town of Warwick has made lemonade from the lemon of a closing prison. Gov. Cuomo decided to close the Mid-Orange Correctional Facility, a medium-security prison, in Warwick in 2011 and the town saw an opportunity to develop a corporate office and technology park.
When the state announced the prison’s closing in 2011, the town worked hard to have it stay. “We were happy to have them as a prison. They were good neighbors,” said Michael Sweeton, Warwick’s town supervisor.
The state was firm in its decision to close, so Sweeton approached the town board. The property was too valuable to let it sit. He did not want the state to put it out to bid “and somebody buys it that has plans for some crazy stuff.” The board authorized the supervisor to negotiate a sale.
