Mayor Jones Announces Upcoming Demolition of The Workhouse, Asks for Community Involvement in Designing Memorial

Today, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones announced that the demolition of most buildings at the former Medium Security Institution known as the Workhouse will begin by December 16, 2024.

“The unacceptable and inhumane conditions that many detainees at the Workhouse suffered cannot be forgotten,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “One of the first things I did as Mayor was close this jail. Our community deserves better than to see the facility continue to stand as it did, so I am pleased that we can now move forward with the demolition.”

Mayor Tishaura O. Jones ordered the Workhouse closed shortly after taking office in 2021, and the facility is empty of detainees.

The vast majority of structures, including guard towers and former women’s housing facilities, will be included in this demolition. The fence will remain in order to secure the ground.

Re-envisioning the Workhouse is happening in phases. During phase one, the Administration is committed to demolition and memorialization. Phase two will be announced at the beginning of the new year, and plans in development for phase two include an animal shelter, further environmental evaluation, and the relocation of aspects of the City’s tow lot.

In 2023, the City of St. Louis invested time and funding into a community engagement process. Demolition of the facility tracks with those recommendations and the Administration is also pursuing a recommendation to create a memory marker. “As we take these steps forward, we must include the community where we can. That is why I’m asking for anyone who feels moved to do so to submit concepts, drawings, designs, poetry, or written descriptions for a memorial for those who suffered at the Workhouse,” said Mayor Jones.”

Individuals wishing to take part in this process are encouraged to learn more and to submit their concepts online.

Participants will be credited for their work but are not required to develop their submission on the site of the facility. Anyone, whether they consider themselves an artist or not, is invited to submit ideas.

The purpose of this engagement is to inform the scope of the Request for Proposals that will be released to implement the design. Evaluations of the submissions will be done in collaboration with the Regional Arts Commission, the Missouri History Museum, the Griot Museum of Black History, and other community partners.

Individuals who also wish to implement their design will be encouraged to submit their proposal for consideration as part of the City’s RFP process.

The deadline for submission is Nov. 1, 2024. The RFP for implementation is anticipated to be released in December.