Michigan City is still working on planning how to best redevelop the Indiana State Penitentiary in the future, but it's no longer known how soon the future will come.

Indiana no longer plans to immediately close the prison that's long been a drag on property values on Michigan City's west side when it opens its new $1.2 billion Westville Correctional Facility. The state planned to close the 165-year-old prison that once incarcerated the infamous bank robber John Dillinger in 2026 and transfer it by 2029.

"DOC’s population has been growing for the last several months, and we are focused on utilizing our current space efficiently, which includes the space at Indiana State Prison," Department of Corrections Chief Communications Officer Annie Goeller said.

The state no longer has a timeline

See Full Page