Firm Picked to Redevelop Downstate Correctional In Dutchess with Mixed-Use, Community Space

FISHKILL, NY—In stark contrast to the prison it once was, the  repurposed correctional facility here is hoping to see lots of people come and go as they please. On June 21, New York announced that Conifer Realty, LLC had been conditionally selected to transform the former Downstate Correctional Facility located in Fishkill, Dutchess County, into a vibrant, mixed-use development that would feature new housing and community space.

The multi-phase project will create up to 200 construction jobs and up to 1,300 units of housing over 10 years, including permanently affordable housing options. Conifer Realty is headquartered in Rochester and also has offices in New York State on Long Island, according to its website. The company also maintains offices in New Jersey, Boston, and Maryland, while expanding into new markets across the Eastern Seaboard.

Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill, NY, a former maximum-security prison, was closed in 2022. The redevelopment plan calls for nearly 1,300 Units of mixed-income housing and public amenities.

The project will feature a playground, a walking trail, and common areas for residents, with additional public amenities being constructed over time, in consultation with the community. The project builds on state efforts to reimagine vacant and underutilized prisons to address New York’s housing crisis and follows the recommendations of the Prison Redevelopment Commission.

Downstate Correctional Facility was a maximum-security prison until its closure in 2022.

Conifer President Sam Leone said his enterprises has nearly 50 years of experience building more than 21,000 affordable homes in 300-plus communities, adding that The Conifer Realty excels in managing complex, large-scale, transformational redevelopments such as this.

The first phase of construction is expected to start in January 2026 with 375 units of housing, including a minimum of 20% designated as permanently affordable to households earning less than 80% of the Area Median Income. Housing options would include two story duplexes and triplexes and at least 25% of the units will include three bedrooms.

Conifer’s final designation is subject to pending environmental and state reviews.

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