Launched in November 2025 by the Institute for the Protection of National Heritage (ISPAN), phase 1 of the roof installation work on the former Jacmel civil prison is now complete. Funded by the public treasury through the "Development, Restoration, and Protection of Heritage Sites" project, the work involved constructing treated timber trusses and installing the metal framework to support the roofing.

The second phase consists of installing trapezoidal metal roofing sheets. The British firm RED Deal Construction And More, which is carrying out the work on behalf of the Institute for the Protection of National Heritage (ISPAN), has already acquired the necessary materials to begin the second phase.

Located on Seymour Pradel Street in Jacmel, this building, with its street-facing facade, dates back to the colonial era. Occupying a usable area of ​​489 square meters, this symbolic, historical, and former prison building housed the Jacmel prison and barracks.

Classified as a national heritage site by presidential decree in 1995, the building bears witness to the political upheavals of the era. Within its walls, emblematic figures of the city were imprisoned, such as the young poet Felix Morisseau Leroy, the journalist and mayor of the city Alcius Charmant, and Senator Désilus Lamour. Rings affixed to the walls, used for shackling dangerous prisoners, can still be seen today.

Abandoned around the mid-20th century, the former prison had already undergone restoration work by ISPAN following the January 2010 earthquake. At that time, ISPAN trained a group of workers in the restoration of historical monuments through its workshop school in Jacmel.

Following the completion of these restoration and renovation works, the building will house the offices of the departmental directorate of the Ministry of Culture and Communication (MCC), the regional directorate of ISPAN, and likely a small museum of the history of the city of Jacmel.

ISPAN / iciHaiti