Aerial View of Rikers Island Photo Credit: US Geological Survey
The City wastes little time in efforts to shutter Rikers Island and get construction across the boroughs started. Since the latter half of November, the City announced three major developments in the Borough-Based Jails plan. Each announcement is discussed in further detail below. To read more about Borough-Based Jails, read Cityland’s prior coverage here.
Speaker Corey Johnson Image Credit: CityLand
After modifications and a lengthy Stated Meeting, Borough Based Jails passed despite significant opposition. On October 17, 2019, the City Council voted to approve the City’s Borough Based Jails System application with modifications. The approved plan includes four jail facilities located at 124-125 White Street in Manhattan, 745 East 141st Street in the Bronx, 126-02 82nd Avenue in Queens and at 275 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn and closure of the Rikers Island detention facility.
Department of Design and Construction Logo Image Credit: DDC
Design-build teams have already been selected to handle the demolition of structures on the current sites. On December 29, 2021, the Department of Design and Construction announced that six teams have been approved to develop detailed proposals for the design and construction of four smaller borough-based jails in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. The borough-based jails project aims to replace the facilities on Rikers Island permanently with smaller jails that will allow for populations to remain closer to families, community, and legal representation. The jails will be built through the design-build model where the firm provides both design and construction services. For CityLand’s prior coverage of the borough-based jails project, click here. (more…)
Construction on the Queens site parking lot began in June. Image Credit: DDC.
These teams will prepare the site for construction and enable court operations to continue for the duration of construction. On November 30, 2021, the Department of Design and Construction announced that four separate teams had been selected to receive design-build contracts to prep the sites of the new Borough-Based Jails. The Borough Based Jails project will build smaller jails in Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn to allow for the eventual closure of Rikers Island to address crowding, safety and quality of life issues. The controversial project was approved in 2019. For CityLand’s previous coverage of the borough-based jails project, click here. (more…)
Rendering of the new parking garage and community space as part of the Queens jail site in the Borough-Based jails project. Image Credit: DDC
The structure will provide over 600 parking spaces and 25,000 square feet of flexible community space. On June 25, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the start of construction at one of the City’s four borough-based jails sites in Kew Gardens, Queens. The borough-based jails are part of the City’s controversial solution to shut down Rikers Island and replace the complex with four smaller, locally based jails in Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn. The 866-bed Queens jail will replace the current Queens Detention Complex, which is located adjacent to Queens Borough Hall and the Queens Criminal Courthouse. Construction has started on the parking garage and community space that is part of the Queens jail project. (more…)
