Court compelled an EIS and other public participation measures related to Brooklyn House of Detention. In 2003, the City closed the Brooklyn House of Detention, located at 275 Atlantic Avenue across from the Criminal Court. At the time, Correction reasoned that the costs of caring for each inmate at the Brooklyn facility were too high because of the facility’s small capacity. Since then, the City kept no inmates there overnight, but the facility was still used to process inmates and transfer them to the nearby court for appearances.

Correction later determined that the costs and security risks for transferring inmates to their respective court appearances could be reduced if Correction reoccupied and expanded the Brooklyn facility. In 2008, Correction solicited bids for the renovation and expansion of the facility. It also applied for, and was granted, State permission to reopen the facility to its maximum capacity of 759 inmates. In November 2008, Correction transferred 31 inmates to the Brooklyn facility on an overnight basis to have them maintain the facility and prepare it to accommodate pre-arraignment detainees. Correction also submitted a contract for architectural design to the Comptroller for registration. (read more…)

Developers must expand Brooklyn jail along with new development on adjacent sites. The New York City Economic Development Corporation and the Department of Correction issued a request to gauge interest in the potential development of two vacant parcels in downtown Brooklyn located next to the Brooklyn House of Detention, a 759-individual- cell detention center, which the City closed in 2003. DOC hopes to reopen and expand the existing 10-story, 280,000-square-foot detention center located along Atlantic Avenue between Smith Street and Boerum Place. The request requires that interested developers refurbish the facade of the detention center, redevelop its first three floors, add 11,300 sq.ft. of retail to its Atlantic Avenue frontage and oversee construction of a 165,000- square-foot jail expansion along with any new development proposed for the adjacent parcels.

On the two empty parcels, located directly east and west of the detention center along Smith Street and Boerum Place, EDC calculates that up to 238,500 sq.ft. of space can be developed. It asks developers to propose either residential or commercial projects with 15,700 sq.ft. of ground-floor retail. EDC anticipates splitting and selling the lots to the developer. The developer would also own the Atlantic Avenue retail space within the detention center. (read more…)