110 Livingston News & Blog

The New York Times reports that:

The city’s Department of Correction wants to double the number of prisoners it plans to house at a reopened Brooklyn House of Detention as part of its effort to ease pressure on the aging jail complex on Rikers Island, officials said yesterday.

The reopening of the jail is part of a comprehensive city-wide plan to relocate inmates away from Rikers Island, to borough facilities. The DOC will solicit plans from developers to expand the Brooklyn facility and will consider ground-floor retail as a component.

What the Times does not say is that while the expansion could take five years, according to DOC’s website “the existing jail building could be reopened on short notice.”

Needless to say, the neighborhood has changed since the facility closed in 2003. Sandy Balboza, president of the Atlantic Avenue Betterment Association, argues that “the reopened jail could hurt the rebounding neighborhood’s momentum.” Balboza also points out there is no guarantee that retail in a jail facility would be viable. We’ll continue to follow this story and will update.

UPDATE: The Times has a followup article on the effects of the jail on local residents & businesses.  NY1 says DOC would give 48 hours notice of reopening.

• To Help Rikers, City Wants More Prisoners in Brooklyn (NYTimes)
• Department of Correction Borough Jails Plan (nyc.gov)