Brooklyn jailhouse sits empty, awaiting possible expansion?
Josh Guttman | November 16, 2007
It occured to me recently that our local jailhouse at Atlantic and Smith has probably become one of the most valuable pieces of real estate to house a jailhouse in the country. Surely, there is a better location where a Brooklyn jailhouse could be relocated. Worst of all, a little research shows that the jailhouse has been closed since 2003 so it’s not even operational right now. Dennis Holt reported in the Brooklyn Eagle back in May that the city’s Correction Department wants to reopen the Brooklyn Detention Complex and double its current capacity to house 1,400 inmates. One politician has proposed a controversial plan that would involve leasing the bottom levels for retail and housing, while leaving the upper levels open as a functioning jail. This is ludicrous. The city could make far more money by selling or leasing the land to a developer and relocating the jail to a less desirable neighborhood. I don’t think the inmates will mind. Holt suggests a parcel of land on the Gowanus. How about somewhere along Fulton Street Mall or down Atlantic Ave?
Comments
5 Comments so far
I don’t think the Gowanus will work — if you read the posters that are up all around the perimeter of the canal in the Lowe’s parking lot, you’ll see detailed some very scary concentrations of trace minerals like selenium, cadmium, lead and other potent carcinogens.
Being forced to live above it would give the inmates great cause for a class-action suit charging cruel and unusual punishment.
Also, I think the city would like to keep jails right near mass transit facilities to make it easier to families visit when their progeny become guests of the borough.
“…..relocating the jail to a less desirable neighborhood. I don’t think the inmates will mind. ” ????? What about the people living those “less desirable” neighborhoods? All the inmates need is a dry bed and 3 meals a day. Why not put everyones resources to better use and turn those “undesirable neighborhoods into beautiful, thriving comnmunities…… and not worry about what the inmates mind….. I think you should leave the jail where it is and we should find a way to have it benefit the community.
Two reasons why they will never move the jail.
1 The jail is connected to the courts across the street by underground tunnels. Much safer for the neighborhood and far easier for the corrections people to move inmates around.
2 The city can’t afford space ANYWHERE in downtown to build a new jail. And why should they when there’s a functional jail that has special access to the courts already?
so this is a jail house for jail peoeple so why doesnt it have any gates around them
so this jail house been close secen 2003 so no yall are open it up that would be good so when people get locked up they dont have to go to other jaile house to be transported out of state and do to the fact yall will make more money andya way for each inmate yall get