« Does Your Front Door Belong to Everyone in the Co-op? Prices Seesaw at On Prospect Park »

October 1, 2008

Plans for HOD Go Forward

House-of-Detention-1008.jpgDespite widespread opposition to the proposed $440 million expansion of the Brooklyn House of Detention on Atlantic Avenue, looks like it's imminent. "The Department of Design and Construction inked a $32.5-million deal to hire Manhattan architecture firm Ricci Greene Associates to transform the prison into a 1,469-inmate facility with ground-floor shopping," reports The Brooklyn Paper. The jail sits across the street from new boutique hotels and a slew of new building projects; might be bad for tourism, but the city contends is best for the judicial process. "It is more efficient to have prisoners in Downtown Brooklyn — near the courts and their lawyers — and it is better public policy to make it easier for families to visit the incarcerated, who currently await trial on remote Rikers Island," they write. Opponents have vowed to fight the project, either through the ULURP process or in court.
City Says 'Go' Directly to Jail [Brooklyn Paper]
Brooklyn's Jail with Retail is (Maybe) Moving Forward [Curbed]




Posted by lisa at 10:05 AM | Comments (21)
Categories: Development, Downtown Brooklyn

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.brownstoner.com/mte/mt-tb.cgi/6489

Comments

Talk about kicking the real estate market when it's (on its way) down.

Posted by: lowintheheights at October 1, 2008 10:22 AM

ground floor shopping in the jail building? that sounds fun.

Posted by: i disagree at October 1, 2008 10:31 AM

what's the big deal about this facility? i've lived within 3 blocks of the HoD for the last 10 YEARS and it's presence has hardly intruded on my quality of life or sense of safety. Infact the only thing that reminds me it's even there are the occasional white school buses and 2-3 bail bonds storefronts.

Posted by: bowl of dicks at October 1, 2008 10:58 AM

Sammy "the Bull" Gravano and Ol' dirty Bastard slept there, among other criminal greats, why wouldnt this hurt tourism? They should have double decker buses parked out front doing tours.

Posted by: lifer at October 1, 2008 11:01 AM

For all of us who have lived within a block or two of the HOD for all these years (26!), it is an non-issue. The presence of the HOD was what made the area around it affordable to most of us. Its presence back in the days of higher street crime made the area safer -- our cars were not brokern into as were those just a few blocks away. Would we want the HOD if we had a choice -- of course not. But except for a few minor annoyances -- the officers who use the blocks around it as long-term parking for their cars with sensitive alarms, the very occasional noise when the inmates are watching a major sporitng event (not unlike being near a dorm!), it is not a bad neighbor. The Greek church on Schermerhorn that closes the block twice a year for a week at a time is much more of a problem.

Posted by: BH76 at October 1, 2008 11:24 AM

Went to one of the meetings for one of the groups that are trying to stop the expansion just to see what the fuss was about. What a bunch of assholes. They dress up their argument as being about crime and human rights for the inmates, when all they're really worried about is property values (which won't be affected by this at all) and not wanting people who visit people in jail wandering through the neighborood (i.e. property values again). Screw them. Its the city's property, it makes sense for them to use it for the same purpose they've been using it for, and if it includes street-side retail (which I think every building that fronts Atlantic Avenue should be required to include), so much the better.

Posted by: mattt at October 1, 2008 11:44 AM

BH76- I lived on Schermerhorn just down the street from the Church. Talk about intrusive pains in the butt. Never a problem from the HOD- you and Mattt are right. It's a fake argument about "property values. Yet doesn't it seem funny that property values have always gone up in BH despite the HOD? If anti-HODers want to live in a gated community, there are several sitting empty in the midwest. Last I heard, the streets are open to everyone, whether or not you know someone in the HOD.

Posted by: bxgrl at October 1, 2008 12:42 PM

I am confused why people want the HOD reopened??? I understand why the HOD was put there in the late 50's but the area has changed drastically. I love how people say these Nimbys and so on but people have invested alot of money in the community and I see this as a major set back. Doubling the size is crazy and everyone knows it. Atlantic ave is finally flouishing and by putting something else in this spot would only connect the two sides of Atlantic Ave and really make it great. It seems like it all comes down to Bloomberg and if he gets elected again...

Posted by: THAL at October 1, 2008 2:17 PM

If things get bad, we'll be needing those cells...

Posted by: denton at October 1, 2008 2:18 PM

I only care that this is one f-in ugly building. I don't care who they put in it as long as they fix it up so it doesn't look a soiled and discarded old mattress.

Posted by: Beau Guest at October 1, 2008 2:24 PM

THAL do you even live in the immediate area? are you a business owner in the immediate area? And what do you suggest they put in the HoD building > whats missing from the area.... more condos? mmmkay.

Posted by: bowl of dicks at October 1, 2008 2:27 PM

The Manhattan House of Detention on Centre Street has retail stores on the street level of that building and works well. Most people walking by don't realize that it is a jail. It makes sense to reopen the Brooklyn House in this location. What didn't make sense was spending millions of dollars to renovate it and now it will have to be totally redesigned. Of course they could always use this location as the city homeless intake center and remake the Bedford armory a jail.

Posted by: Just Wondering at October 1, 2008 2:53 PM

bowl of dicks,

There is no need for anymore condos at all. They can make that strip retail(with restaurants/bars) or with apts above or like the State Street town houses or maybe a small park. There are a million different options but to just double it makes no sense. And btw I live in Boerum Hill and I am not a business owner.

Posted by: THAL at October 1, 2008 3:06 PM

I don't think its a matter of people wanting it to reopen, its just that it really doesn't affect the neighborhood either way, the way it didnt when it was open before. Transporting people waiting for trial to rikers and back would hit taxpayers pockets worse than just reopening it.
I have lived here all my life, and my business is within 1 1/2 blocks and reopening it wont hurt or help either way.

Posted by: lifer at October 1, 2008 3:14 PM

I am totally in favor of the BHOD re-opening, makes total sense and I never understood why it was closed BUT

I AM TOTALLY APPALLED

that they are going to sink almost HALF A BILLION DOLLARS to do this. (and thats the budget - you know its going to be closer to 1B) - and thats after they sank SIXTY MILLION in 2003 - and then didnt even use it.

It is an absolute disgrace, if it costs that much to fix the existing site - then build the damn thing over by the MDCC or on Rikers Island with other such facilities.

And please dont tell me that it is to save transport money because with the interest on just 10% of the budgect you could afford to transport each prisoner to court by limousine.
Besides the new courthouse isnt even connected to this facility so prisoners WILL STILL HAVE TO BE BUSSED.

This is corruption of the worst kind - I guarantee wholesale graft worse than the School Construction Authority.

I can't even believe that someone even has the balls to suggest sinking 1/2 a billion dollars into this.....

Posted by: fsrg at October 1, 2008 3:15 PM

I think that Atlantic Avenue between Court Street and Smith Street would be much, much nicer without the HOD.
redevelopment on both sides could transfomr that stretch into an elegant, urban, boulevard. But the HOD interrupts the streetwall and the pedestrian flow and looms overhead like a sad ghost of Brooklyn's past.
Its presence diminishes greatly one of the most important stretches of one of the most important streets in Brooklyn.

Posted by: sam at October 1, 2008 3:55 PM

AMEN SAM... TEAR IT DOWN

Posted by: THAL at October 1, 2008 4:11 PM

I dont think turning the space into some kind of public/park area would be the best idea. The intersection is dangerous for kids and bikers (the incident a couple weeks ago a couple blocks away?) and carriages and such right where all the cabs and traffic are heading for the bridge. Could spell disaster. The retail on the ground floor is the right direction tho'

Posted by: lifer at October 1, 2008 4:23 PM

How can the city justify almost a HALF A BILLION DOLLARS to "fix" a totally unused and recently rebuilt facility!!!

With the interest on this $440M (22M @ 5%) you could practically pay every violent felon in this city $1000 a year to simply move to New Jersey.

THIS IS INSANE

Posted by: fsrg at October 1, 2008 4:44 PM

How about they tear it down, dig a big hole, surround it with mangled plywood, and then abandon it for a few years. Then it will fit in with its neighbors on the SE and SW corners of that same intersection.

Posted by: zgori at October 1, 2008 5:27 PM

Randy Maestro ... wasn't he the front man for The Brooklyn Bridge? I've met all sorts of people who have passed through the revolving doors of the various administrations and the private sector. The old-timers from the Lindsey administration tend to still be progressives. Folks from the Koch era are often roll-up-their-sleeves types. Deputy mayor for Rudy? Strange bedfellows indeed.

Posted by: g man at October 1, 2008 7:41 PM

Post a comment

Please be patient while your comment is published. It may take a moment.

Latest Restaurant Additions