New Big House Retail Idea Making the Rounds
The city is once again keen on the notion of adding retail to the ground floor of the Brooklyn House of Detention on Atlantic Avenue. Daily Intelligencer reported yesterday that city commissioners are shopping around a new proposal that will result in a vibrant shopping arcade for the building when it reopens at double its…
The city is once again keen on the notion of adding retail to the ground floor of the Brooklyn House of Detention on Atlantic Avenue. Daily Intelligencer reported yesterday that city commissioners are shopping around a new proposal that will result in a vibrant shopping arcade for the building when it reopens at double its old capacity in 2012. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill produced the rendering above as an example of what the space could look like, with Trader Joe’s as an imaginary anchor tenant. The revamped vision for the jail comes about a month after the Observer reported that the city had given up on its plans to allow for retail and condos in the property because of a lack of developer interest; a scheme to put a middle school in the jail also crashed and burned. Sandy Barboza, head of the Atlantic Avenue Betterment Association, told Daily Intel that the city was merely trying to soften the blow of the jail expansion. It is not worth retail to have the jail double in size, said Barboza.
Jail Reopening and Expansion Proposed [Daily Intel]
Plans for Ground-Floor Retail at Brooklyn House of Detention [NY Daily News]
Try, Try Again: Brooklyn’s Jail with Retail is Back [Curbed]
Brooklyn House of Detention Plans Falter [Brownstoner] GMAP
Rendering from Daily Intel.
If it isn’t needed why don’t they sell it?
I think it is desperately needed. especially when they close parts of Rykers as they are supposed to be doing even now. You can pretend you know what goes on there, but I suspect that there is much that is not public. That building has been empty for ten years, what condition do you suppose any building would be in if left empty for ten years?
THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE FACILITY – they arent using it because it is not needed.
and if it is not someone should be immediately indicted.
I don’t know about indicted but people will have a lot of egg on their face. The way these things work is that no announcement will be made until certain people move on with their political careers and certain others vest and retire. Then blame can then be placed on those who are no longer there. It is called “kicking the can down the road”.
It is what public sector folks do. If the facility were ready to go, they would have filled it by now, but there is a problem.
Asbestos? Lead? fire safety? Who knows, but it is an albatross and no one wants to see the shit hit the fan on their watch.
I think retailers are more interested in neighborhood demographics, walk-in traffic and square footage than they are about what’s above them. Who even knows what’s upstairs from most of the places we eat and shop in? Nobody looks any higher than the awning.
This illustration is just funny. They’re showing Trader Joe’s and Sisley, you’re much more likely (at best) to get Associated and a few 99 cent stores. What retailer who cares the slightest bit about their brand image would locate below the freakin jail? Plus you’re pretty much guaranteed bail bonds and maybe a few pawn shops. All class, all the way.
1221 – the building had just completed a 10-yr $50 million rehab in 2003 when it was closed – the rehab included upgraded fire and safety systems as well as new inmate intake area, visitor reception,new facade and 40,000sq ft of expanded space. The jail is safe, modern and ready to go – and if it is not someone should be immediately indicted.
I don’t think the facility is ready to go. It is a 1960’s relic that is unsafe for both the guards and the inmantes. I assume this is why it has not re-opened yet. This is a bigger mess than they are letting on. They will need to demolish the current building and build a new facility but they have to figure out how to save face in regard to the scandalous waste of 50 million dollars.
Okay I (11:31) am fine with that – then OPEN the current facility as-is! Stop throwing more money down this black hole, the current facility has been upgraded – it is close to the courts and it is ready to go – so open the thing up already and stop with the nonsense.
11:37 is correct? What am I, chopped liver (from Trader Joe’s)? VTY, 11:19