House of Detention Back on Radar, Bigtime
While the possibility has been floated a few times over the past year or so, today’s NY Times article on the likely reopening of the Brooklyn House of Detention on Atlantic Avenue in downtown Brooklyn takes the situation from Def Con 1 to Def Con 3 in a single day. Evidently, the inmate population has…
While the possibility has been floated a few times over the past year or so, today’s NY Times article on the likely reopening of the Brooklyn House of Detention on Atlantic Avenue in downtown Brooklyn takes the situation from Def Con 1 to Def Con 3 in a single day. Evidently, the inmate population has been swelling much faster than anticipated and, if current trends persist, could reach a tipping point by Summer that would necessitate reopening the 760-bed jail. Not surprisingly, some residents ain’t thrilled by the idea. “We really would prefer it not to open,” said Sue Wolfe, president of the Boerum Hill Association, adding, “It hurts the merchants; it hurts the people that live and work here.” How much of The Smith is already sold and what kind of impact will this news have? It’s our sense that everyone knew this was a possibility but that most didn’t think the city would really throw such a wrench into the gentrification boom.
Brooklyn Jail May Reopen [NY Times]
I think anybody who lives in the area (I’m about a block away on Schermerhorn and can see it clearly from my living room window) would prefer that this piece of land be used for something more beneficial to the immediate community. Retail, housing, offices, school, church, parking lot, whatever. I also think that given the value of this land to developers, it could make sense for the city to sell it and find someplace more industrial to put a jail.
Nevertheless, that said, I think our primary concern is that as long as the facility is there, that it be a good neighbor. The city should recognize that it is located in a diverse, mixed-use neighborhood with a lot of residential property. It should work to make sure that nuisances (catcalls, noise, parked vehicles, etc.) are minimized — install soundproof glass, block the views from the recreation areas, strictly enforce parking rules, etc. Ground floor retail would be great to help connect the Atlantic Ave corridor, and perhaps the rents collected could pay for the costs of any improvements needed.
Its 2:17- No deposit/not interested in condo and own house 6 blocks away – and as a 50+ year old man doubt would I would be getting any catcalls from prisoners. And I still can’t see how from roof on jail can see terraces facing Atlantic to new bldg. – can’t see around corners.
Yes, can see down to rooftop of Pacific St.
Really bad projects in chelsea? I wish this were true, cause your point would have been a great one.
except for the fact that the “really bad projects in chelsea” are as tame as any mitchell-lama condo conversion.
For the official reasons why re-opening the jail is a bad idea, please visit:
http://www.atlanticave.org/masterplan.htm
Actually anon 11:44pm, wouldn’t it be the boring Upper West Side? Yeah sure, great stores, GETE etc… but it seems like the capital of boring.
Upper east side, while a close second, probably takes weekly field trips to the upper west side to borrow tips on being boring.
I don’t really get the big deal. I’d rather live near the jail than pay $2 million for a condo in Chelsea and live next to some really bad projects on 9th Avenue. At least with a jail you don’t have crack deals going down on the street right outside your door. I don’t really see there being a long-term impact on property prices in the area. This is New York City, if you want a squeaky-clean neighborhood you can move to the boring Upper East Side
It isn’t a prison (or penitentiary) – it is a jail, which means most of the people being housed there are awaiting trial ie. they are ‘legal’ innocent (until proven guilty) but were deemed a flight risk and bail was set (which they cant make) – some may be individuals awaiting transfer upstate (to prison) or serving misdemeanor time (less than 1yr), but since the bulk of the people there havent been convicted of anything being permitted to watch fireworks on the roof doesnt sound that crazy.
I notice we havent heard from Anon @ 2:17 – I hope he is calling his broker and trying to get his deposit back for an apartment he apparently was misled about.
And now that everyone and their dog is a suspected terrorist, including bike riders. . . we’ll need all the penitentiaries we can get.
HOD was not shut for renovations but for lack of prisoners. When it was closed, there was $15 million left to spend on renovations and the City decided to finish it and then mothball the facility in case it was needed later. The City has been pretty clear that the facility would reopen if it were needed again so I don’t know why anyone would be surprised that it’s reopening. I think a lot of us were hoping that if it sat empty for a few years, the City would decide it made financial sense to sell an empty jail. Reopening so soon only means that is a lot less likely to happen.