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 don’t think its that bug a deal. I mean how many criminals want to hang around outside a jail anyway…
Have lived most of my years not far from the house of detention. Has little impact on quality of life – and I’m sure people could walk by it for years and not even be aware what it is(was).
Frankly – the court house one block up is a bigger negative than the jail ever was – as far as unsavory characters hanging around outside the building.
My estimate – zero effect on values/desireability of surrounding blocks.
I lived at Court and State for the last nine years of the jail’s operation and still live in the (hideous) shadow of the building. With the exception of the lack of parking caused, it had zero impact on my life there.
I do hope this scares off the people stupid enough to buy into the cheaply build “luxury” housing projects going up all around the neighborhoon and turning the place into Akron, Part II.
I too see it as a non-event. If something else was there then certainly that would be a plus but the reopening should have no adverse affect on the community. I don’t think developers who are bullish on the area were placing all of their bets on the jail not being there.
Unless the courts move out of downtown Brooklyn, there will always be a jailhouse in the area, criminals commuting back and forth for court appearances and paddy wagons full of inmates stuck in downtown traffic just waiting for a chance to make a break for it.
“….most didn’t think the city would really throw such a wrench into the gentrification boom.”
If this is in fact true – then most people are not so smart. This place has been a jail for over 40 years. The city spent millions of dollars renovating it recently and has repeatedly refused requests to sell it to developers.
I feel bad for anyone who was lied to by crooked real estate agents. They should have done their homework though.
I don’t really understand the argument against re-opening either, it was part of the area for decades and I never thought the presence of a jail made it a “bad” area. It might be different if they were going to condemn property in order to build a jail, but it’s already there. It’s downtown, the courts are there, there are office buildings (the MTA building, etc), doesn’t seem like a big deal.
My mom did see someone trying to escape once, around 1970 or so, climbing down a rope from a window. But I don’t think there have been a high number of successful escapees…
maybe this is a stupid question- but what are the major negatives to the jail being open? (i would never want a jail in my neighborhood if i had a choice) but the real day to day negatives? visitors to the inmates? the surrounding businesses it attracts? escapees?? i’m not being sarcastic…
i lived 1/2 way up state st from the jail for 10 yrs. whether it’s open or not had zero impact on the life of the neighborhood.it was ugly open, and it’s ugly closed. the bail bond storefrontss were around when it was open, they’re still around when it’s closed. i understand it may affect the smith, but big woop. it’s just not that big a deal in terms of how the neighborhood works.
bye bye values in the smith whoever bought just lost 20% they should judt back out of the deal now, forget it.