First look at Chinatown’s new 16-story jail
All images courtesy of Tutor Perini Corporation/HOK
With office buildings in New York City still feeling the effects of the pandemic, the sight of a new, imposing office tower going up in Chinatown may leave you scratching your head. However, this generic-looking glass tower is a new jail. As first spotted by NY1, Los Angeles-based architectural firm Tutor Perini and O&G Industries released a video showing the preliminary design of the new Manhattan Detention Center, a 16-story facility set to rise at 124-125 White Street as part of the city’s plan to replace the Rikers Island complex with four borough-based jails.
The preliminary video was released by the city’s Department of Design and Construction as part of the contract process for the project, which is now in the final stages of approval. With a budget exceeding $3.7 billion, the project is scheduled for completion in August 2032.
The conceptual renderings show a roughly 300-foot-tall building with glass curtain walls, a landscaped plaza, and an open and airy lobby. Retail and community spaces will be featured on the lower floors, while the jail facility will be on floors five through 16.
The new jail will have a higher capacity, containing 154 more beds than previously proposed, bringing its total count to 1,040 beds, according to amNewYork.
As Curbed reported, the conceptual design could address the concerns of residents who don’t want a large, imposing structure with no windows in their neighborhood, similar to the former detention center on the site, often referred to as “the Tombs.”
The video from Tutor Perini and O&G Industries and design partner HOK is part of an initial submission and is not a final design. A preliminary design for conceptual review will be submitted to the Public Design Commission late this year or early next year; the community will have the opportunity to share feedback prior to that review.
The prison is one of four new facilities intended to replace Rikers, scheduled to close in 2027. However, according to the Manhattan prison’s contract, NY1 reports that there is little indication that construction will be completed by that deadline.
Other planned jails in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx also have completion dates that extend beyond 2027. New contracts approved last May have pushed the construction timelines for the Queens and Bronx jails to 2031, while the completion date for the Brooklyn jail has been extended to 2029.
In total, the four jails will cost $16 billion, up from the original estimated cost of $8 billion, the Queens Eagle reported.
Non-profit group Welcome to Chinatown released a statement criticizing the city’s Department of Design Construction for releasing the video of the proposed jail site without consulting the local community first.
The organization also called the conceptual renderings “misleading” for showing a light-colored facade, “artificial light,” and “unrealistic greenery,” and said they were unaware the budget jumped to $3.7 billion from $1.7 billion and the timeline was extended.
“Welcome to Chinatown and Neighbors United Below Canal call on DDC and city leadership to immediately halt further steps on the Manhattan Borough Based Jail until our community and elected officials are given the opportunity to review and provide input on the design plans,” the group said. “We remain committed to ensuring that the voices of Chinatown residents are not just considered, but meaningfully incorporated into the decision-making process.”
See the full video of the conceptual design walk-through below:
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