New Details on Proposed Atlantic Avenue Detention Center Expansion

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN – Six months after the Mayor proposed expanding the Atlantic Avenue Detention Center to facilitate the closure of Riker’s Island, new details have emerged about the plan to move inmates into smaller, borough-based facilities.

In Brooklyn, that means renovations at the Brooklyn Detention Center at 275 Atlantic Avenue, which are set to include ground-floor retail along with renovations to the detention center.

“We’re taking a big step forward in the process of closing Rikers Island and creating a modern community-based jail system that is smaller, safer and fairer,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Now we can move full steam ahead on the engagement and planning for our new facilities so we can close Rikers as fast as possible.”

Full steam ahead also means combining the proposed changes to the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Bronx facilities into a single package for the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), which involves the Community Board, City Council, City Planning Commission and the Borough President.

A gallery of sketches of the new facilities can be seen below:

By combining the four proposals, the Mayor’s office hopes to achieve “a more expedited review,” and plans on submitting an application by the end of the year.

While Community Board 2 will surely discuss the proposal when meetings resume in September, Councilmember Steven Levin appears to be on board with the project:

“I look forward to robust engagement with the Administration and the community to reimagine 21st-century facilities in Downtown Brooklyn,” Levin said in a statement.

In today’s press release, the Mayor’s Office promised to “ramp up” community engagement in the coming weeks and months, including a Brooklyn community input session next month:

Atlantic Avenue Detention Center Renovation
Brooklyn Community Input Session
6:00 PM – Thursday, September 20, 2018
P.S. 133 William A. Butler School
610 Baltic Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217