Brooklyn Borough Based Jail held a community meeting on July 27, 2023 to discuss plans for the new jail that will replace the Brooklyn House of Detention on Atlantic Avenue in Boerum Hill. The meeting included basic information, a timeline and first design directions. The capacity of the new jail will be 1040 beds for men being held pre-trial, some of whom have not been charged yet.
No specific designs were presented during the meeting but the guiding principles for the facility’s design will be natural light, a sense of autonomy and access to outdoor spaces. There are plans for 100 parking spaces underground and on site, 30,000 sf of community space with public art and seating which will operate separate from the jail facility and an underground tunnel connection to King County Criminal Court. The Brooklyn jail is slated to increase by 17% from 886 beds previously to 1040 beds in the new building with overall increased access to health care.
Dismantling the old building will start in fall 2023 followed by construction of the new facility which is scheduled to open 2029. The construction cost has been increased by $1B over the original budgeted amount of $2.3B supposedly due to price increases. There will be rounds of community feedback during the design phase from the neighborhood, other stakeholders and prisoners themselves. The next community meeting is in October 2023, stay tuned for details.
