BROOKLYN, N.Y.—New York City’s long‑planned transition away from Rikers Island reached another milestone this week as officials, construction leaders, and more than 100 workers celebrated the placement of the final piece of structural steel atop the new Brooklyn jail. The “topping out” ceremony, a longstanding construction tradition, marked the completion of the building’s steel frame and signaled accelerating progress in the City’s Borough‑Based Jails program.
The Brooklyn facility, rising on the site of the former Brooklyn House of Detention at 275 Atlantic Avenue, is one of four jails being built to replace the aging and isolated Rikers Island complex. The project is scheduled for completion in spring 2029. Demolition and site preparation for the three other facilities — in the Bronx, Queens, and Manhattan — have already been completed, with construction underway and projected turnover dates in 2031 for the Bronx and Queens and 2032 for Manhattan.
City leaders framed the milestone as part of a broader shift toward a more humane, accessible, and community‑connected justice system. Earlier this month, the Mamdani Administration opened the City’s first Outposted Therapeutic Housing Unit at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, a 104‑bed facility designed to serve people in custody with complex medical needs and provide closer access to specialty care.
“Every day, the city moves closer to a future off Rikers Island and toward a more modern, supportive system that uses design to uplift the people it serves,” said New York City Department of Correction Commissioner Stanley Richards. “The reality is that the facilities on Rikers Island were built decades ago. It is time to provide our staff and the people in our care with conditions that center their humanity and help create a more compassionate legal system. Moreover, facilities, like the Brooklyn borough-based jail, will provide greater accessibility to lawyers, loved ones, and therapeutic programs that give people a better chance at success when they return to the community.”
Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice Director Deanna Logan emphasized the administration’s commitment to reshaping the criminal legal system. “Today is more than a construction milestone; it is real progress toward a safer, more humane criminal legal system for New York City,” Logan said. “Mayor Mamdani made clear: government must work for all New Yorkers. That’s why we at MOCJ are continuing to build a system that provides tailored support to each person in our care to reduce unnecessary incarceration, break cycles of harm, and create pathways for people to successfully return to their communities as neighbors. Every day we take one step closer to a system that puts fairness and stability first — making our City safer for all.”
Eduardo del Valle, Acting Commissioner of the NYC Department of Design and Construction, noted the extensive community engagement that shaped the facility’s design. “Today’s milestone brings us one step closer to closing Rikers Island and providing facilities with better conditions for both those in custody and the staff who work there,” he said. “DDC has held extensive workshops with affected communities and local stakeholders to design safer, more humane facilities that resemble living spaces with natural lighting, provide on-site areas for healthcare, legal services, and visitation, and include exterior and community spaces that will serve as neighborhood assets. We are grateful for the collaboration of our agency partners and the local community, and we look forward to continuing the important work.”
The new Brooklyn jail will stand 15 stories tall, reaching a maximum height of 295 feet at the roofline. With a zoning floor area of 712,150 square feet, the facility will include more than 30,000 square feet of community space with separate entrances along Atlantic Avenue. Designed to house 1,040 beds, the building will also feature 82 below‑grade parking spaces for authorized vehicles. The design‑build team of Tutor Perini Corporation and HOK is leading the project, which carries a projected budget of $2.959 billion. Construction began in November 2024.
The facility’s design reflects years of planning and community input, incorporating residential‑style spaces, natural lighting, on‑site healthcare, education and legal services, and welcoming visitation areas. The building is also designed to exceed sustainability standards and provide ground‑floor uses that benefit the surrounding neighborhood.
The broader Borough‑Based Jails initiative depends on continued efforts to safely reduce the jail population and support New Yorkers returning from custody. In Fiscal Year 2025, more than 33,000 individuals were enrolled in Supervised Release, achieving an 86 percent successful court appearance rate. Over 9,000 people participated in Alternatives to Incarceration programs, with an 84 percent completion rate. Another 5,000 individuals took part in Project Reset, a pre‑arraignment diversion program for low‑level offenses.
Through the Community Justice Reentry Network, nonprofit partners completed more than 4,100 discharge plans, conducted over 4,200 community intakes, and secured 1,459 job placements for people returning home from custody.
These efforts, city officials said, reflect a sustained commitment to reducing incarceration while improving outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.
This article was based on a report from Ian Michaels of the New York City DDC; michaelia@ddc.nyc.gov.
Photo Credit: NYC DDC
