A new jail rising in the heart of New York City is set to become the tallest correctional facility in the world. The 335-ft Manhattan Detention Facility, towering over the city's Chinatown neighbourhood, will be one of four borough-based sites intended to replace the infamous Rikers Island jail after it closes.
13 floors and 1,040 beds
Rising 13 floors, the facility will hold 1,040 beds and will stand on the former Manhattan Detention Complex site, also known as "The Tombs", at 125 White Street. Images suggest the so-called "jailscraper" will match the height of the building next door, the New York County Criminal Court, making it the tallest jail in the world if the plans go ahead.
Designed by architects HOK, the building will feature a walkway running through its base, a "double skin system with security mesh", and what architecture magazine Dezeen described as "undulating panels".
Design and public space
A design document reads: "To address privacy, a double skin system with security mesh and architectural screen supports visual privacy by creating a separation between the exterior-most facade and the people in custody."
Inmates will be housed on the upper floors, while the public will enter through a ground-floor lobby. Staff parking will be provided in an underground car park, though work is ongoing to finalise the design. Sculptures by Kit-Yin Snyder and other existing art on the site will remain, with new additions including a walkway and public seating.
Part of a $16bn project
The facility forms part of a $16bn (around £12bn) project to replace Rikers with four borough-based facilities near local courthouses. It could be finished as soon as 2032.
Yet the plans have reportedly faced opposition from local residents, businesses and community groups. Leaders in Chinatown have urged Mayor Zohran Mamdani to think twice about locating the jail at the site. In total, 18 community leaders said the proposed location "sits on the soft, waterlogged ground of the old Collect Pond", as stated in a letter sent to Mamdani, Deputy Mayor Julia Kerson and other officials.
As reported by the New York Post, it also read: "The construction plan calls for the deepest excavation ever attempted on its site, digging well below the water table. The city's report warns that pumping out that water during construction can cause the surrounding ground to sink, and once it sinks, it does not come back."
Rikers Island closure
Efforts to phase out Rikers have been underway for almost a decade, with the city confirming its closure in 2019. Based on Rikers Island, the complex includes 10 facilities and has a capacity for up to 15,000 people. Rikers Island has long been notorious for violence and inhumane conditions. It had been expected to close by the end of August 2027, though in June this year the Mayor's Office of New York City acknowledged that this deadline will likely be missed.
Over the years, it has held a number of high-profile inmates, including rapper Tupac Shakur, Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious, John Lennon's murderer Mark David Chapman, Harvey Weinstein, "Son of Sam" David Berkowitz and "Dating Game Killer" Rodney Alcala.
