Foes of new, larger Atlantic Ave. jail mobilize against de Blasio’s plan
At a Uniform Land Use Review Procedure hearing Wednesday at P.S. 133 at 610 Baltic St., community leaders, business owners and local residents criticized Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to replace the existing Brooklyn House of Detention on Atlantic Avenue with a new, 430-foot-high jail that would be twice its size.
The plan is part of de Blasio’s proposal to close Rikers Island and replace it with several jail facilities throughout the city. Brooklyn opponents say such a large jail would create gridlock, parking problems and air pollution, according to the New York Post.
“It would be almost twice as large as any structure permitted in Downtown Brooklyn under current zoning,” Peter Bray, executive director of the Brooklyn Heights Association, told the Post. Sandy Balboza, president of the Atlantic Avenue Betterment Association, added, “They want to rush to get this done before the mayor gets out of office.” A de Blasio spokesperson denied this assertion, saying the mayor’s only imperative is to close Rikers as soon as possible.
