Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
Q&A
Progress and delays in the borough-based jails project
5:11:24
ยท
175 sec
Council Member Brooks-Powers inquires about the progress and delays in the borough-based jails project. DDC Associate Commissioner Jeffrey Margolis explains the current status, including the completion of dismantling at three sites and ongoing construction in Brooklyn. He addresses the complexities of the project, including site constraints and the need to respect neighboring communities.
- Three sites have been dismantled, with Manhattan to be completed next month
- Construction is fully underway in Brooklyn
- Project faces challenges due to confined sites and the need to respect neighboring facilities
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
5:11:24
Thank you.
5:11:27
And I'll just continue with the borough based jails also.
5:11:32
Councilman Ressler asked a few that I had queued up, but just to get a little bit more line of sight.
5:11:40
Can you let us know why there have been such consistent delays?
Jeffrey Margolis
5:11:45
I wouldn't necessarily characterize it that way chair.
5:11:47
I mean we have completed the dismantle of three sites Manhattan will be completed next month.
5:11:55
The Bronx, excuse me, Queens and Brooklyn have already been completed as as council member wrestler said.
5:12:01
We're already fully working in construction in Brooklyn.
5:12:04
So there's been a tremendous amount of work that's already happened.
5:12:08
As I stated, these are really complex facilities and they also have to meet the overall needs, the programming needs of the Department of Correction and the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice.
5:12:17
So they take time but we do feel like design build has really let us take the lead here and move them as quickly as possible.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
5:12:29
Obstacle to implementing this project?
Jeffrey Margolis
5:12:34
I mean these are confined sites.
5:12:36
These are as council member wrestler stated, if we could work twenty fourseven, seven days a week, we would would love to.
5:12:44
But we have to respect our neighbors.
5:12:46
It sounds like we need to do a better job of that.
5:12:48
We recognize that in certain circumstances.
5:12:51
But also working, for example the Manhattan site is neighbored by a senior center, senior housing facility excuse me, and a criminal courthouse.
5:13:01
So it's a very narrow area and everything has to be staged on-site.
5:13:04
There's no other room to take streets in that particular community.
5:13:08
These are very challenging and complex sites that we've inherited but they make the most sense because of their proximity to the courthouse.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
5:13:16
And I think I read somewhere that May was talking about the capacity concerns for the borough based jails.
5:13:22
So what is the plan to ensure that the jails can handle the full capacity of the current system?
Jeffrey Margolis
5:13:29
So as council member Ressler said, you know, our job is to design and build based on the policy that's been set.
5:13:35
So each facility will have ten forty beds, men in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan.
5:13:44
And then there's a small population, four fifty beds for women in Queens.
5:13:49
Have those conversations with City Hall and DOC but they're not necessarily in our purview.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
5:13:58
In DDC's estimate, will the new capacity be sufficient to handle the city's jailhouse population?
Jeffrey Margolis
5:14:06
Again we're building the ten forty beds per facility, that's what we've been mandated to do.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
5:14:11
Not understanding mandate, but do you feel it's sufficient?
Jeffrey Margolis
5:14:14
I can't comment on DOC population and those needs unfortunately.