New Brooklyn Borough-Based Jail Tops Out as New York City Advances Plan to Close Rikers

A topping-out ceremony was held April 22 at the site of the new $2.959 billion Brooklyn Borough-Based Jail project in New York City. Photo Credit: NYC Department of Design and Construction

• NYC officials and more than 100 construction workers marked a “topping out” milestone at the new Brooklyn borough-based jail, with the final piece of structural steel set in place.
• The 15-story facility is slated for substantial completion in spring 2029 and is part of the city’s four-site Borough-Based Jails (BBJ) program intended to replace Rikers Island.
• DDC said demolition and site preparation are complete for the Bronx, Queens and Manhattan sites; those facilities are scheduled to be turned over in 2031 (Bronx, Queens) and 2032 (Manhattan).
• The Brooklyn project carries a projected budget of $2.959 billion and is being delivered by the design-build team of Tutor Perini Corporation and HOK.

NEW YORK — Officials in New York City marked a major construction milestone this week at the Brooklyn Borough-Based Jail, placing the last piece of structural steel atop the 15-story facility during a traditional “topping out” ceremony.

The project is one of four new detention facilities the city is building as part of its plan to replace the Rikers Island jail facility, according to the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC).

The new facility is rising at the site of the former Brooklyn House of Detention. The city said the Brooklyn building is due to reach substantial completion in spring 2029 under the Borough-Based Jails program, with the Bronx and Queens sites slated for turnover in 2031 and the Manhattan site in 2032.

The Brooklyn jail is planned as a 15-story building with a maximum height of 295 feet at the roofline, plus mechanicals. DDC said the project totals 712,150 square feet of zoning floor area, including more than 30,000 square feet designated as community space with separate entrances fronting Atlantic Avenue.

The city said the facility is designed for 1,040 beds and will include 82 parking spaces below grade for authorized vehicles.

NYC Department of Correction Commissioner Richards said the city is working to move away from facilities “built decades ago,” emphasizing access to lawyers, loved ones and therapeutic programs at borough-based sites.

“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 Commissioner Richards, according to a press release from the NYC DDC.

The Brooklyn project is being designed and constructed by Tutor Perini Corporation/HOK with a projected budget of $2.959 billion. Construction began in November 2024, and the city expects substantial completion in spring 2029.

The city said the design was developed over several years through community design workshops and meetings with justice-involved community members, with principles that include residential-style spaces and supportive environments. DDC also said the building is intended to meet and exceed green building standards, and that ground-floor areas are planned to include visiting spaces and uses that serve the surrounding neighborhood.

DDC Acting Commissioner Eduardo del Valle said the agency has continued holding workshops with communities and stakeholders as the projects advance, describing design elements intended to emphasize natural lighting, on-site healthcare, legal services and visitation, as well as exterior and community spaces.

Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) Director Deanna Logan framed the topping-out as progress toward “a safer, more humane criminal legal system,” and said the city is continuing work intended to reduce unnecessary incarceration and support people returning to their communities.

“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,” said Logan.

In describing broader efforts tied to the transition, the city pointed to Fiscal Year 2025 activity that included more than 33,000 enrollments in Supervised Release (with an 86% court appearance rate), more than 9,000 enrollments in Alternatives to Incarceration (84% completion), and more than 5,000 participants in Project Reset, a pre-arraignment diversion program.

DDC also said nonprofit partners in MOCJ’s Community Justice Reentry Network completed more than 4,100 discharge plans, conducted more than 4,200 community intakes and secured 1,459 job placements for people returning home from custody.

The press release also cited an earlier April milestone contributing to the eventual closing of Rikers Island: the opening of the city’s first Outposted Therapeutic Housing Unit at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, a 104-bed unit for people in custody with complex medical needs.

This article is based on a press release published by the NYC Department of Design and Construction on April 23, 2026.

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