Construction Begins on World's Tallest Jail in Manhattan's Chinatown
Preparation is currently in progress for the Manhattan Detention Facility, a 335-foot (102 metres) high jail located at 125 White Street in New York City's Chinatown, crafted by HOK. This facility will be the tallest of its kind globally, referred to as a 'jailscraper', and is part of a plan to replace Rikers Island with four new borough-based jails. Situated on the site of the former Manhattan Detention Complex, it will include 1,040 beds, public areas, and underground parking, while preserving public artwork from the Tombs. Announced in 2019 as part of the Borough-Based Jail Program, the project has faced criticism regarding structural issues, with an expected completion date in 2032. HOK is also responsible for the design of the Brooklyn jail, alongside others for The Bronx and Queens.
Key facts
- The Manhattan Detention Facility is designed by HOK and located at 125 White Street in Chinatown, New York City.
- The building will be 335 feet (102 metres) tall with roughly 13 floors, making it the tallest correctional facility in the world.
- It is one of four borough-based jails replacing the Rikers Island jail complex, part of the Borough-Based Jail Program.
- The site was formerly occupied by the Manhattan Detention Complex (The Tombs), demolished in 2024.
- The design includes a double skin system with security mesh, a walkway through the base, and a reddish mesh screen on the facade.
- The facility will have 1,040 beds, with cells on upper floors and public, community, and retail spaces on the ground level.
- Public artwork from the Tombs, including works by Kit-Yin Snyder and Richard Hass, will be preserved.
- The project is controversial, with local leaders writing to Mayor Zohran Mamdani about structural fragility.
- Completion is slated for 2032.
Entities
Artists
- Kit-Yin Snyder
- Richard Hass
Institutions
- HOK
- New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC)
- Department of Correction
- New York Police Department
- CetraRuddy
- Michael Graves
- Borough-Based Jail Program
- Rikers Island jail complex
Locations
- Manhattan
- New York City
- Chinatown
- 125 White Street
- Rikers Island
- East River
- Brooklyn
- The Bronx
- Queens
Sources
- Dezeen —