Mayor de Blasio vows to close Rikers Island: 'It will happen'

[brooklynite]

Source: New York Daily News

Mayor de Blasio, in a stunning announcement that will remake New York’s criminal justice system, revealed Friday that the city is planning to close Rikers Island.

“It will take many years. It will take many tough decisions along the way, but it will happen,” de Blasio said at a City Hall press conference.

De Blasio spoke a day after the Daily News reported that an independent commission studying the future of Rikers will recommend shuttering the beleaguered facility.

The 27-member panel, led by former New York State Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, was expected to tell City Hall on Sunday that it favored replacing Rikers with several smaller facilities spread across the five boroughs.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/mayor-de-blasio-vows-close-rikers-island-article-1.3015274

[hrmjustin]

1. This is not going to go over well in an election year.

[tenorly]

2. Brings to mind a quote from the great Lenny Briscoe:

"He likes islands? I've got one for'im: Rikers."

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Constructing 5 new facilities

pork for each borough and building trades friendly too

What will they think of next?

[Javaman]

4. had a chance to visit someone at Rikers back in the very early '80's...

it was a shit hole.

I was running close to the edge of the law back then and life could have gone a very different direction for me.

An "associate" had gotten himself picked up for drug possession. I went with another buddy to visit him.

It was the single defining moment of my then young life that made my straighten out myself out.

[Sunlei]

5. They need more room to house millions more prisoners & administer to millions more on parole.

Closer to their homes.

[BeyondGeography]

6. I wonder what the ETA is on that

the Mayor says "years and years." 2030s?

[cstanleytech]

11. My bet is in the 2040s at the earliest. nt

[BeyondGeography]

12. They'll be using the Moynihan Station development model

[wordpix]

7. Young man I know w/mental probs thrown in there for stealing $20

His elderly parents tracked him down and got him out but it's cost them ten$ of thousand$---so far. That is just not right.

My young friend was abused and still has probs w/his GI tract due to horrible food there. Says he'll commit suicide if he has to go back

[SummerSnow]

8. So where are you going to place 10,000 inmates?

oops, I just saw. Spread across the 5 boroughs. This will lead to many protest cause people will not want these facilities in their communities. Manhattan will not have any I bet.

[hrmjustin]

9. Put them on the Upper East Side!

[Lucky Luciano]

14. That's my house! No!! Probably white street near Chinatown. nt

[hrmjustin]

15. Staten Island!

[cstanleytech]

10. They should look at converting it to low cost affordable housing for people then assuming its in

decent enough shape to be worth it.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

13. The runways at La Guardia would like to have a word with you

There was already an airport there (then called North Beach Airport) when the prison opened, there is zero development potential there.

[cstanleytech]

16. Arent there apartments near the airport already? I would think a few more would be ok

especially for those who have limited means and need a place to live.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

17. I think you need to look at Google Earth

Rikers is about 200 feet from Runway 22 and encroaches on the extended center line of Runway 13.

The prison was built there because nothing else could be. Perhaps one day it will be home to another terminal for La Guardia.

[cstanleytech]

18. Yes I looked at google earth before I posted and to the south airport near Grand Central Pwky

there look to be plenty of apartments so some more apartments for lower income tenants might be a consideration assuming of course the facility itself is in decent enough shape.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

19. I misunderstood you

I didn't think you were proposing housing people in the existing prison. I believe most of the housing nearby is from around 1900.

[cstanleytech]

22. Well yes and no, I mean if the buildings themselves are sound and not to much work is needed to

convert them to affordable housing it might help alot of people but again it depends on the conditions of the buildings and how much it would cost to remodel them.
If its not worth it to remodel the buildings though maybe they could tear them down and convert the island to a public park.

[madville]

20. It isn't GTMO

Gotta house inmates somewhere.....

[JackRiddler]

21. Sure, it will and this is good and overdue, but...

this is finally happening because the time has come when this can make ultra-billions for the developers.