Chinatown community leaders are pressing Mayor Zohran Mamdani to rethink the development of a high-rise jail within their crowded neighborhood. They express concerns that construction could destabilize the ground, posing a risk to surrounding structures.
The jail, envisioned as a 16-story “jailscraper,” is part of an extensive $16 billion initiative aimed at closing the Rikers Island Jail Complex. The plan, which proposes building four borough-centric facilities near courthouses, might materialize by 2032.
In a letter dispatched on August 21, 18 influential local figures highlighted that the proposed jail site rests on the soft, marshy terrain of the historical Collect Pond. The correspondence was addressed to the mayor, Deputy Mayor Julia Kerson, the “Close Rikers” overseer Dana Kaplan, and City Council Speaker Julie Menin.
The construction blueprint entails an unprecedented excavation depth for this locale, extending far below the water table. The city’s own report has cautioned that draining water during the building process might lead to ground subsidence, which once it happens, cannot be reversed, as stated in the leaders’ letter.
The initiative to dismantle the Manhattan Detention Complex situated at 124–125 White St., and erect the proposed jail in its place, faces robust opposition from residents, local businesses, and various community groups.
The phase-out of Rikers for new jails was initiated by former Mayor Bill de Blasio nearly a decade ago and progressed slowly under his successor, ex-Mayor Eric Adams. It’s now Mamdani’s turn.
The Chinatown leaders’ letter stated that many older buildings surrounding the construction site also rest on century-old wooden foundations, which are sturdy only because they stay underwater.
Exposing submerged wood to air would accelerate its deterioration, the leaders claimed, citing an op-ed analysis from architect William Bialosky.
“The buildings in the danger zone are our homes, our small businesses, the historic buildings along Baxter Street, and Chung Pak senior housing, where some of our most vulnerable neighbors live,” the Chinatown reps said.
But city officials last month said they are taking all necessary precautions for “building safely below the [water] table.”
A July 20 report addressing the issue was released by the city Department of Design and Construction, the city’s major contractor Tutor Perini and the Corrections Department, among others.
The report states that a continuous underground retaining wall formed by overlapping concrete piles will provide adequate excavation support, limit ground movement and help control groundwater during deep digging.
The construction officials acknowledged that managing groundwater is critical to maintaining stability and “protecting surrounding structures.”
But the pile walls minimize ground movement and help protect buildings adjacent to the jail site, as well as utilities and public infrastructure, the builders said.
“Only water within the excavation area is managed, minimizing impacts to the surrounding groundwater level,” the report said.
“By containing groundwater and excavation effects within the site, the sealed-wall method reduces risks to surrounding properties and infrastructure.”
The Gateway Tunnel Project and other sites using such Secant piles include 100 11th Ave. in Chelsea in Manhattan, the Hudson Square Project, or Project Galaxy, for the Walt Disney Company in Manhattan, and 120 Fifth Ave. in Brooklyn.
Throughout the ongoing demolition and dismantlement phase at the Chinatown site, residents have reported persistent dust emissions, uncovered and idling trucks and ongoing noise disruptions.
The Chinatown Environmental Health Working Group reports higher particulate matter pollution levels near the construction zone.
Signatories of the letter to the mayor include: Vic Lee, CEO and co-founder of Welcome to Chinatown Inc.; Vic Lee, CEO & co-founder Welcome to Chinatown Inc.; Jan Lee, co-founder of Neighbors United Below Canal; Thomas Yu, executive director of Asian Americans for Equality, and Wayne Ho, president and CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council, Inc.