New York plans to build a skyscraper prison

In the New York district of Chinatown, authorities are planning to build a new prison nearly 100 meters high literally outside of it. The New York Times writes about it.

Locals in Manhattan’s Chinatown are concerned.

Construction crews are now working to demolish the building that houses the jail, and residents say they are experiencing noise, dust and vibrations from the project.

Previously, the area earmarked for the prison already had a detention facility. The locals called it “The Tombs”. But the new project will be bigger. It will have 1,040 beds, underground parking and about 20 floors.

As you know, the Manhattan Detention Center was built in the Egyptian Revival style nearly 200 years ago, which is where it got its nickname. Since its original opening in 1838, it has been renovated several times and closed in November 2020 before being demolished.

Supporters of the city’s plan to build a massive lockup say its creation is necessary to achieve the long-term goal of closing Rikers Island, where reports of violence and deaths have plagued the city for years. .

Demolition is expected to be completed early next year, although the mayor’s office recently said it likely won’t close Rikers by the 2027 deadline.

About 30 percent of the area’s residents work and live near the site—mostly people age 65 and older—and 60 percent are Asian.

The senior center, located next to the prison site, has 88 apartments for low-income seniors, keeping the area’s mostly immigrant population out of the community.

We remind you that earlier in the Chinese city of Changsha there was a huge fire in the China-telecom skyscraper. Dozens of floors of a building more than 200 meters high were completely burned within 20 minutes.