NYC jail overhaul spirals to $16 billion and misses 2027 Rikers deadline

New York City’s initiative to build four borough-based jails as a substitute for Rikers Island has escalated to a $16 billion undertaking, far exceeding the $8.7 billion budget approved under former Mayor Bill de Blasio. Construction on the Brooklyn site at 275 Atlantic Avenue has progressed to a skeletal frame, but the facility is not expected to open until at least 2029, delaying the city’s legally mandated Rikers shutdown beyond the Council’s 2027 deadline.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration has admitted the timeline is off track, while Close Rikers Czar Dana Kaplan said the effort remains a top priority. City Council Criminal Justice Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers warned that legislative action may be needed to close the gap between the first jail’s opening and the required closure date. Community concerns have arisen over construction impacts in Brooklyn and Manhattan, where a proposed 16-story “jailscraper” has prompted fears of ground instability. The Department of Design and Construction reports that early work has begun at all four sites, with the Bronx and Queens facilities projected to finish a year before Manhattan’s.