Boerum Hill Jail Accepting Inmates in Early February

Starting in early February, inmates will slowly be filling Brooklyn House of Detention, eventually inhabiting all 759 beds, according to The Daily News.

The controversial jail at Smith and State Streets has been mostly closed since 2003, except for a few holding cells and offices. Nearby residents have fought the reopening of the jail, located in what is now one of the most sought-after residential areas in Brooklyn.

“There’s no doubt that reopening this facility is going to present a lot of challenges in the community," Councilman Steve Levin told The News. "That part of downtown Brooklyn is significantly different than it was when it closed up."

Heloise Greenberg, a nearby resident, said that when the facility was open, jail visitors left knives, hypodermic needles, and tons of trash.

"I remember how sweet it was when they closed it down," Greenberg told The News. "It's not a good neighbor, bottom line." 

Howard Kolins, president of the Boerum Hill Association, added that parents with small children were uncomfortable with chained inmates being led through the streets, and that jail visitors were an added nuisance, parking in bus stops and handicapped spaces.

Individuals moving to Brooklyn House of Detention will be pre-trial prisoners awaiting court dates in Brooklyn and Staten Island. Up to 100 inmates will be moving in per week, according to the report.