New York is set to build the tallest prison in the world at the heart of Manhattan’s Chinatown. Set to be as tall as Big Ben, the government plans to spend £12 billion (Rs 12.68 trillion) for this project. However, this project is facing a severe backlash from the people of Chinatown.
They argue that it will spoil the heritage and culture of the area along with safety risks at their disposal. The height of the “jail scraper” will be 300 feet or about 92 meters. This will be about a third of the height of the Empire State Building or Big Ben.
At the place of the future prison, there used to be a large building along with the other three, collectively known as The Tombs. A complex of four prisons was built, the first of which opened about 200 years ago. Now, they are being demolished with a bulldozer, and a new prison is being built in their place and this prison will be the highest prison on earth. The demolition is expected to be completed by early 2025, reports the New York Times.
This is all part of a plan to revamp New York’s crumbling prison network, with the notorious Rikers Island going out of work. Jail scraper will house more than 1000 prison inmates. This announcement has upset the people of Chinatown. More than 12,000 people have signed a petition against the plan, organised by Welcome to Chinatown. It is an area where locals drink tea, and play chess and mah-jong, while people from further afield come to enjoy the markets, restaurants and shops.
Residents say they don’t want a jail scraper and more than 1,000 criminals to haunt their lives. John Lee of Neighbors United Below Canal told Architectural Digest: “It’s a nightmare. For generations, Chinatown has been in the shadow of prisons. “Our focus must be on safety, scale and preserving Chinatown’s unique cultural identity.
The demolition before the construction of the highest prison also brings a lot of difficulties for Chinatown people. The cracks are becoming larger and the businesses have waned due to reduced foot traffic or costly renovations. A pediatric health centre has already moved, citing constant noise and ceiling leaks.
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