Mamdani administration closes part of NYC's Rikers Island
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration announced the closure of a Rikers Island facility Monday. City and jail officials said the North Infirmary Command was permanently shut down.
"This milestone brings us closer to ending that chapter," Mamdani said. "We are replacing a system built around neglect with one centered on rehabilitation and accountability because public safety and human dignity are not competing values."
The Department of Correction transferred the facility to the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, along with large portions of two other centers. None of them currently housed people in custody, according to a news release.
It will be the DCAS' job to come up with a master plan for how to use Rikers once it is no longer a prison complex.
"We're already seeing many possibilities that can benefit our city for years to come, from renewable energy projects to other public purposes, particularly those with an environmental justice lens," Commissioner Yume Kitasei said.
Therapeutic housing unit allows closure of facility
The now-shuttered North Infirmary Command most recently housed 223 people with acute medical needs who required hospital-level care.
The mayor's administration was able to close it due to a new therapeutic housing unit created for inmates. In April, Mamdani announced detainees with complicated medical needs will be transferred to Bellevue Hospital in Kips Bay.
"Bellevue is designed intentionally by color and scheme and fabric to be a more therapeutic and supportive place," said Dr. Patsy Yang, senior VP of correction health services at NYC Health + Hospitals.
The Bellevue unit serves 104 people who need specialty care. Two other units will be created at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull and North Central Bronx.
Plan to close jail complex
The city is required by law to close the entire Rikers Island jail complex in August 2027. The troubled jail complex will be replaced with four smaller borough-based jails. Rikers has been a source of controversy for decades and has drawn intense scrutiny due to issues with violence, infrastructure and staffing.
But there are two problems. The borough jails won't be ready and Rikers' current population of about 6,700 inmates surpasses the 4,100-bed capacity of the new facilities.
"We're gonna build facilities centered on humanity and dignity of those who come to us. We're going to operate with dignity and humanity centered in every decision we make, every strategy we deploy, every bit of our work," Department of Correction Commissioner Stanley Richards said.
Mamdani has stated that he is committed to closing the jail complex, but in April he cast doubt on meeting the 2027 deadline.
"[It's] practically impossible to fulfill, because we've seen years of a flouting of not just recommendations, but requirements, frankly. It is going to take us quite a bit of time to ensure that we can put our city back on the path," Mamdani said.
"We all know that this is a long-term plan, and it's not happening tomorrow, unfortunately," added Dana Kaplan, the mayor's Close Rikers Czar.
